Pimento Cheese

2 cups grated Land O' Lakes Sharp American
1/4 cup diced pimentos
Dash of ground black pepper
Dash of paprika
1 cup mayo
1/4 cup finely diced sweet onion

Mix all and serve with crackers or on bread.




 Homemade White Bread

1/2 cup warm water for yeast (105 to 115 degrees F)
2 tablespoons sugar for yeast
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons Crisco shortening
1 tablespoon Land O' Lakes softened unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups warm water
8 to 9 cups Pillsbury all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons yeast
1/4 cup Land O' Lakes unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray three large loaf pans. Set aside. Dissolve the yeast in 1/2 cup warm water and 2 tablespoons sugar. Combine water, 1 tablespoon butter, shortening, 1/4 cup sugar, salt, warm water, and four cups of flour in a heavy mixing bowl. Beat until smooth. Add in remaining flour to make a good, sticky dough. Place in an oiled bowl, spraying the top before covering with plastic wrap or a moist towel. Let double. Punch down and separate dough into three circles. Knead for twelve minutes and shape into loaves, tucking the sides and bottoms in. Place in heavily sprayed loaf pans, brush with softened butter and let double. Bake at 375 degrees for ten minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue cooking for ten more minutes. Check tops and sides. If sides are not brown, but the tops are, gently place aluminum foil over top and bake until sides are done. Place on cooling rack.

This is one recipe that will turn out of you can't knead it for the full time. I am recovering from a car wreck, so only kneading for four minutes. It creates a heavier, 'artisan-type' bread.


 I make the above recipes for quick, tasty lunches while I am writing on my next best-selling Amish Romance Novel. Grate your own because grated cheese has a wax that causes a grainy texture.

I made these for the Lawrenceburg Police Department, and they ate them all, plus the pan is gone, so they were a sure hit!


Golden Bars
1 egg
1 cup butter
1cup brown sugar
2 cups self-rising flour
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix the butter, egg, and sugar. Add in the flour, mixing well. Pour into a sprayed 13 X 9 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Let cool and top with desired chocolate, butterscotch, or Nutella while hot. I used Nutella tonight. I took a pan down to our wonderful Lawrenceburg Police Department, along with the dinner that I cooked.

Cornbread Salad. It's for dinner!

Cornbread Salad

1 8 X 8 inch pan of baked, cooled, sweet yellow cornbread
1 large cucumber, diced in 1/2 inch cubes
1 large tomatoes, diced in 1-inch cubes
1/2 cup Land O' Lakes Sharp Cheddar, finely shredded
1/2 large sweet onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup white sugar
2 cups Mayo or Miracle Whip

Crumble cornbread in a large bowl. Add in remaining ingredients. Chill for at least four hours before serving (but if you can't wait, like me, you can sample a heaping bowl.)
This is one of my favorites of all time!

Having a picnic with the children? We are having one tomorrow, so I baked pie shells for strawberry pie and whipped up some M & M Minis Cookie Muffins.
M & M Minis Cookie Muffins

1 king-size container of M & M Minis
1 1/2 cups Pillsbury self-rising flour
1/4 cup Land O' Lakes unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup Crisco shortening
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 cup hot water
1/4 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 2 6-count or 1 12-count muffin pans. Set aside. Cream butter, shortening and sugar. In another bowl, mix eggs, hot water and vanilla until fluffy. Add into the sugar mixture. Add in the milk and flour, alternating and ending with flour. Add in the M & M Minis. Pour into sprayed muffin tins and bake for twelve to fifteen minutes. ***Must cook at 375 degrees for them to rise correctly.

If you have extra party bags from the holidays, you can put three cookie muffins in a bag and set them at each place-setting.