Lynda's Recipe Box

Brown Butter Pumpkin Layer Cake

2012-01-30T21:50:00.000-06:00

I know, many of you will think that pumpkin is so Fall like, but my husbands birthday was last week and he really wanted a pumpkin cake. I've had this cake bookmarked for quite a while, so decided to try it now. I wanted to make a special cake for my sweetie, who's getting older and wiser, and who does not always share my chocoholic tendencies. This cake did not disappoint. In fact we both thought it was one of, if not the best cake we've ever tasted! Being a pumpkin cake, it is dense and moist and the browned butter in the cake, AND in the Cream Cheese Frosting, makes this a "To Die For", dessert! We couldn't quit groaning as we shoveled it in. You've got this cinnamony, gingery, spice flavored cake with the browned butter, cream cheese combination that's just amazing. In short, this is a keeper. Can't wait to try making cupcakes.

I changed the recipe some. I increased the cinnamon in the cake batter, and decreased the ginger. I decreased the brown sugar just a bit, but now I don't think I needed to. I thought the cake might be too sweet because I planned on increasing the frosting, but it was just fine. I knew that the amount of frosting wouldn't be enough, so I increased that. I also did not do the nut topping like the recipe. I just used some roasted pecans that I tossed with butter, sugar and a little salt and then decorated the cake rim. The next time I make this cake, I'm going to add some chopped pecans between the cake layer, like the recipe suggests. While this cake and the frosting use brown butter, this is not a hard cake to make. It does require a bit more time, so it would be best to make it early in the day, or make the cake layers the day before and then wrap them in plastic wrap. Then assemble the next day. Either way, this Browned Butter Pumpkin Layer Cake is worth the trouble. Delicious, decadent, addictive and so much more; it's a cake to dream about. I hope you'll give it a try.

Brown Butter Pumpkin Layer Cake

Adapted from Fine Cooking

For the cake:

3/4 cup, (12 tablespoons), unsalted butter

2 cups unbleached, all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

3/4 teaspoon table salt

1 1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar - originally calls for 2/3 cup

2 large eggs

1/3 cup buttermilk

1 can of pumpkin puree, or homemade puree

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Move the oven rack to center of the oven.

2. Grease and flour 2 round cake pans that are 9x2 inches. Use parchment if desired. My cake did fine without it.

3. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat. Every minute or so, stir or roll the butter around. The butter will foam and begin to turn a nutty shade with bits of brown . This will take about 4 minutes. Pour into a bowl and cool.

4. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. In another bowl, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, buttermilk, sugar, pumpkin and mix well.

5. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients together in intervals. Mix in the brown butter. Do not over mix this batter. You will not need and electric mixer for this cake.

6. Divide the batter evenly into the 2 cake pans and smooth the top. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes until done. Toothpick inserted into cake should come out clean. Cool the cake in pans for 10 minutes. Run knife around the cake and invert onto cooling racks. Cool completely.

Browned Butter Cream Cheese Frosting:

10 tablespoons unsalted butter

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1/3 cup light brown sugar

3 cups powdered sugar

1. In a heavy pan, brown the butter just as you did for the cake. Pour into a small bowl, and set it in the freezer for 12-15 minutes. Don't let it get hard on the top. Butter needs to be cool to add to the frosting, but don't let it get too hard. Or, you could pour the butter through a small mesh sieve to catch the small browned bits. You won't pour the brown bits into the frosting. Take a spoon and spoon out the cooled butter, taking care to not scrape up the browned bits.

2. In a large bowl, cream the cream cheese well; mix in the brown sugar and beat until fluffy. Mix in the cooled brown butter, and the powdered sugar in with the cream cheese. Beat until creamy. If the frosting is too stiff, add about a tablespoon of cream, or milk.

Assemble and frost the cake:

Place one cake on your cake plate. Add about 1 cup frosting, or your desired amount, and spread evenly to the edge of cake. Place remaining cake on top of frosting. Frost sides and top of cake. Decorate with pecans.

For Pecans: Mix 1 cup pecans, tablespoon melted butter, 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Toast in a skillet for a few minutes, or in the oven. Cool nuts completely on a paper towel lined plate. The original recipe calls for more nuts, and uses them between the layers of the cake, and then piling the rest on top of cake. It also calls for candied ginger, which I did not use.

Skillet Tamale Pie

2012-01-24T15:39:00.000-06:00

If you've followed my blog for awhile, you know that I love skillet meals or other one pot meals. If I can throw everything into a skillet and have a meal, I am so very happy. And if said meal is delicious and my husband likes it, I'm ecstatic! And if this wonderful recipe comes from Cook's Illustrated, "The Best Chicken Recipes", that I found last week while shopping at TJ Max for $8.00!!!, then I'm almost ready to do cartwheels. Almost. Good food and good bargains cause me to get excited.
This recipe calls for ground chicken, and I didn't have any, nor did I have ground turkey. But I had a pound of chicken breasts in the fridge, so I figured I'd make it work. I diced the chicken into small pieces. And the recipe said you could use a cornbread mix for the topping. I did as I was ~~lazy~~ in a hurry. I made some minor changes. I used Monterrey Jack cheese, instead of cheddar. I used a bit less garlic, and I added about 3/4 cup of frozen corn that was hanging out in the fridge. I'm adding this to my favorites list as it's easy to prepare, tastes great and it's a perfect week night meal.This is a mild tasting meal so if you like your Mexican style meals spicier, you'll need to add some more heat. We thought it was just spicy enough for the two of us. And the fresh cilantro is really a flavor booster, so try not to leave it out. I hope you'll give this Skillet Tamale Pie a try. I think you'll love it.

Skillet Tamale Pie
slightly adapted from "The Best Chicken Recipes" form Cook's Illustrated
Serves 4

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed - recipe calls for 3
1 pound ground chicken- I used breasts that I sliced thin and then diced
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5 ounce can of petite diced tomatoes, drained
3/4 cup frozen corn -my addition
4 ounces, 1 cup, shredded Monterrey Jack cheese - recipe calls for cheddar
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro - don't leave this out
salt and pepper to taste
1 (6.5 ounce - 8.5 ounce) package of cornbread mix, made according to package directions - I used Betty Crocker. If you would rather use a homemade topping, I'll include the recipe below.

1. Place your oven rack in the middle position in your oven. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Heat the oil in a 12 inch oven proof skillet over medium heat. Add onion, chili powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic; cook 30 seconds.
3. Stir in the chicken and cook until half done at least and then add black beans and tomatoes to the pan. Stir until the meat is no longer pink.. Stir in the corn.
4. Mix corn bread batter to package directions.
5. To the skillet add the cheese and cilantro and mix until cheese melts. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Dollop the cornbread batter over the the filling and spread into an even layer. Bake until the cornbread is baked through. Serve and enjoy!

Cornbread Topping
3/4 cup unbleached, all purpose flour
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
3 teaspoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 tea. salt
3/4 cup buttermilk3 tablespoons melted butter.
Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl
In another bowl, mix the buttermilk and egg together. Add to the dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in the melted butter. Spoon over the top of the Tamale Pie and bake as directed above. I have not tried this cornbread topping yet, but this is the topping that was included with Cooks recipe.

Mushroom and Brown Rice Casserole

2012-01-20T22:42:00.001-06:00

When I first saw this Mushroom and Brown Rice Casserole I knew I had to make it. My husband and I love rice so I try to use brown rice whenever I can because it's healthy and I love the nutty taste too. This casserole is full of mushrooms and onions and a couple of ingredients that may surprise you. Cottage cheese, sour cream; are you surprised? Anyway, this is delicious. I only made a half of recipe for just my husband and I. It was enough for dinner and leftovers the next day. This is now my favorite brown rice recipe. If you are a rice lover, you should give this casserole a try.

Mushroom and Brown Rice Casserole
slightly adapted from Annie's Eats - I made half of the recipe, and it made 3 - 4 side servings. Double the recipe if you need more.

2 teaspoons olive oil
4 ounces of mushrooms - I used Baby Bellas
1/2 of a red onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
1 egg
1/2 cup cottage cheese - regular,or low fat
1/4 cup sour cream - I used low fat
1/4 teaspoon salt
black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons fresh grated Parmesan cheese
parsley for garnish - optional

Give the mushroom a rough dice and then saute in oil in a skillet over medium heat. when they have released their liquid, add the onions to skillet. When softened, add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. In a bowl, combine the egg, sour cream, cottage cheese and salt. Stir in about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese. Mix in the rice and the mushroom mixture and pour into a greased 1 quart casserole dish. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees F. for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake 15-20 minutes more. Remove dish from oven. Top with the remaining Parmesan cheese. Garnish with parsley and enjoy!

One - Minute Tomato Salsa

2012-01-18T15:32:00.001-06:00

I can make a meal out of only chips and salsa, lots of salsa. And it is one of my favorite things when we go to our favorite Mexican Restaurant. They have the Best chips and salsa ever.
I found this recipe for One Minute Salsa in a Cook's Country Magazine last year and I've made it numerous times since then. I personally really like it, but it isn't quite as good as the restaurants. And of course it is not going to be as yummy as a fresh salsa made with garden grown tomatoes, no way. But this salsa is still one that I crave. After all, I can have a tasty salsa in just about one minute. All you need is canned, diced tomatoes, and some other ingredients that really freshen this salsa up. Fresh cilantro and lime juice really give it a flavor boost. Ingredients are pulsed quickly in a food processor and viola - salsa and chips are yours. Hope you'll give it a try.

One - Minute Tomato Salsa
adapted from Cook's Country
This recipe makes a mild salsa.

1/2 of a small red onion, quartered
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves- Cook's used twice as much
1/4 cup jarred, pickled jalapeno slices, drained
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 garlic clove, peeled- Cook's used 2
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes

1. In a food processor add the onion, cilantro, jalapenos, garlic and salt. Process until coarsely chopped.
2. Add tomatoes to processor and pulse until combined, about 2 or 3 quick pulses. If desired, drain salsa in a fine mesh stainer to remove some of the juices. Transfer salsa to a serving bowl. Stir in the fresh lime juice. Serve with chips and enjoy!

NOTE: I've found that different brands of tomatoes vary and that will make a difference on whether or not you will need to drain them for salsa. Also, use good quality canned tomatoes. I've used Hunts and Red Gold brands with success. Also, fire roasted tomatoes are nice in this.

Pumpkin Bread

2012-01-16T22:03:00.000-06:00

Moist, fragrant pumpkin bread is one of my favorite quick breads. It's right up there with Banana Bread for me. This is my Mother's recipe that she made for many years. I cut my teeth on this delicious bread when I was a kid, so this recipe has been around for awhile. I made this during Christmas and for got to post it. So here's my recipe. I hope you'll give it a try.

Pumpkin Bread
from my Mother
This recipe makes 2 large loaves.

Grease and flour 2- 9x5 inch loaf pans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Dry ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
Sift all these ingredients together in a large bowl.

Wet ingredients:
1 cup vegetable oil- I use canola
2/3 cup water
4 eggs, beaten
1 can of pumpkin puree
1 cup chopped nuts - I used pecans this time
Mix wet ingredients together; stir into the dry ingredients, and then fold in nuts.
Divide the batter evenly between the 2 loaf pans. Bake for about 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool bread in the pans for 10 minutes. Then run a knife around the edges of the pumpkin bread and invert the loaves onto cooling racks. When completely cool, wrap in foil. Enjoy!

Bacon and Brown Sugar Wrapped Smokies

2012-01-07T23:17:00.001-06:00

Do you need an appetizer idea for the football games this weekend? I made these over New Years and had trouble getting a picture because family members were getting impatient to get some. Sausages, bacon and brown sugar- what's not to love. While they aren't going to be the healthiest appetizer, they definitely will be devoured as they are very addictive. We couldn't stay out of them! Here's the recipe.

Bacon and Brown Sugar Wrapped Lil Smokies

1 package Lil Smokies sausages, beef or pork - I used Hillshire Farms Beef sausages
bacon slices, cut into thirds
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
toothpicks

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Cut your bacon slices into 3 equal portions. Wrap each sausage with a piece of bacon and place on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining sausage and bacon. Scatter the brown sugar over the sausages. I made sure there was a little heap of brown sugar on each one. Place into the oven and bake for 15 - 20 minutes, or until the whole pan of sausages is bubbly. Remove pan from oven. Place a toothpick in each sausage and place appetizers on a serving tray. These will delicious either hot or room temperature. Enjoy!
NOTE: Most recipes I've seen for these say to put toothpicks in the sausages before baking, but they get very messy, so I tried waiting until after they were baked and the sausages did just fine.

How to Cook a Tender Beef Pot Roast

2012-01-03T11:39:00.000-06:00

My first cooked meal of the New Year was a very tender and delicious beef Pot Roast. A cold front that blew in left me wanting something warming and comforting for dinner. And I had a chuck roast in the freezer that was calling my name, and bringing back memories of my Mother. My mom made the most tender, melt in your mouth roasts I've ever tasted, so I think of her every time I make pot roast. Sometimes I make mashed potatoes with pot roast, but most of the time I bake potatoes with the roast as my Mother did. You can just break up the potatoes on your plate and cover with gravy. This is comfort food at it's best.

I always add onions to the pot and I brown them slightly the first thing. Then I brown the roast on all sides, even the ends for just a few minutes. Add carrots and potatoes to the pot and you have a true one pot meal to look forward too. I even make the gravy in the same pot. I'm lazy when it comes to clean up.

If you cook chuck roast long enough, it will be very tender and delicious. Many folks tend to take it out of the oven too soon, resulting in a tough piece of meat. You really need about 1 hour of cooking per pound of chuck roast. Use the fork test to see if it's tender. Stick a forkin the meat and pull. If done, it should begin to pull apart very easily, like you are shred it.This is right where you want it. Here's my method.

Classic Oven Baked Pot Roast

my Mothers

1 chuck roast- mine was only 2 1/2 pounds

1 onion, sliced

1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into about 1 inch slices

5 or 6 potatoes,(I used Yukon Golds) peeled and cut in half or fourths, depending on the size

1 dried bay leaf

beef broth, water or chicken broth

In a dutch oven over medium high heat, in about 1 tablespoon of oil, cook the sliced onion for just a couple of minutes, until it softens and begins to turn golden. Remove the onion to a bowl. Season the roast liberally with salt and pepper, and garlic powder if desired. Add more oil to the dutch oven if needed. Add the chuck roast to the pan and brown it on all sides. Place half the onions on top of the roast and half scattered around the roast in the pan. Add enough liquid to come up most of the way next to the roast. I used 1 can low-sodium beef broth and 1/2 cups water in my pan. You could need more or less, depending on the size of your pan and how full it is. Toss the bay leaf in the liquid and cover pot with lid. Place dutch oven in a preheated 300 degree oven and cook for about 60 minutes per pound of beef. My 2 1/2 pound roast took about 2 3/4 hours to become tender and delicious. Add the potatoes to the pan about halfway through cooking. Cover the pan and continue baking until roast is tender. When done, you can serve the pan juices as is, spooned over the meat and potatoes, or you can do as I do and thicken the juices some for a really tasty gravy.

To Make a Quick Gravy: After you remove the roast and veggies from the pan, skim any fat from the juices,or use a fat separator to make the job easier. Then make a slurry of about 1/4 cup flour and some water. Mix until there are no lumps. While meat juices are simmering, whisk in flour and water mixture a little at a time, only using enough flour mixture to thicken the gravy as much as you want it. Simmer gravy a couple of minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour gravy over potatoes and meat. Enjoy!

Fresh Orange Guacamole

2011-12-29T09:43:00.000-06:00

I love Guacamole. My husband, on the other hand won't go near it, so if I make it, I need to make sure company is coming. If not, I get to eat the whole thing! That was the case this time so I made half a batch of this recipe from the December issue of Southern Living magazine. I ate the whole thing!
I was enamoured as soon as I saw the photo of this Fresh Orange Guacamole, so I had to try it. The avocado is mixed with onion, jalapeno, orange, and orange juice. It can be topped with a few pomegranate seeds for extra color if desired. It is a very pretty presentation. It is different, but I liked the burst of orange flavor with each bite of orange I took. I did miss the lime juice that I normally use though. Lime gives this dip some punch, something that the orange juice didn't. I couldn't taste the orange juice at all, and the jalapeno I used had very little flavor. I am going to make this again, and try using lime juice instead of the orange juice. But, I'd still love to find this guacamole at any food event, and certainly it would be a wonderful addition to a New Years celebration. So give it a try if you are looking for a new way to serve your guacamole.

Fresh Orange Guacamole
adapted slightly from Southern Living - 1/2 recipe
2 ripe avocados
1/2 of a navel orange, peeled and cut into 1/2 in. pieces
1 tablespoon finely diced red onion
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh orange juice
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 garlic clove, minced- I did not use this
salt and pepper to taste
fresh pomegranate seeds for garnish- optional

Scoop avocado pulp into a bowl and mash with a fork until chunky. Stir in the orange and the rest of the ingredients, except the pomegranate seeds. Cover and chill at least 1 hour. Garnish with pomegranate seed if desired. Enjoy!

White Bean and Ham Soup

2011-12-27T23:45:00.003-06:00

Christmas is over for another year. It takes so long to get ready for Christmas, and then it's over so quickly. And the meals take hours of preparation, and then we eat and you have a ton of leftovers. It's a good thing we like leftovers.But we'll do it all agin next year, and enjoy every minute of it.
We always bake a bone-in ham for our Christmas dinner. No other kind will do, and that gives me a ham bone to use for cooking a pot of bean soup. I make sure to leave some meat on the bone so that the beans will have some meat in them too.

I chop up some vegetables to add to the pot and let it all cook into a delicious and hearty soup. And of course there must be corn bread. I used Great Northern Beans for this soup, but you could also use navy, or cannellini beans. Sometimes I make Pinto Beans and Ham, which are also delicious. So leftover ham is a good problem to have. I always soak the beans in water overnight, or else I use a quick soak method, where you bring the beans to a boil, then cover and remove from the heat to let them soak for 1 hour. Then pour off the water. Add more water to the pot, then begin to cook. After wards you'll have a pot of delicious comfort food, White Bean and Ham Soup.

White Bean and Ham Soup

2 pounds dried white beans, I used Great Northerns
1 ham bone with meat
1 large onion, diced
1 cup diced carrots
2 stalks of celery, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 dried bay leaves
1 can of low sodium chicken broth, or about 2 cups chicken stock
about 6 cups of water
salt and pepper to taste
fresh minced parsley- optional

1. Sort the beans and then soak the beans. I pour part of the beans on the counter and go through them to remove any dirt or small particles of rock that may have snuck in the bag. Repeat until all the beans have been sorted. Rinse the beans well under water. Place in a soup pot. Add water to cover. I gave the beans a quick soak by bringing the pot to a boil, then turning off the burner, cover and let them soak for 1 hour. Pour off the water. Place the beans back in the soup pot on the burner. Add the ham bone, the chicken broth and the water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover.
2. While the beans are cooking, dice the onion, celery and carrots. Add to the pot with the bay leaves. Cook, covered for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the beans are tender. Beans will smash easily against the side of the pan when they are done.
3 Remove the ham bone from the beans and cool until cool enough to handle. Now, I like the bean soup to be a bit creamy with a thick broth, so I take a big spoon and smash some beans against the side of the pan and stir them back in. I do this several times until the soup begins to look creamy. I guess you could use an immersion blender, but I haven't tried that.
4. After the ham bone has cooled enough, take the meat off the bone and discard any fat. Put the ham into the soup and season well with salt and pepper. I used about 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in this soup, but it will depend on how salty the ham is as to how much you have to add. Serve this soup with a huge chuck of corn bread and enjoy!

NOTE: Dried beans will take longer to cook in high altitudes. Also if the beans are older, they will also take longer to cook, so plan plenty of time when cooking dried beans.

Tortilla Pinwheel Appetizers

2011-12-20T22:28:00.001-06:00

I know, Tortilla Pinwheels have been around for years, but they are still a great appetizer to have in your arsenal. I've been making them for years and these pinwheels are always devoured. Cream cheese with sour cream, cheese, chilies, olives and green onions - whats not to love? They are a wonderful holiday appetizer and best served the day they are made. Here's my recipe.

Tortilla Pinwheel Appetizers
slightly adapted from and old Taste of Home recipe
Note: These should be made several hours before they are served. While they can be made a day ahead, the tortillas get really soft on the second day.

1 8 ounce package cream cheese- softened
1 cup sour cream- I use low fat
1 4 ounce can chopped black olives
1 4 ounce can chopped green chilies
1/2 half a large red bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 cup diced green onions
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
5 large tortillas, (10 inch, burrito size) plain or flavored - I used Missions Jalapeno Cheddar Wraps

In a large bowl, cream the softened cream cheese. I used a mixer for this. Mix in the sour cream, and then the remaining ingredients by hand, except the tortillas. Divide the cream cheese filling evenly among the 5 tortillas and spread over the tortillas. Roll up the tortillas as tightly as possible with out squeezing out the filling. Wrap in plastic wrap and leave in the fridge, until cold, at least a couple of hours.When ready to serve, cut off the ends of the tortilla wraps. The filling won't be in the very ends, so they aren't needed. Slice the Tortilla Pinwheels into slices with a sharp knife, and arrange on a serving platter. I cut into about 3/4 inch slices. Serve along side your favorite salsa if desired. For several years we have had appetizers for our Christmas Eve together, and Tortilla Pinwheels are usually there. Hope you enjoy!

Molasses Sugar Cookies

2011-12-12T09:55:00.003-06:00

I'm a bit late starting with my Christmas baking, but had to make these wonderful cookies. You will have the spicy aroma of cinnamon, ginger and cloves, with a touch of molasses wafting through your home if you make these Molasses Sugar Cookies. This was my dear Mother-in-Law's recipe and I loved it when she would bring us some of these tasty, spice laden cookies. These delicious cookies will be an addition to my cookie gifts this year, if my husband and I can stay out of them, that is!
My Mother-in-Law passed away about a month ago, but making her cookies made her seem very near and dear yesterday. I put on some Christmas music, turned on the lights on the tree and got busy with cookie making. If you haven't made Molasses Sugar Cookies yet, give them a try. I think you'll like them. Here's the recipe.

