Homemade Soda Crackers

4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 cup butter

Sift dry ingredients together. Cut in milk and butter (I used my food processor), mixing well into a stiff dough. Dough will be stiff. Roll very thin on lightly floured counter/board, cut into squares (I used my pizza cutter). Place onto cookie sheet then prick with fork, sprinkle with coarse sea salt and bake at 400 for about 6 minutes or until edges start to brown.

Caramel Apple Cobbler

1 box butter pecan cake mix
2 cans of apple pie filling
1 stick of butter
1/2 can of lemon lime soda.
1 jar caramel sauce

Spray an 9x13 casserole pan with a cooking spray. Spread apple pie filling on bottom of pan. Add dry cake mix to pan. Melt butter and pour over cake mix. Pour lemon lime soda on top of that. Finally, pour caramel topping on top of everything. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes. the top will get brown and crispy.

Elvis Oatmeal

1/2 cup Old Fashioned Oats
6oz of water
Pinch of Salt
1 tbsp Natural Peanut Butter
1/2 ripe Banana Mashed
1/2 tbsp Mini-Chocolate Chips

Put the water, oats, salt and peanut butter in a small pot.
Cook over medium high heat, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes until all the water is absorbed.
While the oats are cooking, mash your banana in a bowl.
Once the water is all absorbed, add the oat mixture to the mashed banana and mix everything together. Then add mini chocolate chips on top. Serve immediately.

Vicki's Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies

1/2 cup butter (softened)
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/3 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt (I put a pinch more)
1 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels ( I split it 3 ways...semi-sweet, milk chocolate, and peanut butter chips)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees...lightly grease a cookie sheet and set aside.

2. In large mixing bowl, combine the softened butter and peanut butter. Beat with mixer till combined (do not overbeat) Add sugar and brown sugar just till combined. Beat in eggs and vanilla till combined. set aside.....

3. In medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add the flour mixture and chocolate chips to the dough. STIR till combined.

4. Drop by tablespoon on cookie sheet and bake...9-12 minutes (depending on your oven and size of cookies) till lightly golden on edges and cookies are still soft enough to leave a slight indentation when touched with fingertip. do not overbake

Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Chocolate Wafer Cookies

1 cup packed blanched almond flour (must be blanched!)
1/4 cup packed cocoa powder
1 Tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup Organic Cane Sugar (sucanat)
1/4 Tsp Baking Powder
Pinch of Salt
2 Tbs Water

preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a bowl or in a food processor combine all of the ingredients. Stir (or process) until the dough comes together.
Roll out between two sheets of parchment paper 1/8 inch thick. Using a small circular cookie or biscuit cutter cut the dough.
Place the circles of dough onto a large cookie sheet with parchment or a nonstick baking pad. Re-roll out the dough and continue until it has all be cut into circles. Place all of the cookies onto the one large sheet. They will fit, and can be placed closely together as they will not spread.
Bake 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and allow them to cool 30 minutes. They will become firm and crisp as they cool.

Pumpkin Spice Creamer

2 cans of coconut milk
5 tablespoons pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
6 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
extra cinnamon for dusting

*You are going to use one full can of coconut milk and just the cream for the second can. Refrigerate one of the cans of coconut milk overnight. Then scoop off the cream.*

In a small saucepan, mix all ingredients over low heat. Stir until combined. Add to coffee or to your favorite tea. Dust each up with a little cinnamon.

Black Eyed Peas

1 lb dried black eye peas
8 oz diced ham
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1 Tbsp cajun seasoning

Rinse black eye peas and put in crockpot. Add remaining ingredients and cook on low 8-10 hours.

Serve with cornbread.

Chocolate Mint Coffee Mix

¾ cup powdered milk
1 cup cane juice crystals (or white sugar)
¾ cup instant coffee powder
¼ cup cocoa powder
6 peppermint candies, crushed

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until every thing is a fine powder. Use 2 to 3 T (depends on taste) per coffee mug of hot water.

If desired, top with whipped cream and more crushed peppermint candies or a candy cane.

Russian Tea Mix

1 cup instant tea
2 cups powdered orange breakfast drink (Tang)
1 ¼ cups white sugar
1 t cinnamon
½ t cloves

Mix all ingredients well and store in a jar with lid. To make tea add 1 rounded tablespoon of mix to about 8 oz. of hot water and enjoy!

Theda's Hot Chocolate Mix

25 oz. Powdered Milk
32 oz. Nesquik Chocolate Milk Powder
16 oz. Powdered Creamer
1 lb. Powdered Sugar

Instructions
1.Mix all the ingredients together in a very large mixing bowl.
2.Use about half a cup to one cup of boiling water (remember, a good portion of the mix is powdered milk and creamer-- that's why you use so much!). Mix well and enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Bread

1 stick butter, soft
8oz cream cheese, soft
1 1/4 c. sucanat (or sugar)
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
2 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1/4 c. milk
1 1/2 c. chocolate chips

Mix all the ingredients except for the flour and the milk. Then add 1 cup of flour and 1/8 c. milk. Mix well, then add in the second cup of flour and the rest of the milk.

Pour the mixture into 2 greased loaf pans or 4 mini loaf pans.

Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes for mini loaves or 40-45 minutes for the larger loaf.

3....2....1 Cake

1 box strawberry cake mix
1 box angle food cake mix

Mix both boxes of cake mix together in a ziploc bag. Combine 3 tablespoons of the mix with 2 tablespoons of water in a small, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute and enjoy! I garnished mine with a small dollop of fat-free cool whip and some fresh strawberries.

Orange Cream Cake

1 box (15.25 oz) White Cake Mix
1 container (6 oz) non-fat Greek yogurt, plain
1 cup orange juice

powdered sugar, for dusting

In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, Greek yogurt and orange juice. Include the zest of one orange, if desired. Pour batter into a greased 8 x8 inch square pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-33 minutes. Slice into 9 pieces. Garnish with a dusting of powdered sugar.

(relatively healthy dessert and no frosting)

Super 5 Layer Dip

2 can of refried beans
1 container of guacamole
16 ounces sour cream
1 package of taco seasoning
1 can of black olives
1 pound of shredded pepper jack cheese

Layer the beans. Smooth out. Smooth guacamole onto beans. In a container, mix sour cream and taco seasoning. Layer on top of guacamole. Add cheese generously. Finish top with black olives. Chill.

(I use a round platter or large plate)

Pasta Salad

2 ounces of Colby jack cheese chopped in very very small cubes
2 oz mini pepperoni
1/2 can black olives sliced
1/2 jar italian dressing
1/4 c parmasean cheese
I box of the colorful spiral noodles
Garlic powder
Salt and pepper

Cook your noodles, drain and cool slightly. Then toss all ingredients together in a bowl! Chill.