Kettle Corn

3 T oil
1/3 c popcorn kernels (1/2 c if using mushroom popcorn kernels)
1/3 c sugar
Salt

Place oil and kernels in Whirley Pop. When a few kernels begin to pop, add the sugar and crank it until it stops popping. Pour it into a bowl and sprinkle with salt immediately.

Frosted Banana Bars

1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1-1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
Dash salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, bananas and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into creamed mixture just until blended.Transfer to a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
Cool in pan on a wire rack.
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tsp vanilla
For frosting, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth. Frost bars. 
Yield: 3 dozen

Taco Salad

Lettuce, chopped
Taco meat
Shredded cheese
Green onion, chopped
Tomatoes, chopped
Cucumbers, sliced
Olives, chopped
Tortilla chips, crushed
Catalina dressing

Toss all together & serve

Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Muffins

Yield: 6 jumbo Muffins or 12 regular

4 T butter melted and cooled
¼ cup canola or vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
1 large egg + 1 egg white (room temp)
1 1/2 t vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk (room temp)
1 3/4 cup flour
2 t baking powder
2 t corn starch
½ t salt
1 cup chocolate chips
1/3 cup coarse sugar

Combine butter and canola oil in a large bowl.  Stir well.
Stir in sugar.
Add egg, egg white, and vanilla extract.  Stir very well, until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.
Add buttermilk and stir well.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, corn starch, and salt.
Fold dry ingredients into wet gently, taking care not to overmix.  Once about half of the dry ingredients have been combined, add in chocolate chips and continue to fold in to batter.
Cover bowl with a dry towel and allow batter to sit 15 minutes**
Preheat oven to 425 (400 for dark pan) line muffin tin with paper liners or spray with cooking spray. 
Once oven has preheated, portion batter into 6-cavity large muffin tin (you may also use regular, 12 count muffin tin, you will just need to bake them for less time), filling each tin all the way to the top with batter (without overflowing).
Sprinkle tops generously with course sugar and place muffin tin in preheated oven.
Bake on 425F (400 for dark pan) for 8 minutes and then reduce the oven temp to 350 (325 for dark pan) (do not open the oven door or remove the muffins, just leave them in and reduce the temperature) and bake another 15 minutes, or until tops are just beginning to turn golden brown (if you are using a 12-count muffin tin rather than jumbo-sized, these will not need to bake as long.  Start checking your muffins after 7-8 minutes on 350F.
Allow to cool, and enjoy!

Big batch Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 1/2 c butter
1/2 c shortening or coconut oil
3 eggs
3 T vanilla
2 c brown sugar
1 1/2 c sugar
5-6 c flour
1 1/2 t baking soda
1 1/2 t salt

2 T Cornstarch 
3 c choc chips

Bake at 350⁰ for 10-11 min
Makes about 60 cookies (with small scoop)

45 cookies with medium scoop (bake 14 min)
30 cookies with large scoop (bake 17 min)

Simple Potato Salad

5 lbs potatoes, peeled & cubed
3 stalks of celery, chopped
Mayo (amt will depend how wet you like it & how dry the potatoes are -usually about 2 cups)
Mustard (to taste)
Salt & pepper (to taste)
6-8 hard boiled eggs, chopped

Paprika

Cook cubed potatoes until tender. Drain & let cool a little bit. Transfer to large bowl. Stir in celery, mayo, mustard, salt & pepper until combined. Gently fold in eggs. Sprinkle with paprika. 

Coleslaw (Chick Fil-A Copycat)

2- 16 oz bags coleslaw mix
1 1/2 c mayo
1/3 c sugar
1/2 t dry mustard powder
1/4 t salt
2 T vinegar

Mix sauce ingredients together & pour over coleslaw mix. Stir to combine. Add salt to taste.