Molasses Sugar Cookies
a family recipe

3/4 cup shortening
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 large egg
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves- my MIL used 1/2 teaspoon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt

Melt the shortening in a sauce pan over low heat. Remove from heat and let cool some. Add the sugar, molasses and the egg to the melted shortening and beat well.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt and the spices. Mix well. Add the shortening mixture to the flour mixture and mix until all incorporated. Chill, covered, in the refrigerator for at least one hour, or overnight.
To bake: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and then roll each ball into granulated sugar. Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake 8-10 minutes. Cookies will look crackled. Cool on baking racks. I hope you enjoy our Molasses Sugar Cookies!

For more cookie recipes for your Christmas baking, click here.
NOTE: I have substituted butter for the shortening before, which does work, although the cookies were flatter. But of course the butter tasted good. :)

Apricot Almond Bars

2011-12-08T21:16:00.001-06:00

I love bar cookies. They normally require less preparation time than single cookies and that's a plus when you are busy. These Apricot Almond Bars were very rich, from the buttery sweet crust, the sweet but tart apricot jam filling, and the topping which contains not only almonds, but meringue and coconut too. My husband and I loved them, so they didn't last long. I have a weakness for chocolate, so these bars were a nice change, and they would be a good recipe for any Christmas cookie exchange. They are a keeper.
I lined the baking pan with foil and then sprayed it with cooking spray. That way you can lift out the whole pan of bars before cutting them. Using a long, sharp knife I cut them neatly into serving sizes that look great on a serving tray when serving to guests. These cookie bars will be a perfect addition to the upcoming Christmas festivities.
I've been wanting to blog these all week but we've had some computer issues, so I guess it's better late than never. I hope you'll give Apricot Almond Bars a try real soon.

Apricot Almond Bars
Adapted from Taste Of Home

3/4 cup butter, softened- I used salted butter
3/4 cup confectioners sugar
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup apricot preserves or jam- I needed about 1 more tablespoon
3 egg whites
6 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1 cup sliced almonds, divided
In a large bowl, cream the butter with the powdered sugar. Gradually mix in the flour and blend well. Press mixture into the bottom of a greased 9x13 inch pan. Or, line the pan with foil, grease it well and then press in the crust mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes until golden.
Spread the jam over the crust. In a large bowl beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time until incorporated and stiff peaks form. Fold in the coconut and 1/2 cup of the almonds. Gently spread this mixture over the apricot jam. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of almonds. Bake at 350 degree F. for about 20 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely before cutting.

Pepperoni Pizza Puffs

2011-12-05T10:24:00.001-06:00

I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving. We had a lovely day and then went out of town to Branson for several days. Now Christmas preparations are in full swing, but I had to share this appetizer recipe that I made awhile back. If you need a tasty appetizer to feast upon while watching a football game, or something to add to your party repertoire, or even just to feed your kids after school, these Pizza Puffs would be for you.These Pepperoni Pizza Puffs are crisp on the outside, and full of pizza flavor on the inside. Kids and adults both like them, so you might want to make them too. This recipe is quick to stir up, baked in a mini muffin pan, and then dipped in pizza sauce. They go quickly! Here's the recipe.

Pepperoni Pizza Puffs
adapted from Noble Pig
Makes 24 Pizza Puffs

3/4 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup milk- I use 2 %
1 egg, beaten
4 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
4 ounces pepperoni, cut into small cubes- about 1 cup
1/2 teaspoon dried basil or Italian seasoning, or about 2 teaspoons fresh basil
1/2 cup pizza sauce warmed

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl add the flour and baking powder.. Stir in the milk and the beaten egg, and then the mozzarella, basil and pepperoni. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes. Spray a 24 count mini muffin pan with cooking spray. Stir the batter and then spoon mixture evenly into each muffin cup. Bake for 25 minutes until golden. Remove Pepperoni Pizza Puffs to a plate and serve with warmed pizza sauce for dipping. Enjoy!
You may add additional fresh basil to the pizza sauce if desired.

Baked Acorn Squash with Bacon

2011-11-21T09:59:00.001-06:00

Baked squash is one of my favorite fall and winter foods. I loved them even as a child as I wasn't a picky eater at all. I watched in anticipation as my mother would prepare acorn squash for baking, and then when they were almost done, she'd add brown sugar, bacon, and butter to the cavity wherer the seeds had been. You don't need a recipe for this dish, just a large sharp knife and a steady hand. I also found a Carnival squash to bake along side the acorn. It's bright and colorful, but still tastes like the acorn squash. You can use brown sugar or maple syrup in these beauties, and use as much, or as little butter that you want. The butter and sugar combo does soak into the squash as it sits, so it's best to serve them fairly soon after they come out of the oven.

If you can, cut of the stem from the squash. Then holding onto the squash, cut through it from the stem to the pointed end. Take a spoon and scape out all the seeds and as much of the stringy fibers that you can.

Now you have cups to hold that wonderful filling! Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and lay the squash cut side down on the pan. They need to cook upside down so the interior will stay tender. After they are done, turn over and fill with as much brown sugar, or maple syrup, and butter as you want. Add bacon then too, or wait until ready to eat. It's your call when to add the cooked bacon.

BAKED ACORN SQUASH with BACON
You will need 1 squash for every 2 people. Try to buy squash that are similar in size for baking. Baking time will vary, depending on the size of the squash.

1. Cook bacon in a skillet. You will need 1 slice of bacon for each squash half. Crumble when it's cool. Set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Wash the squah; dry. With a large knife, cut the squash in half from the stem end to the pointed end. Using a spoon scoop out all the seeds and the stringy fibers and discard.
3. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Lay squash cut side down on pan and place in the oven.
4. Bake until the squash feels close to done when touched. Depending on the size, it can take from 30-45 mintues to be almost tender. With a spatula, turn the squash halves over. Add butter and brown sugar to each squash. I used about 1 tablespoon brown sugar to each, and added about 2 teasppons butter also. You may use more, and I'm sure I have used more than this before, because I don't measure. I just eyeball it. More is better in this case! You can also use maple syrup instead of brown sugar. Place the squash back into the oven and bake about 15 minutes more until the squash is tender. Remove from oven and add crumbled bacon to each squash.
I have to admit, I eat the squash with a spoon sometimes, ( most of the time ). I scrape all the squash together and mix it with the fillings. With a spoon I can get every last tidbit of deliciousness!
NOTE: You can test for tenderness by poking the flesh of the squash with a fork. If it is soft, it is done. Just don't poke through the shell, or the filling will run out.

Sausage and Cornbread Dressing

2011-11-16T10:01:00.003-06:00

I love dressing. It is one of my favorite components of Thanksgiving dinner. I like it better than turkey. I'll even take it over mashed potatoes. For me, dressing is on the same level as homemade cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes and apple pie.
I've always made an all bread stuffing, but I have memories of eating a super delicious cornbread stuffing years ago at a church dinner. This Cook's Country recipe is wonderful, perfect in almost every way, and reminded me of that long ago dressing. You need to make the corn bread a couple of days ahead, to cut down on food preparations on the big day. I made only half the recipe, because a 9x13 pan is way too much for just my hubby and me. He stills prefers a bread stuffing, but I have been in heaven with this stuff. Even though this recipe contains sausage, the dressing would be equally delicious without the meat. I did double the sage and I added alittle bit of sugar (gasp!) to the cornbread recipe. I'm one of those people that like some sweetness to the cornbread. Here's the full recipe, for the cornbread, and then the dressing, with my changes added.

Sausage and Cornbread Stuffing
Slightly adapted from America's Test Kitchen and Cook's Country.
Cornbread can be made up to 2 days ahead to have time to stale.

Cornbread Recipe:
2 2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup oil
4 large eggs
2 cups cornmeal
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons sugar- my addition

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan. In a bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, and oil. In another bowl combine, flour, cornmeal, salt and sugar. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture, whisking until smooth.
2. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until golden and toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool in pan.
3. If the cornbread is made 2 days in advance, you may not need to oven-dry the cornbread. If using freshly baked cornbread, cut cooled bread into 1 inch cubes and place on 2 baking sheets. Place pans in a250 degree oven for about 50-60 minutes. Cool.

DRESSING:
1 1/2 pounds bulk pork sausage- I used Jimmy Dean
2 onions, finely chopped
4 ribs celery, finely chopped-- the recipe calls for 3 ribs
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cloves minced garlic- recipe calls for 4 cloves
2 teaspoons dried sage- Recipe calls for 1 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme- recipe calls for 1 teaspoon thyme
3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth- I needed a little more
1 cup half and half
4 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
pinch of cayenne pepper- recipe calls for 1/8 teaspoon

1. Cook sausage in a skillet over medium high heat, but turn heat down if it begins to burn. Transfer sausage to a paper towel lined plate, reserving 2 tablespoons of grease in the skillet and adding 2 tablespoons of butter also. I did not have hardly any grease, so I added 4 of the tablespoons of butter to the skillet. Add the onion and celery and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add sage, thyme and garlic to the pan and saute about 30 seconds. Stir in the broth, and remove the pan from the heat. Cool about 5 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, half and half, salt and cayenne. Slowly stir in the warm broth mixture. Fold in the cubed cornbread and the cooked sausage. Let the mixture sit, tossing occasionally, until all the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
3. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan. Pour the dressing mixture into the pan and drizzle with the leftover melted butter. I forgot to do that and didn't really miss it, but more butter is great in stuffing. The dressing still came out golden and delicious. Bake for 30-40 minutes until golden and crisp. Serve and enjoy.

Are you a fan of cornbread dressing, or do you prefer a bread dressing?

Easy Cranberry and Apple Cake from Ina Garten

2011-11-14T18:21:00.003-06:00

This is an awesome tasting cake. One reason I wanted to try this cake was because it is small. Since my husband and I are now empty nesters, I don't want lots of dessert sitting around. Another reason for this cake is because I love cranberries and apples together. The cranberries and apple are mixed with brown sugar, cinnamon, orange juice and zest, and placed in baking dish. Then batter is spread over the berry mixture and it bakes and is ready to eat as soon as it comes out of the oven, if you wish! And boy does it smell good while baking! It is better served warm, so there's no torture waiting for it to cool down. Add whipped cream or ice cream if you wish. I like it best without adornment, so I can taste the lovely tart fruit that is infused with cinnamon and orange. I'm addicted. The only changes I made were minor; I used low fat sour cream because that's what I had. I only used the zest from 1 orange, instead of 2. This Cranberry and Apple Cake would be delicious anytime, even for Thanksgiving dinner. I even had it for breakfast this morning (hehe). I hope you'll give it a try.

Easy Cranberry and Apple Cake
adapted slightly from Ina Garten
NOTE: There is no baking powder or soda in this recipe.
12 ounces fresh cranberries
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and diced
1/2 cup light brown sugar
zest of 1 orange- Ina says 2 oranges zested
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided ( 1/8 teas. for topping)
2 large eggs- Ina uses extra large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for topping
1 stick unsalted butter - 1/4 pound
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup sour cream - I used lowfat because that's what I had
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Combine cranberries, diced apple, brown sugar, orange juice and zest, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a bowl. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs on medium high speed for 2 minutes. Add the 1 cup sugar, melted butter, vanilla and sour cream and beat until just combined. Slowly add the flour and salt at low speed.
Pour the fruit mixture into a 10 inch pie plate. Pour or spoon the batter over the fruit, covering completely. Sprinkle top with mixture of 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon and 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake for 55-60 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. Try not to eat the whole thing!

Easy Slow Cooker Stew

2011-11-12T21:52:00.001-06:00

Stew is one of my favorite meals to have during the cold months of the year. Cooking it in the slow cooker makes it super easy. Last week when my Mother-in-law passed away, we had extra people to feed, so I dug out my crock pot and got to work. Peeling the potatoes and carrots were the most time consuming. Plus, I cut up a chuck roast, instead of buying stew meat. By using a roast, I feel I'm using a better quality of beef for the stew. When making stew, there doesn't need to be a recipe. Just use the vegetables you like and you can also use up any leftover veggies you may have in the fridge.
Here's what I did this time.

Slow Cooker Stew
1 beef chuck roast, cut into cubes- I had a 2 1/4 pound roast
potatoes, peeled and cubed
carrots, peeled and sliced- I used almost 1 pound this time
1 onion, diced
2 ribs of celery, sliced
2 cups frozen corn
2 cups frozen peas
1 can diced tomatoes
green beans and any other vegetables you want to use
1 can low sodium beef broth
1 or 2 bay leaves
1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced
parsley
salt and pepper to taste
water

Cut the beef roast into cubes. Heat a dutch oven over medium high heat. Add a tablespoon of oil to the pan, and then add half of the beef cubes. Add salt and pepper to the meat. Brown meat in the hot oil turning when browned on one side. While the beef browns, peel and cut up the potatoes and carrots and add them to the crock pot. Then, remove the beef and add to the crock pot. Add another tablespoon of oil to the dutch oven and add the rest of the beef. When it is brown on the side, stir and add the chopped onion and garlic, if using. Turn the heat down if necessary to keep the pan from burning.
Add the beef broth to the browning meat and stir up all the brown bits that are in the pan. There will be a ton of flavor in those brown bits from the meat. Don't skip browning the meat for the stew as browning gives it so much flavor. Add all the meat and broth to the slow cooker, the tomatoes, then the rest of the vegetables you are going to use. Fill the cooker with water to cover the stew. Add the bay leaves and salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours, or on high for 4-5 hours, or until the meat is tender.
Sometimes I thicken the stew a bit by adding 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to about 1/4 cup water. Mix well and add to the stew, stirring carefully. Cover the stew and cook another 30 minutes. When done, you have a delicious hot stew to warm you up. Enjoy!
This coming week I'll be posting some Thanksgiving recipes, so be sure to stop back by!

My Mother-in-Law

2011-11-11T20:53:00.000-06:00

My Mother-in-law, Grace, passed away peacefully, early Sunday morning. She lived to be 91 years old and was married 64 of those years to her beloved husband, who left this earth 5 years ago. The funeral was yesterday, a cold, windy day for us. She was full of wisdom and faith and was the rock in our family. I loved her like my own mother. We are sad, but we rejoice in her full life and the legacy she left behind. We love you Mom.

Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

2011-11-02T18:22:00.004-05:00

I'm back! My daughter is happily married and life has slowed down a bit now, so I am ready to to blog again.
Boy do I love this time of year! We have had the most beautiful fall; The trees are just now turning their brillant colors, the air is crisp and there are pumpkins decorating almost every porch. I love just about anything made with pumpkin, so I deciced to make pumpkin cookies for the first time. Why I haven't made them before now, I don't know. I usually make bars, bread or pie and stop there. But I've added these delicious cookies to my recipe box now. these Pumpkin Cookies are cake-like, soft and moist, and topped with addictive cream cheese frosting. I made these and took a platter full to a meeting I went to and they were devoured quickly. It's hard to eat just one of cookies. I dare you to make these and eat just one! Here's the recipe.

Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
Adapted from Tasty Kitchen

1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix butter, sugar together until smooth. Then add the agg; mixwell and add the 1 cup pumpkin.
In another bowl, stir together the dry ingredients. Mix the dry ingredients with the pumpkin mixture in 2 parts. Mix well. Dough is going to be very soft. I used a tablespoon to measure the dough for cookies. You can refridgerate the dough to make it a bit easier to handle, if desired. Scoop dough evenly onto baking sheets and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven. Bake 9-10minutes. Remove to a cooling rack and cool completly before frosting with the Cream Cheese Frosting.

CREAM Cheese FROSTING
!/2 cup softened butter
1- 8 ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
3 1/2 cups powdered sugat
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a large bowl, cream the butter and cream cheese together with a mixer. Add the vanilla and then the powdered sugar, a little at a time. Mix until smooth and creamy. If the frosting is too stiff add a little milk or cream to loosen a bit.

NOTE: I only used about half of the frosting on these cookies. But since the cookies are not very sweet, you may want to use more than I did.
These are awesome cookies!

I Will Be Back!

2011-09-27T15:33:00.000-05:00

I have been gone from my blog far too long my friends. I didn't intend to take such a long break, but with the long hot summer that we had, I really didn't do any exciting cooking at all. Just quick, boring stuff came from my kitchen in that awful heat. However, the most important reason why I've been missing is that my daughter is getting married this Friday and we are so busy with all the last minute stuff that accompanies a wedding! My 2 sons have both married, but having a daughter get hitched is a whole lot different. So many more details.
I just wanted to let you all know that I'll be back real soon, as soon as I rest up from this wedding. I'm stressed; after all my Baby is getting married!
Thank you to all of you who have continued to stop by and even left comments. My husband and I will be empty nesters after Friday, so we'll see how the cooking changes. Can't wait to try some new fall dishes! Love ya!

Blueberry Scones with Orange Glaze

2011-06-28T09:45:00.001-05:00

With blueberry season here I thought I'd share this delicious scone recipe from the archives. The first time I made these scones, I didn't care at all for the runny sauce with the recipe, so I've reduced the amounts and made a simple glaze that is much better. These Blueberry Scones are wonderful; crisp and golden on the outside and soft and tender inside with fresh blueberries in every bite. They have become a favorite on mine, so I hope you'll give them a try.

Blueberry Scones with Orange Glaze
adapted from Tyler Florence

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted cold butter, cut into cubes
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup fresh blueberries

Orange Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tablespoon very soft butter
enough orange juice to make glaze

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Stir together the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Using a pastry blender, cut in the cold butter into the dry ingredients until it looks like coarse crumbs. Carefully stir in the blueberries, and then the heavy cream. Be careful to not mash the blueberries.
Press the dough into an 8 inch circle; cut dough into 8-10 slices, like you would a pie. Carefully place slices on a baking sheet. Brush tops with some heavy cream. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let the scones cool a bit before applying the glaze.
For glaze: Mix the powdered sugar, butter and about 1 tablespoon of orange juice until smooth. Add more orange juice if needed, to get the consistency you like. Drizzle glaze over the scones after they have cooled a bit. Enjoy!

Banana Cake with Cream cheese Frosting

2011-06-05T22:14:00.003-05:00

I have been gone from my blog too long and have missed reading your blogs so much. I'm trying to catch up, but I've been so busy. Our church has been a temporary home for some firefighters and other volunteers that came to help after the Joplin tornado 2 weeks ago. I can't believe it's already been two weeks! Anyway, some of my friends and I have been cooking breakfast and dinner for these hardworking men and women that have so unselfishly come to give a helping hand to those in need. Joplin and the surrounding area has been flooded with these wonderful people. Last Sunday, my husband and I went through part of Joplin, and believe me, the destruction is much worse looking in person. Such an overwhelming task is before the city. It looks as though a huge bomb was dropped and wiped out 1/3 of the city. The tornado was upgraded to and EF5 tornado, the strongest there is. The high school and 2 other schools were completely demolished and other schools were damaged. St Johns Hospital was destroyed. Thankfully there is another hospital in town. One hundred and thirty eight people have lost their lives so far. When you see what's left of the city, you can't help think that it's miracle that more weren't killed. I guess the 2nd siren got peoples attention. So much was lost.
On a positive note, our friends are improving. Sharon, the grandmother, is out of the hospital but fighting infection. The granddaughter is also home. The grandson is still very critical, but has opened his eyes and spoken a couple of words. They still have a far to go.
I made this delicious Banana Cake with Cream Cheese frosting for dinner one evening when the firefighters were here. There was none left. This awesome cake is supposed to be a layer cake, and I've made it that way before, but was in a hurry this time. But it's wonderful either way. The cake is not as heavy as banana bread, but it still has the yummy banana flavor and moist texture. And cream cheese frosting is the crowning glory! I've made this cake several times and it has become one of our favorite cakes. I hope you'll give it a try.

BANANA CAKE with CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
adapted slightly from Evil Shenanigans

1 cup mashed bananas
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1 3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla

1. Grease pans. This cake will make a layer cake using 2- 9 inch round pans, or a 9x13 inch sheet cake.
2. In a bowl mash the bananas. It takes about 2 large ones. Stir in the buttermilk.
3. In another bowl mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together.
4. Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl. Stir in the eggs and vanilla and beat well.
5. Alternately add the dry ingredients into the butter mixture with the dry ingredients, mixing well after each addition. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven. If using a dark colored pan, reduce the heat to 325 degrees. Bake for about 35 minutes. Cake is done when it springs back when lightly touched. Cool round cake pans for 10 minutes, then turn out on cooling racks to cool completely. Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
1- 8 ounce package of cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 1/2 cup to 4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

With a mixer, cream the butter and cream cheese together. Mix in the vanilla and then add the powdered sugar a bit at a time. Beat until smooth and creamy. If frosting is too stiff to spread add teaspoon or more of milk or cream. This is enough frosting for a 2 layer cake. It will be too much frosting for a 9x13 inch cake, so I freeze whats left. Enjoy!

Sauteed Pork Chops with Caramalized Onions and Balsamic Vinegar

2011-05-26T23:37:00.002-05:00

Thank you for the comments and prayers for our tornado ravaged area this week. Clean up in Joplin is going to take such a long time but we are amazed at all of the volunteers that have come from all over to help out. There's been so many tragic stories that we heard, but also some with happy endings. I will share some of them soon. One thing is for sure, people have really pulled together to get things done.

