Breaking Bread Together!

Soft & Chewy Granola Bars

2012-01-30T16:01:00.000-06:00

Today when planning my weekly menu, I found a homemade recipe that I knew The Bun would love. These remind me so much of the Quaker version. They are really good and, I was right, The Bun can't get enough. I can't either. It was really very easy I may never buy the other kind again.

Soft & Chewy Granola Bars

2 c. instant oats
1 c. rice krispies
1/4 c. honey
1/3 c. brown sugar
3 Tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla

In a bowl, combine oats and rice krispies. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. In a small saucepan, heat honey, brown sugar and butter. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low, continuing to cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Pour over oats and rice krispies and stir to coat well. Pour into 9x13 baking dish (or smaller for a little thicker bar...I'll probably do this next time) and pack down really well. **I found using my hands to pack down was impossible, so I greased the bottom of a glass cup and used that to really pack it down.** Allow to cool on the counter for 2 hours. Slice and store in airtight container or plastic wrap.

**You could sprinkle these with a variety of toppings such as chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, marshmallows, etc. We didn't have any of those so today's batch turned out plain...and delicious just the same.

Semi Homemade Pizza Pockets

2012-01-24T09:01:00.002-06:00

I loved eating Hot Pockets as a little girl. I remember walking down the street to my Grandparents' house and they always had them in the freezer. It was a pretty usual lunch. This recipe I came across really reminds me of those little pockets. It is so quick and easy to put together. The Dish Washer likes pizza but not enough to eat at home, so I make this for lunch for me and The Bun. I think The Bun is going to take after his daddy, because he really doesn't love to eat this either. But they are delicious, nevertheless, and I am the one pregnant. I win! We should come up with a name for this baby...let me think...all I can think of is the unoriginal Pea in the Pod. Baby Pea. That's it. Anyway, here's the recipe.

Semi Homemade Pizza Pockets

1 loaf Rhodes freezer white bread, thawed and allow to rise according to pkg. directions
pepperoni
mozzarella cheese
shredded parmesan cheese
oregano
garlic powder, a little goes a long way
parsley flakes

Take thawed, risen dough and roll out into 11x11ish square. (This isn't as easy as you would think it is since all that air is in the loaf.) Next layer pepperoni, cover with cheeses depending on your preference with how much cheese you like and sprinkle with oregano, garlic powder (remember just a little) and parsley flakes. Roll up cinnamon roll style. Coat with melted butter butter or olive oil and bake on jelly roll pan at 375 for 15-20 minutes or until bread is baked through. Allow to cool at least 10 minutes. Slice and serve.

Pea Salad

2012-01-21T16:16:00.002-06:00

Did you think I jumped ship? I haven't. In fact, I have done a lot of cooking, it has just been things I have already shared with you. This pea salad originates with my MeeMaw. When she is asked to bring food for family gatherings, it is usually pea salad. (Her stove is turned off to keep her from burning down the house, so this requires little cooking.) While her pea salad is good and I always look forward to eating it, I like to jazz mine up a little more. She makes it much like a traditional chicken salad with mayo, eggs and relish. She also uses canned peas, but I prefer to make mine using steamed peas for a little crunch. Peas are one vegetable that, on occasion, we can seem to get The Bun to eat. This is what I make with the leftovers. There are no particular measurements, just how much of each thing you prefer. (It is usually based on our leftovers...not too much mayo to pea ratio.)

Pea Salad

Steamed peas
Mayo
boiled egg, chopped or crumbled
cooked and crumbled bacon
chopped red onion
cheddar cheese
salt and pepper, to taste

In a bowl, combine all ingredients and chill before serving.

Spicy Black Eyed Peas

2012-01-01T16:36:00.001-06:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! I hope exciting things for this year and I know it will be great with the addition of our newest little one. I hope you ate your black eyed peas today for good luck. I don't care for greens, but The Dish Washer at those for our 2012 wealth. :) I served those things with Brown Sugar and Balsamic Slow Cooked Pork. For a great little history lesson on why southerners eat these foods, check it out at Southern Plate. I love history behind certain foods/recipes. While her recipe is certainly the classic, I opted to make a spicy version that I thought The Dish Washer would enjoy. I was correct. They aren't "mouth on fire" spicy, but they definitely have a kick.

Spicy Black Eyed Peas

16 oz. frozen black eyed peas
4 slices of bacon
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can Rotel tomatoes, undrained
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. pepper
water

In a large saucepan, cook bacon until crispy. Remove bacon and crumble. Set aside. Stir chopped onion into bacon grease and cook until tender. Add can of tomatoes, black eyed peas, salt, chili powder and pepper. Stir to combine. Pour in enough water to cover peas. Cook, covered, on medium heat for 1 hour, checking water level to make sure peas don't scorch. (They will absorb more water than you expect.) Check your peas to see how tender they are. We prefer our peas extremely tender, so I probably boiled mine for a total of 3-4 hours, adding water as needed along the way.

Champagne Punch (Mocktail)

2011-12-30T10:20:00.001-06:00

I was first introduced to this drink through my last job and a party we were hosting. I got The Bun some regular white grape juice this week and the flavor reminded me. This is a deliciously refreshing drink...not very sweet like most punches. I am a punch lover! I know you should sip punch, but in the privacy of my own home, I am a punch gulper. This one is no exception. I thought I would share it because it would be a great New Year's punch if you were planning a party.

Champagne Punch (Mocktail)

2 bottles Welch's sparkling white grape juice, chilled
1 (1 liter) bottle ginger ale, chilled

Stir ingredients together. Freeze some mixture in ice ring, if needed. Serve well chilled. Double as needed.

Sausage Gumbo with Roasted Potatoes

2011-12-28T22:27:00.000-06:00

Before Christmas. this was one our "Friday Night Soups". I first noticed this recipe in Southern Living and saved it as a "to make" recipe. I finally got around to trying it and it was very good. The original recipe called for chicken, but I decided to just double the sausage and skip the chicken. Of course, I used Conecuh!!

Sausage Gumbo with Roasted Potatoes

2 lbs. Conecuh sausage, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices (or andouille would work)
1/2 c. oil
3/4 c. flour
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 c. thinly sliced celery
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. Cajun seasoning
1/8 tsp. ground red pepper (optional)
6 c. chicken broth (or 48 oz. container)
small bag of red potatoes
olive oil
salt
pepper

In a large skillet, cook sliced sausage until browned. Remove sausage. Drain and pat dry with paper towel. In large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Gradually whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 15-18 minutes or until roux is light chocolate brown in color. Be careful not to burn. Stir in onion, celery, Cajun seasoning, and red pepper. Stir for 3 minutes. Gradually stir in chicken broth, keeping a smooth consistency. Add sausage. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, dice potatoes and coat in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and roast at 425 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve warm gumbo over potatoes.

**We at this as leftovers the following day and I served it with rice. I think I may prefer it with rice, which is surprising since I am such a potato girl. The rice just sops up the juices better. Also, the flavors were stronger the next day after they had some time to sit together. You may consider making it the day before you plan to serve. Has a kick, but not too spicy if I am able to eat it.

Chocolate Billionaires

2011-12-14T08:50:00.000-06:00

We've been in full Christmas candy making mode around here in the hopes of delivering our gifts to our neighbors this week. I've made what has become my usual Christmas gift of White Trash and decided to give this new recipe a try. I've never had them before that I can remember, but they are good. I wanted something for the chocolate lovers.

Speaking of billionaires, have y'all heard that Jessica Simpson has a reported $3 million contract with Weight Watchers to lose weight after she has her baby? Dear Weight Watchers, I will cut you a deal and just take $500,000 to lose weight after I have this baby...who am I kidding? I'll just take $50,000! Think of the money I will save you...and I am more relatable!!

Chocolate Billionaires

1 (14 oz.) pkg. caramels
3 Tbsp. water
1-1/2 c. pecan pieces
1 c. rice krispies
1 pkg. chocolate bark (plus 1/2 pkg. if needed)

In a microwave safe dish, heat caramels and water until caramel are soft and consistency is smooth. (I did 1 minute intervals.) Add in pecan pieces and rice krispies. Drop by teaspoon onto wax paper covered tray. Place in fridge for caramel to harden, about 30 minutes. Melt chocolate according to package directions. Cover each caramel piece in chocolate using fork to roll and dip. Place on wax paper and allow chocolate to harden.

Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Rolls

2011-12-11T13:15:00.001-06:00

Well, I have now conquered making homemade cinnamon rolls. They were much easier than I imagined. And they are delicious! One recipe makes about 7 or 8 pans of rolls. Some of you may be receiving these as a Christmas gift! I took some to church today for our Sunday school and for the Children's workers from The Bun.

I followed the recipe to a T with one exception: I didn't use coffee in the icing. She promises that it isn't noticeable, but I think coffee drinkers are the ones that wouldn't notice. Those of us who aren't regular coffee drinkers, I believe, could tell the difference. Just a personal preference...

Don't be scared to make these. They have to take a lot of time to rise a couple of times, but you don't have to stand over and babysit them. Just plan your time AND do your homework. I recommend studying up on them before you make them, just so the recipe doesn't catch you off guard.

Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Rolls

PW's Cinnamon Roll Tips

Texas Style White Chicken Chili Soup

2011-12-07T15:03:00.001-06:00

It's all at the bottom, but believe me there is a lot of chicken in this! I've had my eye on this particular White Chicken Chili for sometime, but decided to make it on the week that The Dish Washer has committed back to his low carb diet. So when I made the change to leave out the white beans, it became more like a soup instead of a chili. The two cans of beans would have definitely added "bulk" to it. That's why I say it is Texas style, because I hear that Texans don't like beans in their chili. I've made a white chicken chili before several years ago and it wasn't very good. This one was great and the flavors are similar to the Pork Green Chili that we love so much. We didn't miss the beans at all and The Dish Washer said I could definitely make this again. My only complaint is I like to make big batches of soup and eat it as leftovers throughout the weekend. This made enough for one bowl as a leftover, so you may want to double the recipe if you are serving a large crowd or hope for plenty leftovers.

Texas Style White Chicken Chili Soup

1 lb. chicken breast, cubed
1 medium onion, chopped
1-1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 (15.5 oz.) cans white beans, rinsed and drained (optional for low carbers)
2 c. chicken broth
2 (4 oz.) cans chopped green chilies
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 c. sour cream
1/2 c. whipping cream

In a dutch oven, stir chopped chicken and onion in vegetable oil until cooked through. Stir in garlic powder and heat through being careful not to burn. Immediately add beans, chicken broth, green chilies, salt, cumin, oregano and peppers. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, uncovered. Just before serving, stir in sour cream and whipping cream. Warm through.

