Pioneer Bread

This bread was so moist and yummy. So good with butter and jam!

Pioneer Bread (a fool-proof bread recipe!)
2 cups warm water
1 rounded teaspoon yeast
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tbsp sugar, honey, or molasses (I use honey)
Add flour until stuff (3 1/2 to 4 cups)

Let raise for 45 minutes.
Pour into greased loaf pan.
Bake at 350F for 45-55 minutes.
Let cool about 10 minutes in pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Makes 1 loaf.

Zucchini Bread

Zucchini Bread

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 1/4 cups white sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup chocolate chips

1. Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
3. Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.
4. Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool. 

I always love zucchini bread. And I especially wanted to make it so I could sneak some veggies into Brandon. And he of course loved this bread. What made this bread really special (besides adding some chocolate chips) was the orange-infused canola oil I got at a Pampered Chef party a couple of weeks ago. Wow, it is so delicious! Enjoy!

Twice Baked Potato Casserole

Twice Baked Potato Casserole

·         5 lb. russet potatoes

·         10 slices bacon

·         8 oz. cream cheese

·         ½ c. unsalted butter, melted

·         1 c. sour cream

·         ¼ c. chives, minced

·         2 ½ c. cheddar cheese, grated

·         2 t. kosher salt

·         ½ t pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel potatoes, and cut into 1-inch chunks. Place in a large saucepan, and add enough cold water to cover by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and reduce to a simmer. Cook until tender and easily pierced with a paring knife, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a colander to drain; return to pan, cover, and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add bacon, and cook until crisp and browned, turning once. Transfer to paper towels to drain; let cool, and crumble into pieces.
3. Using a fork, mash the potatoes in pan until light and fluffy. Add the cream cheese, butter, and sour cream, and stir until combined and smooth. Add the chives, 2 cups cheddar cheese, half the bacon, salt, and pepper. Stir until well combined.
4. Transfer to a buttered 3-quart baking dish. Top with remaining ½ cup cheddar cheese. Bake until top is slightly golden and potatoes are heated through, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven; garnish with remaining bacon. Serve immediately. Yield: 10 servings

We LOVED this casserole. However, we felt like it needed a little more flavor. So we drizzled some ranch dressing on top and it was SO good. Maybe you could add some ranch dressing mix to the recipe. Enjoy!

Chicken Rolls

Chicken Rolls
2 cans Pillsbury crescent rolls
1 can chicken (approx 1 lb. cooked and cut up chicken)
8 oz cream cheese, softened
4 T butter, softened
Garlic salt
Green onion

Combine ingredients and spoon 1-2 tablespoons into crescent rolls. Place on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350F for 20 minutes. Serve with 1 can cream of chicken soup + 1 can milk as gravy. Serves 8 (2 rolls per person)

Chocolate Chip Pound Cake

Chocolate Chip Pound Cake

3 1/2 cups flour, plus more for dusting pans
1/2 t salt
4 eggs
4 egg yolks
1 T vanilla
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
1 bag (1 1/2 cups) chocolate chips

1. Heat oven to 325F. Coat two 9x5x3-inch loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray; dust with flour and shake out excess. Set aside.
2. Stir together flour and salt; set aside. In small bowl, stir together eggs, egg yolks and vanilla; set aside.
3. Mix butter and sugar together on medium-high speed for 6 minutes or until very light and fluffy. Reduce speed to medium and gradually pour in egg mixture. Increase speed to medium-high and beat 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. On low speed, gradually add flour mixture and beat until just blended. Stir in chocolate chips.
4. Divide batter between prepared loaf pans and smooth tops. Bake at 325F for 1 hour, 12 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack for 30 minutes, then remove from pans and cool completely on rack.


This was really good! The only problem I had with it was the amount of time it was in the oven; it wasn't long enough. I tested it with a cake tester to make sure it was done and I was pretty sure it was. But after I removed it from the pans onto the wire rack the middle sunk down and fell out of the cake all over the counter. So, I just stuffed it back in the pan and cooked it for another 30 minutes...which made it overdone. Sigh. The outside was a little crunchy and didn't look very pretty but the inside was very soft. Good luck!!