And now, something delicious to eat! Pork chops are a wonderful meat to have on a weeknight, and if you add caramelized onions that have been drenched in Balsamic vinegar, you've got a delicious entree fit for any occasion. I made these tasty chops last week and thoroughly enjoyed every bite. My husband however decided that he's not overly fond of balsamic vinegar, but he ate them anyway. I will make these again and just keep the onions for myself! The chops were tender and moist since I used bone-in chops and the addition of the onions and balsamic was was different and delicious. I hope you'll give these a try!

Sauteed Pork Chops with Caramelized Onions and Balsamic Vinegar
adapted from Fine Cooking

2 bone-in pork chops about 1 inch thick
1/2 of a very large onion- I used a Vidalia onion
2-3 tablespoons oil
about 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Heat a large skillet over medium to medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Dry pork chops with paper towels and score the fat in about 3 different places (see note). Then season both sides with salt and pepper.
Thinly slice the onion and add to the heated skillet. If the onions brown too fast or begin to burn, turn down the heat. It should take about 15-20 minutes for them to caramelize. Remove the onions to a bowl.
Add 1 more tablespoon of oil to the same skillet and add the pork chops. Cook until brown and flip over. I used a paring knife and cut close to the bone to check doneness. If tit looks red, the meat is not done. These took about 4 minutes per side. Remove chops to a plat and tent with foil. Add the onions back to the skillet and pour the balsamic vinegar over them. Stir until incorporated with the onions and vinegar is slightly reduced.
Plate the pork chops and top with the balsamic onions. These are wonderful served with mashed potatoes, rice, or some Oven Roasted Potatoes with Herbs. Enjoy!

NOTE: When bone-in chops cook, the fat around the edge will draw up and the chops will not lay flat during cooking. To remedy this, I always cut through the fat in about 3 places with a paring knife. Just cut though barely, and the chops will lay perfectly flat whether you are pan searing or grilling and the meat will brown evenly.

Tornado!

2011-05-23T22:54:00.004-05:00

If you have watched the news in the last 24 hours here in the states, you may have seen the tornado headlines about the area in which I live. Sunday evening a F4 tornado slammed into Joplin, Missouri and leveled a 6 mile long path of destruction in this town of 50,00 people. Fortunately, my family lives about 15 miles away in a small town, so we were not in the path. But we did spend some time in the basement when the sirens went off.

This video shows only one part of Joplin and if you look you can see a 7 story hospital which looks like it has been bombed. This was shortly after the tornado went through. There have been scores of volunteers come to help since this video was taken. So far there are 116 declared dead across this city. We have had storms all day that have been hampering rescue efforts and are expecting severe storms tomorrow.
I'm asking for your prayers for this city. All of our family is safe and accounted for, but a family in our church was in Joplin when the tornado hit. They were at Home Depot and the twister caught them in their vehicle and threw them around. Their 14 year old grandson was sucked out of the vehicle and thrown on the pavement. His skull was cracked and he's in critical condition. Their granddaughter, who is about 8 or 9, is in surgery tonight, with Doctors trying to attach her ribs back to her backbone. She also had a metal rod go through her shoulder. They need a miracle.
About 2,000 buildings have been destroyed, both homes and many businesses also.
So my friends, it will be a day or so before I post a recipe as my mind just is not on cooking. And last week I was babysitting my granddaughter while her mother was on a business trip, so not too much exciting cooking took place then either, but I'll post soon with something yummy.
Just please remember this area in your thoughts and prayers. At least 1/4 of the city is gone and much more is damaged, so many people are homeless and looking for loved ones. Thank you.

Lemon Pound Cake

2011-05-04T22:52:00.001-05:00

When I was a little girl, I loved sucking on lemon halves. While I don't do that anymore, when I cut one open it makes my mouth begin to water. So it's no surprise that I enjoy a great piece of lemon cake. This Lemon Pound Cake from Cook's Illustrated does not disappoint on any level. A traditional pound cake, it's heavy and dense with a fine crumb and full of butter and eggs. The lemon flavor is not overpowering, but you get a jolt of lemon from the syrup that is brushed on after baking, and the lemony glaze. We devoured it quickly. I think this would be a wonderful sweet to include to help celebrate Mother's Day, for a luncheon or an afternoon tea. I did not change the recipe, other than I didn't have the required amount of lemon zest the recipe asked for, so I added a bit more juice. At first glance I thought there were alot of details, but I discovered it was because you also make a syrup, and a glaze. Both were super easy and I advise that you don't skip those steps. Brushing this syrup over the warm cake not only imparts extra flavor, but helps to add moisture too. Hope you enjoy!

LEMON POUND CAKE
from Cook's Country-very slightly adapted

CAKE:
2 sticks of unsalted butter (16 tablespoons)- softened, but still somewhat cool
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice- recipe called for 1 1/2 T.
1 tablespoon lemon zest- recipe called for 1 1/2 T.
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
5 large eggs, at room temperature- beaten

SYRUP:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice

GLAZE:
1/2 cup confectioners sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon lemon juice

1. To make cake: Adjust the oven rack to middle position and preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan with butter and dust with flour. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a small bowl.

2. Toss lemon zest and sugar together in a large bowl. Add butter and beat with an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth and light, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of bowl. Add in the eggs, in 3 additions, and beat well. Mixture will look curdled. With motor on low, add 1/3 of the flour mixture followed by the sour cream and lemon juice. Add another 1/3 of flour and mix well. Finish with the rest of the flour and mix, scraping the sides well. Mix until batter is smooth.

3. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to release air bubbles. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Bake 55 to 70 minutes. Mine baked about 70.

4. For the Syrup: While the cake bakes, stir the 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup lemon juice together in a saucepan. Cook for 2 minutes, remove from heat and set aside.

5. Cool the cake on a cooling rack for 10 minutes, then turn it out on the rack. Brush the top and sides of the warm cake with the syrup and cool cake completely before glazing, about 2 hours. Use all the syrup.

6. For the glaze: Whisk the sifted confectioners sugar and the 1 tablespoon of lemon juice together until smooth. Spread glaze over cake and let set 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

NOTES: Like most cakes, this cake is more moist on the second day. According to CI, this cake will keep for 5 days, if wrapped tightly. It also freezes well. To freeze, apply the syrup, let cool, and wrap unglazed in two layers of plastic wrap. and freeze in a zip-lock bag for up to 1 month. I have not tried that. When ready to serve, defrost the wrapped cake at room temperature. Remove wrap and spread with the glaze.

TO MAKE 2 CAKES: double all the ingredients EXCEPT the eggs; use 9 eggs instead of 10.

Farfalle with Turkey Italian Sausage and Provolone

2011-04-26T23:11:00.006-05:00

Well, I'm back from our short, but very enjoyable anniversary trip. We enjoyed a few delightful, but very rainy days in Branson, Missouri. Branson is only about 1 1/2 hours from here so we've had many of the same storms. We've had so much rain and it's rather cool outside, but that's another story.
One of the best things about going on a trip is eating out. I loved not cooking and not having to clean up a messy kitchen. Don't get me wrong, I do love to cook, but a break every so often is something I look forward to. And now that we are back home, I'm having trouble getting back in the groove of making meals. Sigh. I didn't even have to cook for Easter. Eric, son number 1, and his wife Steff, had us over for a delicious ham dinner, so no kitchen duty that day either!
Last night I wanted something easy to make, so I used mostly what was on hand. I had gone grocery shopping and picked up some Turkey Italian Sausage and the other ingredients were items I had in my pantry. Nothing fancy, but it was delicious and full of flavor. I browned the links of sausage in a skillet and then sliced it when cool, but you could break up the meat if you like. I used a jar of marinara, and some pasta that needed to be used, and a few spoon fulls of ricotta cheese that needed to be used. Yup, this is a pantry meal, but it turned out very tasty! Here's what I did.

FARFALLE with TURKEY ITALIAN SAUSAGE and PROVOLONE
from Lynda's Recipe Box

8 ounces farfalle, or other pasta
save about 1/2 cup water from the cooked pasta
1- 24 ounce jar of marinara sauce, or about 2 1/2 cups of homemade sauce
1/4 cup ricotta cheese
pinch of red pepper flakes
12 ounces of Italian Turkey Sausage links - or other Italian sausage or ground beef
Provolone cheese slices- or mozzarella cheese
grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions. Save back about 1/2 cup of the water. In skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon oil and brown the sausage, covered for about 10 minutes, or until done. Reduce heat if necessary. Remove sausages to a plate to cool. Slice sausage into 1/2 inch pieces. Mix the ricotta cheese and the marinara sauce together in a bowl. Stir in the pasta, red pepper flakes and the sliced sausage. The ricotta cheese will make the sauce thicker, so use some of the pasta cooking water to thin the sauce if needed. Pour into a casserole dish and top with slices of provolone or mozzarella cheese. Cover dish tightly with foil and bake in a preheated oven for 20-30 minutes until bubbly and cheese is melted. Serves 4-6 people. Enjoy!

Strawberry Yogurt Muffins

2011-04-21T09:32:00.000-05:00

If you like strawberries and you like muffins with a healthy twist, you should like these Strawberry Yogurt Muffins. I am re-posting these delicious muffins because they would be a great addition to your Easter or Mother's Day brunch, or breakfast any other day. Just because they are lower in fat doesn't mean there is any less flavor. I use more strawberries than called for in the original recipe which makes them extra yummy.
I hope you'll give these a try.
I will be gone for a few days as my husband and I are taking a short trip. We are celebrating our 33rd wedding anniversary! Actually it was a couple of weeks ago and we are just now getting around to it. So, I hope you all have a wonderful Easter and I'll be back in a few days catching up with all your fantastic recipes. Now here's my recipe!

STRAWBERRY YOGURT MUFFINS
adapted from this recipe

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour- original recipe uses 1 cup
1/2 cup whole wheat flour- original recipe uses 1 cup
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cups chopped strawberries- I use about 1 1/2 c.
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup melted butter

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl mix the flours, sugar and baking soda. Add in the chopped strawberries and stir just to coat. In another bowl, mix the eggs and yogurt, then add the melted butter and vanilla and mix. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and stir in. Don't over mix; batter will be thick. Distribute batter among 12 greased muffin cups. Sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden. Hope you enjoy these delicious treats!

NOTE: If you are using cup cake liners, you may want to lightly spray them with cooking spray (PAM), as the muffins will stick to the papers at first. Or, just spray the muffin tin and don't use liners.

Watergate Salad

2011-04-19T20:39:00.000-05:00

I'm sure just about everybody has this recipe for Watergate Salad somewhere in their possession. It's been around since about 1975 when Kraft developed it and named it Pistachio Pineapple Delight. My Mother made this often for Easter dinner and also around the Christmas and Thanksgiving holidays. It is still a popular salad where I live. It shows up in about every church pot luck and many salad bars here. It is sweet; more of a dessert salad really, but it is easy to throw together and lasts several days in the refrigerator. I love the different textures in this salad; the creaminess with the crunch of the pecans and the tang of pineapple. This is another oldie but goodie recipe! Hope you enjoy..

WATERGATE SALAD

9 ounce carton whipped topping- Cool Whip
3 3/4 oz. package instant pistachio pudding
15 ounce can crushed pineapple in its own juices
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Fold dry pudding mix into whipped topping. Add canned pineapple and juice, marshmallows and chopped nuts. Mix gently and refrigerate. Serves 6-10

Fastest Cinnamon Buns ( No Yeast)

2011-04-18T11:21:00.003-05:00

When I saw this recipe, I knew I wanted to try it. Not because it promised tasty Cinnamon Buns quickly, but because the recipe uses cottage cheese! I was intrigued. This dough is similar to a buttermilk biscuit recipe; in fact the cheese is the only difference. Several reviewers had substituted ricotta cheese for the cottage cheese, so I chose to use that since I had it in my fridge. These rolls are somewhat lighter than a biscuit dough, but don't be deceived-they won't replace a traditional yeast roll. What they do is give you a delicious quick roll when the craving hits. These were mixed and baked in about 45 minutes, making them perfect to serve at brunch time, maybe for Easter or Mother's Day. If you want a delicious yeast roll, try these wonderful AmishCinnamon Rolls with Caramel Frosting . They are my favorite. But if you want something quick, these buns will do nicely. Here's the recipe.

FASTEST CINNAMON BUNS
adapted from Fine Cooking

For the Dough:
3/4 cup cottage cheese (4 percent milk fat- I used full fat ricotta)
1/3 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups (9 ounces) unbleached all purpose flour; more for rolling
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

For the Filling:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Recipe also used 1/4 t. cloves-1/2 t. allspice and 1 cup chopped pecans, which I did not use.

Glaze:
2/3 cup confectioners sugar
2-3 T. milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 ounce cream cheese, softened - my addition

1. To make the dough, combine the cottage cheese, or ricotta,, buttermilk, sugar, melted butter, and vanilla in a large bowl (The recipe uses a food processor, but I don't have a large one. A hand mixer worked just fine). Mix until smooth. Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda and mix until the dough comes together. It will be crumbly at first, but then come together as a soft and moist dough.
2. Scrape the dough out onto a floured surface and knead just until smooth, 5 or 6 times. Roll out dough into a 12x15 inch rectangle. ( Dough is easy to work with).

3. To make filling, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon, other spices and nuts if using. Brush the 2 tablespoons melted butter over the rolled out dough. Sprinkle the cinnamon mixture over the dough and pat gently into the surface.
4. Roll the dough up jelly-roll style. Pinch the seam to seal.
5. Cut into 12 even sized rolls with a sharp knife. Set the rolls, cut side up into a greased 9 inch round cake pan or spring form pan.
6. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 20 to 28 minutes. Remove pan from oven and set on wire rack to cool.

7. To make glaze, mix the confectioners sugar, milk, vanilla and cream cheese in a bowl with mixer. If it's not as thin as you like, thin it down with more milk.. Drizzle glaze over the rolls. Let stand a few minutes and then serve. Best eaten the day they are prepared. Enjoy!

Lemon Potatoes

2011-04-16T13:07:00.000-05:00

I've got to say that these Lemon Potatoes are awesome! This Cook's Country Recipe is one I'll be making often as my husband and I both enjoyed the wonderful lemon and garlic flavor that permeated the potatoes. The recipe calls for baby red potatoes because they crisp up better than Yukon Gold's, but I had 5 pounds of small Yukon Gold's in my pantry, so I didn't want to buy more spuds. The yellow potatoes do get softer after cooking, but the flavor is still tremendous. Red potatoes have lots of starch, so Cook's recommends rinsing them under water after they have been cut, to rinse off a bunch of that starch. I served these delicious potatoes along side a simple roasted chicken and a fresh green salad. It was a fantastic meal! I've made them twice now, and did use red potatoes the second time. Yes, they do getter crispier, than yellow spuds, but both taste delicious. I hope you'll try these amazing potatoes.

LEMON POTATOES
adapted from Cook's Country

2 pounds baby red potatoes, scrubbed and halved (or quartered if they are a bit larger), I used baby Yukon Golds
2 garlic cloves, smashed- I used very large cloves
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 minced garlic cloves- I did not use these
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley- I didn't measure, just chopped some

1.Rinse the cut potatoes in a colander under running water. Drain potatoes well.

2. In a large nonstick skillet, add the chicken broth, smashed garlic, lemon juice and about 1/2 teaspoon salt and the potatoes. and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, under just tender. Remove the lid and increase the heat to medium. cook potatoes until all the liquid evaporates., about 5 minutes.

3. Add the 2 T. olive oil to pan. Discard the smashed garlic. Turn potatoes to cut side down, to cook until deep golden brown. Turn carefully if need to brown all sides. Cooking time is maybe 6 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the parsley, lemon zest and the minced garlic ; ( didn't use minced garlic).
Season with salt and pepper and serve. These potatoes are so addictive! I made a half recipe for just my husband and I, and we ate them all - and we were not ashamed. Enjoy!

NOTE: Don't use more potatoes than your skillet can comfortably handle. Since the potatoes need to crisp, they must be able to lay cut side flat.

Honey Mustard Chicken Breasts

2011-04-13T22:49:00.001-05:00

I was going through a box yesterday and found this recipe, written on a piece of paper and I have no idea where I got it, but since I needed a fast dinner idea, I decided to try it. I love honey and mustard together, so it couldn't be too bad. I made changes, of course and ended up with a delicious weeknight meal that was made even better by topping it with fresh chives from my garden. My chives actually survived our harsh winter and now it is humongous! The chives gave this dish such a fresh, delicious crunch. Green onions would do the same thing. The sauce contains sauteed onion, but I have left it out of the recipe as it is not needed. But don't leave out the fresh chives or scallions. I cut back on the flour too as it thickened the sauce too much I thought. Also, the chicken breasts were lightly floured, but they would still be good browned without it. So, if you need another quick, simple meal idea, give this Honey Mustard Chicken a try.

HONEY MUSTARD CHICKEN BREASTS
adapted from an unknown source

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
1-2 tablespoons oil or butter
2 teaspoon flour
1 -15 ounce can low sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons honey
salt and pepper to taste
thinly sliced fresh chives or green onions

In a skillet heat the oil or butter over medium heat. I used 1 T. olive oil and 1 T. butter. Lay each chicken breast between plastic wrap and pound with mallet to an even thickness, about 3/4 inch. Season chicken with salt and pepper and then flour lightly in the 1/2 cup flour. Shake off excess flour. Brown chicken in skillet, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove chicken to a plate. Add the 2 teaspoon flour to skillet; stir and cook for about 1 minute. Add chicken broth to the skillet; increase the heat to a boil. Whisk the flour and broth as it cooks, scraping up all those yummy brown pieces in the pan. I cooked it for about 3 minutes. Whisk in the Dijon mustard and honey and simmer until slightly thickened. If the chicken still needs to finish cooking, lay the pieces back in the pan and cover. Cook for a couple of minutes, or until done. Season sauce with salt and pepper if needed. Serve with rice to soak up all the tasty sauce. Garnish with chives or green onions. Enjoy!

NOTE: The original recipe contained 2 tablespoon each of mustard and honey, but it needed more. You will need to taste the sauce to get it right just for you.

Slow Cooker Ham with Brown Sugar and Pineapple

2011-04-11T22:36:00.005-05:00

I've been experimenting again. Sometimes I think I have such a great idea and I won't quit thinking about it until I just follow through with it. Sometimes it turns out well, sometimes not. Part of this did not turn out.
I decided to try cooking a ham in my crock pot, thinking it would make an occasional Sunday dinner a bit easier. I don't want to be sitting in church and wondering if the ham in my oven is burning, so thus the crock pot reasoning. If I cook Easter dinner this year, I want it to be easy. I want a great meal, and I want my day of rest too! Ha Ha!
Technically, the crock pot did work. I knew that other people use it for ham, but I hadn't tried it. Also, I love an orange glaze on ham, but decided to try pineapple this time. I had the idea of using crushed pineapple, so I poured a can of it over the ham, added some brown sugar, (I wanted to add some maple sugar but was out), and let it cook away. Son number 1 stopped by to pick up my little granddaughter, and couldn't resist carving himself a hunk of ham. He declared that it had great flavor. Really great flavor.
My husband and daughter said it was good also. Me? I was pining for my beloved orange glaze. But, I have to admit that the combination of the brown sugar and pineapple was delicious. It cut through the saltiness of the ham quite nicely. Here's the experiment; I thought I'd try cooking down the juices and the crushed pineapple to use as a chunky sauce. It was very rich, way too rich, and it was hard to skim all the fat off of the chunky pineapple broth. I won't try that again. The next time, I'll just cook the ham in the pineapple and brown sugar, and leave it at that. The ham was very flavorful and it was so easy. I will not thicken the sauce next time. So, using the slowcooker did work for me, I just need to tweak my method some. Here's what I did this time. I'll update this post when I am completly satisfied with the outcome.

Slow Cooker Ham with Brown Sugar, Pineapple Sauce
1 6-9 pound ham- I used a fully cooked Pork Shoulder Picnick Ham half
1 20 ounce can crushed pineapple in unsweetened juice
1/2 cup packed, light brown sugar

Place the ham in slowcooker cut side down. Pour the can of crushed pineapple over it along with the brown surgar. Cook covered for about3-4 hours on high, or 5-6 hours on low. Since I used a fully cooked ham it mostly just needed to be heated, but I like it cooked a bit longer for tenderness. Just don't overcook or it will be dry. Here's how I made the too rich sauce; pour it into a sauce pan and let set untill the fat separates and rises to the top. Carefully skim all the fat off the pineapple mixture and discard. Bring the mixture to boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook until it is reduced and somewhat thickened. Serve along side the ham. So, the results of my experiement? I will use my slow cooker for ham again. But don't thicken the sauce. So, cook your ham in the slowcooker with brown sugar and pineapple. It will be delicious. But don't make my sauce!
Have you tried using the slow cooker for ham and were you happy with the results? I could use some ideas!

NOTE: If you don't use a fully cooked ham, cooking time will be longer. Also, make sure the ham you buy will fit into your slowcooker.

Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy

2011-04-06T22:11:00.010-05:00

Salisbury Steak conjures up images of the TV Dinners that my Mother fed me occasionally, and some school lunches that I ate in grade school. I actually really liked it then, but making your own is much tastier and really easy to do. This dish consists of ground beef with bread crumbs and seasonings added in. I've made my version of this dish for years, but wondered how it got it's name. It was interesting reading several different googled sites. According to Wikipedia and other sources, Salisbury Steak received it's name from an American physician, Dr. James Henry Salisbury, during the Civil War. Dr. Salisbury thought people, especially soldiers, would benefit from eating ground meat 3 times a day for different health problems. Well, I make Salisbury Steak because, it tastes good, and because it makes a very affordable and easy meal. And because my husband loves it! Here's my recipe. SALISBURY STEAK with MUSHROOM GRAVY
from Lynda's Recipe Box
1/2 of a medium onion, diced
2 teaspoons oil
1 pound ground beef chuck-80/20 blend
1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
1/3 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce, or can use steak sauce
about 1/2 teaspoon salt about
1/4 teaspoon pepper
FOR GRAVY: 1/2 of a medium onion, diced
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
1- 15 ounces can of beef broth
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
a couple drops of Kitchen Bouquet, if desired.
In a skillet, saute the onion in the oil until softened. In a large bowl, break up the ground chuck. Add the remaining ingredients and the cooked onion . Stir beef mixture with a fork until combined and then form into patties about 1 inch thick or so. I made 4 patties. Heat the same skillet over medium heat. Add a couple teaspoons of oil if needed, and brown the patties on both sides. (Carefully turn the patties over-they can fall apart easily, and watch closely as the patties can burn because of the bread crumbs and other ingredients).
To make gravy: Make the gravy while the beef patties cook. In a sauce pan, melt the butter and add the sliced mushrooms and diced onion. Saute until all the liquid from the mushrooms evaporates and the onions are soft. Stir in the flour and cook about 30 seconds. Stir in about half of the beef broth until the gravy is smooth, then add the remaining broth and cook a couple of minutes. Stir in Kitchen Bouquet, if using. Season with salt and pepper. When the beef patties are browned on both sides, pour the gravy over the patties, and cook, covered, for about 5 minutes, until the patties are done. If gravy needs to thicken more, cook a bit longer, or if you need to thin the gravy, add a bit of water. I served this Salisbury Steak with egg noodles this time, but we like it with mashed potatoes the best. Let me know if you give this dish a try. Enjoy!
NOTE: Kitchen Bouquet is a browning and seasoning sauce found in the grocers on the condiment isle. In my store it's next to the steak sauces.

Cheesecake Bars - an oldie but Goodie

2011-03-30T21:31:00.004-05:00

I love cheesecake, but don't always want to take the time to make one. That's where these delicious bars come in. They have all the flavor of cheesecake, but are quick and easy to make. We love the light lemon flavor, but if lemon is not your thing, just leave it out and double the vanilla. This retro recipe was given to me by a highschool friend way back during our senior year. I'm talking 1971 baby! I've taken the liberty of doubling the amount of filling that was in the original recipe because, in this instance, more is better. I don't want to be cheated on my cheesecake fix, do you? Give these groovy bars a try today! CHEESECAKE BARS

Ingredients for crust:

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup soft butter

1 cup flour

Cream the brown sugar and butter together. Then blend in the flour until crumbly. Separate 1 cup for topping. Place the rest in a 8x8 inch ungreased baking pan and press down to make crust. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. Remove from oven to cool.

Ingredients for filling:

2 - 8 ounce bars of cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

4 tablespoons milk

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until creamy. Add the eggs, milk, lemon juice and vanilla and beat well. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the crust and spread out evenly. Sprinkle the reserved flour mixture (topping), over the cream cheese filling. Bake at 350 degress for about 25 minutes. Cool and refrigerate. Cut into bars and enjoy!

Amish Cinnamon Rolls with Caramel Frosting ( using left-over mashed potatoes!)

2011-03-25T22:54:00.013-05:00

What comes to your mind when you think of cinnamon rolls? Is the sweet frosting your favorite, or maybe the filling? My favorite is the cinnamon infused bread. I Love cinnamon rolls still warm from the oven, with soft ribbons of dough infused with plenty of sweet, cinnamony filling, and topped with a luscious glaze. That describes these rolls perfectly! And that's why I don't make them very often, because I find them irresistible, even addictive. I've had this recipe bookmarked for months and they kept calling to me and I finally gave in to the craving. These Amish Cinnamon Rolls are pure bliss; you need to make them soon! These rolls contain leftover mashed potatoes, which gives the rolls a tender, pillowy, texture. My potatoes were mashed with milk, butter, and salt and pepper and they worked perfectly in this recipe. After the dough is mixed all together, I took it out of the bowl and kneaded it a few times just until it came together into a ball. Then the dough is placed in a large bowl, covered with a clean kitchen towel and left to rise until doubled. It more than doubled and was so poofy.

Punch the dough down to deflate the air out of it, and roll into a large rectangle.

Spread the cinnamon and sugar mixture evenly over the dough, except for the edges.

Starting at the end nearest you, roil up the dough tightly and pinch the seem together at the end. Work it to keep the roll as even as possible while rolling.

Cut the roll into even slices with a sharp knife. Carefully lift them and arrange in baking pans. I used four round 9 inch pans, and I wanted to share these treats with my sons and their families.

Cover the pans with a kitchen towel and let them rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours. Then bake in the oven. Try to be patient.

I frosted these rolls while they were still warm, but not right out of the oven. Let them cool off just a bit.

I ate one immediately; I'm weak when it comes to warm cinnamon rolls-very, very weak! These were fantastic and made my husband so happy. I hope you'll give them a try when the craving hits you.

In this recipe, I changed the margarine to butter, made more filling and gave more directions for making these delicious rolls. There just wasn't enough directions for someone who might want to make cinnamon rolls for the first time. This may look like a long recipe, but it's easy and comes together quickly. Amish Cinnamon Rolls with Caramel Frosting

adapted from a recipe at Tasty Kitchen

Ingredients:

For the rolls:

2 teaspoons plus 2/3 cup of sugar-divided

1 cup warm water

2 packages yeast, 0.25 (1/4) ounce packets

4 whole eggs, beaten

2/3 cup melted salt-free butter

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup homemade mashed potatoes-room temperature

about 6 cups bread flour- you may not use all of it

For the filling:

1 1/2 cups light brown sugar

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon 6 tablespoons softened butter

For the Caramel Frosting:

1 stick butter

1 cup light brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup milk - I used around 2 more tablespoons to thin down the frosting some

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

1. For the rolls, mix the 2 teaspoons of sugar, warm water and yeast together in a bowl. Let stand 5 minutes. It will get bubbly.

2. In a large bowl, combine the beaten eggs, the remaining 2/3 cup sugar, melted butter and the mashed potatoes and combine well.

3. Stir the yeast mixture into the egg mixture. Now add 2 cups of bread flour and combine well.

4. Add more flour, 1 cup at a time, combining well after each addition. When you add the fifth cup, dough will be less sticky so add only as much flour as needed to form dough into a ball. I used about 5 1/2 cups flour, but used the rest while kneading the dough and rolling it out.

5. Lightly flour a work surface and knead the dough just until it all comes together in a smooth ball. Add extra flour if needed to keep the dough from sticking to your work area. Place dough in a large bowl and let rise until doubled. Directions say 2 hours, but mine was ready in 1 hour 30 minutes.

6. When dough has risen, punch it down in the bowl, deflating the air. Knead a few times on a lightly floured surface. Now you can roll out all the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness, but I cut the dough in half and worked with half of it at a time. In my small kitchen, that was easier for me. Try to roll the dough into a rectangular shape. I rolled each half of my dough into approximately a 20 in. by 16 inch rectangle.

7. In a small bow, mix together the filling ingredients-the brown sugar, cinnamon and melted butter.

8. Spread the softened butter gently over the rolled out dough; sprinkle the filling ingredients over the rolled out dough and lightly press into the dough.

9. Starting at the edge closest to you, begin rolling up the dough. Continue until it's all rolled and then try pinching the edge to seal it. Cut this roll into sections. I made 28 rolls; that fit 7 rolls into each of my four, 9 inch round pans. So, I cut the long roll in half, then each half in half again, and kept going until I had 28 fairly even sections of rolls. Place each roll in a greased pan (I used 4 round pans). Cover with clean towels and let rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place pans of rolls in the oven and bake until golden, 20-25 minutes.

10. While the rolls are baking make the frosting. Melt the butter in a sauce pan over low heat. Stir in the brown sugar and salt. Cook for about 2 minutes; mixture will be grainy. Add the milk and cook for about 30 seconds until no longer grainy.. Remove pan from heat and add the vanilla. Stir in the powdered sugar and let cool. (If the powdered sugar is lumpy, you may need to sift it, or use an electric mixer to beat it until smooth).

11. Remove the rolls from the oven. Let cool slightly.

12. Frost the rolls. If the frosting is too thick, add a bit of milk to thin it to the desired consistency.

Enjoy the fruit of your labor!

NOTE: These rolls could be baked in a large baking sheet also. I also think that 3 round pans could be used; it would just make larger rolls.

Tijuana Torte (a Mexican-style casserole)

2011-03-21T20:49:00.006-05:00

While flipping through an old recipe book of mine, called "Some of the Best Recipes Ever Assembled into One Cookbook", I came across this Mexican-style casserole that I used to make often. While it wasn't a favorite of our kids, my husband has always loved it. Truthfully, it isn't my favorite Mexican casserole, but I do enjoy it as it has a layer of sour cream that really sets the Tex-Mex flavors off. I always put the canned tomatoes in the blender to pulse, because my family doesn't like chunky tomatoes in their food. Picky, I know, but I do what needs to be done to get people to eat! This easy casserole is layered like a lasagna and is mild in flavor. It calls for stewed tomatoes, which are somewhat sweet, but I sub diced tomatoes most of the time. Use whichever you prefer. I hope you enjoy this flavorful casserole.

TIJUANA TORTE

Ingredients:

1 pound ground chuck or ground round beef

1 medium onion, diced

1- 15 ounce can can diced tomatoes, or stewed tomatoes (I pulse them in the blender)

1 - 8 ounce can tomato sauce

1 -4 ounce can diced green chilies

1 package taco seasoning

flour tortillas- I used 18 fajita sized flour tortillas,(6 for each layer), but any size will work

about 1 cup of sour cream

1 pound freshly grated cheddar cheese

1. Brown ground beef and onion in a skillet; drain off any fat from the meat. Add the rest of the ingredients to the meat, and simmer for 10 minutes.

2. Place 1/4-1/2 cup of mixture in the bottom of a 9x13 inch non reactive baking pan. Place a layer of tortillas over that.

3. Place about 1/3 of the meat mixture over the tortillas. Sprinkle with shredded cheese.

4. Add another layer of tortillas, and then a layer of meat sauce. Cover with more cheese; then dollop with all of the sour cream and gently spread out.

5. Lastly, cover with the rest of the tortillas, the meat sauce and the rest of the cheese.

6. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 25 minutes, until cheese is bubbly.

Remove from oven and let cool about 10-15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

NOTE: I usually make this casserole in 3 layers, but it would work well in 2 layers, if preferred.

Cowboy Cookies

2011-03-15T12:09:00.004-05:00

I don't know if you've had Cowboy Cookies, but they are chock full of goodies! Made with butter, flour and oats, they also contain nuts, chocolate chips and coconut for a real delicious treat. Some people make them a smaller size, like the picture above, where I measured the dough with a tablespoon. But very often I've seen them as a large cookie, where a 1/4 cup is used to measure the dough.

Either way, they are wonderful treat and I've convinced myself that they are suitable for eating with my morning coffee! After all, they have lots of oats and nuts, which are healthy, right? Watch them closely as they bake as overbaking can cause them to be dry. They should be just turning golden around the edges and the center should be losing that shiny look. They will continue to set after coming out of the oven. Then you can eat them all; or not! Here's my recipe.

COWBOY COOKIES

from an old church cookbook

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 cup light brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, beaten

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 (6 ounce package of chocolate chips)

1/2 cup coconut

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon soda

2 cups oatmeal

1 cup chopped nuts- I used pecans

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cream the sugars with the butter. Add eggs and beat until fluffy. Stir in the vanilla. Combine flour, salt, baking powder and soda in a bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. When combined, add the oatmeal, chocolate chips and coconut and stir with a large spoon until all is combined. Dough will be crumbly. If making large cooies, measure the dough in a 1/4 measuring cup. Place on a baking sheet, 6 cookies to a large baking sheet. Flatten dough with the palm of your hand, or use the bottom of a glass. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 11-15 minutes, until slightly golden around the edges and set in the middle. Remove cookies from oven; let set on cookie sheet for 1 minute and then remove to cooling rack.

If you prefer smaller cookies, use a tablespoon to measure the dough. Place cookie dough on cookie sheet, flatten slightly and bake for 8-10 minutes. Follow rest of directions above. Enjoy!

Tortellini Soup

2011-03-09T08:51:00.005-06:00

There's nothing like a hot bowl of soup when you've been sick and it's cold outside to boot. I was wanting soup to eat the other night, but didn't want to spend too much time with it. I remembered this recipe that I had bookmarked, so decided to give it a try. With just a few ingredients, including purchased ravioli, it packs plenty of flavor and was plenty filling for me. It goes together very quickly, which is an added bonus. I hope you'll give it a try.

TORTELLINI SOUP
slightly adapted from The Well-Fed Newlyweds at Tasty Kitchen
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 of a small onion, diced
1 large carrot, peeled and diced- my addition
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil-my addition
1 quart low sodium chicken broth, or stock
15 ounces small diced canned tomatoes-they used whole tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste
9 ounces tortellini, fresh or frozen- any variety (I used cheese filling)
3 cups fresh baby spinach
Parmesan cheese for topping

In a large pot heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened. Then add the garlic and stir for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the oregano, basil, chicken broth, and tomatoes. Bring the soup to a boil and add the tortellini and cook according to the package directions. One minute before the tortellini are done, season with salt and pepper and add the spinach. Stir to combine. Dinner is now ready. Enjoy!

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

2011-03-07T20:37:00.008-06:00

These are very flavorful, mildly spicy Baked Chicken Taquitos, and my photos are definitely not doing them justice. But everyone was hungry, so I took a few quick pictures before eating and thought I'd take more after the meal was finished. I forgot to mention that fact though and there were none left. Not a one. So, I am stuck with these bad photos until the next time I make them. And I will make them again. I found this recipe at The Sisters Cafe, and knew my daughter and husband would like them. These Baked Taquitos are spicy and creamy on the inside, and crisp on the outside. If baked long enough the tortillas will crisp, without having to fry them in oil. They go with any Mexican food coombination, and are easy to put together. I brought home a rotisserie chicken from the store and used part of it for this recipe. Here's how they are made.

BAKED CREAMY CHICKEN TAQUITOS

slightly adapted from The Sisters Cafe

1/3 cup (3 ounces) cream cheese

1/4 cup green salsa (salsa verde)

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice -do not omit this!

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder-I omitted this

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro- I only used about 1 T.

2 tablespoons diced green onions

2 cups shredded, cooked chicken- I used a rotisserie chicken

1 cup grated pepper jack cheese

small corn tortillas, or fajita size flour tortillas-I used flour

kosher salt

cooking spray

Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for 20-30 seconds so it's easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice,cumin, chili powder, and garlic. Stir and then add green onions and cilantro. Add chicken and cheese and mix.

You can do this step early in day and keep it in the fridge.

Work with a few tortillas at a time and warm in the microwave until they are pliable enough to roll without cracking.

Place 2-3 tablespoons of chicken filling on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges. Roll it up as tight as you can and lay on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on baking sheet,making sure they are not touching. Spray the tops of taquitos with cooking spray and sprinkle lightly with some kosher salt.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until crisp and brown. Watch that you don't burn the ends. Dip them in salsa, guacamole, or sour cream. Enjoy!

Very Moist Bannana Bread with Walnuts

2011-03-01T22:06:00.005-06:00

I cannot resist a big slice of Banana Bread, especially if it's moist and full of crunchy nuts. This is my Mother-in-laws delicious recipe. She preferred using Black Walnuts in it when she could find them and insisted that walnuts added to the moistness of this bread. While black walnut trees are common here, I preferr the english walnut, but either will work in this recipe. All I know is that this Banana Bread is delicious and I have a hard time stopping with one slice. I have already posted my Mothers recipe, but I wanted to add this one too, since I'm going through our family's recipes. This moist, sweet quick bread makes a large loaf. My MIL baked this bread in a 8x8 inch baking pan, but I used a loaf pan this time, which took about an hour and 20 minutes. Either way, I think you will enjoy it.
By the way, thank you for the well wishes-I am feeling much better and can finally taste food again. Eating is much more enjoyable when the food tastes good; now on to the Banana Bread!
Moist Banana Bread with Walnuts

3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas, about 3 large
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla- I omit this
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
3/4 cups chopped walnuts (or any nut of your choice)

Directions:
Grease and flour a large, 9 5/8 x 5 1/2 inch loaf pan, or a 8x8 inch cake pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (325 for dark pans).
Mix the mashed bananas, melted butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla together in a large bowl. In another bowl, sift the flour, baking soda and salt together. Mix dry ingredients and the buttermilk into the banana mixture. Pour batter into the prepared pan and place in oven. Bake about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let cool completely before serving. Wrap tightly in aluminum foil. Enjoy!

CSN Winner!

2011-02-14T09:19:00.003-06:00

We have a winner for the CSN Store giveaway! Chosen by Random. org, the winner is-

Rachel, who said....
Being the most indecisive person, I'm struggling to narrow down my choices to just one item!!!.........

Thankyou to all who entered this contest and left comments; I love you guys!

Moroccan Chicken Stew (Djej Kdra Touimiya)

2011-02-11T21:59:00.014-06:00

I stepped outside of my comfort zone this week and tried food new to my palate. Not anything too drastic mind you, but I have not eaten Moroccan food before this. According to Saveur, this kdra is a cousin to a tagine. I did not have a clay pot to cook it in , just my dutch oven, but I thought it turned out delicious. And since this was my first foray into this type of dish, I need some feed back from any of you, my readers, as too how authentic this dish is. My husband was so quiet while eating that I thought he must not like it, but he said he was just enjoying the new flavors. So, I'll be making this again and next time I'll try some other dishes to go with it! I cut the recipe in half for just the two of us, and changed a couple of other things. My store didn't have blanched almonds, so I had to blanch my own, but it's quite easy to do. I'll give you the directions for that at the end of the recipe. Be sure to use the fresh lemon juice if you try this recipe; it really freshens the dish and adds pizazz to the flavors. The turmeric added a golden hue to the sauce and the almonds. The sauce is mildly sweet because of the cooked onions and with a hint of cinnamon and a splash of lemon, it is very tasty. It was a rather exotic meal for us in this cold weather. Let me know what you think!
Don't forget my CSN Giveaway; You have until Saturday, February 12th at 11:00 Pacific time to enter! Scroll down to the post to leave a comment to to enter. (Links are not working for some reason.)
MOROCCAN CHICKEN STEW (Djej Kdra Touimiya)
adapted from Saveur ( which is adapted from "Couscous and other Good Foods from Morocco")

Ingredients:
1 3 1/2 lb. chicken, cut into 8 pieces- I used 4 thighs because I made half the amount
1 cup blanched whole almonds- directions at end of recipe
1/4 teaspoon turmeric or saffron-I used turmeric
1 tsp. ground white pepper
1 tsp. ground dried ginger
1 cinnamon stick
2 tablespoons butter
2 yellow onions, thinly sliced
4 cups chicken stock or low sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped parsley
kosher salt to taste
1/2 cup canned chickpeas, drained
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1. Melt butter in a dutch oven over medium heat. Combine the chicken pieces, blanched almonds, turmeric, pepper, ginger, kosher salt and cinnamon stick in the pot and cook, turning, about 3-4 minutes. Add half of the sliced onions and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 30minutes.
2. Add remaining onion and parsley to chicken; cover and cook until chicken is tender, about 20-30minutes. Remove chicken from the pot and set aside. Bring the sauce to a boil; cook until thicken 13-15 minutes. Since I halved the recipe, it took only about 5 minutes to thicken. Use your judgment with this. Return chicken to the dutch oven along with the chickpeas; heat through. Taste and add salt only if needed. Drizzle with the fresh lemon juice and serve. I served this dish with couscous, which soaked up the wonderful flavors of the sauce. Enjoy!
How to blanch almonds: Boil a pan of water; pour almonds into the hot water and soak for 1 minute. Almonds should be covered with the hot water. Drain the almonds into a colander, and then put almonds into cold water to cool them down. The skins will pull apart and slip off when you squeeze them between your fingers. Lay on a paper towel to dry.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

2011-02-08T21:13:00.012-06:00

Ahhh, soup, it's soul and body warming on these frigid winter nights. Today the high was 12 degrees Fahrenheit. Tonight it's going to be below zero and we are expecting more snow tomorrow (sob). I can't seem to stay warm, so this soup certainly hit the spot this week. My daughter-in-law Steff gave me a bunch of mushrooms this week and I had a butternut squash that needed to be used. I found this soup recipe that called for wild rice, and I happened to have a nice wild and brown rice blend. This Chicken and Wild Rice Soup is awesome, a nice earthy flavor and rich broth from the mushrooms, plus it's full of healthy vegetables. The addition of chicken (or leftover turkey), makes it hearty enough for even the guys. In short, we love it; I hope you'll give it a try. Now I'll stop whining about the weather. CHICKEN and WILD RICE SOUP
adapted from Kitchen Parade

5 cups chicken stock, or broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 carrot, peeled and sliced or diced
about 6 ounces mushrooms, thickly sliced
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme- recipe calls for 1/2 teaspoon
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 stalk celery, sliced
2 cups of butternut squash, peeled and diced
2/3 cup of wild rice - I used Lundberg's Wild Blend rice
2 cups of cooked chicken or turkey

Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven over medium heat; add the diced onion, carrot, sliced mushrooms, thyme and the kosher salt. Cook until the mushrooms cook off all their liquid. Add the chicken stock and rice. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cover the pot. Simmer for 15 minutes and then add the celery and diced butternut squash to the pot. Cook until the rice is done, about another 30 minutes, ( 45 min. total cooking time). Stir in the chicken and season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and enjoy!

NOTE: When reheating the soup, you may have to add more chicken stock to the soup as the rice absorbs the liquid. According to Alana at Kitchen Parade, this soup does not freeze well. But we didn't have any left to freeze!
Also, she states that different wild rices may require different cooking times. Native wild rice may cook in 30 minutes, while commercial wild rice will take 45-60 minutes. I learned something new!
Also (again), you can add the butternut to the pot when you add the broth, but I was afraid it would be too mushy with the 45 minute cooking time, so added it a bit later.