Four Layer Delight - Pumpkin

2011-12-01T09:57:00.001-06:00

One of my all time favorite desserts is Four Layer Delight. This reminds me of a pumpkin version of that, although very different in layers. The layers aren't as defined, but trust me, there are four layers of yummy goodness!! I think this may be a new family favorite. I made it to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family.

Four Layer Delight - Pumpkin

1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
3 eggs
1 box yellow cake mix
1 c. chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, etc.)
3/4 c. butter, cut into pieces
1 (12 oz.) container cool whip
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Mix pumpkin, milk, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and eggs. Pour into 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle cake mix evenly on top. Do not mix. Next sprinkle nuts on top of cake mix and dot with butter pieces. Bake for 1 hour. Allow to cool completely. Once cooled, beat cream cheese and powdered sugar together until smooth. Stir in cool whip and beat until well incorporated. Spread on top of cake. Refrigerate.

Quick & Easy Beef Stroganoff

2011-11-30T07:44:00.000-06:00

The Bun is a very big meat eater. He loves all things meat and fruit (and cookies!). Veggies...not so much. I've decided to pick my battles. He especially loves Sloppy Joes which I had planned to make but remembered this recipe from my early cooking days of being in high school and cooking supper for my family. I decided to give it a try and see if he would like it. Surprisingly, he really does like it, even the noodles which he hasn't been eating lately. It is so easy and quick. I believe from the time I started cooking to the time it was on the table was 30 minutes at most. I normally serve it with egg noodles, but elbow macaroni was all I had. It really doesn't matter. Just serve it with whatever noodles you have.

Quick & Easy Beef Stroganoff

1 lb. ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

1/4 c. butter

2 Tbsp. flour

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 clove garlic, minced or 1 tsp. garlic salt

1 can mushroom pieces, optional

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 c. sour cream

In large skillet, brown ground beef and cook onion in melted butter until onion is tender. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, garlic and mushroom pieces (I don't put the mushrooms in); cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in soup and mix well; simmer uncovered for 10 minutes on low. Stir in sour cream; heat through.

Serve over noodles.

Pilgrim Hats

2011-11-23T10:58:00.001-06:00

I was originally asked to bring Granny's Cut Out Cookies to our Thanksgiving lunch for the kids, but I took creative liberty and decided to make these little gems instead. They are super easy to make and definitely something older children could help with. Here's what you'll need:

Pilgrim Hats

Keebler Fudge Stripe Cookies
Marshmallows
Chocolate chips
tube of yellow decorators icing

Place cookies, stripe side down onto wax paper. In microwave, carefully melt chocolate. Use toothpicks to dip marshmallows to coat in chocolate. Place on top of cookie. Allow chocolate to set. Pipe a buckle onto hat. (My store didn't was out of yellow tube icing, so I just bought some white can icing and colored it myself. Then I used a ziploc bag to pipe onto hat.)

I was also asked to bring Not Yo' Mama's Banana Pudding for the adults. I won't change that up and will definitely be taking that.

Merry Christmas!...not yet, but here's an idea

2011-11-18T10:40:00.001-06:00

Christmas is just around the corner and while food is definitely an important part of our Christmas tradition, I absolutely love receiving Christmas cards every year! To compare the cards from last year and see how children and grandchildren have grown over the previous year is so fun. I even recently saw an idea on Pinterest where you could take all of your cards from one year and put a binder ring through them all to display on your coffee table every year. So fun! I've been taking a few peeks at the Christmas cards at Tiny Prints over the last week and they have some precious cards! My absolute favorite are the cards that could be turned into Christmas ornaments to hang on a tree. We currently use a wire wreath to display all of our cards, but it quickly becomes overcrowded. Maybe I need to think of one of the above ideas as a new way to display my cards.

I've tried to post a picture of some of the cute cards here, but I can't get my computer to cooperate. You just need to click on over to see the Tiny Prints Christmas Cards for yourself if you are looking for some really cute cards!

Bacon Wrapped Conecuh Sausage

2011-11-14T10:01:00.001-06:00

And because The Dish Washer thinks no meal is complete without a side of meat, I knew I needed to come up with something to please him. So I decided to take these sausages wrapped in bacon. They are another super simple recipe that my Mother in law originally shared with me using hot dogs. My sister made the same recipe once that used Conecuh sausage and I knew that is how I would make it from that point on. It was delicious. You could use any kind of sausage, hot dog or little smokies.

Bacon Wrapped Conecuh Sausage

1 lb. Conecuh sausage
1 lb. bacon, not thick cut
1 (1 lb.) box of light brown sugar

Cut sausage into 1 inch pieces. Cut bacon strips into thirds. Wrap each piece of sausage in bacon piece and secure with toothpick. Place in crockpot. Cover with brown sugar. Cook on high for 3 hours or until bacon is cooked.

**If you double the meat in your recipe, you can still just use 1 box of brown sugar.

I also took Brunch Punch. The Dish Washer said "I'd rather had just orange juice." I hope at least the girls liked it.

Pioneer Woman's Sleepin' In Omelette

2011-11-14T09:52:00.001-06:00

Yesterday was my Sunday to have breakfast for Sunday school. I have had this particular recipe marked in my google reader for three years waiting for the perfect time to make it. I decided yesterday was the day. Of course, I didn't take any pictures because I wasn't coordinated enough to get it out of the house hot AND take pictures of it. I'm going to just link up to her directly because I didn't change a thing about the recipe and I think her pictures and captions do the best job of explaining how to make it.

If you are looking for a perfect new brunch recipe to share with a group...THIS IS IT!! I thought it was delicious. And super easy to make. She considers it an omelette, I'd consider it a savory bread pudding. :) Don't be scared when you take it out of the oven and see all the butter sizzling...it won't look like that after a few minutes.

Pioneer Woman's Sleepin' In Omelette

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

2011-11-03T12:43:00.001-05:00

It is a drizzly day here today, which is the perfect day to spend in the kitchen. We have THE BIG GAME this weekend to attend and my mom is coming into town to stay with The Bun. I always try to thank my babysitters with good food and this weekend is certainly no exception. I settled on this bread being our snack. I hope it lasts until she gets here! I also have Taco Soup, Tarragon Chicken Salad with Cranberries and Honey Oatmeal Bread on the agenda. I may add Tri-Colored Pasta Salad to the mix, but haven't decided yet.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

1/2 stick butter, softened
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg
1 c. quick cooking oats
2 Tbsp. water
3 ripe bananas, mashed
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients. Pour into greased and floured regular sized loaf pan and bake at 350 for 45-55 minutes or until tooth pick comes out clean. Adjust cooking time if you use smaller loaf pans.

Mexican Chicken Casserole

2011-10-25T10:48:00.000-05:00

We were away from the house last week, but before we left I made this delicious Mexican Chicken Casserole. It is from Southern Plate and I'm just going to link up to it today. It was super easy and very good. What really stuck out about the recipe, though, was the words that came with it. I think it is important enough to repeat it here. It was an excerpt from Anna Quindlan who is a Newsweek columnist. When I read it, I became curious about her and what else she had to say, because honestly I loved the excerpt. So I looked it up and here it is for you now. I've highlighted my most favorite parts that encourage us as mothers to trust our instincts and not to compare our children to others AND to live in the moment and enjoy EVERY fleeting moment!

Raising Children
by Anna Quindlen, Newsweek Columnist and Author

All my babies are gone now. I say this not in sorrow but in disbelief.

I take great satisfaction in what I have today: three almost-adults, two taller than I am, one closing in fast.Three people who read the same books I do and have learned not to be afraid of disagreeing with me in their opinion of them, who sometimes tell vulgar jokes that make me laugh until I choke and cry, who need razor blades and shower gel and privacy, who want to keep their doors closed more than I like.

Who, miraculously, go to the bathroom, zip up their jackets and move food from plate to mouth all by themselves. Like the trick soap I bought for the bathroom with a rubber ducky at its center, the baby is buried deep within each, barely discernible except through the unreliable haze of the past.

Everything in all the books I once poured over is finished for me now. Penelope Leach., T. Berry Brazelton., Dr. Spock. The ones on sibling rivalry and sleeping through the night and early-childhood education, all grown obsolete. Along with Goodnight Moon, and Where the Wild Things Are, they are battered, spotted, well used. But I suspect that if you flipped the pages, dust would rise like memories. What those books taught me, and finally what the women on the playground, and the well-meaning relations -- well what they taught me was that they couldn't really teach me very much at all.

Raising children is presented at first as a true-false test, then becomes multiple choice, until finally, far along, you realize that it is an endless essay. No one knows anything.

One child responds well to positive reinforcement, another can be managed only with a stern voice and a timeout. One child is toilet trained at 3, his sibling at 2.

When my first child was born, parents were told to put baby to bed on his belly so that he would not choke on his own spit-up. By the time my last arrived, babies were put down on their backs because of research on sudden infant death syndrome.

To a new parent this ever-shifting certainty is terrifying, and then soothing. Eventually you must learn to trust yourself. Eventually the research will follow.

I remember 15 years ago pouring over one of Dr. Brazelton's wonderful books on child development, in which he describes three different sorts of infants: average, quiet, and active. I was looking for a sub-quiet codicil for an 18-month old who did not walk. Was there something wrong with his fat little legs? Was there something wrong with his tiny little mind? Was he developmentally delayed, physically challenged? Was I insane? Last year he went to China. Next year he goes to college. He can talk just fine. He can walk, too.

Every part of raising children is humbling, too. Believe me, mistakes were made.They have all been enshrined in the "Remember-When-Mom-Did " Hall of Fame.The outbursts, the temper tantrums, the bad language, mine, not theirs.The times the baby fell off the bed.The times I arrived late for preschool pickup.The nightmare sleepover. The horrible summer camp.The day when the youngest came barreling out of the classroom with a 98 on her geography test, and I responded, "What did you get wrong?" (She insisted I include that.) The time I ordered food at the McDonald's drive-through speaker and then drove away without picking it up from the window. (They all insisted I include that.) I did not allow them to watch the Simpsons for the first two seasons. What was I thinking?

But the biggest mistake I made is the one that most of us make while doing this. I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of the three of them, sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages 6, 4 and 1.

And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night.

I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less.

Even today I'm not sure what worked and what didn't, what was me and what was simply life. When they were very small, I suppose I thought someday they would become who they were because of what I'd done. Now I suspect they simply grew into their true selves because they demanded in a thousand ways that I back off and let them be. The books said to be relaxed and I was often tense, matter-of-fact and I was sometimes over the top.

And look how it all turned out. I wound up with the three people I like best in the world who have done more than anyone to excavate my essential humanity.

