10 Recipes That Will Make You Excited to Get Cooking

These days a lot of us are spending more time at home with our families. Being at home more often means a lot more cooking, and less time eating out. Here at Halftee we love food! Some of us cook more than others, but we all have our favorite recipes. While you are home, here are some of our favorites for you to try!

Breakfast, the first and most important meal of the day.

Amanda loves french toast. Her favorite recipe with french toast is Grandma's Special Syrup! Grandma was the first to make it and they never looked back.

Ingredients: 1 stick of butter 1 cup of brown sugar 1 cup of cream or half and half 4 tbsp corn syrup 1 tsp vanilla Instructions: Add all together in a pan and begin to melt together. Bring to a boil and add corn syrup, let boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla. All done! Super easy super delicious.

Ari loves this Mexican delicacy Chilaquiles. It's a Mexican delight.

Ingredients: Eggs Tortilla chips Cheese Black beans Diced jalapeno Salsa Cilantro Instructions: Fry eggs (depending on how many you're feeding; I usually fry about 6-8 eggs for my family of 4) Bake at 350 a tray of tortilla chips with cheese (I do minimal cheese) Top it with black beans, chicken & diced jalapeno. Lay the fried eggs over the top. I use Salsa Queen salsa, specifically the Creamy Jalapeno, the Roasted Tomatillo and the Queso. I spread the salsa over the top. Sprinkle chopped up cilantro over the top. Voila... the best Chilaquiles this side of the border. ;)

Lunch or second breakfast if you are a hobbit.

Malia finds comfort with French Onion Soup. Perfect for those cold winter days or comfort food times.

Ingredients: 2 large onions 1 can chicken broth 1 can beef broth 1 tbsp Worcestershire Salt and pepper to taste 4 sliced french bread slices Provolone cheese Instructions: Slice onions into rings and fry in a little olive oil until dark brown. In a saucepan add the next 4 ingredients and heat (not quite to a boil) add onions. Portion into oven-safe bowls, top with a slice of french bread and 2 slices of provolone cheese. Broil until the cheese melts and is slightly browned. Serve immediately!

Shelley enjoys Dilly Salmon Pie. Amazing for any seafood lover.

Ingredients: 10-inch baked pastry shell 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 1lb can of salmon (drained) 1 tbsp flour 2 tbsp butter or margarine 1 bunch of green onions sliced 1 can (10 1/2 oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup (undiluted) 3/4 cup sour cream 1 tsp. dillweed 1/8 tsp. pepper 2 eggs slightly beaten Instructions: Sprinkle half the cheese in the pastry shell. Remove any bones or skin from salmon. Break salmon into chunks. Mix salmon lightly with flour and place in the pastry shell. In a pan, heat butter and sauté onions until soft. Add soup, sour cream, dill, and pepper. Heat and stir until boiling. Remove from heat. Mix in eggs and pour over salmon. Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top. Bake at 325 for 30 minutes or until set. Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving. *Pairs well with a spinach salad and homemade Village House Rolls

Dinner, or as others call it, suppertime!

Tami doesn't waste leftovers with this yummy dish! And there are usually none left to save! Sesame Chicken is a family favorite passed down from Aunt Michele.

Ingredients: 1 rotisserie chicken (or 2 cups of cooked leftover chicken or turkey) 1 bunch of green onions 1 tsp. of salt (coarse salt if possible) 1/3 cup peanut oil 1/3 cup sesame oil 1/4 cup soy sauce White rice (servings depend on your family size) Instructions: Make Rice. Shred chicken and place in a glass baking dish. Coat chicken with soy sauce and sesame oil. Chop green onions and spread over chicken mixture. Salt to taste. In a small saucepan over high heat, warm peanut oil until it starts to "smoke" slightly. Carefully pour hot oil evenly over the chicken dish. Serve immediately! (Best enjoyed over rice) *Reheats well! *Fully cooked add-ins you can use or substitute with shrimp, snow peas, broccoli, peas, and more.

Krista loves to make this cheesy favorite, Baked Tomato Mac and Cheese, a twist on that classic kid favorite!

Ingredients: 1-pound elbow macaroni 1/4 cup butter 1/4 cup flour 6 cups milk 1/2 onion, finely diced 6 cups sharp cheddar, shredded 2 tsp. kosher salt Fresh black pepper 2 tsp. garlic Italian breadcrumbs 2 tomatoes Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta to al dente. While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter. Add onions and garlic. Caramelize onions. Whisk in the flour. Stir in the milk. Simmer for ten minutes or until thickened. Stir in cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Fold the macaroni into the mix and pour into a casserole dish. Top with breadcrumbs and thinly sliced tomatoes. Bake for 30 minutes.