A Giveaway from CSN Stores!

2011-02-07T22:05:00.012-06:00

Contest is now closed. I hope you all had a great week end. We still lots of snow on the ground here, as you can see from the photo where my hubby was shoveling our buried sidewalk, and there's more expected tomorrow. I have a soup recipe to share later, but right now I have a giveaway for you.

I have been contacted by a representative from the CSN Stores to host a giveaway for you, my dear readers and followers. I know you've seen some of their giveaways on other blogs. This is a $60.00 gift certificate to any of the CSN Stores and is open to my Canadian and U.S. readers! CSN has over 200 stores featuring too many items to mention. They even have modern furniture for your shopping pleasure!

All you have to do for a chance to win is leave a comment on this post, and mention something you'd like to buy from one of their stores. Be sure there is a way I can contact you if you win.

This giveaway is open to residents in the U.S. and Canada through Saturday, February 12, at 11:00 PM Pacific Standard Time, and the winner will be drawn sometime on Sunday, February 13. Shipping costs are not covered in this giveaway, but you may order anything from any of the CSN Stores. Good luck everyone!

Skillet Lasagna

2011-02-03T20:27:00.007-06:00

I needed a quick, hearty and tasty meal last night. My husband had been shoveling snow a big part of the day, and I had helped some also, so I wanted something easy to prepare. I had been wanting to make Skillet Lasagna for a while, and I had most of the ingredients needed. The original recipe comes from Cook's Illustrated, so I was reasonably sure it would be good. It was; this lasagna has a wonderful Italian flavor! The whole dish is assembled and cooked in a large skillet and ready to eat in 30-40 minutes, depending on how fast you are. All the flavor of a delicious lasagna, but this dish is so much faster to prepare. The recipe calls for a mix of ground beef and ground pork. I replaced the pork with Italian sausage since I had it on hand. It added great depth of flavor to this dish. You gotta try it! Here's the recipe that I found at Apples and Twinkies.

SKILLET LASAGNA

adapted from Apples and Twinkies and Cook's Illustrated

3 cans (14.5 oz.) whole, peeled tomatoes

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 medium garlic cloves, pressed- I only used 2

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes- I used a pinch

1/2 pound of ground round beef

1/2 pound ground Italian sausage

10 curly edge lasagna noodles- it is NOT recommended that no-bake noodles be used

1/2 cup (2 ounces) mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/4 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese

pepper to taste

1 1/2 teaspoon dried basil

3/4 cup full fat ricotta cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Pour the 3 cans of tomatoes into a blender or food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.

Heat oil in a 12 inch non-stick skillet. Add diced onion and salt and cook until softened; stir in garlic and red pepper flakes. Saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the ground meats; break up the meat as it cooks. Drain grease from skillet if needed.

Break the lasagna noodles into 2 inch pieces and scatter over the meat in the skillet. Pour the tomatoes over the noodles and sprinkle with the dried basil. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. (I used a stainless steel skillet, so I stirred the lasagna a couple of times to keep the noodles from sticking).

When done, remove the pan from the burner. Carefully stir the mixture together, taste and add pepper to taste; more salt if needed. Lightly stir in half of the mozzarella and half of the Parmesan cheeses. Sprinkle the rest of the shredded cheeses over the top. Spoon the ricotta cheese in spoonfuls over the lasagna. Cover skillet with lid and let the cheese melt. I added some chopped fresh parsley also. Serve with some garlic bread and salad if desired. My husband and daughter loved it-it got 2 thumbs up, so I'll be making it again often. Let me know if you give this a try!

Texas Oven-Roasted Brisket (from Paula Deen)

2011-02-01T21:15:00.008-06:00

Beef. It was for dinner tonight. This is the second time I've made this juicy, brisket. The spicy rub gives this brisket great flavor without being overpowering. Sliced thinly, this delicious meat was easily cut with a fork. Oven time is about 4 hours. The oven heat felt really good today with this massive snow storm blowing through. I hope you all in the storms path can stay warm! My daughter's car was pretty well buried by the middle of this afternoon, and it just kept on snowing. We have about 20 inches of snow, the most we've had in very many years. Thankfully we did not get much ice. Needless to say, my husband and daughter did not make it to work, nor will they tomorrow. Everything was pretty much shut down today around these parts (southwest Missouri). I know many of you are getting this storm now, so stay warm!

But, back to this delicious brisket. I cooked a 4 pound brisket. If you haven't cooked one before, please note that brisket needs a layer of fat on one side to keep it moist. The fat can be trimmed to about 1/4 inch thick, and it will retain it's juices. If all the fat is trimmed off, you will have a dry piece of beef. So the combination of fat and liquid keeps this roast juicy and tender. I hope you'll give it a try.

TEXAS OVEN-ROASTED BRISKET

adapted slightly from Paula Deen

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon light brown sugar

2 teaspoons dry mustard

1 bay leaf

4 pounds beef brisket, trimmed but at least 1/2 inch of fat left

1 1/2 cups low sodium beef broth

1 onion, sliced thinly

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Make the dry rub with the chili powder, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, sugar, and mustard. Season the brisket on both sides with the rub. I only used about half of the rub, maybe a tad more. Place brisket, fat side up, in a roasting pan and roast, uncovered, for one hour.

Remove brisket from oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees. Add beef stock to pan and enough water to yield enough liquid to come up the sides of the beef at least 1/2 inch. Add the bay leaf and sliced onion to the broth. Cover pan tightly and continue baking about 3 hours, or until the brisket is fork-tender. Larger briskets will take longer to reach the tender stage.

Remove the brisket to a cutting board, tent with foil and let rest for at least 10 minutes or longer.

Trim the fat from the brisket, and slice the meat thinly across the grain. Top with the juices from the pan. Enjoy!

NOTE: Leftover brisket will freeze just fine. Be sure to add some of the cooking juices to the containers before freezing. This brisket also makes fantastic sandwiches and the pan juices are perfect for dipping that sandwich roll into.

Western Omelet For One (with a side of fried potatoes!)

2011-01-27T22:14:00.008-06:00

I was by myself this evening so I decided to make an omelet and some fried potatoes for my dinner. I like a Western Omelet, which usually contains ham, bell peppers and onion and maybe some cheese. Well, I had no ham, so bacon took it's place very nicely. From what I've read, this omelet may also be called a Denver Omelet, or a Southwestern Omelet. Which ever name you call it, it is really delicious and so easy to make. The veggies can be sauteed until they are soft, or you can add them to the egg uncooked, which is what I did this time. Either way it's good.

Pour the eggs in the skillet, top with the veggies and cheese. Add the bacon and fold over. Add more cheese if desired. And I love it served with salsa. Here's what I did.

WESTERN OMELET FOR ONE

from Lynda's Recipe Box

2 large eggs, well beaten
about 1/2 tablespoon half and half, or milk

about 1 tablespoon or so of diced bell pepper

1 small green onion, sliced

2 strips of bacon, cooked crisp (or diced, cooked ham)

Monterrey Jack Cheese, shredded (or cheddar)

salt and pepper to taste

Beat the eggs and half and half, or milk, together and pour into a nonstick skillet over medium to medium-low heat. Stir in the onion, bell pepper and bacon (or ham); add salt and pepper. Loosen the edges of the omelet and tilt the skillet, letting the uncooked egg run to the sides. Add the bacon and the shredded cheese and fold the omelet in half when the eggs are still a bit wet looking. Take the skillet off the burner, add more cheese to the top on the omelet if desired. Place a lid over the pan to let the eggs finish setting and the cheese melt. Slide your delicious omelet onto a plate, add salsa and devour. This is my favorite way to make an omelet. How do you like yours?

NOTE: For the fried potatoes, I partially cooked 3 small Yukon Gold potatoes in the microwave. Then I sliced them thin and cooked in a little butter in a small skillet. Seasoned with only salt and pepper, they were golden, crisp and delicious.

Chicken Fried Steak with Creamy Gravy

2011-01-25T21:46:00.012-06:00

I'm still on my comfort food kick, so Chicken Fried Steak was on my menu last week. This meal was one of my favorite dishes that my Mother made when I was a kid, and I still love it. I don't make it much any more, but I still love this crispy, breaded steak served with mashed potatoes and lots of creamy gravy. Mmmmm, it doesn't get much better than this, if you are craving comfort food. Mom also made steak by dipping it in just flour only and then frying it, which is also tasty. But real Chicken Fried Steak has a nice crispy coating from dipping it in flour, then a milk mixture and the flour again. I don't usually use a recipe for this meal, but I've written out directions for those of you who maybe haven't tried making this before. You can use round steak and tenderize it yourself, or you can buy individual steaks that have already been tenderized at the store. Here's my method.

CHICKEN FRIED STEAK with CREAMY GRAVY

from Lynda's Recipe Box

1 1/2 pounds bottom round steak, cut into serving pieces and pounded about 1/2 inch thick with a meat mallet

about 1 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 - 1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder, optional

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup milk

canola oil for frying

1. Pound steaks with a meat tenderizer until thin, about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.

2. Season steak with salt and pepper.

3. Place flour, salt, pepper, garlic and paprika in a plate and mix. Pour beaten egg and milk in another bowl that is wide enough to dip the meat into.

4. Heat a skillet, and about 1/2 cup canola oil, to medium or medium high heat

5. With a fork, or your hand, dip each steak into flour mixture, and then shake off the excess.

6. Then dip steak into the egg/milk mixture and then back into the flour. Lay on a clean plate.

7. Place each steak into a frying pan in the hot oil. Do not crowd the steak. Fry 2-3 minutes until golden and then turn the steaks over and cook until golden, another 2-3 minutes.

8. Remove steaks to a paper towel lined plate to drain. While making the gravy, I place the steaks in the oven, which is heated to the lowest heat setting. Place the steaks on a wire rack on a baking sheet, just to stay warm and crispy while making the gravy.

GRAVY: Drain all but about 3 tablespoons of oil from the skillet. Leave all the brown crispy stuff in the skillet. Add 3 tablespoons of flour to the oil and stir until combined and creamy. Cook this roux until it is lightly golden, a couple of minutes. Turn heat down, if needed. If the roux looks oily, add a bit more flour. Stir in 2 cups of milk, whisking until it bubbles and there are no lumps. Cook gravy until thick and creamy. Add salt and pepper to taste. If needed add more milk. I ended up using about 2 1/2 cups of milk total, but it depends on how thick you like your gravy. Now ladle gravy over hot mashed potatoes and Chicken Fried Steak. At this point I like to add more black pepper. I like this gravy well peppered, but go by your own tastes for this. Groan and enjoy!

NOTE: Start the mashed potatoes first, so they can cook while you make the steak and gravy.

Also, in these photos, the steak appears a bit darker than it really was.

Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Bars Warning: May be Habit Forming!

2011-01-19T10:43:00.009-06:00

Luscious. Awesome. Addictive. Words are not enough to explain these delicious Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Bars. The graham cracker crust is loaded with butter and cinnamon and baked until golden. The sweet creamy filling is silky smooth; rich, but not too rich to want more than one piece. The topping, oh the topping-pure Dulce de Leche thinned with cream and spread over the bars. The crowning glory. Major addiction going on here!

This is my first time using Dulce de Leche in a recipe because it is hard to find here, so I made my own. It is very thick, but velvety to the tongue. It made me want more and more. I may have eaten some from the can!

Dulce de Leche is a Latin American form of caramel, glorious caramel. I have seen it in several forms (on the web, not in my town). It can be found in the Hispanic section of many grocery stores, or in Hispanic markets. Here are some links for recipes to make your own dulce de leche. I made mine in the crock pot. To do this, remove the paper from cans of sweetened condensed milk, and lay them down in the crock pot. Add water to cover the cans to about an inch over the cans. Turn the crock pot on low setting and cook for 8 hours. You will have deliciously thick Dulce de Leche! Carefully remove cans from the crock pot and let them cool completely before trying to open. Here's a stove top recipe from Recipe Girl and various recipes from another source.

Here's the recipe I used for these bars. You must try these! DULCE de LECHE CHEESECAKE BARS

from bonappetit

Crust:

2 1/4 cups finely crushed graham crackers

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

10 tablespoons unsalted, melted butter

Filling:

3 (8 ounce) packages of cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1/2 cup dulce de leche

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Glaze:

2/3 cup dulce de leche

3 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream- I used 4 tablespoons of half and half

Fleur de sel to sprinkle on top- (I did not use this; not found in my town)

PREPARATION:

Crust:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom of a 9x13 inch metal baking dish. Mix graham crackers crumbs, butter, sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Pour crumb mixture into the baking pan and press evenly onto the bottom of the pan. Bake for about 10 minutes, until crust is golden. Cool completely on a rack.

Filling:

Blend cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy with a mixer or food processor. Add eggs, one at a time, blending well between additions. Add dulce de leche and vanilla and blend well. Spread the batter evenly over the cooled crust. Bake until the center is set and the edges are puffed and slightly cracked. The middle should not jiggle when you shake the pan. Bake about 38 minutes. Mine were done in 32 minutes, so start checking your pan at about 30 minutes to be safe. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Glaze:

Heat duce de leche and 3 tablespoons cream in a microwave safe bowl. Heat at about 10 second intervals until melted. Stir well, and add more cream if needed. I used half and half, because I was out of cream and it worked perfect. I needed 1 more T. cream than called for. The amount of cream you need will depend on the brand of dulce de leche you use. Pour glaze over the cooled cheesecake and spread evenly. Refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour. Cut into bars and enjoy!

NOTE: Bars can be made up to 2 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled.

Homemade French Bread

2011-01-16T21:50:00.008-06:00

Don't you just love the aroma of homemade bread bread baking in the oven? Last week when the weather was cold and snowy, I had the urge to bake this French Bread to go with a big pot of soup. It's been quite awhile since I have made this, but this tasty bread is one of my family's favorites. Chewy and deliciously crusty on the outside, and soft, but yet dense on the inside, this bread is perfect with soups and stews or used to make garlic toast. I've been working on this post for several days and happy to finally have it posted as Blogger has been giving me fits. But we've been savoring our French Bread. If you like to bake your own bread, I think you will enjoy this one. Let me show you how.

After the dough is all stirred up it will be rather sticky looking, but will smooth out as it is kneaded. I like kneading the dough; I find it very therapeutic!

After a few minutes of kneading it should be a nice smooth, elastic ball. Then it needs to rise.

Isn't it pretty? It will double in size in about an hour.

After it has risen you "punch it down", which deflates the air out of the dough. Then It has to rise a second time, only about 30 minutes this time around. Deflate it again and divide the dough into three equal pieces.

Each piece of dough is rolled out a bit and then rolled up into individual loaves, and placed on baking sheets that have been greased and dusted with corn meal.

Cover each loaf with a kitchen towel and let rise until doubles again. This is the last rising. Preheat your oven at this time.

When the dough has doubled, take a sharp knife and gently score each loaf of bread. don't cut too deeply. Then brush each loaf with beaten egg white. Bake in the oven till golden and you will have some fantastic looking bread! Try not to cut it right away and let it cool-yea, right! When my kids were all home everyone was standing around like vultures waiting for a hot slice to slather with butter. The first loaf was gone in a matter of minutes! It's a good thing this recipe makes 3 loaves. Or sometimes I make two larger loaves. Here's the recipe.

CRUSTY FRENCH BREAD

from a Family Circle cookbook

1 envelope active dry yeast

2 cups very warm water

6 cups sifted all purpose flour-you may not use all of it

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 teaspoons salt-Recipe calls for 3 tea.

2 tablespoons shortening-I sometimes use olive oil

cornmeal for dusting the pans

1 egg white

1 tablespoon cold water

1. Pour the very warm water in a large bowl. (The water should feel comfortably warm when dropped on your wrist). Sprinkle the yeast into the water. Stir until the yeast dissolves.

2. Stir in 3 cups of the flour, the sugar, shortening and salt; beat until smooth. Slowly beat in enough of the remaining 3 cups of flour to make a stiff dough. It will still be somewhat sticky in appearance.

3. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface; knead for about 5 minutes. I find this rather therapeutic! Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, using only as much of the remaining flour to keep dough from sticking. Like I said, you may not end up using all the flour.

4. Place the dough in a large greased bowl and turn to coat all over with the shortening. Or, brush very lightly with oil. Cover with a clean towel and place in a warm place to rise. It should double in 45-60 minutes.

5. When dough has doubled, punch it down (deflate it), and cover and let it rise a second time, until doubled in size. This will take around 30 minutes.

6. Punch down the dough again and knead 1 minute on a lightly floured surface. cut the dough into 3 equal pieces. Roll each piece into about a 12x9 inch rectangle. Roll up jelly roll fashion and pinch the seam together. Tuck the ends underneath. Grease baking sheet and sprinkle with cornmeal.

7. Place the bread on the prepared baking sheets: cover and let rise until doubles again, about 30 minutes.

8. Make several evenly placed diagonal cuts on top of each loaf. Beat together the egg white and the 1 tablespoon of cold water: brush over each loaf of bread gently with a pastry brush.

9. Place a pan of hot water on bottom shelf of the oven. Place baking sheet with loaves on shelf above the water.

10. Bake in a hot 400 degree oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Remove from baking pans and cool on wire racks. Enjoy!

NOTE: If your baking sheet is very large you may be able to bake all three loaves on 1 sheet. But you don't want the loaves too close together. Since I made one round loaf, I baked it on a second baking pan.
Another NOTE: I usually freeze 1 or 2 loaves of this bread. Double wrap it in plastic wrap and then in foil or a heavy freezer bag. It will keep for a couple of weeks, maybe more.

Ham and Pinto Beans

2011-01-05T10:30:00.011-06:00

Comfort food. That's what comes to mind when I think of my Mother's Ham and Pinto Beans. I guess I was a strange kid, but I loved Ham and Beans and everything else Mom made, even Liver and Onions (gasp). Mom almost always fried potatoes to go with the beans, along with some biscuits or corn bread. It was a feast to me!
I still love a meal like this, so for New Years my husband I had Ham and Beans, accompanied by the Cheese and Jalapeno Corn Bread of my last post. This was great meal and it's not hard to do.
If you have not cooked dried pinto beans before, you have to soak them in water overnight, or give them a quick soak the day of cooking. The beans cooked in less than 2 hours. However, if you live in a high altitude, it will take longer for dried beans to get done. My mother used a pressure cooker for beans when we lived in Colorado, as they cooked much quicker. I used 1 pound of dried Pinto Beans this time and that made 2 meals for my husband and I. When my kids were still all home, I cooked 2 pounds of beans.
I saved the ham bone from our Christmas dinner to use in our beans. It still had a good amount of meat on it, so that made for some really tasty beans. When cooking a ham bone with beans, I don't add salt until after the beans are done, because the ham bone will add some salt flavor as it cooks. So it's better to add salt after the beans are done. I remove the bone from the pot and separate the meat from the bone and add it back to the soup. Then I season it. Here's my method.
HAM and PINTO BEANS

1. You must go through the beans by hand first. To do this, pour a small amount of beans on your counter and go through them looking for any tiny pebbles, dirt or bad beans. Throw those away and scoop the good beans into a colander. Rinse beans with water. Pour beans into a soup pot, and pour water over them to cover a couple of inches. Place lid on pot and let soak overnight.

2. When ready to cook, drain off all the water from the beans. Place the ham bone in the soup pot. Pour the drained beans into the pot. Then refill the pan with enough water to cover the beans at least an inch. At this time, add a small chopped onion. Bring soup to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer, covered until beans are tender. Check the beans fairly often as they really can use up the water, so you may need to add more water during cooking. So make sure the pan does not get dry and cause the beans to burn. Burned beans do not taste good! (I learned this from experience too!) Beans are done when you can easily smash them with a fork, or taste them to check tenderness. In my altitude, the beans are done in less than 2 hours.

3. Carefully remove the ham bone from the soup. When cool enough to handle, remove the ham from the bone and take off any fat that may be still attached. Add the ham pieces back to the soup. I then taste them to see how much salt and pepper to add.

4. As you can see, this is a very basic method. If you like beans with a kick, add some seeded hot peppers while cooking. My Mother sometime added a dried Bay leaf to the pot. It just depends on what you like. My husband and I love to eat our Ham and Pinto Beans with a spoonful of spicy salsa added. Delicious! If you haven't cooked dried beans before, I hope you'll give these a try. They are not only tasty, but healthy as well. Enjoy!

NOTE: IF the beans are almost done and there happens to be more liquid than you want in the pot, just remove the lid and let the broth cook down some.

Cheese and Jalapeno Corn Bread

2011-01-03T21:32:00.007-06:00

My first meal of the New Year happened to be Ham and Beans, so I made my Cheese and Jalapeno Corn Bread to go with it. This particular recipe, which I've been making about 30 years, came from one of my old church cookbooks. This moist, cheesy, spicy corn bread is a favorite of ours and it has always been a hit served with beans, chili and soups. And it makes a great snack too. I hope you'll give it a try.

CHEESE and JALAPENO CORN BREAD

1 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

1 heaping tablespoon flour

2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup buttermilk- or sour milk; see note 2 below

1/2 cup vegetable oil-I use canola

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup canned, cream style corn

3-6 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely diced- I only use 2-3 peppers, depending on the size

1/2 of a large green bell pepper, diced

4-5 green onions,white and green parts, chopped

1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, mix the corn meal, flour, salt and soda. Add the buttermilk, oil, eggs and corn and mix. Stir in the jalapenos, green pepper, onions and cheese. ( The original recipe says to pour half of corn meal mixture into pan, then the cheese, then the rest of batter. I just mix it all together.)

Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan and place in the hot oven until heated, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from oven and pour in the batter. Place back in the oven and bake for about 35 minutes until done. Cool for a couple of minutes before serving. Enjoy!