That's what the books never told me. I was bound and determined to learn from the experts. It just took me awhile to figure out who the experts were.

Lemon Rind for Disposal

2011-10-14T07:00:00.000-05:00

I have discovered that anytime I use fresh lemons in a recipe, I can save and freeze the rinds. I love the smell of fresh lemon in the garbage disposal for a refreshing smell, so I just take a few out of the freezer bag and let them thaw in the sink. Then I send them through the disposal. Whenever I make Lemonade or something like that, I always end up with so many extras, so why not save them for later?

Squash Dressing Casserole

2011-10-13T07:00:00.001-05:00

If you like squash casserole and southern Thanksgiving dressing, then this recipe is for you. Another church cookbook winner. I wanted to use up some green onions that I still had, so I used those instead of regular onions. If I make it again, I will ONLY use regular onions.

Squash Dressing Casserole

2 lbs. yellow squash, sliced

1 medium onion, chopped

1 stick butter

1 can cream of chicken soup

2 c. Pepperidge Farm Cornbread Stuffing

1 (8 oz.) carton sour cream

salt and pepper to taste

Boil squash and onion until tender; drain. Mix all ingredients. Pour into greased 2 quart casserole dish; bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.

(I don't like dry dressing, so 30 minutes was plenty for me. If you like a more firm, dry-ish dressing, you may want to bake yours a little longer.

Cream Cheese Sausage Balls

2011-10-12T07:00:00.000-05:00

A couple of weekends ago for one of our Tuscaloosa tailgates, I made these sausage balls and Spinach Dip. I forgot I made them until now. I didn't even take a picture, but you are in luck because these were all over pinterest and the recipe came from Plain Chicken. They seem more light and airy than your average sausage ball.

Cream Cheese Sausage Balls

Pumpkin Bundt Cake

2011-10-06T20:45:00.000-05:00

Our church is a supporter of The Jimmie Hale Mission, a ministry to the homeless among other things. Every month on Saturdays several volunteers go and serve lunch. It has never worked our for us to go, but this week I received an email from the church asking for cake donations to be served this weekend. It is the perfect opportunity for me to help out. So today, we baked this cake. It smelled delicious while baking and all the reviews said it was a very moist cake. I love moist cake over dry poundcake any day of the week. It reminds me of the Chocolate Chip Pound Cake. In fact, I thought about adding white chips to it but changed my mind last minute. And I also love easy cakes that start with a mix!

Pumpkin Bundt Cake

1 box spice cake mix
1 small box butterscotch instant pudding
1/4 c. oil
1/4 c. water
4 eggs
1 c. pureed pumpkin

In a large mixing bowl, beat all ingredients on low speed to incorporate. Turn up speed and beat for about 3-4 minutes until light and airy. Pour into greased and floured bundt pan. Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan and then turn out on wire rack to cool completely.

Lasagna Soup

2011-10-03T08:50:00.000-05:00

When Mom was visiting last week, I also made this soup and thought it was delicious and tastes just like lasagna. I actually used turkey in the recipe and I really didn't miss the beef. Use whichever you prefer.

Lasagna Soup

2 lbs. ground beef

1 large onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

2 Tbsp. tomato paste

1 (28 oz) can diced fire roasted tomatoes

6 c. chicken stock

2 bay leaves

8 oz. lasagna noodles, broken into small pieces

salt and pepper to taste

Cheese Mixture:

8 oz. ricotta cheese

1/2 c. Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Mozzarella cheese

In a Dutch oven, brown beef and onion until onion is tender. Stir in garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes and tomato paste. Cook for 1-2 minutes stirring constantly. Add in tomatoes, chicken stock and bay leaves. Simmer for 30 minutes. Remove bay leaves. Add broken lasagna pieces and continue simmering until tender.

In a separate bowl, mix ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper. To serve, spoon cheese mixture into bottom of bowl. Top with mozzarella cheese and ladle soup on top.

Smoked Tuna Dip

2011-09-28T09:42:00.000-05:00

I absolutely love tuna dip at the beach and nobody does it better than Destin's Harbor Docks. (In my opinion!) Anyway, I have been looking for a way to make this dip at home without the freshly smoked yellowfin tuna. The original recipe I tried called for canned tuna with liquid smoke added. It was AWFUL! Then I found another recipe that informed me that there were tuna pouches with already smoked tuna inside. This had to be better than liquid smoke. I gave it a try yesterday for lunch because my mom is in town and it certainly isn't Harbor Docks but it will do here at home.

Smoked Tuna Dip

2 pouches smoked tuna, drained if necessary
3/4 c. mayo
1 Tbsp. prepared horseradish
1/3 c. chopped green onions
1/8 tsp. ground pepper

Process all ingredients in food processor until smooth.

How Deep The Father's Love For Us

2011-09-26T15:04:00.001-05:00

This song moves me so deeply.

Honey Oatmeal Bread

2011-09-19T09:58:00.001-05:00

I was on Tasty Kitchen and looking at the most popular recipes on that site. I noticed this bread and it looked delicious so I clicked on it and what do you know? It is the recipe of a high school friend. Click on over and make this bread if you are looking for a good homemade recipe.

Honey Oatmeal Bread

I served this with the Creamy Chicken Divan Soup.

Peanut Butter Haystacks

2011-09-18T18:42:00.000-05:00

These cookies are my most favorite cookie in the world. They are the easiest no bake cookie to make ever! I have never shared them because I thought one day I would make millions off of them and need to keep the recipe secret (for real!), but I have decided that probably won't happen and even if it did there would be no need to keep it secret. HA! This is my Grandmother's recipe and anytime I take them anywhere, everyone always goes bonkers over them. Our church collected snack foods to give to emergency workers as a thank you for what they do. I decided I wanted to make them something special. But then I got to thinking, I wonder if they eat homemade food from strangers? Oh well, it was the thought that counts.

And if you make millions off of my cookie one day, remember this lady!! :)

Peanut Butter Haystacks

1/2 c. light corn syrup

1/2 c. sugar

1 c. peanut butter

2 c. cocoa krispies

In a saucepan, heat syrup and sugar until bubbling. Remove pan from heat and carefully stir in peanut butter until well combined. Stir in cocoa krispies. Drop by teaspoon onto wax paper and allow to cool.

Creamy Chicken Divan Soup

2011-09-17T08:49:00.000-05:00

I have decided that Friday will be soup day at our house through the cold weather season. It works out because it is great to eat for lunch after church. Just a quick reheat and lunch is served. This is soup number two and, in case you can't tell from last week and this week, I am all about soup recipes that are originally entrees right now. This is really good. It is pretty much a glorified broccoli soup with meat. The Dish Washer thinks that it isn't an official meal if there is no meat involved. Don't tell him I have a tomato soup recipe that my eye is on. This soup whipped up in no time, especially with the help of a $4 rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. Those things make life so easy!! (And you can't beat the price for pre-cooked)

**UPDATED: The original recipe called for 2 c. shredded cheddar cheese which I left out when I made my original batch of soup. When I reheated a bowl later, I added some cheddar cheese to it and it made it so much more delicious! Definitely add the cheddar cheese.

Creamy Chicken Divan Soup

2 Tbsp. butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. dried crushed red pepper
6 c. chicken broth (48 oz. can)
2 (12 oz.) packages fresh broccoli, cut into florets (about 12 cups)
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
4 c. chopped cooked chicken
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in Dutch oven. Saute onion until tender. Add garlic and red pepper and cook 2 more minutes. Add broccoli florets and chicken broth. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 to 15 minutes or until tender. Stir in cream cheese until melted.

Process mixture with handheld blender until smooth. (Or use food processor in batches with cooled liquid to process.) Once processed, add chicken. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Dijon Grilled Chicken Marinade

2011-09-13T07:00:00.001-05:00

Our favorite marinade is a Garlic Dijon marinade that we put on pork and I saw this one that is used on chicken. It was delicious and just a little different from the other marinade. I didn't take a picture of it, because let's be honest, all grilled chicken looks the same to me. This is perfectly delicious for tailgating!

Dijon Grilled Chicken Marinade
good for 1-1/2 to 2 lbs. chicken meat

4 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. dried parsley
1/3 c. dijon mustard
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 c. olive oil
1-1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
salt and pepper to taste

Marinade chicken overnight (or at least 1 hour) and grill until meat is cooked through.

Tarragon Chicken Salad with Cranberries

2011-09-12T10:00:00.003-05:00

I wanted to change up my go to chicken salad recipe for the fall and came across a similar recipe calling for tarragon after watching Barefoot Contessa show me that tarragon in chicken salad can be a secret ingredient. This one sounded delicious and I changed it up just a smidge for our tastes. It also calls for pecans, which I thought would be great in it, but The Dish Washer would have complained all day. So, I opted to leave them out.

Tarragon Chicken Salad with Cranberries

2 whole chicken breasts, bone in and skin on
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 shallot, chopped
1 tsp. dried tarragon
1 c. dried cranberries, chopped chunky
1 c. toasted pecan halves, chopped
3/4 c. mayo
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Place chicken on roasting pan and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and roast at 425 for 45 minutes or until cooked through. Allow to cool completely. Once cool, remove skin and shred or chop chicken, whichever you prefer.

In a small bowl, whisk mayo, apple cider vinegar and salt and pepper. Set aside. In a larger bowl, combine, chicken, celery, shallot, tarragon, cranberries and pecans. Pour dressing over and mix well.

Black Eyed Pea Dip

2011-09-10T11:24:00.000-05:00

Quickly, how about some gameday food? There are several variations of this recipe. Some call for Italian dressing and some are even called Texas Caviar or Alabama Caviar...you get the idea. This is the version I like. It makes plenty for a large crowd. Perfect to take to a tailgate.

Black Eyed Pea Dip

2 cans black eyed peas without pork, drained
1 can niblet corn, drained
1 (16 oz.) jar of mild-medium chunky salsa
1 tomato, cut up
1 onion, cut up
1 tsp. garlic salt
1-1/2 tsp. creole seasoning

Mix all together and chill in fridge. Serve with scoop tortilla chips.

ROOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLL TIDE, ROLL!!!!

MeeMaw's Crusty Cornbread

2011-09-09T07:11:00.007-05:00

My MeeMaw makes the best cornbread. I made it yesterday to serve with our soup. Even though it is the same recipe, her's always tastes so much better than mine. Maybe it is her cast iron skillet and it's 50 years as opposed to mine with 5. She always made this recipe go into 2 skillets (2/3 batter in one, 1/3 batter in the other) so her's is always thinner than mine. Thin and crunchy is perfect. I only have one skillet, so that is why mine is much thicker. The crust was still crunchy though, so it was good enough.

