Bacon Ranch Pasta Potato Salad

Not long after I graduated from high school - I bought a small magazine-like cookbook called Pasta while I was waiting in line at the grocery store to check out.  I still have it and flip through it at least once a year.  It holds many classic recipes that are fun to me to look through over and over again.  The Bacon Ranch Pasta Potato Salad is a spin on a recipe from that small cookbook that was published June 1998.

 
Let's Get Crafty!

Boil each until cooked - then combine in a large bowl:

10 small red potatoes
1/2 pound pasta (generally boxes are 1 lb - so I cooked 1/2 box)

This is great and more colorful with colorful rotini pasta but we didn't have any on this day.

Other fun things to add:

Cooked bacon, chopped

Diced peppers

Dressing - mix together and then stir into the pasta and potatoes:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup ranch dressing

Refrigerate until ready to eat.

Thanks for stopping by.  Hope you have a great day.

Coffee Cake

I remember my Mom making coffee cakes when I was a little girl.  There is something about a coffee cake baking in the oven that turns a home into a comfy, cozy place to be.  I'm hopeful that we make things that create feelings of happiness and comfort for our kiddos and that one day they too will be fondly reflecting back to being children.

One time my Mom had just taken one out of the oven and my Dad and brothers came in from outside.  (I'm guessing I was around 8 or 9 at the time.) My older brother asked if it was still hot and someone said "Put your finger in and see."  And he did... before anyone could stop him and say it was a joke.  It was smoking hot and he screamed.  He was okay, but lesson learned.  (1) Don't use your finger (2) Pause and reflect before acting.

Let's Get Crafty!

Preheat oven to 400

For the cake:

2 cups bisquick

2/3 cup milk

1 tablespoon white sugar

1 egg

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the topping:

4 tablespoons melted butter

2/3 cup bisquick

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

(Sometimes I double this... because... let's be honest - more is better for this buttery, melty yumminess.)

Bake for 20 minutes and check.  Ours needed a couple more minutes.

Thanks for stopping by.  Hope you have a great day!