Chocolate Chip Cake Bars

Do you have any recipes that while you are preparing them you find yourself flooded with memories? This is one for me. I still remember finding it in a Taste of Home or Quick Cooking Magazine when I was much younger. My mom always subscribed to these magazines as she loves to cook and bake more than I do! I remember all the times I made this recipe. I can taste these bars while I am mixing them. My mom was so great with letting me try new recipes and this is one that I have made time and time again. Sometimes she did not let me try new recipes because she has this keen fifth sense that a recipe will not turn out just by reading it! I still remember a couple years ago when I tried a new recipe for some type of oatmeal bars. They were a complete flop and did not turn out. She took one look at the recipe and said, "Oh, I saw that recipe. I knew it wouldn't turn out." Thanks for telling me in advance! :-) It was a good learning experience. I hope someday I can look at recipes and instantly know if they will turn out or not.  These bars are super quick to whip up - took me about 8 minutes!

• 1 yellow cake mix (18 1/4oz.)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Mix the first five ingredients until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Dough will be very sticky! Grease a 9x13 inch pain. Pour dough evenly into pan. I have found that this spreads easiest with a knife. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.

Drizzle Glaze:

• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1 Tablespoon shortening

Melt chocolate chips and shortening together in the microwave. WATCH IT CAREFULLY!!! (Don't burn it like I did today!) Drizzle over bars and let set.

***You can alter this recipe! Try different flavor chocolate chips! Peanut butter, butterscotch, dark chocolate, etc. You can also try different flavor cake mixes. Have fun with this recipe!***

Pizza Rolls (like Cinnamon Rolls)

So, I am pretty excited about these! I saw this idea on Pinterest but could not find a recipe so I made up my own. I even took a picutre! These are really fun. Start by using your favorite pizza dough recipe. I used The Pioneer Woman's. I tried to find a link to it on her website and cannot find it. I have her cookbook and it's in there. Any pizza dough will do. If you use store bought, you will want a couple rolls of dough. Pioneer Woman's pizza dough recipe makes two pizzas and I was able to get 24 pizza rolls out of it. Enough for dinner tonight, lunches tomorrow and probably one more day of lunches for two people. Here's what you need toget started:

• One recipe of pizza dough - enough for "two pizzas"
• 1 1/2 cups pizza sauce or spaghetti sauce
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 2-3 cups shredded mozarella cheese
• 4 ounce package pepperoni
• Any other pizza toppings you desire, chopped

Roll the pizza dough into a large rectangle on a floured surface. Spread sauce evenly over dough. Sprinkle Italian seasoning over sauce and sprinkle with cheese. Add pepperoni over entire rectangle of dough and any other toppings you want. Start on the long edge and roll into a long log. Take a 9x13 inch pan or large circle pan and spray with cooking spray. Cut one to two inch sections and place in pan so that you can see all the goodies inside (like a cinnamon roll). They can lightly tough in the pan, but do not cram them in. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes, depending on the thickness of your dough.

Chili Meat Loaf

If you are new to reading this blog, you have yet to learn that I LOVE meatloaf. It has quickly become one of my favorite foods in the last year. One of the reasons of this is that my husband Dylan introduced me to the many joys of meatloaf sandwiches. I have come to love having meatloaf on Day 1 with mashed potatoes and green beans and then on Day 2 having meatloaf sandwiches comprised of bread, a little velveeta, and meatloaf grilled as you would grilled cheese. For this reason, I crave meatloaf, and you will too if you try it. I mixed this recipe up a bit by using chili sauce instead of ketchup and I really like the differences.

• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef or turkey
• 1/3 cup chili sauce plus more for top of loaf.
• 3/4 cup quick oatmeal
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Combine all ingredients together and mix well. This is where things get a little interesting. If you are pressed for time and want your meatloaf to cook faster, you can choose a larger pan. For example, meat loaf pressed into a 9x13 inch pan will cook faster than if you put meat loaf in a loaf pan. I put mine in an 11x7 inch pan. Cover with additional chili sauce prior to baking. Bake at 350 until a thermometer reads 160 degrees in the middle, about 45-60 minutes, depending on size of pan.

Alfredo Lasagna Rolls

I made this the day I was going to eat it but it could be made the day before. I do not recommend freezing this though. These were super simple to make and reheated the next day at work great. They were also pretty because of the rolled lasagna noodles. I tried to take a picture for all of you but as I warned, I am an awful photographer and I am very embarrassed of how awful I am! I will not post that picture! This recipe could easily be doubled for a larger family. This makes 8 rolls so could feed about four-six people. If you have teenagers/big appetites, I would double it. I also like these because they are great for people who are watching their portions!

• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 2 cups Alfredo sauce (homemade or store-bought)
• 2 Tablespoons parsley
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 cup ricotta cheese (I used low-fat)
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 8 lasagna noodles, boiled and drained.

Spoon enough Alfredo sauce on the bottom of an 11x7 inch pan to lightly cover the bottom.  In a separate bowl combine the ricotta cheese, chicken, mozzarella, garlic, and parsley. It will be a crumbly, dry mixture. Next, I placed all my lasagna noodles flat on a cutting board but you could use any flat, clean surface. I divided the cheese/mixture between the eight noodles. I spread the mixture across each noodle so each noodle was completely covered. Next, roll each noodle and place seam side down in the Alfredo sauce pan. You may need to stuff some of the filling back into the noodle. Cover the rolled noodles with the remaining Alfredo sauce. You can also add some additional mozzarella cheese on top if you choose (I did not). Cover and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. (You may want to add 5-10 minutes if you had these refrigerated).

Hamburger and Rice Casserole

This is my all-time favorite casserole! So comforting! This recipe came from my grandmother and my mom always made it often. I was experimental a couple months ago and froze this uncooked and then thawed it in the fridge and baked it in the oven. Surprise! It turned out really good, no changes in the consistency and it didn't separate when thawed. Even better, I froze it in a gallon sized freezer bag and laid it flat to freeze so I could stack other things on it and it didn't waste room in the freezer. Since it is just my husband and me, I was able to freeze this into four separate portions. I would say if you have a smaller family like we do, this is definitely a great option! Whenever I plan to use a frozen meal I take it out the day before and place it in the refrigerator. This can also be made the day before and stored in the refrigerator.

• 1 pound ground beef or ground turkey
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 cans chicken noodle soup
• 1/2 cup uncooked minute rice (I use brown minute rice and my mom uses white; they both work!)
• 1/2 cup cracker crumbs, buttered
• Shredded cheese

Brown the hamburger and onion together. Drain and set aside. Combine soups, milk, and rice together. Add hamburger and onion mixture. Grease a casserole dish and bake at 350 for one hour. Add shredded cheese and buttered cracker crumbs and back for another half hour.

***When I freeze or make ahead this recipe I do not add the cracker crumbs or shredded cheese until the day I am serving it for supper.