Costco Rolls - or Cinnamon rolls

1 1/2 packages (about 3 1/4 teaspoons) dry yeast
1/4 cup warm milk
1/2 cup shortening
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
1 egg
4-5 cups sifted flour

For Cinnamon rolls also needed:
melted butter
brown sugar
cinnamon
raisins (optional)

Vanilla Frosting
2 cups powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
milk or cream (2 to 4 Tbsp.)

Preparation:
Add the warm water to the yeast and soak 10 minutes.
Scald milk; pour over shortening. Add sugar and salt and cool to tepid. Add the dissolved yeast and beaten egg. Add 4 cups flour adding one at a time beating after each addition.

Dough should be soft yet firm enough to handle. Knead on floured board until elastic and smooth. Avoid too much flour. Turn dough into well oiled bowl. Let rise for 1 1/2 hours.

For regular rolls shape and put in a pan to bake. Let rise for about an hour and bake in 350 degrees oven for 15 - 20 minutes.

For Cinnamon rolls:
Press dough down and divide into workable size. Roll dough out into a rectangle. Cover with melted butter. Layer with a generous thick layer of brown sugar. Sprinkle on cinnamon as desired. If you like raisins, layer on a layer of raisins. Roll up jellyroll fashion.

Using scissors or a piece of string, cut off slices about 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick. Place slices in an 8 or 9 inch round greased cake pan. Place one slice in the middle and other slices around it. Press rolls down to even out and fill pan. Let rise until rolls fill the pan generously.......about an hour.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 15-20 minutes. If rolls get too brown, cover with a piece of tinfoil until the end of baking. Do not over bake rolls.

Remove immediately from the pan by inverting onto a plate and then tip over onto another plate to right the rolls.

For the frosting:
In a medium bowl, place sugar, butter, and vanilla. Then stir in enough milk or cream to reach a thick, hardly-able to stir consistency.

Spread over warm rolls as soon as they are placed on a plate to let the frosting melt and run into the rolls.

Cheesy Potatoes

sauce:
1 cube butter
3/4 cup flour
onion powder
pepper
milk (even 1% works)
grated cheese

Melt butter in saucepan. Mix flour in with the butter to make a paste, add in onion powder and pepper and any other seasoning wanted. Stir in milk mixing until the right amount. You want the sauce thickened to a creamy sauce. (white sauce)

peel and slice potatoes in a 9x13 inch pan. Put a layer of potatoes, sauce, sprinkle cheese over; then layer each again. Bake in 350 degree oven for 1 1/2 hours.

Ivy's Cream Cheese Banana Bread

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp. each: baking powder, baking soda, and salt
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Topping:
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 chopped, toasted pecans
1 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. melted butter
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just blended after each addition.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in bananas, pecans, and navilla. Pour into 2 greased and floured 8x4 loaf pans; sprinkle with combined topping.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and sides pull away from the pan, shielding with aluminum foil last 15 minutes to prevent browning, if necessary. Cool bread in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool 30 minutes on wire racks before slicing.

Weekly Menu Oct 19th-25th

Monday - leftover lasagna
Tuesday- Chicken Tortilla Casserole
Wednesday -Hamburgers
Thursday- Fajitas
Friday-Chili and rice
Saturday-Hawaiian Haystacks
Sunday- Shepherd's Pie

chicken Tortilla Casserole

8 servings **5 points per serving

12 corn tortillas
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 can evaporated milk (or 10 oz. regular milk)
small can of chopped green chilies
chopped onions to taste
1-2 cooked chicken brests
1/2 cup grated cheese

fry tortillas until soft in a bit of oil, dab to remove extra grease. Saute onions and chilies. Add rest of ingredients then pour over 6 tortillas lining the bottom of pan. Put 6 more tortillas over top and then pour the rest of the mixture over top. Sprinkle with cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes.

Weekly Menu Oct 12 - 18th

Monday - Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
Tuesday- Tinfoil Dinner casserole
Wednesday -Stroganoff
Thursday- Leftovers
Friday-Pizza
Saturday-cheesy potatoes
Sunday- Stouffer's Lasagna

Tinfoil Dinner Casserole

1 lb. ground beef
Approx. 5 potatoes
Approx. 3 carrots
1 can cream of mushroom soup

In a 9x13 inch pan press the hamburger to coat the bottom and sides of pan. peel and slice the potatoes and carrots, add them to the dish. Pour can of soup over the top of it all, cover and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for at least an hour, or until potatoes are soft.

I usually add quite a bit of potatoes and carrots on top, so I use two cans of soup. It usually takes
1 1/2 hours - 2 hours to cook. So give yourself enough time.