MeeMaw's Crusty Cornbread

1 c. self-rising cornmeal
1 c. self-rising flour
1 c. buttermilk
1 egg
2 Tbsp. water (more if needed to thin batter)
1/4 c. vegetable oil

Pour oil into skillet. Place in oven and preheat oven to 450. Meanwhile, mix cornmeal, flour, milk and egg. Whisk until well combine. Thin with a little water if needed. Once preheated, carefully remove skillet and sprinkle in some extra cornmeal. (The hot oil and extra cornmeal help make it crusty.) Pour in cornmeal batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes until crispy, golden.

Stuffed Cabbage Soup

2011-09-08T20:29:00.000-05:00

I can't help myself. The first signs of fall and all I want to do is make soup! I have had this one marked in my list all summer and today was the day. I really enjoy stuffed cabbage but have never attempted to make it at home, so I thought this would be the perfect lazy alternative. It was all the flavors of traditional stuff cabbage. The only difference was that really thick tomato sauce taste that is always so good on top of the stuffed cabbage. It worked out great because we had a surprise visit from my in laws on their way back home and it makes a HUGE pot of soup. In fact, I am sure I will still have plenty for the freezer.

Stuffed Cabbage Soup

olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. ground pork
1/2 c. rice
4 c. beef broth
2 cans petite diced tomatoes
1/2 can water
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 small head of cabbage, shredded
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste

Bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Once boiling, pour over 1/2 c. rice and allow to soak for 10 minutes. In a very large pot (no smaller than 5 quarts), saute onion and celery in olive oil. Once tender, add garlic until fragrant. Drain rice. Add beef, pork and rice to pot and cook until browned. Drain. Add beef broth, tomatoes, can of water, tomato paste, cabbage, bay leaves and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour or until rice and cabbage is tender. (I let mine go 2 hours and then sit on warm all day.)

Creamy Italian Chicken

2011-09-02T09:35:00.000-05:00

Well, I have certainly posted plenty of recipes this week. This is my last one, another crockpot recipe and yet another recipe floating all over Pinterest. This was delicious and super easy to make. I don't have anything new I am planning to make for the holiday weekend. In fact, it is supposed to rain Sunday/most of the week from the storm. Thankfully, we should have a dry home game tomorrow. I am so excited about football season and super excited to be able to make it to a few more games this season than I did last year with a Tiny Baby Bun! Roll Tide!!

Creamy Italian Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (mine were huge so I only used 3)
1 packet of zesty Italian dressing mix
1 can cream of chicken soup*
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese

In bottom of crockpot, place chicken breasts. Cover with seasoning packet. In a separate bowl, combine cream cheese and chicken soup. Heat in microwave until cheese is melted and well blended with soup. Pour over chicken. Cover crock pot and cook on low for 5-6 hours. Can go longer if you are away from the house. Shred chicken into sauce and serve over rice or pasta.

*Some recipes I have seen say to use anywhere from 1-2 cans of cream of chicken soup, but I will tell you that I think that would be way too soupy. One can was definitely plenty.

--
And speaking of chicken, have you reserved your FREE Chick-fil-A breakfast yet? The Dish Washer and I both have reservations. Too bad you have to be 13 for a reservation or else The Bun would have one too. I guess they have to make their money somehow. They are my most favorite fast food restaurant. Check to see if your restaurant still has available reservations here: chick-fil-aforbreakfast.com

Brown Sugar and Balsamic Slow Cooked Pork

2011-09-01T07:00:00.005-05:00

This weekend was P-Dub's first television episode. Did you watch? We were out of town so watched it on Tivo the following day. The Dish Washer told me not to watch it without him because he wanted to see their ranch life. Anything with cattle, he loves, and you better not fast forward through any of those parts. I liked the show. It's not like anything else on Food Network the way they produce it. I think you either like it or hate it. It does drive me crazy how she says balsamic (bal-SAM-ic)!! Anybody else? Anyway this is a recipe I first spied on Pinterest and the bal-SAM-ic made me think of her! :) I thought this was delicious. I was worried that the glaze was going to be way too sweet for me, but the pork balanced that out nicely.

Brown Sugar and Balsamic Slow Cooked Pork

1 (2-pound) boneless pork loin
1 tsp. ground dried sage
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 clove crushed garlic
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
1/2 c. water
2 Tbsp. soy sauce

Mix together sage, salt, pepper, and garlic. Rub the mixture over the pork. Add it to the slow cooker and pour 1/2 cup water in the bottom of the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

One hour before the pork is cooked, put the brown sugar, cornstarch, balsamic, water, and soy sauce in a sauce pan. Bring the mixture to a bubble over medium heat. It will get thick. Pour half of the glaze over the pork. Reserve the rest to serve alongside. Cook the pork for another hour. Serve with the remaining glaze.

Zucchini Fritters

2011-08-31T10:50:00.000-05:00

These were supposed to be more like hush puppies, but I didn't feel like busting out the deep fryer. So, I just dropped them in hot oil in a skillet and now they are more like zucchini pancakes. They were really good, but made way too many for our little family. I decided to put them in the freezer to see if we could eat them later. Of course, fried foods are always better freshly fried but they still tasted good after being reheated in the microwave.

Zucchini Fritters

Vegetable oil
1/2 c. milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 c. all purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 (1 oz.) pkg. of ranch-style dip mix
2 c. shredded zucchini

Fill a deep-fat fryer or skillet with oil to a 2-inch depth. Heat to 375. Meanwhile, combine milk and egg in a mixing bowl. Stir together dry ingredients and add to egg mixture; blend well. Fold in zucchini. Drop batter by rounded teaspoonful into hot oil. Fry until deep golden brown, turning once. Drain thoroughly on paper towels. Yields 1-1/2 to 2 dozen.

Three Bean Salad

2011-08-30T10:10:00.003-05:00

This is a salad that I absolutely love that The Dish Washer's mother makes. It is so addictive, but again I love all things sweet and sour. I decided to make this for the past weekend's family get-together too. It's pictured above from several Thanksgivings ago, but it has me in the mood for fall just looking at the picture. Too bad we are still expecting 100 degrees this week! Doesn't seem right for the first week of college football to be 100 degrees! It's usually hot, but not that hot. My Dad loved this salad and said it is the best Three Bean Salad he has ever had. I'm not sure there is much difference between this recipe and other recipes, but he wanted this recipe none the less. So, here it is:

Three Bean Salad

1 can cut green beans
1 can cut wax beans
1 can red beans
1 small onion, sliced thinly
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. vinegar

Drain beans and rinse. Set aside. In a saucepan, combine oil, vinegar, sugar and onion. Heat until sugar dissolves. Allow to cool completely. Place beans in a refrigerator bowl and pour cooled sugar/vinegar mixture over beans. Allow to marinate overnight. Serve chilled.

Nutella Chess Bars

2011-08-29T08:54:00.008-05:00

You may know these bars from the one and only Paula Deen. She calls the base recipe Gooey Butter Bars, but growing up we always called these Chess Bars and Chess Bars they will always be to me. Paula is also well known for changing up the base recipe to make several different flavors like German Chocolate. I saw this recipe using Nutella over at Plain Chicken and this was the original recipe I told you about when I ended up making Nutella Cookies. I took these to a family get-together this weekend (again, so good to take these where there are a lot of people to help you eat them) and everyone thought they were just brownies. And honestly, they did taste like frosted brownies. They had more of a chocolate flavor and I couldn't taste much Nutella, but they were still amazing! Very rich!

Nutella Chess Bars

1 box Devil's food cake mix
1 stick butter, melted
1 egg

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
3 eggs
1 c. Nutella
1 tsp. vanilla
1 stick butter, melted
1 (1 lb.) box powdered sugar

In a mixing bowl, combine cake mix, 1 stick butter and 1 egg with electric mixer. Once mixture is formed, press into greased 9x13 baking dish. In a separate bowl, combine cream cheese and Nutella until creamy. Add eggs, vanilla, butter. Next mix in powdered sugar until smooth. Pour and spread on top of unbaked crust. Bake at 350 for 40 to 50 minutes. Be careful not to overbake. You want it to have a gooey texture.

Cake Batter Ice Cream

2011-08-28T20:53:00.000-05:00

Loosen those buttons on the pants because the cooking here has been rich this weekend and I have been dying to share the recipes with you! I mentioned the last time I made Vanilla Ice Cream that I wanted to find a recipe that was creamier and more like fresh from the carton ice cream! I HAVE FOUND IT!!! Tonight we had an ice cream social at church and I knew it would be the perfect time to make it and try it out. It was a hit and it is super easy to make. And thankfully, it is all gone so I didn't have to come home and worry about eating too much. I will never make another homemade ice cream recipe again. The great thing about this recipe is you can use whichever cake batter you like the best to make the different flavors. (vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, etc) Tonight I used yellow cake mix. I wonder if the cake mix helps to make it creamy? Regardless, this is the creamiest homemade ice cream (instead of frozen milk) I have ever had. YUM!

Cake Batter Ice Cream

1 c. milk
2 c. heavy cream
3/4 c. sugar
2/3 c. cake mix
1 tsp. vanilla

In a large bowl, combine milk, sugar and cake mix. Whisk together being sure to eliminate clumps until sugar dissolves. Add in cream and vanilla. Pour into ice cream maker and freeze according to your maker's directions. Once frozen, place in a separate container and place in freezer until ready to serve.

Broccoli, Grape and Pasta Salad

2011-08-23T13:50:00.000-05:00

YUM-O!! This was the recipe that jumped off the pages of Southern Living this month and it is DELICIOUS!! I had to make it right away to get it off of my mind. Check out the recipe if you haven't seen it:

Broccoli, Grape and Pasta Salad

Hasselback Potatoes

2011-08-16T21:45:00.001-05:00

Last night, I made Taco Meatloaf and I used a peach salsa I had in the pantry to change it up a bit. It was really good and inspired by PW's peach bbq chicken (although that was a heck of a lot of whiskey!) she had posted that morning. I'd love to make that soon. But in the meantime, the peach salsa held me over. I had some baking potatoes that I really wanted to use up and have always wanted to try this recipe, but just never did until now! It was so easy and is pretty to serve. It is a cross between a baked potato and roasted potatoes. Is it crazy that I always think of Elizabeth Hasselback when I think of this recipe!

