The snowfall we had on 1-28. Sleet started on 1-27. I am in Southern IL and I know people farther south got it worse. They had ice. We got about 4-5" of sleet then 9-11" of snow on top.

This is a close up of the edge of the scarfs I made.

I was asked and "YES" by clicking the image it appears larger.

I made this scarf. I made a 2 tone purple one for the little girl in red.

Kids awaiting the arrival of Santa Claus!!!

Honey Bun Cake
4 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 package butter recipe cake mix (yellow)
3/4 cup oil
1 cup sour cream
Mix all together spray into a greased 9x13 pan.

Mix the following and sprinkle onto cake batter
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Swirl into cake mixture and bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.

Icing
1 cup confectioners sugar
6 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons milk
Bring to a boil, pour over cake while hot.

A very good cake.



Garden Pasta Salad
1 (16 oz.) package uncooked tri-colored spiral pasta
1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots
2 stalks celery, hopped
1/2 cup each green, red and yellow peppers
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 (16 oz) bottle Italian-style salad dressing
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling water. Rinse under cold water and drain.
Mix carrots, celery, peppers, tomatoes, and green onion together in large bowl. Add the cooled pasta and mix together. Pour the dressing over mixture add the Parmesan and mix well.
Chill before serving.

Ladies night at church in '06

Cucumbers

7 unpeeled cucumbers (I peel them)
1 cup sliced onions
1 cup green pepper chopped
Place in a large bowl in layers. Scatter salt on top and let set for 2 hours. (Do not drain)
Combine 1 cup vinegar, 2 cups sugar, 1 tablespoon celery seed (optional) and stir thoroughly and let stand in refrigerator.

I rarely have any left if I take these somewhere.
This came from my younger sisters ex mother-in-law.



I was asked to post this by a friend. This following recipe I got from my grandfather when he was 90. It was in a newsletter that he got from the nursing home that my grandmother was in. He use to make it often. My kids like it.

Simple Pineapple Cake

1 Angel Food Cake Mix (the one step cake mix)
1 20 oz. can crushed pineapple (undrained)
Mix cake mix, and crushed pineapple together until well blended. Put into a 9x13 pan that has been sprayed with pam. Bake in a 325 degree oven until done.
(Pineapple can be substituted for a large can of Mandarin oranges) (Very good and easy)
I think my oven takes about 40 minutes.


I also saw a post somewhere to use a can of pumpkin pie mix and the 1 step angel food cake mix. I tried it and it is good.




This recipe I got from a co-worker a couple years ago. My kids request it for their birthday cake now.

Buster Bar Ice Cream Cake (suppose to be like a DQ Cake)

Crust:
1 package Oreos (save 3/4 cup for top)
1 stick oleo, melted
Middle:
1/2 gallon ice cream (any flavor)
1/2 cup peanuts
1 jar hot fudge topping
Top:
8 oz. cool whip
remaining oreos
Crush cookies and mix with oleo. Press into the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Freeze until hard.
Spread ice cream on top of crust. (you can slice the ice cream and lay it on the crust--this is alittle easier) Sprinkle peanuts on the ice cream. Freeze until hard.
Drizzle Fudge topping over peanuts and freeze.
Top with cool whip and remaining Oreo cookies. Freeze until firm. Remove from freezer 15 minutes before serving.

These 3 or 4 pictures are just showing ornaments on our tree. We make alot and I join swaps for ornaments.

This nativity set my parents got us for our first Christmas in 1980.

This is also just some of my snowmen.

Just a few of my Santas. I didn't put even half of them out.

Few Decorations

Christmas Decorations

Christmas Tree 2008

I tried this recipe today and DH and DS said it was good! So..... Had a Banana Bread I made with the Christmas trays that everybody liked real well using cream cheese and cinnamon. The guys told me to keep these 2 recipes and don't try anymore.

Banana Pudding Banana Nut Bread
1 (18 oz) box yellow cake mix (I used a banana cake mix)
1 large package instant banana pudding (I only had the small so used it)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 ripe bananas, mashed
4 eggs
1 cup chopped pecans (I do mine pretty little)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Mix all the ingredients well
Pour into 2 large or 4 small greased loaf pans
Bake at 350 for 40 to 45 minutes
Check for doneness

They said it was full of flavor so I think with the banana cake mix the small box of pudding was enough. It did not rise very tall.


The one I made to give out with cookie trays is this one:

Nutty Banana Bread
1/2 cup butter softened
8 0z package cream cheese softened
1 1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup bananas mashed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons brown sugar packed
2 teaspoons cinnamon
Cream together butter and cream cheese in a mixing bowl, gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in mashed bananas and vanilla. Add flour, baking powder and baking soda, mix until just moist. In a small bowl,combine pecans, brown sugar and cinnamon . Divide half the banana batter between 2 greased and floured 8x4 loaf pans, sprinkle pecan mixture over batter. Pour remaining batter over top.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean. Makes 2 loaves.

When making this recipe, I usually mix the pecan mixture in with the batter and have it throughout the bread.

This is from a Gooseberry Patch Cookbook

Sirlon Tips
1 can 7-up
1 can beer
1 package dry onion soup mix
Pour over the tips cover and cook.

A friend gave me this recipe but it is one I have not tried yet.

Cookie Cake
32 oz. roll of cookie dough (chocolate chip or whatever you chooose)
Use half the roll and line the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan.
Mix:
2 packages cream cheese softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
Spoon on top of cookies in the pan. Slice the other half and put on top. Bake 30 minutes at 350. Done when cookies are brown around edge.

This recipe I have had for years

Twix Bars
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup crushed vanilla wafers
1/4 cup milk
1 stick butter or margarine
2/3 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup butterscotch chips
club crackers
Line a lightly greased 9x13 pan with whole club crackers. Bring sugars, vanilla wafers, milk and butter to a slow boil. Pour over club crackers in pan and add another layer of club crackers. Melt peanut butter, chocolate chips and butterscotch chips together. Pour over crackers. Cut along cracker lines.




Shredded AuGratin Potatoes
1 cup sour cream
2 lb. bag of frozen hash browns
3 bags shredded cheddar cheese (I use about 1 1/2)
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can milk
Stir everything together and pour over potatoes. Then put cheese on.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

These 2 recipes came from a friend back in the early '90's

Snicker Salad

6 Granny Smith Apples (I have used different kinds)
4 Snicker Bars
1 4 oz. vanilla pudding
1 cup milk
8 oz. cool whip

Cut up apples and snickers into a large bowl. Mix pudding and milk, then add cool whip stir together. Mix in apples.

Received from my pen pal in summer of '03

Okay, after seeing many of my MHH friends setting up blogs I have decided to TRY!

I would like to share a recipe with you all that my kids have loved for years. Actually anybody who likes chocolate seems to like it.

Chocolate Chip Pie
1/2 cup flour
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 stick butter or margarine, softened
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup walnuts (I use pecans)
Mix flour, sugar, eggs, vanilla and butter. Add in chocolate chips and nuts. Put into an unbaked pie crust & bake for 40 minutes (or until set--will set after taking it out) at 350 degrees.

This was in our local newspaper back in early '90's.



Grape Salad
1 lb white seedless grapes
1 lb red seedless grapes
1 8 oz. sour cream
1 8 oz. cream cheese softened
1/2 cup sugar

Topping
3 regular size butterfinger candy bars
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup broken pecans

Mix sour cream, sugar & cream cheese together. Stir in washed grapes. Spread in a 9 X 13 pan.

For topping crush the candy bars up, mix with brown sugar, and nuts. Spread over grape mixture.

This recipe came from a ladies night at church in '06.