4 Ingredient Biscuits

These guys are so flaky and light. Absolutely scrumptious.  Only 4 ingredients. Try them.  You can do it!  They are really easy.

2 cups Bisquick (I use heart healthy.) or use any biscuit  baking mix

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup 7-up

1/4 cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Cut sour cream into biscuit mix. (I use my fingers.)  Add 7-Up and mix. This makes a very soft dough.

Sprinkle additional biscuit mix or flour on table and pat dough out with your hands. (No need to use a rolling pin.) Pour the melted butter into a 9 inch square pan. Cut biscuits using a round biscuit or cookie cutter or just use a drinking glass.  Place biscuits in pan into the melted butter and bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes about 8 or 9 biscuits.

 (And no, my pan is not dirty.  That's the melted butter you can see where I've removed a couple of the biscuits.)

Tortellini Vegetable Soup

This soup is fairly quick and easy. It is flavorful and colorful. It smells so delightful as it's cooking. Add some garlic bread or a crusty baguette for an easy and delicious meal. 

Makes about 5 servings.

Ingredients: 

2 Tablespoons olive oil 

1 medium onion, chopped 

1 small zucchini, diced 

1 medium carrot, peeled and diced 

1 Clove garlic, chopped 

1 quart (4 cups) chicken stock

1 teaspoon dried basil 

1 teaspoon dried oregano 

1 bay leaf 

1 can (14 ounces) crushed tomatoes 

8 to 9 ounces fresh or frozen tortellini (cheese or meat filled) 

2 to 3 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 

1/2 teaspoon Black pepper 

Instructions: 

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium soup pot or large saucepan. Add the onion, zucchini, and carrot. Saute over moderate heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the garlic and saute 1 more minute.

2. Add the chicken stock, basil, oregano, bay leaf, and tomatoes to the pot. Increase the heat and bring the mixture to a low boil. Add the tortellini and bring the soup back to a low boil. Cook it for 2 minutes, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 5 to 6 minutes longer. Gently stir in the parsley and pepper during the last minute. Remove the bay leaf before serving. 

3. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkle of grated cheese, and/or some fresh parsley.

Lasagna Rolls Make-Ahead and Freeze

I love having these in the freezer for when I don't have time or energy to cook a meal. Add a salad and your meal is complete. They are delicious also. Easy, quick, and delicious...that's a combination that can't be beat.
This recipe makes 8 Lasagne Rolls. Each one is a single serving.
Note to my kids:  You know how I am about lasagne.  I really like these and have made them several times.

INGREDIENTS:
8 uncooked lasagna noodles (I used 1/2 pound. Some of them always break, so I wanted extras.)
1 (12-oz.) container low-fat cottage cheese
4 oz. (1 cup) shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I used fresh. You could use the green canister.)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1 (14 to 15-oz.) jar (2 cups) pasta sauce*
Additional Chopped parsley for garnish

DIRECTIONS:
Cook lasagna noodles to desired doneness as directed on package. Drain.
Meanwhile, in medium bowl, combine all remaining ingredients except pasta sauce and additional chopped parsley; mix well.
Spread each cooked lasagna noodle with a generous 1/4 cup cheese mixture to within 1 inch of one short end. Just spread it along the length of the noodle. Roll up firmly toward unfilled end, like a sleeping bag. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap.

Repeat with remaining noodles and cheese mixture. Place the wrapped rolls in a zipper freezer bag. Refrigerate or freeze lasagna rolls.

Place 1/4 cup pasta sauce in each of 8 freezer bags and freeze.

To cook one serving, unwrap lasagna roll and place seam side down in microwave-safe bowl; cover with microwave-safe waxed paper. If refrigerated, microwave on HIGH for 1 to 2 minutes or until cheese begins to melt at ends of roll. Spoon 1/4 cup pasta sauce over roll; cover. Microwave on HIGH for 20 to 30 seconds or until thoroughly heated. (If frozen, microwave on LOW for 1 to 2 minutes or until thawed before heating as directed above.) Top with chopped parsley.

(If desired add 1/2 pound cooked ground beef to pasta sauce.  I actually added the ground beef to the cheese mixture and rolled it into the noodles.)*

Nutty Dessert Bars

These are delicious. They taste almost like a candy bar.
Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold butter, divided
1 cup butterscotch chips (Use a good brand)
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 can (11-1/2 ounces) mixed nuts (Again, use a good brand)

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar and salt. Cut in 1/2 cup butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. (I just use my hands.) Line a 9 x 13 inch pan with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Press flour mixture into the foil lined baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
While it’s baking melt butterscotch chips and remaining butter; stir until smooth. Mix in corn syrup.
Remove crust from oven; but leave the oven ON.
Sprinkle nuts over crust and spread into a single layer; top with the butterscotch mixture. Spread it carefully so you don’t pull up the nuts. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes longer or until set.
Carefully remove the bars by lifting the aluminum foil and place the bars, still on the foil, onto a wire rack.
Cool completely. Cut into bars.
Yield: about 3 dozen.