Hasselback Potatoes

baking potatoes (however many you are serving)
olive oil
fresh garlic cloves, sliced
salt and pepper to taste

Slice potatoes 3/4 way through the potato, the whole length of the potato. Use two wooden spoons as your cutting guide by placing two spoons on each side of the potato. That keeps the knife from going all the way through the potato. Place a slice of garlic in between potato slices. I did every 3 or 4 slices but you can do more or less depending on how much garlic you like. Toss in olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 425 for 1 hour. (I may or may not have dotted some butter on the potatoes half way through cooking!) :)

Hot Fudge Sauce

2011-08-15T12:19:00.000-05:00

I had planned on making John's Apple Dumpling Delight last week for a gentleman who was doing repairs to our home, but learned that he wouldn't have time to lunch with us so I didn't make them. What to do with the ice cream that I already bought to serve with the warm dumplings? Hot fudge sauce! I studied up on my hot fudge sauce over at Tasty Kitchen. I settled on combining a couple of recipes based on what I had on hand. It isn't as good as say, Dairy Queen, but it hit the spot. Once I made it, I just used a recycled glass jar to store it in. You want to be sure you put it in something that can go from fridge to microwave to reheat it.

Hot Fudge Sauce

1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
3/4 c. water
1 tsp. vanilla

In a large saucepan, heat condensed milk, chocolate and water to a boil. Stir constantly. (Will seem super runny, but it will thicken up). Continue stirring until mixture is smooth and thickened. Remove from heat and add vanilla.

Serve warm. Store in refrigerator. (I don't know how long it will be good for??)

Copper Pennies (Marinated Carrots)

2011-08-13T07:26:00.001-05:00

I believe I tried a recipe for "Copper Pennies" sometime this year that never made it to the blog because it wasn't good. It was served warm, though, so I think that is why I didn't care for it. I really like this cold version, and I am a fan of all things sweet and sour. This recipe is from my mother in law's community club cookbook and the ingredients are all things you have on hand to whip up a veggie for unexpected company. Really yummy! Now that I have had the good stuff, it really reminds me of the Sweet Potato Salad that I make. This is just more saucy and obviously uses carrots.

Copper Pennies (Marinated Carrots)

2 cans carrots, drained

1 bell pepper, chopped

1 small onions, sliced and "ringed" out (meaning separate into individual rings)

1 can tomato soup

1/2 c. salad oil

1/2 c. sugar

3/4 c. vinegar

1 tsp. mustard

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

salt

pepper

In a serving bowl, add carrots, bell pepper and onion. Mix other ingredients really well and pour over carrots. Cover and refrigerate over night. Serve.

Quick & Easy Au Jus (for French Dip Sandwich)

2011-08-12T11:56:00.000-05:00

I had some leftover Roast from earlier in the week and wanted to use it up by making another meal out of it. I decided on making an au jus and serving it as a French Dip Sandwich.

Quick & Easy Au Jus (For French Dip Sandwich)

2 Tbsp. butter
1 shallot, chopped (I just used onion I had on hand)
1 Tbsp. all purpose flour
2 cans beef consomme
Montreal Steak Seasoning, to taste
pepper, to taste

In a saucepan, melt butter and saute shallot until tender. Add in flour being careful not to burn. Whisk in the cans of consomme until smooth. Season with Montreal Steak Seasoning and pepper to taste. Simmer while preparing sandwiches. Serve in a dipping bowl.

Zucchini Perini

2011-08-10T10:03:00.000-05:00

I think I have mentioned before that we were gifted with the Perini Ranch Steakhouse Cookbook for Christmas. It is full of "cowboy" food and when I saw this I knew I wanted to try it out. It is served as a side at their restaurant but since it has the meat in it, I decided to make it our main dish. I have made something similar before when I made the Stuffed Zucchini, but this is WAAYYY better! We adapted the recipe to make it more of a meal and to cook the zucchini to a more tender doneness. Here is the original recipe and here's what we did: It makes a huge serving. Great for a crowd and definitely plenty of leftovers for us this week!

Zucchini Perini

1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. sausage
1 large onion, diced
2 lbs. zucchini, thinly sliced
1 (28 oz.) can whole tomatoes, mashed and drained
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
3 tsp. dried crushed oregano
garlic powder (to taste)
salt and pepper (to taste)
Parmesan cheese

In a large skillet, brown ground beef, sausage and onion. Drain off excess fat. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce and seasonings. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add zucchini and stir to coat with meat sauce. Place in a large baking dish. Cover with Parmesan cheese and bake at 350 for 35 minutes.

**The meat sauce alone would make a great spaghetti sauce. I love the mix of the beef and the sausage.

Cheesy Spinach & Rice Bake

2011-08-08T19:44:00.002-05:00

Cheesy Spinach & Rice Bake
2 Tbsp. butter
1 small onion, chopped
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 pkg. frozen spinach, thawed, drained and chopped
1 c. milk
2 eggs
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
4 c. cooked rice
salt and pepper, to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray casserole dish with non stick spray. In a large pan over medium-high heat, saute onions with 2 Tbsp. of butter and cayenne until translucent. Add the spinach and cook for 3 minutes. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together milk and eggs. Add the rice, cheese and spinach mixture and combine well. Season with salt and pepper.
Pour into prepared casserole dish and top with extra shredded cheese. Bake for 30 minutes and serve piping hot.

Tie Dye Cookies

2011-08-06T18:43:00.000-05:00

Well, school is around the corner and all of my first babies (nieces and nephews) are officially school age this year! Let's put it this way, May 2024 will make for a busy graduation season for us! (2024, what?!?! So weird.) In honor of school starting, I knew I wanted to send everyone something special to wish them a happy school year! I found these awesome Tie Dye Cookies online. I used two separate sites to come up with my final product.

I used the cookie dough recipe from here.

I used the cookie rolling method from here. (I thought this look was cuter than the Baked Bree version.)

Then I used free printables from here to send a note to all of my "Smart Cookies" and wrap the cookies up. I mailed them off yesterday! I'm happy to report today that everyone has received them and they were a hit!

Famous Chocolate Refrigerator Roll

2011-07-30T08:26:00.000-05:00

I've seen a similar recipes using these Nabisco Famous chocolate wafers and have been on the hunt for them for several months. They aren't the easiest item to come across. I finally spotted them close to some ice cream toppings at Publix this week. It worked perfect to make for company this week. If you are looking for a dessert to impress, this is your best choice! It is so simple to make and looks incredible.

Famous Chocolate Refrigerator Roll

2 c. whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1 (9 oz.) pkg. Nabisco Famous Chocolate wafers

In a mixing bowl, whip the cream until it forms soft peaks. Gently fold in the vanilla. Top each wafer with 1-1/2 tsp. of cream. Stack on top of each other. Turn the roll on it's side and cover with remaining whipped cream. Garnish with shaved chocolate or crumbled cookies. Refrigerate at least 4 hours. Cut at an angle and serve.

Carrot Souffle

2011-07-29T08:00:00.002-05:00

This was my first time to make a souffle at home. In terms of it rising correctly, well, it was a "flop". In terms of flavor, it was delicious and tasted just like I wanted it to taste and remembered. There is a restaurant in town called Dale's Southern Grill. Maybe you've eaten there? Last year, we went with The Dish Washer to a business dinner and Dale's catered. Carrot Souffle, which is one of their more popular dishes, was served. I originally didn't get any, but was prodded to try it for dessert. Yes, it is plenty sweet enough for dessert too. Theirs didn't rise either, so maybe it isn't supposed to. It is really similar to a sweet potato pie/casserole. A little internet research turned up the original recipe. Here's the link:

Dale's Carrot Souffle

While I was looking for that recipe, I also spotted this SHOOT ME NOW recipe. I may have to make a trip for a little splurge soon!!

Baked Zucchini Chips

2011-07-28T19:55:00.000-05:00

I've seen this recipe in several places online and decided to give it a try for a different way to use up zucchini. I thought it was very delicious. I could have baked it a little longer and maybe it would have a little more crunch, but overall it was a great way to use those zucchinis up.

Baked Zucchini Chips

3 zucchinis, washed and rinsed
1/2 c. bread crumbs
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese (I used grated because that is what I had)
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. cracked black pepper
1 tsp. dried parsley
1/2 tsp. paprika
salt to taste
2 egg whites

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut zucchini as thinly as possible. Place on paper towels to allow moisture to drain for at least 10 minutes. In a bowl, beat egg whites until the become frothy. In a separate bowl (or ziploc bag), combine dry ingredients. Coat zucchini is egg whites and then toss in dry ingredients. Lay flat on baking sheet in single layer. Bake for 5 minutes. Flip zucchini over and return to oven for 7 more minutes or until as crispy as you prefer (without burning them!). Serve warm.

Tuscan Pork Chops

2011-07-27T08:00:00.002-05:00

This recipe is straight from Southern Living. No need to waste time. It was absolutely delicious!! Probably the best thing we have eaten in a while.

Tuscan Pork Chops

1/4 c. all purpose flour

1 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. pepper

4 boneless pork chops (I use bone-in and allow mine longer to cook)

1 Tbsp. olive oil

3-4 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 c. balsamic vinegar

1/3 c. chicken broth

3 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced (I used typical garden tomatoes and left seeds in)

2 Tbsp. capers (who has these on hand? - I left that out)

Combine first 3 ingredients in a shallow dish; dredge pork chops in flour mixture. Cook pork chops in hot olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove chops from skillet.

Add garlic to skillet, and saute 1 minute. Add vinegar and broth, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of skillet; stir in tomatoes and capers.

Return chops to skillet; bring sauce to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 4 to 5 minutes or until pork is done. (Again, I simmered longer to insure the chops were done...and they become more tender the longer they simmer.) Serve with tomato mixture.

Fresh Tomato Tart on Black Pepper Cornbread Crust

2011-07-25T08:00:00.000-05:00

The theme for my recent posts, in case you can't tell, has been fresh vegetables. We are lucky to be on the receiving end of both our families' gardens. They pretty much all grow the same things...and LOTS OF IT!! I've already put plenty of okra, squash, zuchinni, peas, and eggplant up in the freezer. I NEED A DEEP FREEZE!!!!

I've never just loved eating big pieces of tomato, but I decided to give it more of a try with new recipes. Who knows? Maybe I'll be eating tomato sandwiches really soon! This recipe sounded delicious the moment I read it. I changed up my baking dish and cooked it in a real tart pan because I wanted it to be pretty. I'm going to share the recipe using the original baking dish of a 9x13 pan. Also, I didn't have bacon on this one. But at The Dish Washer's suggestion, bacon will be added next time. I think it will be great!

Fresh Tomato Tart on Black Pepper Cornbread Crust

Crust:

1 large egg

1/4 c. sour cream

1/2 c. milk

3/4 c. cornbread mix (I use Sunflower brand)

1 tsp. black pepper

1 Tbsp. olive oil

Filling:

3-4 medium tomatoes

2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 c. mayo

1-2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil

1-2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives

Salt & pepper, to taste

2 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (optional)

breadcrumbs (Panko would be best but any kind will work)

Heat oven to 425. Generously spray 9x13 baking pan with no stick spray. Whisk together egg, sour cream and milk in a medium bowl. Whisk in cornbread mix and pepper until smooth. Stir in olive oil just until blended. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Crust will be thin. (The browner the better.)