NOTE: Please wear gloves when working with jalapeno peppers. With a knife, split the pepper in half length wise. Using your knife, scrape out the seeds and membrane of the peppers. Not wearing gloves can cause intense burning of your skin. I speak from experience here, unfortunately. Sigh~
NOTE 2 : To Sour Milk: You can sub sour milk for the butter milk. Put 1 tablespoon white vinegar, or apple cider vinegar, into a measuring cup. Fill up to the 1 cup line with milk. Let it sit a minute or so. Then use it in the recipe like buttermilk.

My Top Posts of 2010!

2011-01-01T10:27:00.006-06:00

I have enjoyed reading other blogs top ten posts for the year, so here are mine.
Number 10: Peanut Butter Fudge

Number 9: Steakhouse Potato Salad

Number 8: Apple Cake with Caramel Sauce

Number 7: Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Filling

Number 6: Corn, Black Bean and Tomato Salsa

Number 5: Chicken Enchiladas with Sour Cream Sauce

Number 4: Barbecued Buffalo Chicken Wings

Number 3: Shredded Beef Enchiladas

Number 2: Crock Pot Pulled Pork

And Number 1: Classic Green Beans Almondine! I wasn't surprised as these green beans were also last years most popular post.

Thank you to all of you wonderful readers and followers. I truly enjoy everyone stopping by my blog and taking time out of your very busy lives to read my blog be my blogging buddies. God bless you this New Year!

New Years Appetizers!

2010-12-31T14:19:00.009-06:00

Need another appetizer for this New Years Eve, or tomorrow's football game? Try these spicy
Buffalo Chicken Wings. They've been one of the most popular posts on my blog in 2010. You can cook them on a grill, or in the oven if you happen to be snowed in!

My all time favorite Cheese Ball is a winner. My daughter always requests this during the holidays. If you don't want to roll it in pecans, try chopped parsley.

These Baked Barbecue Meatballs are delicious. They are baked in a homemade sauce-bet you can't eat just one!

My Corn and Black Bean Salsa is also one of my most popular posts. Full of corn and beans of course, but also tomatoes, onion, peppers, cilantro, avocado and lime. This salsa is addictive!

If you need more ideas, please click here for other appetizers.

Happy New Year my friends! May each of you have a wonderful year.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T22:40:00.002-06:00

Merry Christmas, my friends, from our home to yours. Or rather, from our son's home where our granddaughter, is enjoying the boxes and paper as much as the gifts themselves. She was operating solely on adrenaline when we left; too excited to eat, or take a nap.
I hope each of you has had a blessed day!

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake from Paula Deen

2010-12-20T10:36:00.006-06:00

Do you still need to come up with a dessert idea for Christmas, or like me, a pot luck dinner? We had our annual Christmas pot luck at our church on Sunday and I wanted to whip up something different, so I gave this Paula Deen recipe a try. I've got to tell you I almost backed out of making this when I saw the ingredient list, but decided it was a Christmas dinner after all! Who counts calories at Christmas? This gooey, decadent dessert was a great hit at the dessert table, with hardly a piece left!

I loved the gooey texture and creamy pumpkin flavor. It is really rich though, so rich that my kids didn't really enjoy it. So, I may not make this for my family again, however, the recipe will be in my file for future pot lucks! It is easy to assemble, tastes great and the gooey factor makes it rather decadent, especially when topped with homemade whipped cream!

The recipe has a very high 5 star rating on Paula' site. My photos don't do it justice, but when in a hurry to get to the dinner, this was the best I had time to do. I topped this Pumpkin Gooey butter Cake with whipped cream and dusted it with ground cinnamon. Let me know if you give this recipe a try. Now here's what you do:

PUMPKIN GOOEY BUTTER CAKE - from Paula Deen

Ingredients

Cake layer:

1 18 1/4 ounce package yellow layer cake mix

1 egg

8 tablespoons melted butter

Filling:

1 15 ounce can pumpkin

1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened at room temperature

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

8 tablespoons melted butter

1 16 ounce box powdered sugar (yup, you read that right)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg- I only used 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, the egg, and 8 tablespoons of melted butter. Mix thoroughly and pat into a greased 9x13 inch baking pan.

To prepare the filling, beat cream cheese and pumpkin together in a large bowl.

Add eggs, vanilla and butter and combine well. Now add the powdered sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg and mix well.

Spread filling over the cake mixture. Bake for 40-50 minutes. Make sure not to over bake as the center should be a bit gooey. Over baking will also make the bottom layer too dry. Serve with whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon if desired. Enjoy!

M & M Cookies

2010-12-17T09:33:00.008-06:00

These M & M Cookies are almost a guaranteed favorite with kids of all ages. I made some of these cookies, and some Snickerdoodles, a week ago for our church Christmas program and they were a hit. I used the Christmas red and green colored M & M's so the cookies would be festive. I always keep a good handful of the candies out of the mix, and then poke them onto the cookies before they are popped into the oven. This insures that there will candies on the top. This recipe came out of an old church cookbook of mine, like some other of my favorite recipes. M & M cookies were always one of our kids favorite cookies, any time of year. I have other cookie recipes here. I hope you'll give them a try as they are crispy around the edges, but soft and chewy in the center. That's a winner!
Sorry for my blogging absence for the last couple of weeks. My husband and I went on a short trip to Branson, Missouri, and I've had trouble getting back into the swing of cooking regularly, with the trip and the lull after Thanksgiving. But I'm back now, just in time for Christmas. Only one week left! Are you all ready?

M & M COOKIES ( called Party Cookies in my cookbook)

1 cup butter- softened to room temperature

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 eggs

2 1/4 cup sifted all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups (3/4 pound) plain M & M candies- I use the whole bag

In a large bowl, mix the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar together. Beat in the vanilla and the eggs. In another bowl, add the dry ingredients and mix together. Add the dry ingredients to the butter-sugar mixture, about 1/3 at a time. Blend well after each addition. Stir in about half of the candies. Drop rounded tablespoons full of dough on ungreased cookie sheet. Place several candies on each round of cookie dough. Doing this makes sure that each cookie will have M & M's on top. (But you can just dump all the candies in the cookie batter if you prefer).

Bake cookies in a preheated 375 degree oven for 8-10 minutes. Remove from cookie sheets and cool on racks. Enjoy!

What to do with those Thanksgiving turkey leftovers!

2010-11-26T19:46:00.007-06:00

Got Turkey? Make a delicious Pot Pie. You can't go wrong with this classic dish.

Or how about Turkey Tetrazzini? This casserole is great with leftover turkey, or even chicken.

Use turkey, instead of chicken, in these yummy Enchiladas with Sour Cream Sauce.

These are just a few ideas to use up your Thanksgiving bird. Have a wonderful weekend my friends!

Southern Fried Apples

2010-11-21T21:36:00.007-06:00

I have great memories of my Grandmother cooking Fried Apples many times when we went to visit her. The kitchen was filled with such a wonderful cinnamony apple aroma that would waft through the kitchen into the rest of the house. They are so quick and simple to make and are delicious with pork and poultry. Apples, cooked in butter, sugar and cinnamon-what could be better? My Grandmother occasionally served Fried Apples for Thanksgiving, and they are also delicious served for breakfast. Make a large batch though, as they are very addictive, and won't last long. My favorite apple to use are Granny Smiths, or other tart apples. This time I used Gala apples, which are a bit sweeter, so I squeezed a bit of fresh lemon over the apples as they cooked. I normally peel the apples before cooking, but was in a hurry and didn't this time. I actually prefer them peeled as the apple skins can be a bit tough after cooking. Granulated sugar or brown sugar can be used and cinnamon is a must. I cooked these for my husband and I for dinner the other night. I should have doubled the amount as my husband devoured them and I had to fight for a portion! So make plenty!

SOUTHERN FRIED APPLES

from Lynda's Recipe Box

I don't usually follow a recipe, but wrote one down this time so I could share. The amount of sugar used will depend on the type of apples used.

1 pound apples (preferably tart), peeled and cored and cut into slices

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons granulated or light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, if desired

In a skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. When butter is bubbly, add the sliced apples into the pan and stir until they are coated with butter. Let them cook a couple of minutes, stirring gently and then add the sugar and cinnamon which has been mixed together. Cover pan with a lid and cook for about 5 minutes. Check apples as they cook rather quickly this way. When the apples are tender, uncover and cook until the juices are thick and bubbly. If there isn't as much syrup as you would like, you may add 1 tablespoon of water to the skillet after you remove the lid, and continue cooking until thickened. Don't stir too much at this point or the apples will fall apart. Total cooking time will depend on the amount of apples you are cooking. These were done in 10 minutes, but a large pan full will take a bit longer. Remove apples to a serving dish. Enjoy!

I think they are best after they cool down a few minutes, and I even love them at room temperature.

Chicken Fried Chicken Breasts with Cream Gravy

2010-11-09T15:22:00.009-06:00

Sometimes I get really strong cravings for certain foods, especially comfort foods. Fried chicken would be one of the strongest. It was one of my favorite meals growing up, plus anytime I go to the grocery store, the deli is cooking it and the aroma calls to me. But it's not as good as homemade. I don't indulge often, and sometimes when it's just my husband and me, I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts. They are so handy, plus they cook quickly, making this a treat that I can even make during the week. Crisp on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside and topped with cream gravy and mashed potatoes on the side- that's good eating. Let me tell you, this meal satisfied my craving nicely -until the next time, that is. This is more of a method than a recipe, so measurements are approximate. I don't make this often, but this is one of my favorite comfort meals. Enjoy!

CHICKEN FRIED CHICKEN BREASTS with CREAM GRAVY

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/2 cup flour, seasoned with salt and pepper

1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon milk

4 tablespoons oil(could need more, depending on size of skillet-oil should cover the bottom of pan about 1/8 inch deep )

Place each chicken breast between plastic wrap(one at a time) and pound with the flat side of a meat tenderizer, or a rolling pin, to an even thickness. Should be about 1/4-1/2 inch thick. Place on a plate. Place seasoned flour in a shallow bow. Mix egg and milk in another shallow bowl. Season chicken lightly with salt and pepper. Take one piece of chicken and dredge in the flour, shaking excess off. Then it goes into the egg, again shaking off excess. Dredge it again in the flour and lay it on a plate. Repeat with other chicken.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When oil sizzles, place chicken pieces in oil and cook until golden and you can see the chicken turning white around the edges, 3-4 minutes. Turn chicken over and continue cooking, another 3 minutes or so. Remove chicken from skillet to another pan. Place in a 200 degree oven to keep warm while you make the gravy.

CREAM GRAVY

Remove all but about 1 tablespoon oil from the skillet, but leave in any brown, crispy pieces from the chicken. Add 1 1/2 tablespoon of flour to the oil and stir, letting the flour cook and brown a about 1 minute. Whisk in about 1 cup milk. Keep whisking as it begins to cook and thicken. The longer it cooks the thicker it will become, so you may need tot add more milk. Season with salt and plenty of pepper. I like lots of pepper in cream gravy. This makes about 1 cup of gravy, so you may need to double it if cooking for more than two or three people.

NOTE: If making mashed potatoes, start them first, before you start the chicken, because they will take longer to cook.

Butternut Squash Pie

2010-11-07T21:27:00.004-06:00

I love baking in the fall. I love the spicy aromas and I guess the comfort foods that I just can't resist. And pie is hard to resist, especially Butternut Squash pie. It tastes like pumpkin pie, in case you've never had it. The first time I ate this delicious pie, my Mother-in-law made it for Thanksgiving. Our boys were confirmed squash haters. They wouldn't eat squash of any kind. So, my MIL made this Butternut Squash Pie, but didn't tell the boys what it was. As they were chowing down, our older son, who was about 9 at the time, said, "this pumpkin pie is sure good Grandma". "Thank you", replied my MIL, with a gleam in her eye. After we were done with dessert, Grandma told the boys they had just eaten squash pie. The look on their faces was priceless!

This pie is a bit of work as I had to cook the squash first. I had 2 small butternut squash to use. To prepare the squash for baking, I first cut off the stem end. You will need a very sharp knife for this. Then the squash is split down the middle and the seeds and strings are scooped out of the squash and then baked on an oiled baking sheet in the oven until tender. Scoop out 1 3/4 cup of sweet, delicious orange flesh and you are ready to begin.

I pureed the squash in the blender, but you can use a food processor if you have one. Add the pie ingredients and pour into a prepared pie crust and bake. Let cool completely. Don't be tempted to cut the pie before it is cool. Top with some fresh whipped cream and you'll have a dessert that is hard to beat! Let me know if you try this pie. Here's how it's made.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH PIE

from Lynda's Recipe Box

Ingredients:

1- 9 inch pie crust- (I made a 9 inch deep dish crust.) or use a pre-made crust

1 3/4 cup of baked butternut squash

1 (12 ounce) can of milk

2 eggs

3/4 cup of granulated sugar

1 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

To prepare squash, Cut of the stem end of squash with a sturdy sharp knife. Cut the squash lengthwise in half, and scoop out the seeds and any strings around the seeds. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and place squash cut side down on the pan.Place in a 400 degree oven and bake until the squash are tender. The small one took about 40minutes, but larger ones will take longer. When done, remove from the oven and let cool. Scoop out the pulp of the squash, 1 3/4 cup for the pie.The squash can be baked 1 or 2 days before you make the pie.

Place the squash pulp in a blender or food processor. I used a blender, so I added the eggs and pulsed it together. I ended up having to add some of the milk to blend it well. After it is purred, add the remaining ingredients and blend just until incorporated. Pour pie mixture into a prepared pie crust. Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 15 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake until done, about another 30-40 minutes. Give the pie a shake and if the middle doesn't jiggle it is done. Or, you can test for doneness by sticking a knife in the middle of the pie. If it comes out clean it's done. There may be a few cracks on the surface. Let pie cool completely before cutting. Serve with whipped cream on the side and enjoy. Butternut Squash Pie is delicious! It's a perfect ending to a Thanksgiving meal, or any meal for that matter.

Hope you give it a try!

What's your favorite Thanksgiving dessert?

Roasted Sesame and Garlic Green Beans

2010-11-02T19:38:00.006-05:00

I have a new favorite green bean recipe now that is bursting with garlic and sesame flavor. I saw a recipe in a Cook's Illustrated magazine which was more involved than I wanted, so I just reduced and eliminated some of the ingredients and just used garlic and sesame for these yummy beans. The garlic is definitely assertive, but it does not over power the sesame seeds. The sesame flavor is very evident, which caused my husband to proclaim these beans as "awesome"! Make your taste buds happy and give these a try!

ROASTED SESAME and GARLIC GREEN BEANS

1 pound fresh green beans, stem ends snapped off
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon grated fresh garlic
1 teaspoon sesame seed oil
2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oven to 450 degrees and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spread beans on foil; drizzle the olive oil over the beans and toss well to distribute the oil. Sprinkle with coarse salt. Roast beans for 10 minutes.
Toast the sesame seeds in a pan for about 30 seconds until fragrant and slightly golden. Mix the sesame oil, red pepper flakes and garlic together. After the beans have roasted for 10 minutes in the oven, remove the pan from the oven. Using tongs, coat the beans with the sesame oil, garlic and red pepper mixture. Spread the beans out and place back in the oven for another 8-12 minutes. Green beans will appear shriveled and have golden brown spots when done. Remove from oven; adjust seasoning and toss with the toasted sesame seeds and serve. Enjoy!

Crockpot Applesauce

2010-10-20T22:21:00.006-05:00

Here I have another apple post, but I was given about 1/2 of a bushel of fresh from the tree apples so I need to use them. I've had this recipe for Crockpot Applesauce bookmarked since last fall when Barbara posted it. This was the perfect time to try this wonderful recipe. Homemade Applesauce is delicious, and I like mine with a bit of tartness to it. The apples given to me were Red Delicious, which are very sweet and I rarely buy them for that reason, but I added some tart Granny Smith apples to the mix, and the applesauce was amazing. If you haven't ever had homemade applesauce, you are missing a great treat. It is so much better tasting than store bought. Here's how it's made.

CROCKPOT APPLESAUCE
adapted from Barbara Bakes

10 Red Delicious apples

6 Granny Smith apples

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

juice of 1 lemon

1/3 cup water or apple juice

Peel and core the apples and cut into large slices. Place apples in crockpot and add the sugar, cinnamon, lemon and apple juice or water. Stir. Cook on low for about 8 hours, or on high for about 5 hours. Stir a couple of times during cooking. When done, you can mash the apples or puree them to the consistency that you like. I use a potato masher on my applesauce because we like it somewhat chunky. My crockpot apparently cooks faster than some, because my applesauce was done in 3 hours. So I mashed it, placed it in a bowl and let it cool, and put it in containers in the refrigerator. I love it served cold the best. The lemon juice adds a freshness to the apples. It is tart, yet lightly sweet, with the wonderful flavor of cinnamon. It's good!

NOTE: Taste the applesauce while it is hot. If it needs more sugar, it will easily be incorporated while the sauce is warm.

Delicious Apple Crisp

2010-10-17T21:31:00.008-05:00

I love autumn. I love the fresh, crisp air in the mornings, the leaves turning vibrant shades of red and yellow. And I love the foods of autumn, apples being one of my most favorite. Does anything smell better than apples and cinnamon baking in the oven? The aroma in our house as this Apple Crisp bakes is intoxicating! The mix of Granny Smith and Gala apples gives a tart, delicious flavor under the sweet cinnamony topping. I didn't add nuts to the topping this time as my daughter's boyfriend is allergic to nuts. I don't want to make the boyfriend sick! I posted this recipe when I first started my blog almost 2 years ago, and it definitely needed a better picture. This recipe fills a 9x13 inch pan, making it a good size for family gatherings and pot luck dinners. It has graced our Thanksgiving table some years also. I hope you enjoy!

APPLE CRISP

from Lynda's Recipe Box

Topping ingredients:

3/4 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup old fashioned oats

1 cup light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

10 tablespoons cold butter

3/4 cup chopped nuts-almonds, pecans or walnuts, optional

In a large bowl, mix the flour, oats, cinnamon and brown sugar together. Cut the cold butter into pieces and work into the flour mixture with a pastry blender until crumbly. Stir in the nuts, if using. Store in the refrigerator until apples are ready.

Apple mixture:

9 cups of peeled, sliced apples-I used Granny Smith and Gala mixed together(use whatever baking apples you have at your location)

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg- optional

Peel and core apples. Slice apples into a large bowl and toss with the lemon juice. Add the sugar and spices and stir; pour apples into a 9x13 inch baking pan. Sprinkle the topping mixture evenly over the apples. Place pan in a preheated 375 degree oven and bake the crisp for 35-40 minutes, until apples are bubbly and the topping is golden. Remove Apple Crisp from oven to a cooling rack. Cool somewhat before serving. It smells so good that it is hard to wait before taking that first bite! Serve it alone, or with ice cream or whipped cream. Enjoy every bite!

Panko Crusted Chicken with Mustard Maple Pan Sauce

2010-10-12T22:05:00.006-05:00

I love finding tasty recipes to use for boneless-skinless chicken breasts. They are so quick and easy to use for weeknight dinners. This recipe for Panko Crusted Chicken is absolutely delicious with it's tangy Maple Sauce. The Panko is so crusty on this chicken and it does not get the least bit soggy like other breaded chicken. The Maple Pan Sauce is so good, I'd call it a restaurant quality dish. There was so much fabulous flavor from the mustard and the maple syrup that I licked my plate clean! Trust me, you won't want to wast a drop of this sauce. I am going to make it again tomorrow and it's going on my regular recipe rotation. I served it with oven-roasted potatoes, but it would be equally good with garlic mashed potatoes, or even a rice dish. Please try it, you won't be sorry!

Panko Crusted Chicken with Maple Pan Sauce
adapted from bon appetite
Ingredients
4 small chicken breasts, (or 2 large breasts cut in half)
1 large egg
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
1 cup panko crumbs- Japanese breadcrumbs
2-3 tablespoons oil-I used canola and olive oil - recipe calls for olive oil
salt and pepper

Sauce Ingredients:
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons coarse grained mustard
3 tablespoons real maple syrup
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Preparation:
Using a meat mallet or rolling pin, pound the chicken breasts in a resealable bag, or between 2pieces of plastic wrap. Mix egg, parsley and 1 tablespoon Dijon in a shallow bowl. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Dip each chicken breast in the egg mixture, and turn to coat. Then dip each piece in the panko crumbs and turn to coat well, pressing crumbs on the chicken. .
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken; cook until brown and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.
Meanwhile, whisk broth, syrup, coarse-grained mustard together in measuring cup.
Transfer chicken to plates. Add broth mixture to the skillet; boil until reduced to about 3/4 cup, stirring occasionally. Stir in the butter. Spoon sauce along side the chicken. Enjoy!

NOTE: I reduced the sauce a bit more the second time I made it so it would be more syrupy, but it tastes amazing either way you do it. I have reduced the mustard slightly in this recipe, so check out the link to see the original recipe.

Tuscan Minestrone Soup

2010-10-04T21:25:00.007-05:00

The first chill of Fall air blew in finally last week, which overjoyed me, so I made one of my favorite easy soups. This yummy soup is full of healthy veggies and it's very simple to throw together. It uses canned chicken broth and tomatoes, which is a wonderful time saver. After all the vegetables are chopped, the soup only takes about 20 minutes to cook. My husband and I love this stuff, although he prefers some chicken added to it. Either way, this body warming soup is delicious,especially with some crusty bread. This recipe is based on one by Bob Greene, author of The Best Life Diet. Give it a try for a quick, delicious and healthy bowl of soup.

TUSCAN MINESTRONE SOUP
adapted from the book The Best Life Diet

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small-medium zucchini, diced

1 small-medium yellow summer squash, diced

1 large carrot, finely diced-about 3/4 cup

1 small onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups canned, low sodium, low fat chicken broth

1 (15 ounce) can of diced tomatoes-I used canned fire-roasted tomatoes

1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans- I have a hard time finding these in my town, so I sub with Great Northern Beans when I have to.

