Bulk Pie Crusts

8 cups flour
1 Tbsp. salt
3 1/2 cups shortening

Mix these ingredients together in a large mixer (Bosch, Kitchen-Aid) with the whisk attachment until the shorening is well incorporated into the flour.  Change to dough hook or paddle and add:

2 eggs
1 cup cold water
2 Tbsp vinegar
2 Tbsp sugar (optional)

Mix until everything is just barely mixed well and the dough is moist.  Divide into 10 balls.  Use right away, refrigerate for several days, or freeze in freezer baggies for several months.  When ready to use frozen dough allow it to sit at room temperature until easy to handle.  About 15-20 minutes.

Yield: 10 single crusts

I did this by hand instead of a machine and it seemed to work good.  I haven't tried to make anything yet so I will let you know when I do!  I'm interested to see how it tastes because the pie dough I make doesn't call for eggs, vinegar or sugar.  I'm not sure I'm going to like the sugar in it.  I love eating raw pie dough and I wasn't sure I liked the taste.  I only got 7 balls.  I guess I made them to big.  I tend to have thicker pie crusts anyways.

Mexican Chicken Casserole

12 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but into bite-size pieces
1 tsp. taco seasoning
1 red or green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 1/2 cups prepared salsa
2 oz. cream cheese
1 15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tomato, chopped
2 6-inch whole-wheat tortillas
1/2 cup shredded Mexican cheese

1.  Preheat oven to 375.  Warm a large nonstick skillet over medium heat; mist with cooking spray.  Add chicken and taco seasoning and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Stir in salsa; cook for 2 minutes.  Add cream cheese; cook stirring constantly, until melted and blended, about 2 minutes.  Stir in beans and tomato.

2.  Spoon 1/3 of chicken mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish.  Cover with 1 tortilla, then spoon in 1/2 of remaining chicken mixture and 1/2 of cheese.  Top with remaining tortilla and chicken mixture.

3.  Cover and bake until heated through, about 20 minutes.  Uncover and sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Bake, uncovered, until cheese has melted, about 5 minutes longer.

My husband loved this meal.  Yes!!  Of course kids didn't like it so much.  It was a little hot for them.  I thought it was okay.  I'm not a big fan of chicken.  I did not use whole-wheat tortillas either.

No Bake Cookies

2 Cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
3 cups oatmeal
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup margarine
4 Tbsp. cocoa

Mix sugar, margarine, milk and cocoa in saucepan.  Boil one minute.  Add oats, peanut butter and vanilla.  Drop by spoonfuls on waxed paper or press in greased pan and cut into squares.

I love this recipe.  It's quick to make and tastes really good.

Cheesy Potatoes

1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 lbs. frozen hash browns
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cups sour cream
2 cups cheese, shredded
2 cups corn flakes, crushed
1/4 cup butter, melted

Mix all ingredients together except for corn flakes and butter.  Pour mixture into a 9X13 pan.  Top with corn flakes and drizzle with melted butter.  Bake at 350 for one hour.  (you can also put the mixture in a crock pot for 4 hours or until heated through).

This is also known as funeral potatoes.  I love it and my husband loves it.  The kids like it.  You can also make it by grating your own potatoes but I can never get it to work.  I was tired and not feeling good and forgot to put the cheese in.  I just grated it onto individual portions and mixed it in.

Irresistible Peanut Butter Cookies

3/4 cup Jif creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup crisco all-vegetable shortening
1 1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar
3 Tbsp milk
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
 1 3/4 cups pillsbury best all purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt

1.  Heat oven to 375.  Combine peanut butter, shortening, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in large bowl.  Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended.  Add egg.  Beat just until blended.

2.  Combine flour, baking soda and salt.  Add to creamed mixture at low speed.  Mix just until blended.  Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto greased baking sheet.  Flatten slightly in a crisscross pattern with tines of fork.

3.  Bake one baking sheet at a time 7 to 8 minutes or until set and just beginning to brown.  Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet.  Remove cookies to cooling racks to cool completely.

I love this cookie recipe!!  The cookies are nice and soft.  I made this all the time for awhile.  I haven't in a long time but probably because i made them so much before.  It makes a lot so I like to use a small ice cream scoop and freeze the balls.

Italian Chicken

4 frozen chicken breasts
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 8 oz. package cream cheese
1 4 oz. can mushrooms
1/2 tsp seasoning salt

Place the 4 frozen chicken breasts in crock pot.  Cover with salt, pepper, seasoning salt and Italian seasonings.  Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours.  1/2 hour before serving mix 1/2 cup water, cream cheese and soup over medium heat until creamed.  Add mushrooms.  Pour over chicken let sit for 1/2 hour. (Do Not pour out the water that has accumulated in the crock pot.)

Server over rice or noodles.

My family and I love this meal.  I got this recipe in my first year of marriage from my ward Relief Society.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

1 1/2 lbs hamburger
3/4 cup rolled oats
2 eggs
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup milk
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup  brown sugar
1/4 cup vinegar
1 tsp prepared mustard
1/4 cup barbecue sauce

Combine egg, oats, hamburger, onion, milk and 1 tsp Worcestershire and mix well.  Form into meat balls. Place in 9 x 13.  Combine brown sugar, vinegar, mustard, barbecue sauce and remaining tsp Worcestershire.  Blend thoroughly.  Pour over meatballs.  Bake 350 for about 45 minutes.  (I double the sauce recipe.)  Serve with rice.

My family and I love this dish.  One of my cousins is getting married and for the bridal shower they want recipes so I thought I would put the ones I love on here also.