Easy Nachos

Posted by Lori:
If you or your family like nachos, here's a quick version that is sure to please. I usually don't "plan" to make these, but just use them as a quick go-to meal when I haven't planned anything in particular. They would also make a quick snack, if made on a smaller scale.

EASY NACHOS
Tortilla chips
Ranch Style Beans
Cooked Ground Beef (if desired)
Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Line pizza pan with foil. I do this because this particular pizza pan has holes all across the bottom, but it also makes clean-up time a cinch!

Layer tortilla chips across the foil.

Spoon one can of Ranch Style beans over chips.

If desired, spoon cooked ground beef over beans. I usually have leftover meat that is frozen in small containers. Then, when I need it, I just defrost the small amount for dishes like this.

 Finally, sprinkle desired amount of cheddar cheese over the top of beans and meat.

Heat in 400 degree preheated oven for 8 - 10 minutes, until cheese melts.

My children like to eat these nachos as they are, but you might like them garnished with salsa, guacamole, or sour cream.

Happy Blogiversary!

Posted by Lori:

Well, just like the birthday card to my nephew is going to be late (I forgot to send it, even though it was on my desk for several weeks!), this celebration is a few weeks late, too. But, since I didn't have a recipe ready to share with you today, I decided to recognize our blog's 1st anniversary.

We began this recipe blog last summer, on June 15th. I asked mom and Kimberly if they were interested and they both said yes. We were excited! At first, we were only going to post a few times a week, but then the response was really good, so we (or rather, I decided, I suppose) thought we should do it more often. It became a five-posts-a-week thing and has continued to be that way for the past year and two weeks.

Thank you for subscribing to or for visiting "Life's a Bowl of Cherries". We have lots of regular visitors and readers via email, Facebook Networked Blogs, and RSS feeds. We enjoy your comments and appreciate you taking the time to stop by.  Many friends never comment publicly, but tell us face to face how much they enjoy the recipes.  Thank you to all of you!

It's great sharing our recipes with friends....some we know personally and some that we have never met! We're glad you enjoy the recipes. They're not fancy because we're not fancy! We enjoy cooking and baking and sometimes trying new things, but none of those new things are very exotic. We enjoy sharing our thoughts and recipes with you, our readers. And, we're thankful that, apparently, you all are enjoying them, as well.  We look forward to continuing to share with you in the future.

Have a great and blessed day!

The 3 Cherry Cokes - Donna, Lori, and Kimberly

Italian Bread

Posted by Donna:


While we were in Lubbock about a year ago for Kimberly's surgery, one of her good friends brought supper over and this bread was part of the meal. It was so good. Hope you enjoy it as well.


Italian Bread

Take canned biscuits and quarter each piece. Place the pieces into a baking dish. Melt a stick of butter and add about a tablespoon of the dried *Italian seasoning. Pour the butter/seasoning mixture over the biscuits and bake at 350 degrees until golden brown.

Italian Seasoning

Combine: 3T. dried rosemary, crushed
3T. bried basil, crushed
3 T. dried thyme, crushed
1 t. garlic powder
1 t. salt
1/2 t. ground pepper, black

This seasoning can be stored in an airtight container up to 2 months.
It can also be added to olive oil and used as a dip for bread.

This bread tastes like homemade bread. It's hard to think that it's canned biscuits. The flavor is wonderful.

Grilled Chicken Tenderloins (Similar to Cracker Barrel)

Posted by Lori:
If I could, I would eat Cracker Barrel grilled chicken tenderloins every day.  They are sooooo good!  But, that would cost a fortune - so I can't.  However, I can buy a three pound bag of frozen tenderloins for the same price as one tenderloin dinner at C.B., and use this marinade recipe below, and I've got a close substitute for the C.B. dinner.  Yum! Yum!

I tripled the recipe for our family of six.

GRILLED CHICKEN TENDERLOINS
1 lb chicken tenders
1/2 cup Italian dressing (some suggestions were using Marzetti or Italian dressing mix variety OR a creamy variety.  I only had regular Italians, so added 1 tablespoon of mayo)
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons honey

Mix dressing, lime juice and honey. Pour over chicken tenders. Marinate for 1 hour.
Cook tenders in a non stick pan or grill until golden in color, but not dry.

