I made this stuff up! Cooking with Mimi

Make Ahead Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes

This was the recipe I used for the twice baked potatoes we had with Christmas dinner.

Make Ahead Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes 

5 lbs large baking potatoes

1/2 cup butter, melted

3/4 cup sour cream

3 ounces fat free cream cheese or 3 ounces cream cheese

2 teaspoons salt or 2 teaspoons salt substitute

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

4 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese (1 cup) or 4 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Wash potatoes and pat dry.
3. Place potatoes, not touching, on a large baking sheet.
4. You may need two baking sheets.
5. Spray potatoes generously with non-stick cooking spray.
6. Sprinkle outside of potatoes with a little salt.
7. Bake 1 to 1-1/2 hours or until potatoes "give" when gently squeezed, indicating they are done.
8. In large mixing bowl, add butter, cream cheese, salt and pepper and mix well.
9. With a serrated knife, cut baked potatoes in half lengthwise, being careful to leave skins unbroken.
10. With large spoon, scoop out the inside of potatoes, leaving a thin layer of potato attached to the inside of the skin.
11. Place potato skin shells, skin side down, on the baking sheet used to bake the potatoes.
12. Put scooped out potato in mixing bowl as you remove it and mix to combine with butter mixture, adding sour cream as needed to make potatoes the consistency of slightly stiff mashed potatoes.
13. You may need a little more or less sour cream to get the final desired consistency.
14. Using the palm of your hand to support the potato shell while filling, spoon and press potato mixture into each half potato shell.
15. Return filled shell to baking sheet.
16. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and pat cheese to make it adhere to the potatoes.
17. TO SERVE IMMEDIATELY: Return baking pan of potatoes to oven and bake about 15-25 minutes until potatoes are hot and cheese is melted.
18. TO FREEZE FOR LATER USE: Cover potatoes with plastic wrap and place baking sheet in freezer, leaving several hours until potatoes are completely frozen.
19. Remove potatoes from freezer and wrap each potato in a resealable plastic sandwich bag.
20. Place wrapped potatoes into one or more gallon resealable freezer bags.
21. Store in freezer for up to 3 months.
22. TO COOK FROZEN POTATOES: Preheat oven to 350°F.
23. Place potatoes on baking sheet and loosely cover with aluminum foil.
24. Bake about 45 minutes.
25. Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes or more until potatoes are hot.
26. Do not over bake.
27. This method keeps the potato skins firm and crisp.
28. If time is short, place potatoes in microwave and cook on high about 10 minutes.
29. Remove and then place in 350°F oven to finish cooking.
30. IN A BIG HURRY: These potatoes can be completely heated from frozen state in the microwave, heating them just until they are hot.
31. Potato skins will be softer than if cooked in the oven.
32. OR, they can be defrosted in the microwave and reheated, uncovered, in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes or until hot.

Breakfast Burritos

I've been buying premade breakfast burritos from Costco for a quick breakfast. I had a bunch of tortillas and decided to try making my own and freezing them. I love that you make them once and have a ton put away for the weeks to come! You can add other things or take away what you don't like. I didn't want to mess with bacon so mine just had sausage. You could use ham, onions, peppers whatever you like! Enjoy! You start out with this and then you end up with them like this!

Breakfast Burritos

30 min | 30 min prep

SERVES 18 -24

• 1 (16 ounce) bag hash browns, cooked
• 1 1/2-2 dozen eggs, scrambled
• 1 (16 ounce) jar salsa
• 1 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1 lb sausage cooked and crumbled

• 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese or Mexican blend cheese
• 18-24 tortillas

1. Mix everything together in a very large bowl. (You can also add a pound of sausage, if you want.).
2. Roll up in tortillas.
3. Wrap each one individually in plastic wrap, then store in a gallon-size freezer bag.
4. When you're ready to eat one, just microwave it for 2 minutes.

Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls

I found this recipe on Recipe Zaar a couple of weeks ago. Last weekend I failed at it but I was determined to not let it beat me so I tried again this morning. For some reason I struggle with getting dough to rise up here. I have to put it in a warm oven with a wet dishcloth over the top to have it double. So that being said these were delicious! I would definately make them again and wanted to share the recipe. It's a knock off recipe from Cinnabon. I used the yummy cinnamon from Costco and it was delish!

Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls Recipe #76864

These are THE BEST cinnamon rolls! The recipe is from Todd Wilbur's MORE TOP SECRET RECIPES. Ooooey, goooey and rich! The dough can easily be prepared in your bread machine, just follow your manufacturer's order of ingredients. I put the ingredients in the night before, and then roll out and bake in the morning.

by ~Elissa~

1¼ hours | 1 hour prep | SERVES 12

1 (1/4	ounce) package dry yeast
1	cup warm milk
1/2	cup granulated sugar
1/3	cup butter
1	teaspoon salt
2	eggs
4	cups flour
FILLING
1	cup packed brown sugar
2 1/2	tablespoons cinnamon
1/3	cup butter, softened
ICING
8	tablespoons butter
1 1/2	cups powdered sugar
1/4	cup cream cheese
1/2	teaspoon vanilla
1/8	teaspoon salt

1. For the rolls, dissolve the yeast in the warm milk in a large bowl.
2. Add sugar, margarine salt, eggs, and flour, mix well.
3. Knead the dough into a large ball, using your hands dusted lightly with flour.
4. Put in a bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place about 1 hour (again it took me a lot longer for these to rise) or until the dough has doubled in size.
5. Roll the dought out on a lightly floured surface, until it is approx 21 inches long by 16 inches wide.
6. It should be approx 1/4 thick.
7. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 375 if you're using a dark pan.
8. To make filling, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Note I added 2 Tbsp of flour so the filling doesn't run out of the dough during baking.
9. Spread the softened butter over the surface of the dough, then sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon evenly over the surface.
10. Working carefully, from the long edge, roll the dough down to the bottom edge.
11. Cut the dough into 1 3/4 inch slices, and place in a lightly greased baking pan. I wouldn't use a 13x9 because the middle ones won't get done. We used a deep dish pie plate or an 8x8 and it would fit 4 to 5 rolls in the pan. They rise a bit during the baking.
12. Bake for 10 minutes or until light golden brown.
13. While the rolls are baking combine the icing ingredients.
14. Beat well with an electric mixer until fluffy.
15. When the rolls are done, spread generously with icing.

Creamy Chicken Pasta Bake

This is a recipe my Grandma and Grandpa's neighbor Clara Jean Kyllo made for us when Grandma was sick and then when Grandma passed away. It became one of our favorite dishes, and she shared the recipe with us.

Creamy Chicken Pasta Bake

• 1 can Cream of Chicken or Cream of Mushroom Soup
• 1/2 cup Sour Cream
• 3/4 cup Milk
• 1/2 cup Mayonaise
• 7 oz Chicken (Her original recipe calls for canned Tuna, which they would can themselves and it was so good, but I don't like canned tuna so I use Chicken I precook)
• 1 cup grated cheese
• 2 Tbsp Parsley
• 1/2 tsp Salt and Pepper
• 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
• 3 cups Cooked Country Pasta

Combine all ingredients. Pour into a 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Note: I usually make a 13x9 which if you double all the ingredients in the recipe EXCEPT the pasta will fit in the 13x9. The pasta you only want to use about 4-5 cups of cooked pasta for the 13x9 pan size. Top with Cracker crumbs or bread crumbs. Cook at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Top with more cheese and cook another 15 minutes. Enjoy!

Apple Butter

Here's the recipe I use for my apple butter. I sauce my apples before I start and just cook it until it's reduced to about half in the crockpot. I freeze it in containers when it's done.

Apple Butter

1 day | 1 hour prep

6 1/2 pint bottles

• apple (enough to over fill slow cooker or 4 quart crock pot)
• 1/2 cup vinegar
• 3 cups white sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1. Peel, core and slice enough apples to fill a 4-quart slow cooker or crock pot so full that the lid will not go down over it.
2. Add vinegar; cook for 18 hours.
3. If crock pot is fast cooking, cook on high for 10 hours, stirring occasionally.
4. Add white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and cloves.
5. Put into blender to blend it like apple butter. Mix all together and cook 4 more hours.

Apple Pie Filling

With all the apples we were given I needed some new recipes besides applesauce this year. I tried apple pie filling for the freezer and this turned out beautifully. I lined a pie plate with foil and saran wrap and then dumped the filling in so it would freeze in the shape of the pie plate and be an easy pie when I needed it. This would be wonderful on pancakes or crepes or dutch babies also.

Freezer Apple Pie Filling

1 hour | 20 min prep

SERVES 32 , 4 pies

• 16 cups apples, peeled and thinly sliced
• 4 tablespoons lemon juice
• 4 cups white sugar
• 1 cup cornstarch
• 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 8 cups water

1. In a large bowl, toss apples with lemon juice and set aside.
2. Pour water into a Dutch oven over medium heat. Combine sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. Add to water, stir well, and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
3. Add apples and return to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until apples are tender, about 6 to 8 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes.
4. Ladle into 4 freezer containers or gallon freezer bags, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Cool at room temperature no longer than 1 1/2 hours.
5. Seal and freeze. Can be stored for up to 12 months.
6. You can also make pies right away.