Slow-Roasted Potatoes

For dinner tonight I made the Slow-Roasted Potatoes found on page 147 of our Best-Loved Slow Cooker Recipes cook book.  They were really easy and really yummy.  Evan still prefers them in the oven because they get crispy, but all that turning the potatoes gets old.  I did switch the 1/2 t salt to garlic salt and the 1/4 t garlic powder to onion powder.  I didn't have small new potatoes, so I just cut up 5 red potatoes.  I'll definitely make these again!

Chocolate Lover's Chocolate Mousse Pie

This is what we made for Evan's b-day.  He first had it from Dave Smith's mom; she however, makes it with Hershey's syrup in the bottom rather than melted chocolate chips.  Nestle Chocolate Lover's Chocolate Mousse Pie.

Ingredients

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1/3 cup NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Baking Cocoa
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 2 3/4 cups (16 oz.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels, divided
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream, divided
• 2 teaspoons powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 350° F.

COMBINE graham cracker crumbs, cocoa and granulated sugar in 9-inch pie plate. Stir in butter until moistened; press onto bottom and up side of pie plate.

BAKE for 8 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle 1/2 cup morsels over bottom of hot crust; let stand for 10 minutes or until all morsels are shiny. Spread chocolate over bottom and up side of crust. Cool to room temperature.

MICROWAVE 2 cups morsels and 3/4 cup cream in large, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100%) power for 1 minute; STIR. The morsels may retain some of their original shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until morsels are melted. Cool to room temperature.

BEAT remaining cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract in chilled small mixer bowl until soft peaks form. Fold 2 cups whipped cream into chocolate mixture. Spoon into crust; swirl top. Garnish with remaining whipped cream. Refrigerate until firm.

MICROWAVE remaining 1/4 cup morsels in heavy-duty plastic bag on HIGH (100%) power for about 30 seconds; knead until smooth. Cut tiny corner from bag; squeeze to drizzle chocolate over pie. Llet stand a few minutes before serving.

Chutney Curried Chicken with Yogurt Sauce

I made the above-mentioned recipe from our Crock-Pot book for dinner tonight (found on page 197).  Honestly, I thought it was kinda gross.  Evan and Eli kinda liked it.  I will not be making this one again!  (. . . and I even followed directions!)

Jamaica-Me Crazzy Chicken Tropicale

I made the above-mentioned recipe the other night for dinner from our Crock-Pot book (page 194).  I really enjoyed the mix of flavors.  I might make it again, but I didn't LOVE it.

Magic Shell

We love magic shell:

http://alphamom.com/family-fun/food-home/july-is-national-ice-cream-month-aww-yeah/

Carrot/Zucchini Cake

Everyone LOVES my mom's carrot/zucchini cake.  Especially with cream cheese frosting.  Here's the recipe.  Uh, works great in a 9 x 13, not so great as cupcakes.  Had to post the picture for some comic relief.

Mix together:
4 eggs
2 C sugar (1 brown, 1 white)
3/4 C oil (half applesauce works, too)
1 t cinnamon

Add:
2 C flour (1 wheat works well)
2 t baking soda
2 t baking powder
1 C chopped nuts
3 C grated carrots/zucchini

Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes in a greased and floured 9 x 13 (or two 8 x 8s -- NOT cupcakes).

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 cube butter
8 oz soft cream cheese (or nufchatel cheese)
4 3/4 C powdered sugar (I use 3-4 C, usually -- makes it a little softer)
(sometimes I throw in a little vanilla, too)

No (Bake) Cookies or Annie's Oatmeal Munchies

The reason I put parenthesis around "Bake" in the title is that as you can see in the picture, there are No Cookies -- we ate them all (mostly)!  These are a family favorite!  In college I ate many, many delicious no bake cookies, but I could never reproduce them until Annie shared this recipe from school with me.

In a saucepan combine:
1/4 C butter
3/4 C sugar
1/4 C brown sugar
1/4 C milk
1T+1t cocoa powder
Dash of salt

Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat for one minute.  Remove from heat and add:
1/4 C peanut butter
1 1/2 C quick oats
1/4 C flour
1/2 t vanilla

Scoop by spoonfuls quickly onto waxed paper and let cool.

This recipe is doubled from Annie's Home Ec. class, you should probably double it again!

Also, we have noticed these cookies work better with Skippy or Jiff rather than a natural peanut butter. With natural peanut butter, they turn out dry.