Magical Peanut Butter Cookies (Low Carb/Sugar Free)

Posted by Lori:I'm trying to stay off of sugar and flour....at least until our family reunion this coming Saturday :), so I found this recipe for sugar free, no flour cookies.  I really liked them.  My husband didn't.  I'm sure not everyone will, but if you're diabetic or eating low-carb and you can't have sugar, I think you'll like it a lot.  I think there is a version of this using sugar, as well.  It's  quick and easy to prepare. 

This is a Paula Deen recipe.  I got 13 cookies from the recipe.

MAGICAL PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
1 cup peanut butter, creamy or crunchy (one review said natural peanut butter could be used, as well)
1 1/3 cups baking sugar replacement (recommended: Splenda)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I used two)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a large baking sheet.

In a mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter, 1 cup sugar replacement, the egg, and vanilla, and stir well with a spoon. Roll the dough into balls the size of walnuts. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet. With a fork, dipped in sugar replacement to prevent sticking, (if you put the fork in the dough a little first, the Splenda will stick to it, then do the crisscross) press a crisscross design on each cookie. Bake for 12 minutes, remove from the oven, and sprinkle the cookies with some of the remaining sugar replacement (I didn't do this). Cool slightly before removing from pan.

Frito Chili Pie Bake

Posted by Lori:
Yesterday while trying to think of what to make for lunch, my oldest son, Zachary, gave me this suggestion. It's something my mother-in-law makes and they always enjoy eating it at her house.

When Zachary was little and stayed with his Grammy a few days a week while I worked, he would help her cook. He pays close attention to cooking and the ingredients used, so he was able to tell me just what to do and helped with some of the dish, as well.

FRITO CHILI PIE BAKE
2 pounds hamburger meat
1 - 19 ounce can chili (no beans)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 cans Ranch Style Beans
2 - 9 1/4 ounce bag Fritos (there may be a big one that's close to the size of two, but in our small town, this is all we could get!)
3 - 4 cups shredded cheddar cheese

In large skillet brown hamburger (along with the onion and garlic powder) over medium-high heat. 

Drain excess grease.  Add chili and ranch beans.  Cook until heated.

Spread one bag of Fritos in bottom of 9 x 13 casserole dish.

Spoon half of the meat mixture over the Fritos.

Sprinkle on 1 and a half to 2 cups cheese.

Repeat layers and bake at 350 degrees for 20 - 30 minutes or until cheese melts (it will take the lesser time if the meat mixture is hot).

Honey Mustard Dressing

Posted by Donna:

Honey Mustard Dressing

Sometime back, I posted a recipe for Oven Baked Chicken Fingers. Our daughter and her two girls are here with us this week while the older brother is at church camp. For supper tonight, I fixed the chicken fingers. They hadn't tried this version before, but the girls and Kimberly loved them. I had mentioned that even Larry, the one who never rates chicken too highly, even liked them. Same thing tonight, he complimented them again. I know now I've found a "keeper" chicken recipe for him!!!!! With the chicken, we had honey mustard dressing. This is the recipe I used.


1/2 cup mayonniise
2 T. mustard (I used the regular)
2 T. honey
1 T. lemon juice

We're looking forward to leftovers tomorrow!!!!!

Lemon Berry Poke Cake

Posted by Lori:
Last week my children wanted something sweet to eat. I told them I would make something quick using a cake mix, but the only kind we had was lemon flavored. I happened to have strawberries and whipped cream, so decided to make up a dessert using those ingredients. I knew that Sonic had a lemon-berry slush that was popular with a lot of people, so that slush became the inspiration for the cake. It turned out great! All of us - except the one non-lemon-fan - liked it. My dad was visiting today and he liked it, too. Apparently it's a keeper, so I'll share it with you.

Lemon Berry Poke Cake
1 lemon cake mix, baked per instructions on box
1 - 24 ounce container of frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 - 8 ounce container frozen whipped cream, thawed
1 cup powdered sugar

Bake cake per directions on box. Allow cake to cool. Drain strawberries, reserving juice. Poke holes in cooled cake with the end of a wooden spoon. Mix strawberry juice with sweetened condensed milk. Pour over cake. In medium bowl, mix strawberries, container of whipped cream, tablespoon of lemon juice and 1 cup of powdered sugar until well blended. Spread onto cake. Cover and place cake in refrigerator several hours or overnight before serving.