Snacks the power items that keep us going between meals.

Eliza loves this delicious Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls. Easy for appetizers or a light dinner!

15 minutes total time. Makes about 6 rolls. Ingredients: Round rice paper AKA spring rolls wrappers (you can get this from any grocery store) About 1/3 head of lettuce 2-3 carrots 1 cucumber 1 apple 1 red bell pepper 1/2 cup purple cabbage Sweet Thai chili sauce (this is quite sweet, not spicy) 15 shelled shrimp (no tails either) 1 generous tbs. coconut oil 1/2 tsp. season all 1/4 tsp. basil pinch oregano Salt & pepper to taste Chili flakes (optional) Pie dish filled 1/2 way with warm water Instructions: Put the coconut oil in skillet over medium heat. While the oil is melting, add the season all, basil, oregano, salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Add shrimp & cook until pink, 5 minutes While the shrimp is cooking, wash & prep your veggies & apple. Cut each in thin strips, about 4 or 5” long. Completely immerse 1 sheet of rice paper in the warm water for 1-2 seconds. Shake it off, then put it on a plate. Add a few veggie and apple strips to the top of your rice paper like you’re making a burrito! Be careful not to over-fill! Lay 3 cooked shrimp across the top of the veggies, then add a bit of sweet Thai chili sauce. Your rice paper should have softened up by now. Fold over the edges & roll it up, just like a small burrito & enjoy! *Try dipping in more Thai chili sauce or Hoisin sauce!

Waverly loves this delicious Fluffy Hot Chocolate. Easy family favorite drink, especially in the cold months.

Ingredients 4 tsp. sugar 2 tsp. baking cocoa 2 cup milk 3/4 cup miniature marshmallows 1/2 tsp. vanilla Instructions: In a saucepan, combine the first four ingredients. Cook and stir over medium heat until the marshmallows are melted, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Ladle into mugs.

Dessert the best part of cooking!

Samantha's go-to dessert is these Marble Brownies with Cream Cheese Filling. Easily add them to any brownie batter.

Filling ingredients: 1 box cream cheese; softened 1 egg 1/2 cup sugar 1 cap full of vanilla Instructions: Blend up all the ingredients real nice, try not to leave too many chunks as they don't necessarily cook out. Dollop the mixture on top of your brownie batter (you can add this to any batter though, pumpkin bread, carrot cake, etc.). Then take a knife and swirl it to your heart's content. *If you are using a non-stick pan be careful not to hit the pan with your knife!

Alli loves this flavorful, dairy-free, vegan-friendly award-winning dessert, High Seas Lemon Cake. Printable recipe and tools needed can be found here.

Cake ingredients: 3 cups flour 1.5 cups white sugar 1 tsp. salt 2 tsp. baking soda 3/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice** 3/4 cup water 3/4 cup vegetable oil 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1 tbsp fresh lemon zest ** Can use bottle lemon juice with 1 tbsp of vinegar to activate acidity but it does not taste nearly as good Cake instructions: Grease and generously flour a bundt pan (don't forget the flute). Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Pre-measure your ingredients before combining as you will want to combine them quickly for the correct chemistry. Combine all your dry ingredients and lemon zest. Add Water, vanilla and oil. Then add the lemon juice and combine quickly. Batter will begin to "foam" once combined completely quickly get into your prepared bundt pan and bake for 35-45 minutes. Begin glaze while baking. Use a spaghetti noodle to check doneness. Let cool until completely separated from sides and center, then turn out. Let cool completely before glazing. Glaze as directed, decorate for presentation, enjoy, freeze leftovers. As this cake has no dairy in it, it can stay out on a counter for a few days without going bad. Glaze ingredients: 1.5 cups powdered sugar 1 tbsp fresh lemon zest 1 tsp. vanilla extract A varied amount of lemon juice (You will likely use more of all the glaze ingredients as it's a texture & thickness game until you get it right) Glaze instructions: Combine Powdered Sugar, Zest and Vanilla. Slowly add lemon juice in small increments. Mix vigorously for 2-3 min or until slow stream drips off the spatula. Let sit until time to glaze and mix vigorously one last time. Glaze in circular motion, "pull" puddles at bottom upward to fill in holes.

Make your days at home a little more fun and try these tasty Halftee favorites! If you try one, we would love to know what you think and how it went! Get together with your family and enjoy good conversation, laughter, and delicious food from our kitchens, to yours!