Homemade Peanut Butter Easter Eggs

Make this Easter holiday extra special by making your own candy. These Peanut Butter Eggs are just as good or even better than the name brand ones you buy in the store. And they are a lot cheaper, too! No two eggs will ever be the same. Peanut butter and chocolate; two great tastes in one.

Ingredients

3/4 c. creamy peanut butter
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/3 c. powdered sugar
1 c. graham cracker crumbs
1 1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 Tbs. shortening
powdered sugar for frosting decorations or sprinkles See below.

Directions

Beat peanut butter, butter and vanilla on medium high speed until thoroughly combined.  Turn the mixer on low as you gradually add the powdered sugar and graham cracker crumbs. 

Form into 16 egg shapes. Place on a tray or cookie sheet lined with waxed paper.  Cover and chill the eggs for 4 hours, or until firm.

In a microwave safe container, melt the chocolate chips and shortening. Stir the mixture every 30 seconds until the chocolate is melted and smooth. You can also melt the chocolate chips using the stove top, over very low heat. Stir the chocolate and shortening constantly, so the chocolate does not burn. 

Place an egg on the tines of a fork, or you can use one of those long handled 2-tined forks as well. Dip the eggs into the chocolate, making sure the surface is covered with chocolate.  Allow the excess chocolate to drip off.  Place the eggs on the waxed paper.  Repeat this procedure for each egg. 

Decorate with sprinkles, or place the eggs in the refrigerator and chill until the chocolate is firm. Or you can decorate the eggs with powdered sugar icing.

Frosting 

To make the frosting, combine 2 cups powdered sugar, 4 teaspoons corn syrup, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 to 2 tablespoons milk. Beat until smooth and the right consistency for piping the frosting through a decorator bag or tube.  You may want to divide the frosting into separate containers and tint each one with a different color if desired.

Magic Easter Eggs

These Easter eggs will be one of a kind as each one is hand-made by you. No two eggs will be exactly alike. 

Ingredients

1/2 c. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. salt
few drops of yellow food coloring, optional
1 can sweetened condensed milk
6 c. powdered sugar
1 1/2 lbs. semi-sweet chocolate, melted

Directions

Cream butter, vanilla, salt and yellow food coloring in a mixing bowl.  

Blend in sweetened condensed milk, mixing until the mixture is smooth. 

Gradually add the powdered sugar, blending well after each addition. When the mixture becomes too stiff to mix anymore, turn out onto a board or countertop dusted with powdered sugar. 

Knead in the remaining powdered sugar until you have a dough that is smooth and no longer sticky. 

Form mixture into egg shapes. Place on a tray or cookie sheet lined with waxed paper. Cover and chill the eggs for 4 hours or until firm. 

Melt the semi-sweet chocolate.  Place an egg on the tines of a fork or one of those 2-pronged forks if you have one. Dip the egg into the chocolate, allowing the excess chocolate to drip of. Place the chocolate egg on the waxed paper. Do this to each egg until they are all coated in chocolate. 

You can decorate the eggs with sprinkles while the chocolate is still soft. Or you can allow the chocolate to stand until firm and then decorate with icing. 

Store the chocolate Easter eggs in a covered container at room temperature. You can also place them in the refrigerator if it is hot where you are to keep the chocolate from melting.

Chicken Chowder

If you have extra leftover chicken, this is a great way to use it up. But even if you don't have any leftovers, you can simply cut up the chicken into cubes. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a cast iron skillet, and quickly fry the chicken cubes up.

Ingredients

2 Tbs. butter
1 onion chopped
1 1/2 c. cubed, cooked chicken
1 1/2 . cubed potatoes
1 1/2 c. sliced carrots
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 c. water
3 Tbs. flour
2 1/2 c. milk, divided
chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Melt butter in a 3-quart saucepan. Add onion and sauté until tender.

Add chicken, potatoes, carrots, bouillon cubes, salt, pepper and water.