Creamy Hash Brown Bake

Posted: by Donna




I was looking for the recipe I was planning on posting tonight and discovered this one that I had forgotten about. A very good friend from church shared this with me several years ago. It has just a little different twist to the original hash brown casserole.

Creamy Hash Brown Bake

1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can Nacho cheese fiesta soup
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 tsp. salt (optional) I try not to add extra salt to casseroles having mushroom soup because the soup, I think, is salty enough.
1 pkg. frozen O'Brien hash brown potatoes (28 oz.)
1 cup crushed potato chips

In a large bowl, combine the soups, sour cream, and salt(opt.). Add the potatoes, mix well. Pour into a greased 13 x 9 baking dish or pan. Sprinkle with the potato chips. Bake, uncovered at 350 degrees for 55 - 60 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

Peanut Butter Pie

Posted by Lori:
This cool and refreshing recipe makes two pies, so it feeds a group or serve one now and freeze the other for later (or send the extra to me!).

Peanut Butter Pie (Makes 2)
16 ounces cream cheese
4 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
16 ounce tub whipped topping (such as Cool Whip)
2 graham cracker crusts

Mix first four ingredients and then add the wipped topping. Mix well. Divide into the two pie crusts. Refrigerate until ready to serve. May be frozen, as well.

Banana Tortilla Snacks

Posted by Lori:
I haven't tried this recipe yet, but found it today on allrecipes.com. I think one or two of my children will like it, but the other two aren't crazy about bananas. Oh, well..."two outta four ain't bad"!

Some of the suggestions on the reviews suggested sprinkling a little bit of cinnamon on the peanut butter/honey mixture before adding the banana and rolling it up. Sounds great and healthy!

Banana Tortilla Snack
1 - 6 inch flour tortilla (regular or whole wheat)
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 tablespoon honey
1 banana
2 tablespoons raisins (optional)

Lay tortilla flat. Spread peanut butter and honey on tortilla. Place banana in the middle and sprinkle in the raisins, if desired. Wrap, and serve.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Posted by Lori:
We've posted a few other chicken enchilada recipes and another recipe for a good chicken enchilada sauce, but in my opinion, you can never have enough Mexican food recipes. It's definitely my families' favorite food to eat, whether eating at a restaurant or making our own dish at home.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole
6 boneless chicken breasts, cooked and diced or shredded
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 - 7 ounce can chopped green chile's
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
Grated cheddar cheese
20 - 24 corn tortillas
Vegetable oil
1 can evaporated milk

In large bowl combine chicken, both cans of soup, sour cream green chilies, cumin, and salt. In small fry pan, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Dip corn tortillas in hot oil to soften them and place on paper towel layers to drain excess oil.

Put two spoonfuls of chicken mixture on each corn tortilla, along with some grated cheddar cheese. Roll enchiladas and place seam side down in 9 x 13 inch casserole dish. Place 10 or 12 in bottom of dish.

Spoon some of the chicken mixture over the rolled enchilada layer.

Top with cheddar cheese.

Add another layer of rolled enchiladas, also placed seam side down. Pour almost the entire can of evaporated milk over the enchiladas. Top with more cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 - 40 minutes.

French Dressing

Posted by Donna:

French Dressing


I've gotten to where I love French Dressing on my salads. I've been on the lookout for a good dressing recipe to make. A couple of weeks ago I checked out Trisha Yearwood's second recipe book from the library. She had a French Dressing recipe that sounded like one I might really like.
I modified one of the ingredients and also omitted one. I really liked the outcome and decided to share the recipe with you.

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 T. paprika
1T. grated onion
1 T. yellow mustard
1 cup vegetable oil ( I used canola.)

Put all the ingredients in a blender and process until well blended. Refrigerate until ready to use.

The thing I really enjoy about Trisha Yearwood's recipe books is that they're down to earth recipes---just good old home cooking.