Cut tomatoes in the size slice you prefer. Place slices on paper towel to allow them to drain. Stir together cheese, mayo, basil and chives until combined.

Spread about half of cheese mixture onto cornbread crust. Arrange tomatoes on top of crust. Overlapping if needed. Sprinkle tomatoes with salt and pepper and crumbled bacon. Spoon remaining filling on top of tomatoes. Sprinkle with a tiny amount of breadcrumbs for browning.

Return tart to oven for 5 minutes at 425 or until cheese begins to melt. Then turn on the broiler and broil until the top is lightly browned and bubbly. About 1-2 minutes. But don't walk away from it in the broiler. Cut into squares. Serve warm.

Chopped Caprese Salad

2011-07-20T21:44:00.000-05:00

Chopped Caprese Salad

3-4 tomatoes
1 ball mozzarella
fresh basil, about 3 leaves chopped
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Chopped tomatoes and mozzarella into bite size chunks (however big or small you like your chunks). Mix olive oil and vinegar. Toss with tomatoes and cheese. Add basil and salt and pepper.

Blueberry Bread

2011-07-19T11:11:00.001-05:00

I had some blueberries that I wanted to use up before they went bad, so last night I made Blueberry Bread for The Bun and I to eat on for breakfast this week. I thought the bread came out of the oven looking so good! Then when I cut into it this morning ALL of the blueberries had sunk to the bottom!! I should have tossed them with 1 tsp. flour and then stirred them in to keep that from happening. It still tastes good, it just would have been nice to have blueberries throughout.

Blueberry Bread

1 egg
1 c. milk
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. sugar
2-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. fresh or frozen blueberries.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, milk and oil. In a separate smaller bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Slowly whisk into egg/milk mixture. Fold in blueberries. (Toss with 1 tsp. flour before folding in to see if that keeps them from sinking.) Pour into greased 9x5 loaf pan and bake at 350 for 55-60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. (Mine had to go almost 15 minutes longer to get the center done, but still check it at 55 minutes.)

Cool for 10 minutes before removing from loaf pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

I like it warm...with a little butter. ;)

**Another suggestion for keeping the blueberries from sinking is to add less milk to the batter for a thicker batter that would be able to support the weight of the berries.

Squash and Carrot Casserole

2011-07-18T07:31:00.002-05:00

Some of you may have seen this recipe in this month's Southern Living magazine. Lightened Squash Casserole. I'm not a huge fan of big chunks of carrots, but know their importance. This is a great way to get carrots in your diet. (Although, I know it isn't the best way.) I didn't have everything the original recipe called for (surprise, surprise) so this is the recipe I went with. I've posted the link to the original if you want to see it.

Squash and Carrot Casserole

3 lbs. yellow squash
1/2 c. chopped onion
1-1/2 tsp. salt, divided
1 c. grated carrots
1 can reduced-fat cream of celery soup
1 (8 oz.) container light sour cream
1/4 c. chopped fresh chives
1 c. French fried onions
pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350. Slice squash and chop onion. Bring water to a boil with 1 tsp. salt and cook squash and onion until tender. Drain. Stir together squash, carrots, remaining salt, celery soup, sour cream, chives and pepper. Pour into lightly greased 2 quart casserole dish. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Add French fried onions to the top and return for an additional 5 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Cherry Limeade

2011-07-17T13:09:00.001-05:00

I've been slowly going through my "to try" file of recipes. When my company stopped by this weekend, I thought it was the perfect time to try some of them. One of those recipes in my file that I have been wanting to try for a while was this Cherry Limeade. The Dish Washer didn't care for much of it. You have to like it to want to drink it. It is pretty tart, and has been compared to Sonic's. I found it very refreshing.

Cherry Limeade

1 (2 L.) bottle Sprite
1 can frozen limeade concentrate, thawed
1 jar maraschino cherries

In a pitcher, combine Sprite, limeade and juice from the jar of cherries. Chill and serve. Garnish with cherries and/or lime.

**If it is too strong for you, you can water it down to the strength you like it.

Cinnamon Frosted Zucchini Bars

2011-07-16T17:37:00.000-05:00

On the way back from the beach, we stopped to drop my mom off and dad had me some vegetables ready to bring home with me. I had told mom that I saw this recipe a while back over at Tasty Kitchen and thought it would be a good way to use up all of those garden vegetables. It worked out perfectly when we had some company stop by our house on their way back to Tennessee. They made the perfect guinea pigs. I thought these were good. I expected them to be more cookie/bar like, but it is pretty much a cake recipe. In addition to dessert, the cinnamon frosting would make these perfect for brunch.

Cinnamon Frosted Zucchini Bars

For the cake:
3/4 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1-3/4 c. flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. baking powder
2 c. grated zucchini

For the frosting:
2 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbsp. melted butter
1 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbsp. milk

For the cake, cream butter, sugar and brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix in flour, cinnamon and baking powder. Blend in zucchini. Pour into greased jelly roll pan and bake in a 350 oven for 25-30 minutes.

While baking, prepare frosting. Mix powdered sugar, cinnamon, melted butter, vanilla and milk until creamy. Add milk if necessary to get desired consistency. Cool zucchini bars and frost.

Cut into squares to serve.

Spaghetti Pie

2011-07-15T18:16:00.000-05:00

Once we got home from Boston, we turned right back around and headed down to Destin. Before we left, there was one night we were needing to eat in the house, so I made this...because it was quick and we had everything in the house without making a grocery run. The noodles form a "crust" for the pie. I thought it was delicious.

Spaghetti Pie

6 oz. spaghetti, cooked, drained and cooled
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
1 c. sour cream
1 lb. cooked ground beef
4 oz. mozzarella cheese
8 oz. spaghetti sauce

Combine spaghetti, egg and Parmesan. Pour into 9 inch pie plate. Cover with sour cream. Combine spaghetti sauce and ground beef. Pour over sour cream. Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

Boston, Mass

2011-07-08T05:00:00.001-05:00

We just returned from spending the 4th of July in Boston. It was a great trip, obviously rich in history. We watched the All American game of baseball at Fenway Park, watched the fireworks from the great view of our hotel room and definitely ate our way around town. The scale can prove it. Yikes. I made a pact with myself that this was going to be a no french fry trip. I usually order now what I know The Bun will eat with me, so I wanted to take advantage of this adult only trip and eat everything but french fries!! Any other mamas know what I'm talking about?

If you find yourself in Boston, I can highly recommend all of these places:

Charley's
This was a great neighborhood restaurant close to our hotel. It was our first lunch in town. Our waiter was the epitome of "Bahstan" so it was a fun welcome. We didn't go far enough around the corner to see all of the outdoor seating and were seated inside, but be sure to dine alfresco. It was definitely a pretty happening place to be.

Antico Forno
There are two main streets in Boston's "Little Italy" where literally every door is an Italian restaurant. The smell is incredible. We chose Antico Forno, which is known for their wood fire brick oven. Everyone's dish looked great and mine was very delicious. I had the potato gnocchi in a plum tomato sauce. It was piping hot from the oven, but my first try of gnocchi didn't disappoint.

The Friendly Toast
The Friendly Toast is in Cambridge close to the campus of MIT. It has retro 50s decor, college prices and HUGE portions. I ordered a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich on their housemade anadama bread. It was made with cornmeal and I believe some maple syrup? I couldn't taste those things after it was slathered in butter and toasted, but it sure was good. I should have just ordered ONE pancake.

Del Frisco's
This is a chain steakhouse, but it is one of The Dish Washer's favorite. They always go to the Ft. Worth location when he is there for business. This restaurant is new to Boston and has incredible views overlooking the Harbor. The horseshoe shaped booth in the picture on their site was actually where we sat. I'd say it was the best seat in the house. We got lucky.

Bleacher Bar
What a place to be!!! Bleacher Bar is on field level underneath the bleachers of Fenway Park. On game days, a garage door opens to watch the activity on the field. At a certain time before games, the door is lowered where people in the bar can see out but players can't see in. It was pretty awesome. It is mostly a menu of sandwiches and chips. Other bar food regulars are there, as well. I ordered the chicken salad sandwich which was really good. The Dish Washer ordered a club sandwich and I believe it was the biggest club sandwich I've ever seen. Definitely could be shared! If you plan to go on a gameday, get there EARLY. We were there by 11:00am and the place was already full with a wait. About 10 minutes after we arrived, it went from full to literally packed.

Atlantic Fish Company
Incredible. And you know I am just now starting to branch out with my seafood eating. This was delicious. The service was fantastic. I ordered the Lobster Ravioli in a basil cream sauce. Mmmmm. The Dish Washer had Blackened Grouper with bacon, shrimp and corn chowder. Our cousins traveled with us and, if mixed drinks are your thing, the Sangria came highly recommended. She said she could have dunked her head in it because it was so good! :)

--

The only thing I am disappointed in is that I didn't have a slice of Boston Cream Pie. I don't believe I have ever had it. It was first made in Boston at the Parker House Hotel...also home to the Parker House rolls. Sister Schubert has a lot to be thankful for. The story (from the tour guides, so who knows how much of it is true) goes like this: FDR stayed at the hotel and loved the rolls so much he asked for the recipe. The hotel said no, the recipe is top secret. He sent secret service to try to find out the recipe, but they were caught sneaking around the kitchen and again told that the recipe was top secret. Then FDR decided to make it the official "Presidential Bread" which required the recipe be public knowledge. Oh, and Ho Chi Minh was a baker at the hotel and Malcolm X a busboy...that's for sure true.

Saw's BBQ and dreamcakes

2011-06-29T16:47:00.000-05:00

From top (clockwise): Strawberry, Peanut Butter Cup, Over the Moon, Bananas Foster)

For Father's day we celebrated The Dish Washer with a trip to Homewood for some bbq at Saw's. Then we walked a few doors down for dessert at dreamcakes. Can I please say that this was my first trip to both and I've been dying to try Saw's after hearing they had a smoked chicken sandwich with white bbq sauce. It did not disappoint. In fact, it was absolutely delicious! The Dish Washer had been before and stuck with the traditional bbq sauce that he says is the best in town.

I also wanted to try dreamcakes and when I saw it was just a few doors down, I knew we had to go. We got four flavors to bring home for later because we were stuffed. They were all very delicious and moist, but we both agreed that strawberry was our favorite! (Which says a lot because I normally stick with chocolate as my favorite everything.)

