My version of The Nebraska Runzas

I have been to Nebraska, I make Runzas but I've never eaten a Runza while in Nebraska! During our Seminary days, I was given this recipe by a fellow wife. From what I recall, this is how she made them. I do not claim in anyway to say these are anything like the Fast Food Chain, Runza.

First thing I do is grab a bag of Rhodes Bake-N-Serv frozen bread dough. I put my frozen rolls in a greased, mini muffin tin. If I'm in a hurry or FORGOT to take out the dough ahead of time then I do the quick rise on the back of the bag. I preheat my oven to 200 and boil a shallow pan of water. When the water comes to a boil I turn it off and put it on the bottom and my rolls on top. Turn off the oven and wait 1 1/2 hours to rise. While they are rising I make the meat mixture. I'm sure my friend, like most Nebraskians, use ground beef for the meat. We use ground turkey.

This was after 2 hours.

I take 1 lb of ground turkey and saute it with garlic powder and 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce . I steam 4 cups of finely chopped cabbage. When both are finished I toss them together and add another 2-4 tsp of worcestershire sauce and 1 c. ketchup.

The fun part has yet to begin with this recipe!!! You get to take on bread dough blob and smash it out with your hands. Then you fill each piece of dough with about 1/2 cup of mixture and top off with 1/2 slice of american cheese. You can use whatever cheese you like or none at all.Fold over the sides until you have a sealed roll. Bake @350 for 20-25 min. They should look golden brown when cooked.Serve with fries, salad and extra ketchup for dipping!

HOT and YUMMY Buffalo Chicken Dip

All I can say is YUMMY! My friend, Karen, brought this dip to one of our Trivia Night parties. It was delicious. I then made the dip mine by adding some other ingredients to made it the best dip ever. This dip is spicy, warm, cheesy and down right tasty.

Do you have a favorite dip recipe like this? Do you ever take a recipe and make it yours?

Hot and Yummy Buffalo Chicken Dip

Ingredients

2 pkg cream cheese (leave sit out to get soft) spread in baking dish
3 chicken breast cook and shredded (canned chicken or tofu chicken can be used same way)
1 medium white onion chopped and cooked with the chicken breast
6 stalks of celery chopped and cooked with chicken and onions
1 small bottle of FRANKS Red Hot Original
1 small bottle of Blue Cheese or Ranch Dressing-I use a combination of both blue cheese and ranch
8 oz of Cojack cheese, shredded(or any type of cheese you want.. I only use cojack)

Directions

1-Layer all the ingredients in a 9 X 13 baking dish in the order listed above.
2-Bake @ 350 for 10-15 min until warm and slightly bubbly.
3-Serve with TOSTITOS SCOOPS or any taco chip of your choice.
4-We rewarm leftovers in individual servings.

(Before baking) 

Kitchen Notes

Dip on left had a tiny bit of FRANKS sprinkled on top. This is in honor Emily who can't handle hot food. The one on the right is for everyone else! So when you are pouring on the Franks this is what it should look like. You can add more or less. After you make it the first time you will know how much you need!

You can also make this up ahead of time and then bake it when ready.

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Chocolate and Coffee Brownie Recipe

This is my most requested dessert recipe ever! No joke. People that know us ask them by their true name which is Pastor Brownies. Why the name? I've been making these for about 15 years or more and the first time was for my husband who is a pastor. It makes a huge amount so when I make them I take them to church. So they are Pastor's Brownies and he shares them with others.

I do make these for potlucks so if you know me, don't bring them to a potluck we are attending together :)

This recipe has had many steps but well worth the effort.

Preheat oven to 400 degree. Butter/spray PAM on 17 1/2 X 11 baking sheet. This is also known as a jelly roll baking sheet (you need to use this size..if smaller it will overflow when baking). I use the 3 butter wrappers in this recipe to spread on the baking sheet instead of using spray oil.

Step 1

2 cups Flour
2 cups Sugar

Dump in bowl and mix. Set aside.

Step 2

1/2 cup Milk
2 Eggs
1 tsp Baking soda
1 tsp Vanilla

I use a 2 cup measuring cup for these ingredients. I use a fork and lightly mix them together. Set this aside.

Step 3

1 cup Butter
1 cup coffee (any flavor.... this is my most secret ingredient for these brownies....so fun to use different flavored coffee)
1/4 cup Unsweetened cocoa

Put ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a full boil.