Chocolate Dipped Marshmallows

Posted by Lori:

Note:  If you are receiving this via email, there are two recipes today.)

Years ago I began making these quick treats for company board meetings.  They were always popular then and my children enjoy them now.  My daughter made them tonight for a late night snack for she and her brothers.  Of course, I had to put a limit on how many they all could eat or they would have eaten all of them! 

Chocolate Dipped Marshmallows

Large Marshmallows
Chocolate Chips - Semi-sweet or Milk Chocolate
Toothpicks or sucker sticks
Sprinkles, chopped nuts, crushed candy, etc.
Waxed paper

In small bowl, melt desired amount of chocolate chips in microwave.  Be careful not to burn the chocolate chips.  Insert toothpick or lollipop stick into marshmallow.  Dip in melted chocolate and then roll in desired coating.  Allow to dry on waxed paper.

These would be cute made into marshmallow pops by placing a small cello bag over the top and tying them closed with a twisty tie or ribbon. They would make nice party favors or small gifts for friends.

4th of July Recipes

The 4th of July will be here before we know it.  I got my Family Fun magazine yesterday, which showed lots of neat 4th of July crafts and recipes.  I thought I would share a few with you today.

Edible Eagles (for a picture of the eagles, click the Family Fun link here.)

1/4 cup of white chocolate chips
6 large marshmallows
Finely shredded coconut
Chocolate sandwich cookie (we used a chocolate-covered Oreo)
6 Cashews
Black decorators' gel

Instructions
Melt 1/4 cup of white chocolate chips according to the package directions. For each bird, drop a large marshmallow into the melted chocolate, using a spatula to coat it well. Remove the marshmallow from the chocolate and roll it in finely shredded coconut, leaving one end uncovered.

Immediately set the marshmallow, coconut free end down, atop a chocolate sandwich cookie. Let the chocolate set a bit, then use a toothpick to make a hole in the side of the marshmallow and insert a cashew for a beak.  Finally, add black decorators' gel eyes.

Family Fun also has an eagle handprint t-shirt.  Here's the link for the directions:  http://familyfun.go.com/4th-of-july/4th-of-july-crafts/hand-some-tee-895365/

Ice Cream Bar Dessert

Posted by Lori:
A hot summer day is the perfect time for this delicious ice cream sandwich dessert.  It's a snap to put together and is sure to please your family.

ICE CREAM BAR DESSERT
1 - 12 ounce jar chocolate fudge ice cream topping (or use a homemade variety like the sauce from Kimberly's Ice Cream Pie recipe)
3/4 cup peanut butter
19 ice cream sandwiches
1 - 12 ounce container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 cup salted peanuts

Pour the chocolate fudge into a medium microwave safe bowl and microwave fpr two minutes on high. Do not boil. Stir peanut butter into chocolate fudge until smooth. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Line the bottom of a 9x13 inch dish with a layer of ice cream sandwiches. Spread half of the whipped topping over the sandwiches. Spoon half the chocolate fudge/peanut butter mixture over that. Top with half the peanuts. Repeat layers. Freeze until firm - approximately 1 hour. Cut into squares to serve.

Baked Steak

Many years ago I was eating lunch at a "tea room" type place with my dad.  I ordered a chicken fried steak that had some kind of gravy on top.  It was delicious!  The next time I made chicken fried steak for my husband and I (we didn't have children at that time), I used the leftovers to make my own version of that great baked steak.  It's been a favorite of ours ever since.  Mom fixes it frequently and I have listed her ratios, as well as mine, below. 

BAKED STEAK

Chicken Fried Steak (that has been battered and fried) 

NOTE:  I always use leftovers that usually have been frozen, but you could use steak that has been cooked specifically for this recipe.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

Ratio I use:  6 steaks....3 soups....1 1/2 cans water

Ratio Mom uses:  2 steaks.....2 soups....no water

It's really just whatever you prefer.  Of course, as Mom mentioned to me....you have to have enough "gravy" to use on your mashed potatoes!  YUM!

Place desired amount of chicken fried steak pieces in casserole dish.  Cover with cream of mushroom soup.  Pour water over the meat/soup, if desired.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 - 2 hours.