1/2 cup pasta, elbow or small shells

fresh thyme sprigs, if available

1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs, or use fresh herbs that you have available

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced

Heat the oil in a dutch oven over medium heat. Add the carrot, onion, zucchini, and yellow squash to the pan and cook, stirring until the veggies begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour the chicken broth and tomatoes into the pan, and bring to a boil. Add the beans, pasta and thyme and simmer until the pasta is done, about 10 minutes. Remove the thyme sprigs and season soup with salt and pepper. Stir in the fresh basil. Top each serving with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy! Makes about 6 servings.

NOTE: I use whatever herbs I have available, oregano, basil and thyme. My thyme plant died in the heat this summer, so I used 1/2 teaspoon dried in this recipe. I also used 1 tablespoon fresh oregano in place of the teaspoon of dried herbs. Also, sometimes I have to use more chicken broth, depending on the size of squash used. Original recipe calls for medium sized squash.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

2010-09-24T22:42:00.005-05:00

Oh my, I didn't mean to take such a long blogging break and not tell you that I'd be gone. I've been to a ladies retreat at Lake of the Ozarks for a few days where I didn't have to cook, or do dishes or clean anything. So when I returned home, I really didn't want to cook, wash dishes or clean anything. It was too nice having those things done for me! I have tried a couple of new recipes, but did not care for them, so I didn't want to blog about food I did not like. But now I have a real tasty dessert for you.

I have never made a Pineapple Upside Down Cake before, but I had purchased a fresh pineapple on sale several days ago and thought I'd use some of it in this cake. It was so good! The sweet, gooey brown sugar and butter topping along with the pineapple and pecans really make this classic cake. I placed the pineapple slices tightly together when arranging the topping, but the fruit shrinks some as it bakes, so next time I'll squeeze the pineapple in closer. I don't care for Maraschino Cherries, which are typically used in this cake, so I used pecan halves instead. The cherries are prettier, but the pecans taste better to me. I found this recipe at Joy of Baking, and she gives some interesting information about this classic recipe. I did not follow her directions for cooking the topping longer, because the topping will be cooking in the oven for so long. It turned out perfect with the shorter cooking time. The cake is sturdy, but has a fine texture and of course the topping is so gooey and delicious. It was even better on the second day. I used fresh pineapple, but canned may be substituted, if desired. Hope you give it a try!

PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE
adapted from Joy of Baking

Preheat the oven to350 degrees F and place oven rack in the center of the oven. Spray a 9 inch round baking pan with cooking spray.

TOPPING:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1medium pineapple, peeled, quartered and sliced( or canned pineapple slices)
Maraschino cherries or pecans

Place the butter and brown sugar in a sauce pan and heat until hot and bubbly. Pour sauce into the prepared 9 inch round pan. Arrange the pineapple and pecans in the pan. Prepare the cake batter.

BATTER:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup ( 8 tablespoons, or 113 grams), unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
2 large eggs, separated
1/2 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter

In a large bowl, beat the egg whites and the cream of tarter until the whites will hold a stiff peak. In another bowl, beat the sugar and butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and egg yolks and beat well. Add the flour mixture in (3 additions), alternately with the milk (in two additions), ending with dry ingredients, scrapping down the sides as you mix. Gently fold half of the beaten egg whites into the flour mixture. Fold in the remaining egg whites, and pour the batter into the cake pan over the topping mixture. Gently smooth the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Place on a wire rack to cool about 5 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pan and carefully invert the cake onto a serving plate. Cool completely. Enjoy!

Peach Galette

2010-09-09T22:17:00.007-05:00

I love fruit pies, but I don't like making them. Don't get me wrong, I do occasionally make a pie, but they can be rather time consuming, and I'm an impatient cook. But I love buttery, flaky crust and fresh, in season fruit together. This past week I purchased some humongous, juicy, Missouri peaches at the farmer's market, and knew I'd have to make a pie. They aren't the first peaches we've had, but the others have ended up sliced over ice cream, or just eaten out of hand. I wanted pie this time, but maybe a galette instead. A galette is less intensive to make since you only need the bottom crust. It is also known as a crostata, or a rustic fruit tart. There's even the option of using refrigerated pie crust from the store. But I wanted to make my own crust for these amazing, juicy peaches. And the peaches were so juicy that the crust on my galette leaked, a lot. Even then, there was still plenty of juice left in the pie. Actually, I've made two of these this week; one was peach and blueberry. Both were fantastic and my husband is practically begging for another. Hmmm, I think apple will be next!

Roll out the crust to about 13 inches in diameter. Top with sliced peaches that have been sweetened. Keep them in the center with about 3 inches of an edge all the way around.

Fold over the edges and just kind of pleat the crust and pinch the pleats together. Sprinkle with a little sugar if desired. Bake until the crust is golden. Let it cool! There is so much juice that you'll lose a lot if you cut it too soon. Here's the recipe.

PEACH GALETTE

from Lynda's Recipe Box

CRUST:

1 1/4 cup flour

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted, cold butter, cut into smaller cubes

1/4 teaspoon salt

4-6 tablespoons ice cold water

In a bowl mix the flour and salt together. Add the cold butter and cut into the flour with a pastry blender. If the butter gets warm, chill the flour mixture before adding the water. Add 4 tablespoons of ice water and quickly work into the crust to bring it together into a ball. Add more water if needed. Don't overwork the crust. Place crust on plastic wrap and flatten it into a round disk.Wrap tightly and place in the refrigerator for at least an hour. When ready to form the crust, take it out and let it set on the counter for about 20 minutes. Flour a work area and roll crust into a 13 inch circle. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Transfer the crust to top the parchment paper.

PEACH FILLING:

2/12 - 3 cups of fresh peaches, peeled and sliced- or other fruit or berries

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons cornstarch

Mix the cornstarch, cinnamon and sugar together in a bowl. In another bowl slice the peeled
peaches into large slices. Sprinkle the peaches with the sugar mixture and mix together. Spoon the peaches onto the center of the rolled out crust. Fold the crust over the fruit and pleat it together. You can sprinkle sugar on the crust, if desired. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 40 - 50 minutes, or until the crust is golden. Remove from oven and cool. Enjoy with ice cream or whipped cream!

NOTE: Be sure to measure your crust; if it is smaller than 12 inches, you'll need to use less fruit.

Fried Summer Squash ( My Weakness)

2010-09-06T21:22:00.004-05:00

I hope that everyone has had a wonderful Labor Day Weekend! Ours has been rather lazy, but sometimes it's nice to have a slow day. My husband is now well, as is our granddaughter, so life is back to normal.
Recently I gave in to a life long craving-pan-fried squash. You see, as I was growing up, my mother grew yellow summer squash in her garden and the only way she prepared it was to bread it with egg and cracker crumbs and fry it in butter. It was a family favorite. It was many years later before I had squash prepared any other way. As I've gotten older, I rarely ever fry squash anymore, maybe once or twice each summer. I still love it, I just try to not eat very much fried food because of the artery clogging capabilities that we all hear about. But I have to indulge once in a while, and last week it was time! I've also fried zucchini this way with delicious results. This isn't really a recipe, but a method for you to follow. I'm sure many of you have eaten it prepared this way.

FRIED SUMMER SQUASH
from Lynda's Recipe Box

Squash, yellow or zucchini- I used 2
Finely crushed saltine crackers-I start with a cup
salt and pepper added to the crumbs
1 egg, well beaten
oil and butter for frying-amount depends on the size of skillet used

Use small squash as larger ones may be tough and have large seeds. Wash squash and dry with paper towels. Slice each squash into uniform slices. I like it about 1/2 inch thick.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add oil and 1 or 2 tablespoons butter. The grease needs to be about 1/4 inch thick if the squash is 1/2 inch thick.
Dip each slice of squash in egg; shake off the extra and then dip into the cracker crumbs. Place squash into the hot oil. Repeat with each slice, but don't crowd the pan. If crowded, the breading will stick to other squash and pull of when you turn it. When golden, turn it over and fry until the other side is browned. Remove squash from skillet and drain on a paper towel lined plate. Serve and enjoy!
Delicious- I thoroughly enjoyed every calorie and fat gram!

Stacked Chicken Enchiladas - an easy cassarole

2010-09-01T21:52:00.007-05:00

My week has been busy with an ill granddaughter to help with, and then my husband got sick, so I really haven't cooked much. I hope next week is healthier. But I do have a recipe to share. Would you like having a yummy chicken enchilada casserole recipe that is fairly easy to throw together? A rotisserie chicken is called for in this recipe, which cuts down quite a bit in the casserole's preparation. Of course, you can used leftover baked chicken, or even turkey, if desired. A delicious, spicy, but mild sauce is layered between roasted chicken, corn tortillas and Monterrey jack cheese and baked for 15-20 minutes, which makes it easy enough even for a week night meal. This is supposed to be a 30 minute meal from Cook's Country, but I went over a few minutes. I like the smaller size of this casserole as it's not so huge for a smaller family. But it packs plenty of flavor! My husband prefers actual enchiladas to this casserole, but I don't always have time to make them. This dish is a delicious substitute, so I hope you'll give it a try.

STACKED CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

adapted from Cook's Country

1 tablespoon canola oil

1/2 onion, chopped fine

3 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce

3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 (4-ounce) can of chopped green chilies

1 rotisserie chicken, skin discarded and meat shredded ( about 3 cups of meat)

2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese-recipe calls for Mexican cheese blend

12 (6 inch) corn tortillas

1. Place an oven rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat and saute onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Add chili powder, and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the chicken broth, salt and tomato paste. Cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Cover and keep warm.

2. Toss the chicken, 1/4 cup sauce, 1 cup cheese and green chilies in a bowl. Tortillas are supposed to be softened in a microwave, but mine were fresh and soft, so I skipped this step.

Now, spread 1/2 cup of sauce in the bottom of an 8x8 inch baking dish. Lay 4 tortillas over the sauce in the baking dish. Cover the tortillas with half of the chicken mixture.. Top chicken layer with 4 more tortillas, and then cover with half of the sauce mixture. Cover with remaining chicken mixture, then the last 4 tortillas, and the rest of the sauce. Cover with the remaining 1 cup of cheese.

3. Place a piece of foil tightly over the baking dish and bake about 15 minutes until heated through. Remove the foil and bake until the cheese is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. I let it cool about 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

NOTE: If you prefer a spicier dish, you can used pepper jack cheese as a substitute.

Korean Beef Rice Bowl

2010-08-24T08:41:00.007-05:00

I saw this dish recently at Steamy Kitchen and wanted to try it soon, and I'm so glad I didn't wait! My photo isn't as good as Jadens, but the meal was certainly excellent. Once you have all the vegetables chopped and the beef sliced, this meal comes together in just minutes. That is if you are not working around a 14 month old granddaughter who is trying to pull stuff out of your cabinets. She didn't take her planned nap, so meal preparation was a bit challenging, to say the least, with a very active and curious toddler around. But back to this meal- it's one of those lick the bowl clean type of dishes. Judging by the groaning that was coming from my husband, I knew he loved it. The sauce that the beef is marinated in is delicious; sweet but yet it's got so much flavor from the garlic and fresh ginger. I've got to make it again this week because it keeps calling my name! Here's what I did.

KOREAN BEEF RICE BOWL
slightly adapted from Steamy Kitchen

2 cups dry rice, your preference, cooked

1 pound beef, I used top sirloin, sliced thin

2 tablespoons soy sauce-I used low sodium

2 teaspoons sesame oil

1 teaspoon grated ginger

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 tablespoon cooking oil

1/2 of an onion, diced

1/2 cup of carrots cut into matchsticks -recipe calls for 1 cup

1 small zucchini, diced

2 handfuls of fresh spinach

1 tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds

Directions:

Put your rice on to cook first, using whatever kind you like. The vegetables can be prepared a day ahead if desired. If doing them at time of meal, have them chopped before you begin cooking. Slice beef very thin, across the grain. It can be prepared several hours in advance also.
Mix the minced garlic, grated ginger, sesame oil and brown sugar together in a bowl. Pour over the beef and let marinate.
Heat a wok or skillet to medium heat. add the 1 tablespoon oil and the onion and cook for a couple of minutes. Turn up to high heat, add beef and cook until barely an pink left. Add the carrots and zucchini and stir fry for about 1 minute. Add the spinach and cook just until wilted. Stir in the toasted sesame seeds. Serve this over rice. Enjoy!

French Toast with Blueberry Sauce

2010-08-18T23:03:00.010-05:00

I had a craving for French toast this week, and I also had some blueberries that either needed to be used or put in the freezer. This recipe for French Toast came out of one of my Mother's cookbooks and I've used for years. I prefer using French Bread or a similar bread as it has a firmer texture after being cooked than sandwich bread does. This time I used Walmart's french bread since there were no better options from my store. It works very well for this recipe though. Slice the bread on the diagonal, about 1 inch thick, dip it in the egg mixture and turn over and dip other side. This bread soaked up the custard quickly, but a coarser bread may need a bit longer. The egg mixture is easy to increase if you need to make more quickly. I use one egg to 1/3 cup of milk. I doubled that this time and got 8 slices of bread out of it. This will fluctuate, depending on the bread you use and whether or not you let it soak. We enjoyed this treat for breakfast, but of course it's good anytime of day. Here's my method.

BLUEBERRY SAUCE

1 pint of fresh or frozen blueberries (2 cups)

2/3 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup water

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Add berries, sugar and water to a heavy bottomed sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 10-15 minutes. Mix the cornstarch and lemon and add to the berries, stirring quickly so the cornstarch is incorporated. Cook for 1 minute longer, until sauce is thickened. Remove from heat. Sauce will thicken more as it cools.
NOTE: This sauce is also delicious as a topping on ice cream or served with lemon or pound cake!

FRENCH TOAST

1 inch slices of french bread, or bread of choice

2/3 cup milk

2 large eggs, well beaten

pinch of salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Heat oven to low heat and place a baking sheet with a metal cooling rack on it, in the oven. This is needed if you are cooking several batches of French Toast, so that the toast will stay hot and crusty on the outside.
Mix together all ingredients in a bowl.
Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. I use my electric griddle on 325 degrees, or sometimes my cast iron griddle for smaller amounts.. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in the pan. Take 1 slice of bread and lay it in the egg mixture, turn over on the other side, and hold it up and let the excess drip off. Place soaked bread in the pan. Repeat with more bread, but don't crowd it in your pan. Cook the bread until golden and then turn over. Adjust the temperature of you griddle if necessary. When done, place the cooked french toast in the oven to stay warm, and finish cooking the rest.
To serve, slather with butter and top with Blueberry Sauce, or maple syrup. Mmmmm, this is amazingly good and will put you in a great mood the rest of the day! Enjoy!
Whats your favorite topping for French Toast?

BLT Sandwiches with Avocado and Red Onion

2010-08-16T20:40:00.008-05:00

The continuing blazing hot weather has left me with little desire to actually cook. I know I'm not the only one struggling here, so sandwiches, salads and one pan meals are all I've been making. I'm just trying to keep the house cool, so I don't use the stove anymore than I have to. Bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches are always good when you have some juicy homegrown tomatoes to use. I decided to add avocado and red onion slices to it and the sandwich was even better.
Of course, you don't need a recipe for this.
All you need is 2 slices of bread, toasted- or not if you prefer
several slices of crisp bacon
sliced tomatoes
thin onion slices
avocado slices
mayonnaise
Assemble sandwich and devour!
What do you like to eat when the temperatures soar to 100 degrees?

The Best Blackberry Cobbler!

2010-08-11T22:07:00.004-05:00

According to my family, this is the best cobbler ever. I've tried others but my family has always wanted this one. I found this recipe in an old church cookbook that I have had for about 35 years and it never fails to please. I have used wild blackberries in this cobbler that my daughter's boyfriend picked for me from his grandfather's farm. Such a nice young man don't ya think!
Anyway, this cobbler is delicious. The topping is thick when stirred together and then it is spooned evenly over the hot fruit. It may not look like there is enough topping, but as it bakes it rises and spreads across the berries. When done, the topping is crusty on top, and sweet, buttery and dense underneath. It is not biscuit like. Whether served as is, or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, this blackberry cobbler is a winner. You may of course use other berries. The topping is sweet, so I use less sugar in the blackberries, leaving them somewhat tart to balance out the sweetness of the topping. But go by your own tastes. Other berries may take more, or less sugar. Here's the recipe.

THE BEST BLACKBERRY COBBLER!

You will need;
3-4 cups fresh or frozen blackberries, thawed(any juices saved)
1 cup juice, or water or combination of both
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/3 cup sugar- more if fruit is too tart(you need to taste it after fruit and sugar is mixed)
Mix the juice and cornstarch in a large saucepan. Add fruit and heat until it begins to thicken. Pour into a 9x9x2 inch baking dish.

Topping;
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, melted
Mix all ingredients together well. Mixture will be thick. Spoon evenly over the fruit in the baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes, until the topping is done. Insert a toothpick into the topping; if it comes out clean, except for juice, it is done. Enjoy!

Greek Style Couscous Salad

2010-08-04T20:54:00.005-05:00

It is so hot here that I haven't been cooking much. When it's 100 degrees out side I'm not really inspired to add very much heat to the house, just so we can eat. Thankfully this salad was so quick. I've also made it with lemon garlic chicken sliced on top for a main dish salad. It is delicious and I'll be making it as long as this heat stays, and longer. I used Far East brand of couscous, which is one of the few that are available here. I used the plain couscous, but the flavored ones would work too, I'm sure. Here's how I made it.

GREEK STYLE COUSCOUS SALAD

1 package (7 ounce)of Far East plain, couscous
Cook couscous according to package directions. I added salt and pepper to the water. Bring the water to a boil; add the couscous and remove from heat. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes.
Mix together 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Pour over couscous and fluff with a fork. Cool.
Add;
1 cup, or more, diced cucumber (approximately)
1/2 cup diced red onion
1 diced tomato
chopped fresh herbs-I used about 1 T. basil and flat leaf parsley together
Stir ingredients together and chill before serving. Top with Feta Cheese. Enjoy!

NOTE: This would also be good with zucchini, peppers or olives.

Garden-Fresh Chicken and Rice

2010-07-26T20:58:00.016-05:00

To me, chicken and rice is comfort food. I saw this recipe in Cook's Country and decided to try it even though it had so few ingredients. I wondered how good it would really be. The rice is partially cooked in chicken broth in the microwave, while the chicken breasts are sauteed in butter in a skillet. The two are then combined with the vegetables in the pan and it truly is a 30 minute meal. This dish is easy, delicious and is perfect for a busy weeknight meal. It is a very satisfying meal for a family. I've made it twice so far, because I like it and my husband requested it again. So therefore I share it with you. Hope you enjoy! GARDEN - FRESH CHICKEN AND RICE
slightly adapted from Cook's Country

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup long grain white rice
salt and pepper to taste
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, all about the same size (about 1 1/2 pounds)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 small zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced thin
1 cup carrots, sliced thin- recipe calls for fresh or frozen corn kernels
3 green onions, sliced thin
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, my addition

1. Combine rice, 1/2-3/4 teaspoon salt and 1 cup chicken broth in a large microwave safe bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 6-8 minutes, until the broth is completely absorbed. While rice is cooking, pat chicken dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken until golden on each side, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate.

2. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in the empty skillet. Cook zucchini and carrots, or corn, until browned, about 3 minutes. Don't overcook the zucchini.. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl. Now add the partially cooked rice and the remaining 1 cup of broth to the pan, along with the thyme if using, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and return the chicken back to the pan with the rice. Cover and simmer until rice is tender and chicken is cooked through, about 12-15 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and add the vegetables back to the pan with the rice. Stir into the rice along with the green onions. Plate the rice and vegetables. Thinly slice the chicken breasts and serve atop the rice mixture. Enjoy!

NOTE: The butter is essential in the recipe, in my opinion. The chicken and rice both get much flavor from it, so I don't think it would be a good idea to use oil. Maybe if you included some herbs, it would work. The thyme I added was good, but not really necessary, because the butter is really enough.
Both corn and carrots are good in this dish.

Vegetable Pizza- a Recipe from the 80's

2010-07-21T21:57:00.005-05:00

I took this old recipe to a bridal shower over a week ago and forgot to post it. I almost forgot to even take pictures of it, so this is what was left over from the shower. This Vegetable Pizza is not a traditional pizza, but an appetizer made with refrigerated crescent rolls which are baked into a crust and spread with a cream cheese and ranch mixture, and then topped with chopped veggies and shredded cheese. I received this recipe from a friend back in the 80's. I thought that the ladies at the shower would have eaten this before, but no one had ever heard of it. So maybe this will be new to some of you. Several asked for the recipe. Here's how you make it.

You need 2 packages of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls. Unroll them and press into a pan, making sure to press perforations together to seal. Bake until golden. Cool and spread with the the cream cheese mixture. Top with veggies and cheese. I forgot the cheese in this picture and had to add it later. This yummy appetizer is great for any occasion. I was glad I made this as everyone loved it. Just don't serve it in a terrible looking pan like this! Cut into squares and serve it on a pretty platter or tray. If you enjoy ranch dressing and veggies, you should love this Vegetable Pizza. Enjoy!

VEGETABLE PIZZA- A RECIPE FROM THE 80's

Ingredients for crust and filling:

2 cans of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls

2- 8 ounce packages of cream cheese, room temperature

3/4 cup mayo or salad dressing

1/2 cup sour cream

1 package dry ranch dressing

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided (I use a little more cheese than this)

Directions;

Open cans of crescent rolls and spread out on a 11x17 inch baking sheet. Push the dough to the edge of the pan, and make sure to seal all the perforations. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown. Cool completely.

In a bowl, cream together the cream cheese, sour cream, mayo and dry ranch dressing. Add some Cheddar cheese, about 1/4cup or more, is good. Mix well and spread over the cooled crust.

