Jolene's Recipe Journal

I've really worked to get my cake mix collection down to reasonable levels, but now I've found this recipe for Can't Leave Alone Bars.    It goes together so quickly, is easily customized with different flavors of cake mix or types of chips.     For this pan, I used white cake mix (15.25oz) and semisweet chips.   I wanted thicker bars, so I used a 9x9 pan, and they baked in about 25 minutes.   We all loved them, and I'll be making them again soon (chocolate cake mix and sea salt caramel chips).    Thanks to Kimberly B for sharing her recipe! Want to see what other great recipes from Taste of Home my fellow Volunteer Field Editors are making?   Check out the links below the recipe! Print With Image Without Image Can't Leave Alone Bars Author: Jolene's Recipe Journal Ingredients: 1 package white cake mix (regular size)- used 15.25 oz Pillsbury 2 large eggs 1/3 cup canola oil 14oz ...

I'd intended on making this recipe during football season, but kept forgetting to buy the mini rolls.   Burnt out on all our other ground beef favorites, I made a trip specifically to the store for them.  A few substitutions- I used minced dried onion in place of the fresh, thin sliced cheddar instead of the shredded.    I also pureed my tomatoes because my husband isn't a fan of them in chunks. I only made one pan, and that was a mistake- we both loved them, and it would have been great to have another one stashed in the freezer for a quick dinner.    Next time I will definitely make both pans.   Thanks for sharing your recipe, Nick!                       Bacon Cheeseburger Slider Bake Print With Image Without Image Author: Jolene's Recipe Journal Ingredients 2 packages Hawaiian sweet rolls -- (18 ounces each) 4 cups shr...

I'm still working to get my family back to the table, and Mother Nature decided to help me out in the form of a snow day.   Who says a family meal has to be dinner, why not breakfast or brunch instead?  We were all starving after getting ourselves dug out of the storm, so I put together these Waffle Monte Cristos. I used apple jelly instead of the apricot preserves, and provolone instead of the Havarti.   I've had Monte Cristos before, but the guys hadn't, and they were a little hesitant about the combination. We enjoyed them so much, I made them again the following morning.  This is the second family favorite from the Taste of Home 100 Family Meals cookbook, and I'm sure there will be more.   Thank you to Kelly R for sharing your recipe! It's Taste of Home Tuesday!  Be sure to go and see what my fellow Volunteer Field Editors are making this week through the links at the bottom of this post.  Here are some other recipes from Tas...

How often does your family eat meals together?  My husband worked second shift for over a decade, and it was a rare occasion for us all to sit down at the same time and eat.    Once he went to a better schedule, mealtime moved back to the table.   This past fall, we bought a house, and in the chaos of moving, we drifted away again.    Son likes to eat in front of the computer or phone, husband in front of the tv.   I'm guilty too, sometimes the jigsaw puzzle I'm working on can render the dining room table unusable for days. Looking for inspiration, I turned to Taste of Home's 100 Family Meals .  As you can see by the number of pages I marked, there's lots to be found! There are suggestions for entire meals, complete with a list of groceries you need.    It's well categorized for easy mixing and matching too.       The first recipe I chose was Speedy Shepherd's Pie.    It's a fun twist...

  We are stuck in a snowy, cold weather pattern this month.   Lots of shoveling and snowblowing to be done, and nothing helps to warm you back up like soup.  I can't recall ever eating tomato soup before, even as a kid (I liked Chicken & Stars).    I ran across this one on the Taste of Home site, and it seemed like a great recipe to start with. Only one minor change to this one- I used dried celery flakes because I have a ton on hand.  I made the soup and froze it in single servings.  I defrosted it and reheated it on the stove.   I liked the consistency and flavor, and you can't beat how fast it goes together. And you've got to have grilled cheese with tomato soup, right?   Thank you to Marian B for the recipe! Print With Image Without Image Satisfying Tomato Soup Ingredients 2 teaspoons canola oil 1/4 cup finely chopped onion 1/4 cup finely chopped celery (used dried, about 1T) 2 cans diced tomatoes -- (14-1/2 o...

Today is #NationalHomemadeSoupDay!  I've been in a bit of a cooking slump lately,  so I turned to the Food Holiday Calendar to help get some new ideas going.   Looking through my T&T recipes, I realized that I don't make much soup.   I did some searching, and I found this recipe on the Taste of Home site. I had turkey stashed in the freezer from Christmas, and all the other ingredients except the gnocchi on hand.   If you aren't a fan of gnocchi, can't find it, or don't want to make it yourself, I would recommend tortellini as a substitute. The only change I made to this recipe was to use 6 cups of broth instead of the water/chicken base, because it's what I keep in the pantry.  If you don't like peas, green beans would be great too. It's such an easy recipe to adapt and make your own, and I thank Amy B. for sharing it! Turkey Gnocchi Soup Print Author: Jolene's Recipe Journal ingredients: 1 tablespoon butter 3 medi...