Welcome to This Dish is Delish!

Help Yourself

Have any of you ever found yourself...

-Searching through books, binders, boxes and piles of handwritten, mismatched, chicken scratched recipes just to find that one dessert your mom used to make that you're sure must be here somewhere.
-Improvising to fill in the missing ingredients or vital measurements in that prize winning cookie recipe that has been used so many times the butter smudges have made the type magically disappear.
-Tired of your typical go-to dishes and know that you are capable of making a variety of things, you just can't remember what they are.
-Swallowed in a mountain of cookbooks that only have a few recipes that you even like, dreaming of other ways to make better use of that cupboard space.

These are a few of the reasons why I decided to create this blog. Most recipes are not original, but honestly how many are? Some are from friends or cookbooks, some were found online, others are family recipes. I have personally made and sampled each recipe and love them all. They are seriously tasty. Each of the pictures were taken by me or my hubby; thus the amateur photos. We are not photographers, but it is always nice to see what it is your are trying to make. I love to access my recipes with my iPod, and someday I will make a book for my kiddos.

Please feel free to share any recipes with your friends, and let me know if there is something you like. Dig in!

Scotcheroos

This is my mother's go-to treat recipe, I think she has a year's supply of these ingredients on hand at any given moment.

1 c. sugar

1 c. light corn syrup

1 c. peanut butter

5 c. crisp rice cereal

1 c. milk chocolate chips (If you are a chocoholic like my mother,

1 c. butterscotch chips you can add two cups of each ;)

Combine sugar and corn syrup in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add peanut butter. Stir until smooth. Pour over cereal and stir until evenly coated. Press into a lightly greased 9x13 pan.

Melt butterscotch and milk chocolate chips in the microwave according to package directions.

*TIP* Make sure that your chips are in date or they will crumble instead of melt in smooth velvety goodness.

Luscious Four-Layer Pumpkin Cake

1 pkg yellow cake mix

1 (15 oz.) can of pumpkin

1/2 c. milk

1/3 c. oil

4 eggs

1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin spice, divided

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

1 c. powdered sugar

1 tub (8 oz.) cool whip

1/4 c. caramel ice cream topping (or you can melt 10 caramels with 1 TB. milk)

1/4 c. chopped pecans

Heat oven to 350°F.

Beat cake mix, 1 cup pumpkin, milk, oil, eggs and 1 tsp. spice in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9-inch round pans.

Bake 28 to 30 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 min. Remove from pans to wire racks; cool completely.

Beat cream cheese in medium bowl with mixer until creamy. Add sugar, remaining pumpkin and spice; mix well. Gently stir in cool whip. Cut each cake layer horizontally in half with serrated knife; stack on serving plate, spreading cream cheese filling between layers. (Do not frost top layer.) Drizzle with caramel topping just before serving; top with nuts. Refrigerate leftovers.

I found this recipe at kraftrecipes.com, and it is so good! I am a sucker for any sweet with pumpkin or cream cheese, yum.

Apple Cider Syrup

1 c. sugar
2 TB. corn starch
2 c. apple cider (or juice)
2 TB. lemon juice


Combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil for one minute or until thickened.

Goes great with Pumpkin Pancakes!

Pumpkin Pancakes

This is a recipe that I got from Jaxon's mom, we make these on Christmas morning.

Beat 2 eggs

Stir in: 3/4 c. pumpkin

2 TB. sugar

1/2 tsp. each cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger (or 1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice...I add more of course.)

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 c. oil

1 1/2 c. flour

1 1/2 c. milk

Top with Apple Cider Syrup

7 Layer Dip

This is one of my favorite dishes to take to parties. My mom used to always make this on Christmas Eve.

Layer 1: 2 cans refried beans

Layer 2: 2 medium avocados with 2 T. lemon juice, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper

Layer 3: 1 c. sour cream with 1/2 c. Miracle Whip, 1/2 pkg. taco seasoning

Layer 4: 1 bunch green onions, chopped

Layer 5: 2 or 3 medium tomatoes, diced

Layer 6: 1 can sliced olives

Layer 7: 2 c. medium or sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Serve with your favorite tortilla chips.

Cookie Salad

This is a recipe that Ron's family always requests from Jill at Anderson family functions. She is the cookie salad lady.

1 lg. pkg. instant vanilla pudding

1 c. buttermilk

16 oz. Cool Whip

2 (20 oz.) cans pineapple tidbits

2 (15 oz.) cans mandarin oranges

1 pkg. fudge striped shortbread cookies (broken in pieces)

Drain pineapple and oranges. Mix together pudding, buttermilk and fold in Cool Whip. Add fruit and chill until ready to serve. Fold in cookies just before serving. Strategically place whole or broken cookie pieces and/or a few oranges on the top of the salad for aesthetic appeal.