Gran Gran's Brownie Bites

These are really good and really easy, and always a crowd pleaser! This is my grandmother's recipe.

Brownie Bites:

4 squares unsweetened chocolate

2 sticks of butter

1 1/2 cups pecans, chopped

1 3/4 cups sugar

1 cup flour

4 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla

In a double broiler {or saucepan- I use a double broiler because I feel like it's less likely to burn} melt the chocolate and butter. After they are melted, stir in the pecans. {I'm not a fan of nuts in my dessert so I always leave them out.}

In a bowl, sift the flour and stir in sugar, eggs, and vanilla until well blended. Add the chocolate mixture. 

Pour into a {very liberally} greased mini muffin tin {I put the batter in a big measuring cup and pour from that because it's very thin and liquid-y and can be quite messy}. Cook at 325 degrees for 20 min or until a toothpick comes out clean. Makes approx 48.

Zucchini Bread

This is one of the first things I made for Curran when she started eating table food, and she has always loved it {and you'll see why when you see the sugar content}. But it is also a way to sneak in a few healthy ingredients, too.

Zucchini Bread:

3 1/4 cups flour

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp nutmeg

1/4 cup ground flax seed

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs, beaten

2 cups grated zucchini

{I also sometimes add in grated carrots}

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients. In another bowl, combine all wet ingredients. Mix wet ingredients into dry. Coat pans well with nonstick cooking spray. Can bake in two standard loaf pans, or sometimes I split batter between one loaf pan and one 12 cup muffin tin. Bake loafs for about one hour, or muffins for 16-20 minutes.

You can really alter this recipe any way you want. I decided to split the sugar content between white and brown, but you could do all one or the other. I also added the flax seed and carrots to the original recipe I found. I have also seen recipes add chocolate chips and orange zest.

Chicken Spaghetti

This is a recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman's version. It is really easy and makes a lot. It is by no means healthy, which is just fine by me.

Chicken Spaghetti:
3-4 chicken breasts
3 cups spaghetti noodles, broken into small pieces
1 cup chicken broth
1 can Rotel
2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper
1 tsp Lawry's seasoning salt
salt and pepper to taste

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded {save to go on top of casserole}

Cook noodles and cook chicken {I boil my chicken for this recipe}. Cut chicken into small pieces after cooked. Mix all ingredients together and pour into a 9 x 13" baking dish. Sprinkle 1 cup cheddar cheese on top of casserole and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Can't get much easier, and it leaves plenty of leftovers!

Taco Soup

This is a staple around our house. I know a lot of people only like hearty soups when it's cold outside, but we eat it all year long. It's super easy and makes enough for leftovers!

Taco Soup:
1.5 lbs ground beef, browned and drained
1 can corn, drained
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1 can beef broth
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 small onion, diced
2 cans kidney beans


{I leave the beans out because I don't like them. Also, I have gotten lazy over the years and usually leave out the onion and bell pepper. The Rotel contains both of those vegetables anyway, plus John doesn't really like them.}


After browning the meat with the onion and bell pepper, put all ingredients in a big pot and stir. Bring to a boil. Then turn it down to simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. {Can simmer longer.} Serve with grated cheddar cheese and tortilla chips on top.

Just about as easy as you can get!

Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

I'm not a big casserole person. In fact, this is the only one I cook. Our neighbors brought us something similar to this when C was born and we really liked it, so we added it into our usual dinner rotation.

Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole:

1 box Uncle Ben's Wild Rice {original recipe}
1 pkg chicken breasts {I usually get the chicken tenderloins since they are smaller and easier to cut up}
1 pkg fresh sliced mushrooms
1/2 small onion, diced
8 oz sour cream
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
Cheddar cheese, grated
Ritz crackers, crumbled

Cook rice according to package instructions. In a sauce pan, saute onions {in either vegetable oil or a little butter} for a few minutes. Add cut up pieces of chicken. I let that cook a little while and then add mushrooms and let saute until done.

Once rice is cooked, stir in sour cream and Cream of Mushroom soup. {You can also mix in some cheddar cheese at this point, but I really don't think it needs it, and I try to cut calories where I can.} Mix that with the chicken and mushroom mixture. Poor mixture into a 9 x 13" baking dish {or I split it into two 8 x 8" pans and freeze one}. Top with shredded cheese and Ritz crackers. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20-30 minutes or until bubbly. {If frozen, it cooks for about an hour.}

Quick Cinnamon Rolls

2 {8 oz} cans crescent rolls

1/4 cup {1/2 stick} butter, melted  {I don't use quite that much}

3 to 4 Tbsp sugar and cinnamon {the recipe called for a store-bought mixture. I just used 2-3 tablespoons of sugar and about 1 tablespoon of cinnamon}

1 cup confectioners' sugar

2 Tbsp milk

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Unroll the crescent roll dough and separate into 8 rectangles, pressing the diagonal perforations together to seal. Brush the rectangles with the butter and then sprinkle with the sugar and cinnamon mixture. 

Roll each rectangle from the long side into a log and cut each roll into 3 small slices. Arrange the slices cut side down in a lightly greased 9 x 13" baking dish. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until light brown. 

While the cinnamon rolls are baking, whisk the milk and confectioners' sugar together. After the rolls have finished baking, drizzle with the sugar/milk mixture and serve immediately. 

Recipe from Tables of Content.

Sausage and Mushroom Quiche

I based this recipe on a quiche in Southern Sideboards, but most of it is just what I came up with on my own.


2 {9 1/2"} deep dish pie shells, partially cooked {follow directions on packaging}
2 lbs ground sausage, browned and drained
1 small onion, finely chopped
8 or 12 oz sliced mushrooms {I use 12 oz because that is the size container of the pre-washed mushrooms at my grocery, but I think 8 oz would probably be better to help the quiche from being too full}
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/4 cups half and half
6 eggs plus 2 egg yolks, beaten well
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 lb - 3/4 lb grated cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper


Prepare pie shells. Brown and drain sausage and set aside. Saute onions, garlic, and mushrooms in a little butter. Mix with half and half, eggs, and whipping cream. Add seasonings and fold in cooked sausage and cheese. Pour mixture into pie shells and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes {or I sometimes freeze one to eat later} or until a knife inserted comes out clean. 


{Sometimes there is too much liquid to fit in the shells without spilling over, so I end up pouring some out.}