Caramel Dream Bars

Here is a quick and easy, delicious dessert!

1 yellow cake mix
1/3 cup butter
1 egg
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup pecans
1/2 cup toffee chips

Grease a13X9 pan. Combine cake mix, butter and 1 egg. Mix until crumbly. Press down into pan. Beat can of milk, egg and vanilla. Stir in pecans and toffee chips. Pour over cake mixture in pan. Bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes.

Cheese Bread

If you want to add a special touch to any dinner - add some cheese bread. It is so easy, take any bread - I found some sub rolls we didn't finish, you can use french bread, buns, really anything:

Spread with butter

sprinkle with garlic powder or garlic salt

sprinkle with Italian seasoning or parsley

top with cheese - provolone or mozzarella work well, but cheddar or cheese slices will also work

Bake in 350 oven until brown and bubbly

Marinated Beef Ribs

These ribs are so tender and packed full of flavor!

Marinade:
1 cup soy sauce
4 T brown sugar
2 T green onions
1 T chopped/minced garlic
1 tsp ginger
black pepper

Mix marinade together and in a gallon sized Ziploc bag, add ribs and make sure marinade covers them. Place in refrigerator and leave at least 2 hours, turning bag occasionally.

Prepare a baking dish by lining with foil. Pour ribs with marinade into pan. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes and then reduce oven heat to 325. Baste ribs with juices, cover pan and bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until fork tender.

Twice Baked Potatoes

Wrap desired number of potatoes in foil and bake until tender.

Unwrap and let cool about 30 minutes. Slice each potato in half and scoop out pulp, leaving the potato skin intact. Mash potato pulp with butter, salt and pepper, sour cream, milk, shredded cheese, bacon bits and green onions. Use as much of these ingredients as you like and omit the ones you don't like.

Spoon potato mixture into the potato skins and bake for 10 to 15 minutes at 350.

Biscuits and Sausage Gravy

If there is one thing I have learned by living with four boys, it is that they like to eat and to eat hearty. Here is one of their favorite breakfasts:

Sausage Gravy over Biscuits.
(and there is an easy way to do this!)

Brown 1 tube of pan sausage. Drain and place on paper towel lined plate.
You can either purchase a pack of instant gravy mix (country gravy or peppered gravy). You will want to put the mix in the frying pan used for the sausage and add 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup water and cook according to directions...
Or you can spoon some flour, butter and milk into the pan and stir until thick. Season with salt and pepper.
Once the gravy is made, add the sausage to the gravy and simmer for about 5 minutes. Spoon over biscuits. (Frozen biscuits are ok!)

Taco Bake

This is a great crowd pleasing recipe. Served with tortilla chips or "scoops", it is a finger food that is filling and delicious!

2 - 8oz cream cheese bars
1 lb. Hamburger
1 pack dry taco mix
1 med size jar salsa
1 package shredded cheese - cheddar or fiesta blend

Spread softened cream cheese in the bottom of a 13x9 baking dish. Brown hamburger, add dry taco mix and salsa, stir and simmer about 5 minutes. Spoon hamburger mix on top of cream cheese, top with cheese. Bake at 350 about 15 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Serve with chips.

Hot Pineapple Casserole

This is one of those dishes that is not just "good", it is melt in your mouth delicous! It is a perfect compliment to any meal.

1 lg. can chunk pineapple
1/2 c. sugar
2 tbsp. flour
1 c. shredded Cheddar cheese
1 c. bread crumbs
2 tbsp. butter
Cook juice from pineapple, sugar and flour to boiling. Boil 1 or 2 minutes. Add chunk pineapple and cheese. Put in 8 x 8 inch baking dish. Melt butter, mix with bread crumbs, sprinkle on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.