Angel Rolls

I make these when I want hot rolls quickly. You can have them on the table in about 30-40 minutes.

3 1/2 cups bread flour, divided
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 package (1/4 ounce) quick-rise yeast
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup warm buttermilk* (120 to 130 degrees)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup warm water (120 to 130 degrees)
melted butter or margarine

In a mixing bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour, sugar, yeast, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Add the buttermilk, oil and water; beat until moistened. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 4-6 minutes. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.

Roll out to 1/2 inch thickness; cut with a 2 1/2 inch biscuit cutter. Place on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Brush tops with butter.
Yield 14 to 20 rolls

*Warm buttermilk will appear curdled

Butterfinger Bites

Just 3 ingredients. These are easy to make. They taste, "AWESOME!" according to my son-in-law.

Such a wonderful treat and HEALTHY! Wheat Thins--whole grain crackers=healthy. Peanut Butter--protein=healthy. Chocolate--yummy=okay maybe not so healthy. But 2 out of 3--that's pretty good. I declare that healthy.

Here's what you'll need:
1 (10 oz.) box original Wheat Thins crackers
1 cup creamy peanut butter
16 ounces dipping chocolate, almond bark, or candy melts

First, line a cookie pan with waxed paper. Lay out your Wheat Thins in a single layer all over the pan. My pan didn't quite hold the entire box. You could use more that one pan.

Next, take a zipper sandwich bag and spray the inside with non-stick cooking spray. This will keep the peanut butter from sticking to the bag. Plop about a cup of creamy peanut butter into the bag. Now, zip up the bag and cut off a small corner to make a hole in the bag. Squeeze about a half teaspoon of peanut butter onto the top of each cracker on your cookie pan. I didn't measure. I just "eyeballed" it. You can use a half teaspoon measuring spoon, but the bag is so much faster and easier. Then just throw away the bag and NO cleanup. Hooray!

Place a Wheat Thins cracker on top of each peanut butter topped cracker on the cookie pan.

Melt chocolate according to package directions. Or melt chocolate in microwave at 50 percent power for one minute; stir. Return to microwave at 30 second intervals until chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Remember to stir after each 30 seconds. Chocolate does not look melted until you stir it. You don't want to scorch it.

Finally, dip cracker "sandwiches" in chocolate to coat.

Set on waxed paper on cookie pans.

Place in refrigerator or freezer for 10-15 minutes to set completely. Eat and enjoy.

Store in an airtight container.
Somebody commented that these are better than Butterfingers. I don't know about that, but they sure are scrumptious and WAY healthier than Butterfingers.
Try some for yourself. I think you'll be glad you did.
I made about 48, but I only used one pan; and not the entire box of Wheat Thins.

Freezer Meal Twice Baked Potatoes

I love making these and putting them in the freezer. Then when I want a quick and easy but delicious meal, I can just pull one out of the freezer, place on microwave safe plate and microwave for a few minutes. Fix a salad while it's cooking and I have a yummy dinner in a short amount of time.

4 large baking potatoes (about 2 1/4 pounds)
1 Package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened (This is a small package. You could divide an 8 ounce package.)
4 Tablespoons milk
1 envelope (1 ounce) ranch salad dressing mix
1 1/2 cups mashed potatoes*
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Scrub and pierce potatoes; place on a microwave safe plate. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 13-15 minutes or until tender, turning several times. Let stand for 10 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine cream cheese and milk; beat in salad dressing mix. Add mashed potatoes; mix well. Cut a thin slice from the top of each potato; scoop out pulp, leaving a thin shell. Add pulp to the cream cheese mixture and mash. Spoon into potato shells. Top with cheese.
If you are eating them now, microwave two potatoes, uncovered, on high for 3 1/2 -4 1/2 minutes or until heated through.
Place remaining potatoes on a baking sheet. Freeze overnight or until thoroughly frozen; transfer to a freezer bag. May be frozen for up to 3 months.
To Use Frozen Potatoes:
Place potatoes on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave, uncovered, at 50% power for 8-9 minutes or until heated through. I add a little more cheese after I microwave them.
*I just bake a couple of extra potatoes. Peel and mash with a little milk and butter for the mashed potatoes.