If you are ever in Birmingham, definitely try these two places!

Tangy Ranch Chicken

2011-06-28T20:36:00.000-05:00

This recipe is on the back of my mustard bottle. I had originally planned to grill it, but an afternoon thunderstorm made the decision for me that it would be broiled. There is nothing over the top spectacular about this dish, but it does have a good flavor (strangely, it reminds me of honey mustard chicken) and was super easy. I think it would make a quick weeknight meal.

Tangy Ranch Chicken

2/3 c. ranch dressing
1/3 c. mustard
1/4 c. brown sugar
4 medium boneless chicken breasts

Mix dressing, mustard and sugar. Pour 2/3 c. sauce over chicken. Marinate chicken for 30 minutes. Grill or broil chicken 10 to 15 minutes or until done. Serve with remaining sauce.

If you choose to bake instead of grill or broil, bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

Semi-Homemade Salsa

2011-06-26T20:03:00.000-05:00

We had another Sunday school supper club last night. It was Nacho Night, so I signed up to bring the chips, salsa and sour cream. I've wanted to try making my own salsa for a while now. This recipe was really good. Let me first say, though, that I can't stand the taste of cilantro. If I never tasted it again, I would not be disappointed. Even in the smallest amount, it still has such a strong flavor to me. But I know most people associate cilantro with Mexican food, so I felt I had to put it in. If I was making this just for myself, I wouldn't have added it. Ignoring the cilantro, this was delicious. Very similar to restaurants. Be warned, it makes a huge batch! Even after feeding 15 or so, there was leftover. I'm going to try to freeze it and see how that works.

Semi-Homemade Salsa

1 (28 oz.) can whole tomatoes with juice
2 cans Rotel
1/4 c. chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 whole jalapeno, quartered and sliced thin
1/4 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 c. cilantro (more to taste)
1/2 lime, juice only

If using a smaller food processor than 12 cups, pulse in batches and then mix it all together.

Combine whole tomatoes, Rotel, onion, jalapeno, garlic, sugar, salt, cumin, lime juice and cilantro in a blender or food processor. Pulse until you get the salsa to the consistency you like. I don't like mine too chunky, so I did probably 20 pulses. Test seasoning with tortilla chip and adjust seasoning as needed. Refrigerate salsa for at least an hour.

Nutella Cookies

2011-06-15T20:10:00.000-05:00

I just had to make something sweet for my company and I have had my eye on a particular recipe for a cookie using Nutella. I don't know about y'all, but I eat the stuff straight from the jar it is so good! I can't buy it very often. When I got started on my cookies, I realized I didn't have everything I would need so a quick search turned up these little cookies still using Nutella. I hope to make the original recipe I had on my mind sometime, but for now these turned out delicious. My Buddy always gives the best compliments and said they were the best cookies he has ever had and could he please take them home today? I wouldn't say they are the best cookies I have ever had, but they were good. (And they did go home with him!) The perfect amount of chewiness. They will look under baked when you first take them out, but turn out great. They spread and become very thin, so be sure to give yourself enough room on the cookie sheet.

Nutella Cookies

2 c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 stick butter, softened

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 c. Nutella

Preheat oven to 375. Cream together butter, sugar and brown sugar until creamy. Beat 1 egg at a time into batter. Mix in vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually add the flour and mix until well combined. Mix in Nutella. Use cookie scoop or rounded teaspoon to drop cookies. Bake for 9-11 minutes.

Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese

2011-06-14T10:23:00.000-05:00

This is what it looks like after we have dipped out of the crock pot. Tastes much better than this picture shows.

The Bun and I have some company this week. Sister and the boys are here to visit and so I decided to make this recipe thinking that the boys would be glad to eat mac and cheese. This is my mother in law's recipe and it is really easy.

Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese

1 (8 oz.) pkg. elbow macaroni
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
3 eggs, beaten
1 stick butter
3 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Cook and drain macaroni according to package directions. Combine milk, eggs, butter and 2 c. shredded cheese in a bowl and mix well. Add macaroni and stir to combine. Pour into slow cooker. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Cover and cook on low for 3 hours. Do not stir or remove lid until time is up.

**My mother in law's trick is she adds 8 oz. of sour cream to the milk/egg mixture to make it creamier. I decided to try 8 oz. of cream cheese. It wasn't creamy, but the chunks of cream cheese inside sure were good.

Fudge Pie

2011-06-03T07:00:00.001-05:00

Recently, I posted a recipe for Crustless Brownie Pie. It was delicious, but if you are looking for something a little more gooey, try either Hot Fudge Brownie Cake or this yumminess known as Fudge Pie.

Fudge Pie

1 stick butter, melted

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 c. cocoa

1/4 c. self-rising flour

1 c. sugar

1 freezer pie shell (not deep dish)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Mix ingredients together in bowl with fork until well combined. Don't overbeat. Pour into pie shell. Bake for 45 minutes. Let sit for at least 15 minutes. (This is very important to give it time to set.)

Chicken and Dried Beef

2011-06-02T07:00:00.000-05:00

Not the best picture of how good this tastes!

Chicken and Dried Beef

1 jar dried beef

1 can cream of chicken soup

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or what your family needs)

1 (8 oz.) sour cream

1 pkg. bacon

Line baking dish with dried beef. Wrap chicken in bacon and place on beef. Combine sour cream and soup. Pour over chicken breasts. Bake at 250 for 3 hours. You can bake at 300 for 2 hours, but dish should be covered and after 2 hours, uncover and bake additional 30 minutes.

Delicious served over rice.

Crash Hot Sweet Potatoes

2011-06-01T07:00:00.000-05:00

I really enjoyed PW's Crash Hot Potatoes that I linked up to before. I was on her Tasty Kitchen site and found this recipe for Crash Hot Sweet Potatoes. The original called for using brown sugar, which I didn't want to use, so I adapted it to what we would like. To be honest, they weren't as easy as the originals to "crash" so I probably won't make them again the same way, but will definitely use the seasonings in Mashed Sweet Potatoes soon. I'll post the "somewhat" original recipe for you, though, so you can decide what to add or leave out. It is going to seem like a lot, but really just standing at your spice rack will make it easy.

Crash Hot Sweet Potatoes

2 whole medium to large sweet potatoes

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

2 quarts water

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp. melted butter

1-1/2 Tbsp. light brown sugar

1/2 Tbsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. paprika

1/4 tsp. onion powder

1/8 tsp. garlic powder

1/8 tsp. fresh ground pepper

Peel the sweet potatoes and slice about 1-1/4 inches thick. Add 1/2 tsp. salt to water and bring to a boil. Add potato slices and simmer for about 12 minutes or until somewhat softened. Remove carefully to a wire rack and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.

Line a large, heavy sheet pan with parchment paper. Using a flat-bottom bowl, slightly mash each potato slice, taking care that they stay intact. Drizzle each slice with mixture of butter and olive oil, using half of the mixture.

Blend the topping ingredients (sugar and all spices) together really well, making sure to completely incorporate the brown sugar.

Sprinkle the slices evenly with half of the mixture. Make sure to avoid getting the top on the sheet between the slices to avoid the sugar burning. Gently turn over each slice and drizzle remaining butter/oil mixture and coat with remaining spice mixture.

Roast at 375 for 20 minutes, carefully flip each slice and return to oven for about 10 minutes more. Serve hot.

Turkey Cutlets with Cool Pepper Sauce

2011-05-31T07:00:00.003-05:00

I have several new recipes already scheduled to post this week, so be sure to check back! I've been looking for another way to cook turkey cutlets. The Dish Washer normally doesn't care for me to cook turkey cutlets, but I think I found a winner for him. They have a great flavor without the sauce, but the sauce definitely gives a kick. (If that is something you like. I prefer the most mild of flavors and it was fine for me.)

Turkey Cutlets with Cool Pepper Sauce

3 Tbsp. sour cream

2 Tbsp. mayo

2 Tbsp. minced seeded jalapeno peppers

2 tsp. lemon juice

1/8 tsp. pepper

1/2 c. seasoned bread crumbs

2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese

1 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley

1 garlic clove, minced

1 package turkey cutlets

1 Tbsp. olive oil

For sauce, in a small bowl, combine the sour cream, mayo, jalapeno pepper, lemon juice and pepper. Set aside.

In a large Ziploc bag, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, parsley and garlic. Add turkey, a few pieces at a time and shake to coat.

In a large nonstick skillet, cook turkey in oil in batches over medium heat for 1-2 minutes on each side or until no longer pink. Serve with sauce.

**When cutting hot peppers, disposable gloves are recommended. Avoid touching your face.

Sweet Potato Biscuits

2011-05-27T11:38:00.000-05:00

The perk of being up at the crack of dawn with an early bird Bun is that I actually can make something for breakfast other than freezer biscuits, sausage or waffles if I wanted. (which is what we typically eat.) This morning I decided to make Sweet Potato Biscuits. I've made them before and served them with Easter lunch several years back. I think they turned out better last time. I let them get a little too brown on top, but overall they are very good. It probably varies depending on how thick you roll them because the recipe says it will make 15-18 biscuits, but I only got 12 out of mine.

Sweet Potato Biscuits

3/4 c. mashed sweet potatoes
1/4 c. milk
1/2 stick of butter, melted
1-1/4 c. flour
4 Tbsp. baking powder
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 450. In a large bowl, mix the potatoes, milk and butter. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Add the flour mixture to the potato mixture and combine to make soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and toss lightly until the outside of the dough looks smooth. Roll the dough out to 1/2 inch thick and cut with biscuit cutter. Place the biscuits on a greased pan and bake for about 15 minutes. (Watch your oven: If biscuits are browning too fast, lower the temperature.)

We just had regular butter this morning, but I think they would be delicious with a honey butter. Maybe even brushed on top of biscuits while baking.

Crustless Brownie Pie

2011-05-22T18:18:00.000-05:00

We had some company this weekend that brought lunch to our house. I couldn't NOT have anything for them at the house, so I decided to make a dessert. I served it warm with the Vanilla Ice Cream below. This is a Southern Living recipe.

Crustless Brownie Pie

1-1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1/3 c. cocoa

1/2 c. butter, softened

3 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

pinch of salt

1 c. chopped pecans or walnuts, optional

Combine first 7 ingredients; beat 4 minutes at medium speed with an electric mixer. Stir in pecans. Spread batter evenly into buttered 9-inch pie plate.

Bake at 325 for 40-45 minutes.

And after we ate it for lunch, I sent the leftovers home with them!!! :)

Vanilla Ice Cream

2011-05-22T18:09:00.000-05:00

This past Christmas, The Dish Washer and I used a gift card to purchase an ice cream maker. I don't normally care for homemade ice cream since it is more icy than creamy. But I am determined to try recipes until I find one that is creamy. This recipe for Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream is the family favorite, but I thought I would try this one out to see how close I would come. Still not there, but getting there.