Step 4

Pour hot cocoa mixture into the flour/sugar bowl. Mix together.
Next add egg mixture and stir until you no longer see the eggs.

Step 5

Pour batter into pan.
Bake 12-18 min or until center springs back when touched. Don't over bake!

Step 6
While brownies are baking quickly make the frosting. You will pour it on the brownies as soon as they come out of the oven.

1/2 cup Butter
2 tbsp Unsweetened cocoa
1/4 cup Milk
3 1/2 cups Powder sugar
2 tsp Vanilla

Combine butter, cocoa and milk in same saucepan from step 3. I do not clean out the pan.
Bring to a boil over med heat.
Remove from heat and stir in powder sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth.
Pour over hot brownies, spreading evenly.

Step 7

Once cool, cut into squares. Makes 30-40 brownies depending on size. Eat and share!

Easiest Chili Recipe Ever

*Easiest Chili EVER*

I will share this recipe with you if you PROMISE not to tell my family how easy it is to make! It might cut down on all the compliments I get when I make this! This is a large pot of chili.

Easiest Chili EVER

Ingredients

2 large onions, cut in strips, diced,etc

2 tsp olive, veg or canola oil

2 green peppers, cut in strips, diced,etc

1 bulb of garlic, cut in slices, minced,etc

3 large cans of diced tomatoes

1 large cans of tomato juice

1 large tomato juice can of water

3 # ground turkey, beef, chicken,etc

3 cans dark kidney beans

1 Tbsp celery seed

1 Tbsp garlic powder

1 Tbsp onion powder

1/2- 3/4 c Chili powder

1 tsp crushed red pepper

Directions

Saute onions in oil for about 10 min. Add in garlic and green pepper and saute for a few min. Add meat and cook 10-15 min. Then dump in rest of ingredients except kidney beans. Simmer at least 3 hours. 3o min before serving dump in beans. You can cook this all day in your crock pot. Just dump it all in, turn it on and leave your house!

Fun options

4 potatoes, cubed are a great addition during simmer cooking time.

Fritos (excuse me, great value corn chips) and cheddar cheese are great for toppings

YUMMY 

Ahhhhh haaaa moments......homeschool and math

I think my biggest reward as a homeschool mom is when one of the girls have an "ahhhhh haaa" moment! It is that brief second when things just click all at once! Emily has had that this week with Math. We can't give up.... we won't give up.... we will keep on going and going and going!

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Family Favorite Pizza Soup Recipe

******PIZZZZZA SOUP******

This pizza soup is such a fun and yummy soup. This is easy to cut in half and or double for large crowds. This amount here will make a large crockpot full. I don't leave out ingredients my kids might not like so instead they try it and if they don't like it then they politely have to pick it out. This is one of our go to fall recipes.

Ingredients

--2 jar (14 oz) of pizza sauce
--3 empty jars full of water (this time I used lg can of tomato juice- much better)
--3 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
--1 freshed chopped jalapeno
--1 lg red onion, chopped
--1 jar sliced mushrooms
-- 2 lg can petite diced tomatoes
-- 3 lb ground turkey or beef or Italian sausage-any kind (turkey, chicken, pork,etc whatever meat you prefer
--1 lg sliced pepperoni, sliced in quarters or as circles
--8 fresh basil leaves, chopped (or 1 T dried)
--1 T dried oregano
--1/2 to 1/3 cup of dried pasta (I don't add the pasta to the soup...I let people add it themselves)
--shredded mozzarella cheese (to add later as a topping)

Directions

Use a large Crockpot for this recipe.
Serves 10-12 hungry adults with leftovers.

Wash and prepare veggies. Dump them into the crockpot. Cut up the sausage into small pieces--I sliced, then cut the pieces in fourths ( or dump in the other meat raw as it will cook in the crockpot) Add to crockpot. Cut up the pepperoni, add it, too. Add basil and oregano. Pour in the pizza sauce, and follow with three empty jars of water (or lg can of tomato juice).

COOKING

Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours for the flavors to meld. It will smell very good! Try to not keep opening the lid of the crockpot. Make it when you will be out of the house. (lol)

Thirty minutes before serving, add the dry pasta. It can take 20-30 min to cook. I prefer to make the pasta separate and let people add it to their soup.

Garnish/top with shredded mozzarella cheese.
Serve w/ garlic bread! YUMMY-OOOoohh

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