Topping:

Chop and mix together-

3/4 cup chopped fresh broccoli

3/4 cup chopped fresh cauliflower

3/4 cup small diced carrots, or shredded carrots

3/4 cup diced green bell pepper

3/4 cup seeded, diced tomatoes

3 or 4 sliced green onions

Chop the vegetables and mix together. Sprinkle evenly over the filling and press the vegetables down slightly into the filling . Sprinkle with the remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Cover and keep chilled in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Cut into squares and serve on a nice tray.

The Wedding Reception-Let's Have Cake!

2010-07-20T22:05:00.006-05:00

In my previous post I shared photos of my son's wedding. Now it's time for the reception. The wedding reception was held in the gymnasium at our church. My friend Marilyn decorated this boxed area in front of the sound booth with a pretty backdrop of tulle and tiny lights. It makes a lovely spot for pictures. The table was draped with 2 round, ivory linen tablecloths.

This photo does not do justice to this cake- it was gorgeous! Three ivory tiers, each one with different piping made up this delicious confection. This elegant cake was French Vanilla with Raspberry filling and butter cream frosting. Everyone loved it.

The grooms cake was adorable! It looked like the perfect cup of coffee. It reads, "Kyle and Karen, The Perfect Blend". This yummy layer cake was chocolate with a coffee cream filling, wrapped in fondant. It really was delicious and very popular with the guests. There wasn't a crumb left.

The bride and groom shared cake; they were nice and didn't smash it into each others faces. Do you have that disturbing custom where you are from? I've never understood why anyone would want to do that all dressed up and in front of so many people. But there's a lot I don't understand.

I made the Citrus Punch, which was yummy. It's slushy and cold and my family insists on having it even for the holidays.

This is our oldest son, his wife and our sweet granddaughter. They've been married 8 wonderful years.

And this is our daughter, our baby(hehe), and her boyfriend.

The decorations were either things that Marilyn had on hand, or items Karen found at Hobby Lobby or Michael's. Nothing expensive, as they were on a strict budget, but their special day was still very lovely. Now they are on a nice honeymoon.

I've realized that my husband and I didn't get our picture taken together with this camera. Oh well, the photographer took them, so all is not lost. Thanks for letting me share this very special day with you!

The Wedding!

2010-07-19T22:45:00.005-05:00

My son, my little boy, got married Saturday afternoon. If you're a mother, you know what I mean. Your children are always your "kids". Always will be. But Kyle is now 6'2" and he's now married to Karen. They had a simple, but lovely ceremony at our church. Karen has a son, Andy, so not only have we gained a wonderful daughter-in-law, but also a grandson! Life is good!
The vows between Kyle and Karen were exchanged, and then Andy had vows also to his mother and his new step-dad. My son also had vows to Andy; to love him as his own son and to be an encouragement and a positive influence to him. There were some misty eyes in the church, let me tell you! It was so sweet.
The ceremony was short but very meaningful. Karen's mother and I lit the Unity Candle, Kyle, Andy and our pastor came to the front of the church, and Karen and her dad walked down the isle. Karen looked beautiful in her ivory dress. They had no other attendants, other than Andy. That's just the way they wanted it. Photos were taken. I can't wait to see the pictures the photographer took.

In the picture below, Kyle is holding our granddaughter, our older son's daughter. And Karen's niece is also in the photo. These two cuties were supposed to walk down the isle with the flowers, but it didn't happen. I guess shyness was the problem. But that's OK, they were so cute.

I have other photos to share, but I'm so tired that I thought I'd do this in two posts. My brain is so sleepy! The reception was wonderful and I'll share photos from it in the next post. Can't wait for you to see the cakes!

Wedding Shower!

2010-07-16T09:16:00.004-05:00

I'm sorry I haven't posted this week as I'm in the middle of wedding preparations! There was a shower a few days ago, and I do have a recipe to share from it. Today, I'm cooking for tonight's rehearsal dinner. Tomorrow is the big day! My son is getting hitched! I'll post as soon as possible-as soon as I can find my way out of the potato salad and cole slaw. Have a great weekend!

Blueberry Buckle

2010-07-07T21:26:00.003-05:00

I used to think that a buckle was the same thing as a cobbler, but it's really not. A cobbler has fruit in the bottom of the pan and topped with either a pie crust like topping, or more of a drop biscuit topping. And the fruit bubbles and thickens, but it stays separate from the topping. However, a buckle is more cake like. The fruit, blueberries in this case, are mixed into the batter, topped with a struessel topping and baked. It's like a coffee cake, dense and moist with berries. It may get it's name because the top of the cake "buckles" as it cools. And it's very delicious! I did change the spices in this recipe because I love cinnamon best in the topping. I've made this wonderful Blueberry Buckle several times and my husband and I can't get enough of it! The cake is tender but dense, and packed with blueberries, for an incredible addition to your morning coffee, or a sweet indulgence any time of day. Enjoy!

BLUEBERRY BUCKLE

Adapted from Alton Brown

Ingredients:

For the cake-

2 cups of cake flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

4 tablespoons (2 ounces) of unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

1 large egg

1/2 cup milk- I've used whole and 2%, both with good results

3 cups of fresh blueberries

For the topping-

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup cake flour

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

4 tablespoons butter, chilled- 2 ounces

Directions-

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9x9 inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and ground nutmeg. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and the sugar together until creamy and fluffy. Add the egg and beat well. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and 1/3 of the milk, and beat until incorporated. Repeat until the ingredients are combined. Gently stir in the blueberries and pour cake mixture into the prepared pan.

For the topping:

In a small bowl combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon. Add the cold butter in chunks, and mix with a fork or pastry blender until there is a crumb-like mixture. Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the cake. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for about 35 minutes, or until golden. I tested with a tooth pick and my cake took about 45 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving. It's delicious warm or cold. Give it a try!

Gone to Heaven Chocolate Pie

2010-07-01T18:04:00.011-05:00

This pie is rich, really rich, and so creamy and decadent, that it is not for the faint of heart. It's not for those who don't like intense chocolate. It's not a pie to serve after a heavy or rich meal. But, it is for those among us who crave a bit of rich, creamy chocolate at times. It's luscious with a cup of coffee or a glass of iced tea. I made this chocolate pie last week for a church pot luck and it was gone in a flash. So quickly was it gone that we had nary a sliver. So I made it again this week so we could try it. If you're needing a serious chocolate fix, give this pie a try!

GONE TO HEAVEN CHOCOLATE PIE
slightly adapted from Hershey's Kitchens

1 9 inch pie shell

2/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch- original recipe calls for 1/3 cup

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 egg yolks

3 cups whole milk, divided

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened - recipe calls for 2 T.

1 tablespoon vanilla- yep, you read that right!

2 cups (12 ounce pkg.) Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Chips

whipped cream

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bake the pie shell; either your own recipe or the refrigerated pie crust from your grocer. Cool.

In a large, heavy bottomed sauce pan, mix 2 3/4 cups of the milk with the sugar.

2. In a small bowl, combine the 1/4 cup of milk with the cornstarch. Whisk in the egg yolks until thoroughly combined.

3. Heat the sugar and milk mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the milk is scalded, but not boiling. To temper the egg yolk mixture, take about 1/4 cup of hot milk and quickly whisk into the yolks. Then add some more hot milk, a little at a time, whisking quickly with each addition., until the yolks are very warm. Now, slowly pour the yolks mixture into the milk, and again keep whisking so that the egg doesn't get clumpy. Bring the pudding to a boil, stirring constantly. Let cook about 2 minutes.

4. Remove pudding from heat and stir in the butter, the vanilla and 1 3/4 cup chocolate chips until incorporated. Pour the pudding into the cooled pie shell. Place plastic wrap over the pudding to seal. This will ensure that the pudding does not form a skin. Cool. Refrigerate for several hours, or until cold and firm. Remove the plastic wrap and top with whipped cream and remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips. I used some mini chocolate chips for topping instead. Enjoy!

Keep refrigerated. Supposed to serve 8, but it's so rich that I cut into 10 servings.

NOTE: By tempering the yolks this way, the pudding was smooth and creamy with no lumps.

Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

2010-06-28T22:08:00.005-05:00

Obviously, this is not an exotic recipe that I have to share. And this isn't a perfect photo either. This is just an any day meal, that I make quite often when I grill on the week end. Normally, I grill leg quarters for the Pulled Chicken. Dark meat is more moist and is best for this dish. But this time I had a whole chicken that I either needed to cook, or put in the freezer. The grill was ready to go.

So I cut up the chicken into 4 pieces. I had grilled burgers and hot dogs last Saturday and still had lots of life left in the coals, so I put this chicken on the grill and closed the lid. About 35 minutes later, I had some beautiful grilled chicken, perfect for these flavorful sandwiches. I hate to waste any fire that's left, so I like to cook this chicken for the next meal. You could leave the chicken whole if desired, but it will take longer to cook. These grilled, Pulled Chicken Sandwiches are delicious and smokey and are particularly tasty topped with BBQ sauce, or slaw, pickles and onion, or grilled pineapple! Give them a try! PULLED CHICKEN SANDWICHES

from Lynda's Recipe Box

About 4 1/2 pounds leg quarters, or a whole chicken cut into quarters

salt and pepper

spices- I used chili powder, ground cumin and garlic powder (or you may use a rub)

Buns

toppings of choice-onion, pickles, BBQ sauce, grilled pineapple, etc.,etc.

Set up grill with a cool spot on one side of grill. I sprinkle the chicken on all sides with salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin and garlic. Or you may use a purchased rub for this. Place chicken over a hot fire and add soaked wood chips, if desired. Close lid and cook until browned and then turn chicken over. Take care not to burn it. When browned, move the chicken to the cool side off of the coals and close lid to finish cooking. Cooking time will depend on the size of the chicken pieces and the heat of the fire. Chicken is done when the meat is pierced and the juices run clear. These pieces took 35-40 minutes.

Remove the chicken to a pan. When cool enough to handle, pull the meat off the bones, pulling into shreds. Serve on buns with toppings of choice. This is just a simple, delicious meal that doesn't require much thought on my part. some days, that is very helpful!

NOTE: Pulled Chicken is not as moist as Pulled Pork, so I dilute a bit of barbecue sauce with water, and drizzle it over the chicken and give it a toss. This keeps the chicken moist, especially when reheated. Cover well and refrigerate. Then rewarm for the next meal.

Mashed Potato Cakes (what to do with those leftover mashed potatoes)

2010-06-23T23:01:00.004-05:00

Yes, I made mashed potatoes this week. I am still baby sitting with my adorable granddaughter and she loves mashed potatoes. I had quite a few left over so I did what my mother used to do when my brother and I were little -I made Mashed Potato Cakes. We absolutely loved them. She always browned them in butter, so they were crispy on the outside. Good stuff! This is not really a recipe, but a quick and delicious way to use up those left-over mashed potatoes. These cakes are made with cold potatoes that are already well seasoned. It does not work well if you added too much liquid to the potatoes when you first mashed them and they were rather soupy. You need mashed potatoes that hold their shape well. I sometimes add an egg to the potatoes and maybe some fresh chives, before I make the patties. The egg helps hold them together better, I think. Here's how I make them.

MASHED POTATO CAKES
from Lynda's Recipe Box

In a large bowl, add the cold, left over mashed potatoes-I had about 3 1/2 cups.
Add 1 egg and some fresh chives, if desired. Mix well with a fork. Make potatoes into small patties about an inch thick, and no wider than the spatula you are going to use. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add enough oil to just cover the bottom of the pan. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan also. When the oil is hot and butter is melted, place the potato cakes into the pan. Let them cook until brown, then carefully turn them over to brown on the other side. Do not flip them again as they can fall apart with too much handling. When brown on the other side, remove them to a platter. Serve hot. They are a delicious side dish to any meat; crisp and buttery on the outside and soft mashed potatoes on the inside. And you have used your leftovers to make another tasty dish.
Enjoy!

Here's my granddaughter at her birthday party earlier this week. She's loving the bags that the gifts came in, while her mother looks at the actual gifts. What fun it was! She looked so cute in her little Tutu that she wore, but it was falling down in this shot.

Have a great week!

Buffalo Chicken Wings! On the Grill or in the Oven!

2010-06-20T21:38:00.007-05:00

A happy Father's Day to all the wonderful Fathers reading this! I hope you had a wonderful day. I grilled today; just some easy burgers, polish sausages and these delicious chicken wings. I don't crave wings like some do, but a couple of the guys in my family are crazy about them. So I looked for a recipe and this one was a huge hit. I had to get a photo quickly before they disappeared! The smoky, grilled flavor was an instant hit with my barbecue lovers, so I'll be making these again. I have to admit, I really enjoyed them too, even though I felt like a fire breathing dragon for a short time. These wings are spicy, but my oldest son said they actually could be hotter! I had left out the cayenne pepper from the sauce, so if you enjoy lots of fire, you might want to add it in. I cooked these wings on a charcoal grill, but I'll give you directions for the oven too. I hope you'll try these and let me know how you liked them. BUFFALO CHICKEN WINGS-On The Grill or in The Oven!
Adapted from this recipe at Serious Eats and Cook's Illustrated

3 pounds chicken wings, tips cut off and discarded, and cut in half at the joint
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
Cut off the wing tips and discard, or freeze them to make broth. Cut through joints of wings with a sharp knife. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season both sides with the salt, pepper and cayenne.

Wing Sauce:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup hot sauce-I used Franks Original Hot Sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Tabasco Sauce-I omitted this
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper- I omitted
In a sauce pan, add all of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Remove from heat.

For the Grill: Set up the grill with coals on one side for indirect grilling. When fire is hot and ready, place wing portions on side not over the coals. I let them cook about 15 minutes this way with the lid down. The fire was hot and some of the fat was released from the wings. Then move the wings over the coals for another 15 minutes, or so until they are browned and crisp looking, but not burned. Cooking time will depend on how hot your fire is. Remember to turn them over while cooking. I had to move them once because my fire was a bit hot. When done, remove wings from grill and place in a non reactive pan or bowl. Pour the sauce over the wings and stir to completely coat them with the sauce. Serve while hot. Enjoy!

For the oven: Season the wings. Line a shallow baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with cooking spray. Place wings on the pan and bake in a 425 degree oven, about 25-30 minutes, or longer until they are golden and the skin is crispy. Turn them over about halfway through cooking. You can even place them under the broiler for the last 5 minutes or so, but you must pour off any accumulated grease in the pan first. Remove wings from oven and place in a non reactive bowl with the sauce. Stir to coat, and serve immediately. Your taste buds will love these!

Roasted Chicken Breasts with Balsamic Vinegar Vinaigrette

2010-06-14T20:32:00.006-05:00

If you love Balsamic Vinegar, you'll love this chicken that is marinated for several hours in it, producing flavorful and juicy meat. With the addition of Dijon mustard and garlic, these chicken breasts are easy enough to serve for a week night meal, but tasty enough to serve to company! However, the chicken needs to be marinated for several hours or it will be bland. The first time I made this dish I only marinated it about 3 hours. The recipe says 2-12 hours, but it's best just to go for the whole 12 hours if possible, especially when using mixed, bone-in chicken pieces. Just mix up the marinade in the morning and throw the chicken and marinade in a large zip lock bag. Place bag in a pan in the refrigerator, and later in the day, this chicken will be ready to plop into the oven or onto the grill. I marinated these boneless chicken breasts for about 5 hours and they were very moist and delicious. But the bone in chicken pieces were marinated about 12 hours. I hope you'll give them a try.

ROASTED CHICKEN BREASTS with BALSAMIC VINEGAR VINAIGRETTE
adapted slightly from Giada De Laurentiis

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or 1 whole chicken cut-up
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
2 large cloves garlic, pressed
2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chicken broth

Mix balsamic vinegar, garlic, Dijon, lemon juice and olive oil into a large resealable baggie. Season chicken with salt and pepper and place chicken in bag. Place in a pan so that chicken can lay flat and place in the refrigerator for at least 5 hours. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 400 degrees, place chicken pieces on a baking sheet and bake about 20-25 minutes, or until juices in chicken run clear when pierced ed with a knife. If you like, you can make a quick sauce using the marinade to drizzle over the chicken. Pour the marinade in a sauce pan, add the chicken broth and simmer about 5 minutes. Pour over the chicken. I made this when I baked a whole, cut-up chicken and served it with rice, drizzled with the balsamic. It's very good! But this time, I served the chicken breasts with oven roasted potatoes, so I did not made the extra sauce. Either way, I'' be making this chicken again. I just love easy, delicious meals!
NOTE: If using bone-in chicken pieces, the cooking time will be about 45-60 minutes.

Steakhouse Potato Salad

2010-06-08T21:56:00.006-05:00

Our wonderful daughter-in-law made this yummy potato salad for Memorial Day and it was devoured by all. After all, it contains bacon and cheese, so whats not to like? This potato salad is mayonnaise based, so sorry to those of you who prefer a lighter dressing. You'll find a lighter potato salad recipe here. I enjoy having more than one potato salad recipe, and this one is so easy to prepare. The potatoes can be cooked in the microwave, if desired. However, I'm not much at using the microwave for cooking, so I boiled them. The dressing is rather thick, so next time I may thin it with a bit of milk, or buttermilk. Be sure to weigh the potatoes, otherwise you won't have enough dressing to cover them if you are very much over three pounds. I hope you'll give this a try! I'll be making this again.

STEAKHOUSE POTATO SALAD
adapted from Kraft

3 pounds small red potatoes
1/2 cup mayonnaise- recipe calls for Miracle Whip
1/4 cup Ranch dressing
6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
4 green onions, sliced- I used 2 very large one from the farmer's market

Place potatoes in a sauce pan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, and add 1 teaspoon salt to the water. Reduce heat and simmer, covered until the potatoes can be pierced with a fork. Drain off the water. Cool the potatoes completely. I placed them in the refrigerator to chill. Cut the potatoes into bite sized pieces and place in a large bowl. Add the sliced green onions and bacon. Stir together the mayo and the Ranch Dressing and pour over the potato mixture. Gently stir together and chill completely before serving. Enjoy!

I've had such a rushed week; we made 2 trips to Kansas City to the airport this past week. That was a 6 hour round trip for us, but we took our DIL so she could fly to her parents home in Florida. On our first trip, I got to spend some time with a friend from school, that I hadn't seen in quite a while. It was such fun to catch up!
My wonderful Mother-in-law was in the hospital again for a few days. She is 90, so that's always a cause for concern.
And, son Number 2 is getting married, so there is going to be a wedding in July! So as you can see, my week has been full. I haven't cooked much at all! Have a wonderful week, my friends!

Smoke-Roasted Pears

2010-06-01T09:28:00.008-05:00

Like many people here in the U.S., we grilled yesterday for our Memorial Day enjoyment. We had the usuals, like Barbecued Chicken, hamburgers, potato salad, Cole Slaw and Baked Beans.
And we also had these amazing Smoke-Roasted Pears, which were also done on the grill. It all started Saturday as my daughter and I were watching PBS. They had an all day marathon of Steven Raichlen shows, with scenes of glorious barbecue calling to us and making our stomachs rumble. In case you don't know, Steven Raichlen wrote the Barbecue Bible, and How to Grill, and other cookbooks. My daughter really wanted to try his Smoke-Roasted Pears, so that's what she made on Monday. Oh my, They are incredibly delicious! The pears are cored and filled with a struesel like filling which when smoked, gives the flavor of a rich, smokey, caramel filling. Yum! The photos do not do these pears justice, but they are delicious!

The cored pears are put in a foil baking pan, filled with the brown sugar mixture and then put on the grill over an indirect fire. In other words, don't put them directly over the coals, or they will burn. I cooked them with the BBQ chicken, setting the pan at the far edge of the grill, opposite the chicken. Doing it this way, I had to rotate the pan a couple of times to ensure even cooking. If you cook the pears only, the coals can be placed on each side of the grill and the pears in the center. The grill is covered, and the pears were done in about 35 minutes. It will depend on the temperature of your grill as to how fast they cook. I put hickory chips on the coals, which gave Hailey's pears the smokey brown appearance. They are done when you squeeze them and they feel soft, but not too soft, and the brown sugar butter mixture is bubbly. It should take 40-6o minutes, according to the book. You've got to try these! Although we ate them alone, they'd be irresistible with vanilla ice cream.

SMOKE-ROASTED PEARS

adapted from Steven Raichlen's, How to Grill

Ingredients:

6 ripe pears- we used anjou

5 tablespoons butter, room temperature

5 tablespoons brown sugar

5 tablespoons graham cracker crumbs (or ground hazelnuts)

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

juice from 1/2 lemon

To make filling:

Beat the butter and brown sugar in a bowl with a wooden spoon. Stir in the graham crackers, cinnamon and vanilla.

Prepare the pears:

1. Cut a thin slice off the bottom of each pear, so that it will stand upright in the pan without wobbling.

2. With a paring knife, cut out the stem end and remove it.

3. Using a melon baller, scoop out the core and the seeds of the pears.

4. Rub the bottoms and tops of pears with lemon juice. Squeeze a few drops of lemon juice inside each pear to prevent browning.

5. Stuff each pear with the filling and place in an oiled foil pan. Place the stem cap back on top pf the pears. Can be prepared several hours ahead, if desired.

6. Set up your grill for indirect heat. I use a charcoal grill, and I placed a handful of hickory wood chips in the coals after I placed the pears on the grill.

7. Close the grill and smoke roast the pears until browned and soft on the sides, and the stuffing mixture is bubbly. This took 35 minutes for us, but the recipe calls for 40-60 minutes. Serve immediately, if desired. Ours were served about an hour later and they were wonderful! These smoke roasted pears were to die for! We will be making these smoky, caramel flavored pears often!

Note: The recipe also calls for nutmeg, ground cloves, and 1 T. rum, but my daughter didn't want to use them. I wouldn't change a thing in her method.