Warm Caramel Dip for Apples

1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt

Combine the first four ingredients in a medium saucepan. Stir the mixture and heat over medium heat until the brown sugar dissolves (about 5 minutes). Stir in vanilla, salt, and cinnamon. Serve warm with apple slices.

baked raviolis

Last week my husband was out of town...

I wanted to make something easy but really good for dinner.

I had some Frozen Costco Cheese Raviolis in the freezer & some leftover marinara in the fridge.

I had seen a recipe like this online somewhere, but couldn't remember where...? so I came up with this on my own - it was easy & so good!

Baked Raviolis

1/3- 1/2 bag of Frozen Cheese Raviolis
(this is based on the big costco bag- I'm sure you can figure it out with what you have. I used 24)
1 Cup Cheddar Cheese grated
1 Cup Mozzarella or Monterey Jack Cheese grated
2 Cups of marinara sauce
1 regular sized can of diced tomatoes
Parmesan

Pour the marinara in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking pan.
Layer the bottom of the pan with one layer of frozen raviolis.
Next top with 1/2 cup cheddar & 1/2 cup monterey jack. Sprinkle with Parmesan.
Stack another layer of raviolis on top.
Puree the can of tomatoes in the blender.
I use my Blendtech. I LOVE my blendtech blender!
Pour the pureed tomatoes over the raviolis & top with the rest of the cheese. Cover with aluminum foil & bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil & bake another 15-20 minutes until really bubbly, just to thicken up the sauce.
I loved this recipe- so easy- and the combination of marinara & pureed tomatoes was just right for me-- not to much. The cheese in the raviolis & the cheese stacked between them make this a really rich dish. I fed all seven of us-- my four kids plus two friends & me--- and still had two servings left over! Plan on it serving 8 people.

Serve with bread & salad.

popovers

We are really loving popovers these days out our house!

I was working one day & a lady came into the store looking for a popover pan. I told her how I was nervous to make them- she told me about a GREAT recipe online (find it here)- I went home & made them that night! They were so easy & delicious. They are one of my family's favorite things now. You really should give them a try!

I modified the original recipe...
and they still turned out okay- few- I was nervous.
I just didn't have that much milk on hand- 4 cups- I used 2 cups water 2 cups milk. No sweat, they were great & I will always make them this way from now on.


I only have one popover pan. It must have a smaller cup than the pan the recipe used because it made loads of small popovers & they were done a full 10 minutes ahead of time. I tried a muffin pan to make more- just to see how it would turn out- DON'T DO IT- train wreck. Really, borrow a popover pan, or buy one. It's the right thing to do.
I also didn't have fancy Gruyere cheese- which I love.
I put a little cheddar cheese on a few (just a tablespoon on each) then left the others plain.

We are IN LOVE with these!

They are so easy, a nice change to regular rolls & so- so good.

I served mine with butter & jam.

Original recipe

HERE

patsy's favorite sugar cookies

I got this recipe years & years ago...

Like.... 17 years ago

and it's still my favorite sugar cookie!

It's not the puffy kind. Its the soft, yet flat, & easy to decorate kind of sugar cookie.

I love the yummy, buttery, vanilla-y, flavor. To me- they are good even without frosting.

Although they are easy to frost (because they are not puffy) and also easy to cut with cutters because, heck I don't know- they just are.

I can't wait to make some Valentine's Day shapes!

1 Cup Butter (do not substitute margarine/spread)

1 Cup Sugar

1 Egg

1 tsp. really good vanilla

2 tsp. baking powder

2 2/3 Cups all purpose flour

Mix & roll just like other cookies- butter & sugar first until fluffy- then add eggs & vanilla, mix well- then add dry ingredients. Allow to cook in the fridge for at least 2 hours. (this will make them much easier to roll & not all sticky- of course in an emergency- just use it like it is.)

Roll onto a lightly floured surface- 1/4 inch thick. Cut out using floured cutters.

Place 2" apart on a baking sheet & bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes.

WARNING: over cooking the cookies will make them crunchy. They will still taste great, but I just like my cookies chewy- so if you are like me- take them out of the oven before they turn brown.

It's tricky at first- but just as- or just before they turn brown- is just so good.

p.s. I always double the recipe & typically make it a day before I want to roll them out. This breaks up the cookie making process... which can take forever, especially when decorating.

Jenny's Nacho Cheese Dip

1 lb Jimmy Dean sausage, browned
After sausage is cooked, put sausage in another bowl and using same pan add:
1 Velveeta Cheese Loaf
1 Rotel tomato and green chilies can
When cheese mix is melted, add sausage back in and warm.
Enjoy!

Our family loves this dip and we beg Jenny to make it for every family event!