Lemon Squares

Cream together:
2 cups flour
1 cup butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
Bake in 9x13 inch pan at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Combine the following and pour over hot crust:
4 eggs (slightly beaten)
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup flour
2/3 cup lemon juice

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes more or until set up nicely. Remove from oven and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cool, cut, and serve.

These are delicious and so easy to make! The crust is DIVINE!!! My mom got the recipe from her good friend Donna.

Pumpkin Bars

Mix together in large bowl:
4 eggs
1 cup oil
2 cups sugar
15 oz. can pumpkin

Mix together in separate bowl and add to egg and sugar mixture and blend well:
2 cups flour
1 tsp. soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 ginger
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Bake at 350 degrees for about 25-30 minutes.

FROSTING FOR PUMPKIN BARS

8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
3/4 stick butter
4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. cream or milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix together and spread over cooled bars. I suppose if you like pecans you could throw some in if you wanted to but I'm not a big fan of them in pumpkin bars! I just love the simplicity and deliciousness of these pumpkin bars! I can't think of Fall and Thanksgiving time without thinking of these!

Stephanie's Cheese Soup

My sister-in-law, Stephanie is such a wonderful cook! She makes the best recipes! Eating at her house is better than eating at any restaurant I tell ya! She is awesome!

3 carrots, sliced
1/2 onion, diced
5 potatoes, diced
2 cups chicken stock
4 chicken breasts
2 cups milk
1 stick butter
1/2 cup of flour
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 lg. bottle of cheez whiz (Steph prefers the WalMart brand of this)

Put carrots, potatoes, onion, and chicken in a large pot. Salt and pepper and cover with water. Bring to a boil and boil for about 15 minutes. After you cooked your veggies and chicken drain all but 2 cups of the chicken stock. Set veggies aside and chop the chicken. In same pan make a white sauce by melting the butter adding the flour to that and stirring it really well and adding the milk to that. Stir really well until thick like gravy and smooth. Then add cheeses and melt.
Next add chicken stock, chicken, and veggies. Heat through. DELICIOSO!!!!!!

Easy Chicken Stroganoff

I got this recipe from a neighbor I had when I had my oldest son. Where we lived the church didn't bring in meals when you had a baby. They said you had known you were having a baby for 9 months so you should be prepared. Well, I wasn't! Thank goodness for a thoughtful neighbor who brought this in for us to eat! I have had 3 other children and I have to say all of the other wards were wonderful to bring in food! Anyway, this is really yummy and so easy!!!

2 tbsp. butter
1 lb. chicken breasts cubed
1 medium onion
1 can cream chicken soup
1/2 cup sour cream
4 cups hot cooked extra wide egg noodles
parsley for garnish

Saute chicken in 1 tbsp. butter in a skillet over medium high heat until browned, stirring often. Remove; set aside. Reduce heat to medium. In same skillet put in remaining butter and cook mushrooms and onions until vegetables are tender and liquid is evaporated stirring often. Stir in soup and sour cream. Heat to boiling. Return chicken to skillet. Heat through, stirring occasionally. Serve over noodles. Sprinkle with parsley.

Clam Chowder

Let me start by saying that I used to HATE clam chowder until I had this recipe at a soup and bread dinner at our church!!! It was made by my mom's next door neighbor at the time and thankfully she shared! It is absolutely delicious!!! You can also leave the clams out for a yummy potato soup. I have also used this recipe without the clams but add ham and some cheese for a yummy ham and potato soup. Try it! You'll like it!

6oz. can of minced clams
1 cup of chopped onions
1 cup of diced celery
2 cups of diced potatoes

White sauce:
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 quart milk or half and half
few grains of pepper
1/2 tsp. sugar

Barely cover vegetables with water. Cook til done. While that is cooking make the white sauce. Melt butter, add flour & milk, stir really well until thickened like gravy and smooth. Add salt, pepper, and sugar. Don't drain vegetables. Add white sauce to vegetables. Heat it good. If too thick add more milk to your desired consistency. Serve with yummy bread, rolls, or in a bread bowl.

Hawaiian Haystacks

My mother in law made this for dinner when I was dating Brian. This just may have sealed the deal! ;)

3 cups chicken that has been boiled and cubed
1 Tblsp. chicken boullion
2 cups chicken broth
2 cans cream chicken soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonaise

Cook till thickened. Serve over rice.

Optional Toppings:

diced bell pepper
grated cheddar cheese
diced onion
diced tomato
coconut
Chinese noodles
almond slivers
pineapple chunks

I've had several different versions of this and this one is definitely my favorite! Anyone who tries it switches to this version. It's so yummy! You can use fat free ingredients and it is still yummy!

Chocolate covered popcorn

Melt these Wilton brand vanilla melts in the microwave and poor over microwave popcorn. So yummy! And you can't get any easier that this! I used red last Christmas. I found some at WalMart in the Halloween candy stuff that was orange, black, and a slimy green color. You can find them at craft stores or in the craft section at WalMart by the cake decorating stuff.This is a bad picture but all I could find. Hint: If you don't already do this, poor your popcorn on a cookie sheet and then carefully pick it up and put it in a bowl, leaving the uncooked kernals on the cookie sheet. Then you won't be biting into uncooked kernels all the time! Save your teeth!