Popcorn Balls

1 c. popcorn kernels
1 stick of butter
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. Karo
1 t vanilla

Pop the popcorn & place in a large bowl. Melt butter, sugar & Karo in saucepan over medium heat. Boil for 3 1/2 minutes. Remove from heat & stir in vanilla. Pour over popcorn & stir until coated. With buttered hands, form into balls about the size of a softball. Makes about 16 popcorn balls.

Crustless Quiche (frittata)

6 eggs
1/2 c. cream or sour cream
1/2 c. grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 c. grated cheddar cheese
3/4 c. diced ham or 1/2 c bacon crumbles
2 c. veggies (asparagus, spinach, broccoli, zucchini, onions, mushrooms, peppers etc)
dash of salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat eggs & add remaining ingredients. Spray pie plate with cooking spray. Pour into pie plate. Bake for 40 min. The middle will be jiggly, but the rest should be firm. Remove from oven & let cool. It will set up as it cools.

Can double it in a 9X13 pan & cook 45-50 min.

Shredded, squeezed dry zucchini or spinach works good.

*You can also add a pie crust or crescent roll crust to this. Just press it in the pan & pour egg mixture in. No need to prebake it.

Chocolate fudge sauce

1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. cream (or milk)
1/2 c. sugar
2 c. chocolate chips
1 t. vanilla

Bring butter, cream & sugar to a boil over medium heat. When sugar is dissolved, add chocolate chips. Remove from heat & stir in vanilla. Dip strawberries in it or drizzle over ice cream. Makes about 2 cups.

Homemade Crutons

1 loaf of bread, cubed

4 T. butter, melted

1 T. Olive Oil

1 1/2 t. garlic salt

1/2 t. onion powder

1/2 t. dried parsley

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place bread in large bowl. In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Pour mixture over the bread cubes & stir to combine. Spread onto cookie sheet & spread evenly. Bake 10 min & stir. Bake another 5 min or until bread cubes are browned & crispy. Remove from oven & cool. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. These are yummy topped on salads or even soup!

Broccoli Salad

10 slices of bacon, cooked & crumbled
6 c.broccoli, chopped fine
1/4 c. red onion, chopped
1/2 c. craisins
1 c. sunflower seeds

Dressing:
3 T red wine vinegar
2 T sugar (I use 2 t. truvia)
1 c. mayo

Add broccoli, onion, craisins & sunflower seeds to large bowl. Mix dressing ingredients together & pour over broccoli. Stir to coat evenly. Top with crumbled bacon.
*You can also add diced cooked chicken.

7 Layer Cookie Bars

1/2 c. butter
1 c. graham crackers
1 c. shredded coconut
1 c. Semi sweet chocolate chips
1 c. butterscotch chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 c. chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350⁰. Melt butter in 9X13 pan. Sprinkle graham crackers over top. Press down slightly. Sprinkle coconut & chips over crust. Drizzle with sweetened condensed milk. Sprinkle nuts on top.
Bake for 30 min. Let cool, then cut into squares.

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Chip cookies

3/4 c. Butter
1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. peanut butter
2 eggs
2 t. vanilla
2 1/2 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
2 c. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat butter, sugars & peanut butter in a large bowl until light & fluffy. Blend in eggs & vanilla Mix in flour, baking soda & salt. stir in chocolate chips. Drop scoops onto cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 min. Cool 2 min.
Yield: 4 dozen

Perfect Pot Roast

1 beef chuck roast (about 3 lbs)
Lipton onion soup mix
2 c water

3 T cornstarch
1/2 c water

Place roast in crock pot. Sprinkle with onion soup mix & pour 2 C water in bottom. Cook on low for 6-8 hrs or high for 4 hrs.

Remove roast from crockpot & place on a serving platter. Dump liquid from crock pot into a saucepan & bring to a boil. Stir 1/2 c water & cornstarch in small bowl & pour into saucepan. Lower temp & stir until thick.
Serve with mashed potatoes.

*Can also bake at 350 degrees for 3 hrs.