Cover and simmer 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Combine flour and 1/2 c. milk.  Stir until there are no lumps and the mixture is smooth. 

Slowly, pour the flour mixture into the vegetables, stirring  or whisking constantly to keep it from lumping. Pour in the remaining 2 cups of milk in with the vegetables.

Cook and stir over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens.  Sprinkle the top with parsley just before serving.

Juicy, Garlic Roasted Chicken

Garlic Roasted Chicken can be a complete meal all done at the same time. Simply add some quartered potatoes, whole carrots and onions into the roasting pan along with the chicken. In 90 minutes to 2 hours, you will have a wonderful, delicious meal to serve. 

Ingredients

1 (3 to 4  lb.) whole chicken
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbs. onion powder
1 Tbs. garlic powder
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. parsley
1/2 c. room temperature butter or margarine, divided

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.

Place chicken in a roasting pan.  Sprinkle the outside and the inside cavity of the chicken with salt, and pepper.

Mix the butter or margarine, onion powder, garlic powder, thyme and parsley together.  Rub this mixture over the top of the chicken, lifting the skin to rub the butter mixture over the breast, thighs and legs as well.  Also rub some of the butter mixture on the inside cavity of the chicken.

Bake for 1 1/2 hours, or until chicken is done and meat is tender. Stick a thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh, and it should read 165° to 175°.   If the skin is browning too much, cover with a lid or a sheet of foil. 

Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before carving.

Deep Chocolate Upside-Down Cake

This vintage cake recipe is easy to make and best of all, it is already frosted and ready to serve.  Deep chocolate taste from an easy to prepare cake mix, baked with a brown sugar, coconut and nut topping. 

Ingredients

1/2 c. butter or margarine
1/4 c. water
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. chopped nuts
1 1/2 c. sweetened flaked coconut
1 pkg. deep chocolate cake mix or German chocolate cake mix

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.

Melt butter in 13 x 9 x 2-inch cake pan.

Pour in the water.  Sprinkle brown sugar evenly into the pan.

Mix in nuts and sweetened flaked coconut. Spread evenly in the bottom of the pan.

In a mixing bowl, prepare cake mix according to directions. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour cake batter over mixture in the pan.

Bake for 40 minutes or until the cake test done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let stand for 5 minutes so the topping starts to set. Invert the cake pan onto a large platter, or use a cookie sheet if you don't have a platter that large. 

Serve with whipped cream.

 4 Ingredient Salmon Casserole

When times were tough and we didn't have much money, getting salmon in a can was a treat. Sometimes my mother would make a Salmon Loaf and other times she would make a Salmon Casserole. Both were easy to make, and delicious. You can add a can of cream of mushroom soup with a two-thirds can of milk over the top. Or serve it with cheese over the top as well. 

Ingredients

1 lb. can salmon, drained and flaked
3 onions, sliced into thin rings
2 Tbs. butter
2 lbs. potatoes, sliced thin
salt and pepper to taste
parsley leaves (Optional)
buttered bread crumbs

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Butter a large casserole dish.

Drain and flake the salmon. 

Melt butter in a large skillet.  Add onions and fry until golden brown and caramelized.

Arrange in layers the fried onions, potatoes, and salmon in a buttered casserole dish. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper to taste.

Sprinkle some chopped parsley and buttered bread crumbs over the top of the salmon. 

Bake for 30 minutes, or until browned.

Congo Bars

Delicious moist bars with nuts and chocolate chips.  They are so good and so easy to make. Congo Bars are perfect for mid-day snacking or to take along on a picnic, or as a dessert.

Ingredients

2/3 c. butter or margarine, softened or room temperature
2 1/4 c. brown sugar
3 eggs
2 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 3/4 c. flour
1 c. nuts, chopped
12 oz. chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.  Lightly grease and flour the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch cake pan.

Cream butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy.

Add eggs, one at a time. Beat well after each addition.

Mix in baking powder, salt and flour until combined.

Stir in nuts, and chocolate chips.

Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.  Do not over bake.