Hungarian Meatballs

Posted by Donna:

This is one of the main meat recipes I used to go to very often when the girls were still at home.
Hungarian Meatballs

2 lbs. ground beef
oregano ( for 2 lbs. of meat, I usually used about 2 T.)
garlic powder ( 1/2 to 1 T.)
salt/pepper
grated parmesan cheese can also be added to this

Form into balls and brown the meatballs on top of the stove. If you prefer, you can brown them in the oven at 425 degrees.

Mix two or three cans of cream of mushroom soup and about a half a can of water together. I like a lot of sauce, so I always do more soup. Pour this on top of the meatballs in the same pan in which you browned the meatballs. (Keep the drippings from the browning in the pan). Let this simmer for at least 25 - to 30 minutes, stirring often.

Serve on top of rice.

I love the flavor mushroom soup gives to meats.

Fried Squash

Posted by Donna:

I know everyone has fried squash at one time or another, and I also know we all have our own way of doing so. My favorite blog is cherryhillcottage.typepad.com If you love simple recipes and great ideas to decorate, this is a site worth visiting.

I had never soaked my squash in milk before coating it in cornmeal until a week or so ago. I saw this on the cherryhillcottage website. The cornmeal stayed on the squash so much better. You may already do this; but, just in case you haven't, I thought I would share the idea.

Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

Posted by Lori:
Plain Rice Krispie Treats are a favorite of most people, but a few years ago we began adding peanut butter to our recipe. The peanut butter adds protein so they're much more filling. And, for some of us (no names mentioned), the peanut butter addition makes them more addictive.

PEANUT BUTTER RICE KRISPIE TREATS

1/4 cup butter
1 package regular marshmallows or 4 cups miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup peanut butter
5 cups Kellogg's Rice Krispies cereal

In a large saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add the marshmallows and continue to stir until the marshmallows have completely melted. Add peanut butter and stir until dissolved. Remove from heat.

Stir in the Kellogg's Rice Krispies cereal coating them well with the melted marshmallow/peanut butter mixture.

Using a buttered or silicone spatula, press the mixture evenly into a 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan which has been buttered or sprayed with non-stick spray or lined with wax paper.

Cut into squares when the mixture cools.

Ultimate Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Posted by Lori:

It doesn't take much to impress four hungry children.  I was reminded of this fact once again this week when I tried a new way of making grilled cheese sandwiches. (You may recall the Triple Decker Grilled Cheese  from several months ago.   This was an even bigger hit.) It reminds us of the grilled cheese sandwiches served at a drive-in restaurant in Lawton (Wayne's for you in this area).  They're great!  

We only buy 100% whole wheat sliced bread, so to eat a sandwich on plain, white bread is a treat for our children.  I wouldn't admit it to them, but I enjoy them from time to time, too.   (In fact, at VBS last week, Tyler (the youngest) was eating a PB & J on white and came up to me and said, "Mom, this bread is awesome!"  We switched to the whole wheat before he was born, so that's all he knows!)

So, this "new" grilled cheese is with white bread - thick, Texas Toast-type sliced bread.  I put two slices of cheese on each sandwich and cook it in REAL butter.  I prefer real butter because it's real.  Yes, I know it's higher in fat, but I still prefer real over not real...but use whatever YOU prefer.

So, here's the recipe for two sandwiches:  Melt 2 tablespoons (you could get by with a little less) butter in large skillet over medium heat.

Take four slices of Texas toast and top one slice with two slices of American cheese.

Top with other slice of bread and place in skillet.  And now, top it with a heavy saucepan.  This makes the cheese melt and makes the grilled cheese the best, in our opinion.  You may have a bacon press or something similar.  I don't have one.  I wanted to get one the other day, but it was over $20!  I decided my heavy saucepan would work just fine!  I'll keep looking for a cheaper version of the press.

Smash (for lack of a better term) the saucepan down on the sandwiches.  Remove after 30 seconds or so.  With turner/spatula, check the sandwiches for desired browning.  When the first side is done, remove sandwiches from skillet.

Melt one tablespoon more of butter, then return sandwiches to skillet to cook the other side.  Replace heavy saucepan for 30 seconds or more.  Cook until browned.  ENJOY!