Vanilla Ice Cream

1/2 c. sugar

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

1/8 tsp. salt

3 c. whole milk

1 egg yolk

1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Whisk together first 3 ingredients in a large heavy saucepan. Gradually whisk in milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 8 to 10 minutes or until mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat.

Whisk egg yolk until slightly thickened. Gradually whisk about 1 cup hot cream mixture into yolk. Add yolk mixture to remaining cream mixture, whisking constantly. Whisk in vanilla.

Pour mixture through a fine wire mesh strainer into a bowl, discarding solids, if any. Cool 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Place plastic wrap directly on cream mixture; chill 8 to 24 hours.

Pour mixture into freezer container of 1-1/2 quart ice cream maker. Freeze according to maker's directions.

Bubble Up Pizza

2011-05-19T19:41:00.000-05:00

Mom and My Buddy came for a quick "School's Out!" visit last night. If there is one thing to know about My Buddy, it is that he loves pizza! His most favorite, he says, is the Hunt Brother's gas station pizza. (Doesn't take much to impress him.) That is until now...this is his new favorite. And he needed a second piece because he "killed" the first piece. :) Again, those were his words. This is an old Pampered Chef recipe that has been around for a while, so I am probably late getting in on this one. But boy was it good. We all "killed" it! Well, except for The Bun, because he doesn't care for pizza right now.

Bubble Up Pizza

2 (12 oz.) cans layered buttermilk biscuits
1 (14 oz.) jar pizza sauce
2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
preferred toppings (pepperoni, sausage, onions, peppers, etc.)

Preheat oven to 375. Cut biscuits into quarters. Toss with pizza sauce and preferred toppings. Spray 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray. Pour biscuit mixture into dish. Cover with cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until biscuits are done.

Speedy Dinner Rolls

2011-05-17T20:16:00.001-05:00

These are really very fast and very simple. They are similar to the Sour Cream Muffins I recently made.

Speedy Dinner Rolls
makes 6 rolls

1 c. self-rising flour
1/2 c. milk
2 Tbsp. mayo

Combine all ingredients. Drop in greased muffin pan. Bake at 425 for 8-10 minutes.

Beef Cornwheels

2011-05-16T09:35:00.000-05:00

This is basically a stuffed meatloaf that I found in a Junior League cookbook.

Beef Cornwheels

1-1/2 lbs. ground beef
1-1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 c. cracker crumbs
1/3 c. finely chopped onion (I always grate mine)
2/3 c. milk
1 (12 oz.) can whole kernel corn, drained
1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 c. ketchup

Combine beef, salt, pepper, garlic powder, crackers, onion and milk. Roll out or pat out on wax paper into 12-inch square. Combine corn and cheese. Spread over meat mixture. Roll as jellyroll, sealing edges. Place on a rack in an oven roasting pan. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Brush ketchup over loaf and continue baking 30 minutes more. (May use more ketchup, if desired)

Honey Bun Cake

2011-05-15T16:13:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow is my turn to take a meal to a family from our Sunday school class who recently had a baby. I am planning to take Baked Ziti, Caesar salad, Speedy Dinner Rolls and this cake. I haven't made this cake in years. It is another recipe with about 20 different variations. This one is from my cousin's wife, who is always known for bringing the best dishes to family get-togethers. She shared her recipe with Sister years ago when she got married. Mmm, mmm good!! I thought of this because it would make a great dessert with dinner and an even better breakfast the next morning!

Honey Bun Cake

1 box yellow cake mix
1/2 c. sugar
8 oz. sour cream
3/4 c. oil
4 eggs
--
1 c. brown sugar
4 tsp. cinnamon

Mix first set of ingredients and pour half of batter into greased 9x13 pan. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle half over batter. Pour remaining batter and sprinkle remaining brown sugar and cinnamon.

Bake at 300 degrees for 55 minutes. Remove from oven and pour glaze over warm cake. I like to poke holes in my cake to let some of the glaze seep through.

Glaze:
2 c. powdered sugar
2 tsp. vanilla (less if you prefer)
4 Tbsp. milk

Mix and pour over warm cake.

Fun Food Fridays

2011-05-12T16:17:00.000-05:00

This is the absolute cutest thing ever! If you have a child in your life that you would love to dazzle with fun and exciting foods, you have to check out this blog: Meet The Dubiens. She has "Fun Food Fridays" where she has come up with some of the most creative, amazing, fun-for-kids ideas. She also has great kid-friendly ideas outside of lunch plates. I don't think The Bun is ready for some of this: 1) he wouldn't care about the display right now 2) he definitely wouldn't eat some of this. But I definitely want to remember it for the future!!!

Unreal

2011-05-01T18:29:00.000-05:00

I've wanted to write for some time, but what do you say? It is absolutely unreal to see all of the damage from the tornadoes in Alabama this past week. To hear the nightmarish stories is almost unbearable, but I'm sure to live through it is unbearable. We were fortunate here at my home, but not far from us is complete devastatation. I know there is also devastation statewide, but to see my second home of Tuscaloosa, where I lived, went to school and worked for 6 1/2 years is mind blowing. To see streets where I have so many memories, streets that are completely unrecognizable, completely gone from existence. Several of the memories I have are of visiting an elderly lady in the Forest Lakes community. There is now a dumpster and storage unit floating in the lake. I can't remember her name and I wish I could. Is she among the victims? Is she ok? Of Alberta Baptist Church. I worked with a man who was involved in that church. Of all the stores in the 15th Street area. I know returning and not seeing anything in places once occupied by vibrant businesses and bustling homes will be an overwhelming feeling. I have many more memories, and I know I will always have them.

Today, more stories of hope. More stories of neighbor helping neighbor. Of one man taking the shoes off of his feet to give to someone without. I've never been more proud to be from Alabama!

As I went to bed Wednesday night, I remembered the words to a song from my high school days:

"Who should know better how to hold you until the rain ends;
Who should know better than The Gatherer of Wind?"
-Partners in Christ

--
"God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble."
Psalm 46:1

Sloppy Joe Meatballs

2011-04-26T20:03:00.000-05:00

Yet another meatball/meatloaf recipe. What can I say? We love it! This one is great, because it can be divided up by freezing meatballs for later use.

Sloppy Joe Meatballs

2 lbs. ground beef
1 small onion, grated
1-1/2 c. panko
1 (1.33 oz.) packet sloppy joe mix
1 large egg
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 c. ketchup
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
1-1/2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Preheat oven to 400. In a large bowl, combine the meat, onion, panko and sloppy joe mix. Shape into 1 inch balls and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake 15-20 minutes or until done. Reduce oven to 350. In a small bowl, combine tomato sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt and pepper. In 9x13 baking dish, place meatballs. Cover with sauce and stir gently to coat. Cover and bake 30 minutes.

If freezing for later, place raw meatballs on baking sheet and flash freeze before baking. Then store in ziploc bag. When ready to make, remove from freezer and thaw completely. The continue with baking instructions.

Strawberry Cake

2011-04-22T13:15:00.000-05:00

This recipe is like driving a new car. It isn't until you have a particular car that you start noticing them everywhere on the street. I originally saw this recipe in Paula's magazine in May/June 2008 issue. I've saved it waiting for the right time to make it. I have also seen a variation of the recipe on Southern Plate. She uses plain cream cheese frosting instead of one flavored with strawberries, so I decided to stick with my original recipe. This is my contribution to Easter lunch on Sunday. Here in this town everyone is crazy about Edgar's strawberry cake. And I definitely am a huge fan, but I have also discovered Ashley Mac's strawberry cake and it is my most favorite. BUT, I think this strawberry cake can hang with both of those and it is much cheaper!!! My version definitely looks homemade, though! :)
Strawberry Cake

1 box white cake mix
1 (3 oz.) box strawberry flavored instant gelatin
1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed and pureed
4 large eggs
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/4 c. water
Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease 2 round 9 inch cake pans. In a large bowl, combine cake mix and gelatin. Add pureed strawberries, eggs, oil, and water; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Pour into prepared pans, and bake for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks. Spread Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting in between layers and on top and sides of cake. Garnish with fresh strawberries, if desired.

**I had a lot of frosting left over because I always worry about putting too much in the middle layer. Don't be shy of using plenty in the middle layer. There will be enough to go around.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 c. butter, softened
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed and pureed (you'll actually only use 1/4 c.)
1/2 tsp. strawberry extract (I just used vanilla)
7 c. powdered sugar

In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until creamy. Beat in 1/4 c. strawberry puree, reserving remaining for another use. Beat in extract. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until smooth.

Note: For pinker frosting, add 2-3 drops of red food coloring to frosting. I didn't do this because I liked it's natural color.

**I also prefer strawberry cakes cold, so I have this one in the fridge and will serve it cold. It's the only cake I like that way!

Bunny Rolls

2011-04-21T11:54:00.000-05:00

I saw this on the internet today and thought it was the cutest thing. I wanted to share it in time for Easter. Let the kids help!! Here's what you'll need: 1 can of refrigerated cinnamon rolls. That's it!! My rolls weren't rolled in circles like most rolls are so I had a little bit of an extra headach to fix mine. Here's what to do: (Don't know why some of these are turned the wrong way.)

Unroll your cinnnamon rolls (or if like me, use a knife to cut them like a rolled cinnamon roll would be...and a knife works best...I tried it different ways including rolling like a snake) Cut off a tiny piece to form the tail. Place in U-shape.

Cross one side over the other.

Repeat and cross for a second time.

Roll tail into a ball and place in the spot left for the tail.

Bake according to package directions. Watch because you could probably bake them less than the given time. I think I did mine about 10-12 minutes. Ice while still hot.

Texas Onion Butter

2011-04-14T12:17:00.000-05:00

I had two things on yesterday's agenda and that was to feed my mother in law who was visiting and use the green onions I had in the fridge before they went bad. I succeeded in both with the help of this recipe. I still had some Chicken and Brown Rice Soup in the freezer, so I decided we would eat that. A great way to "fancy" up a casual meal is with bread and that's what I did.

Texas Onion Butter

1 stick butter, softened
1/4 c. green onion tops, thinly chopped
minced garlic, to taste

Combine all ingredients. Place in refrigerator to set. Spread on grilled or toasted bread.

*I used French bread that I had on hand. The original recipe calls for sourdough bread which would be delicious too. Pretty flexible in your bread choices.

Banana Nut Muffins

2011-04-13T08:26:00.001-05:00

I love a church cookbook! You know there are some good recipes in them, because everyone usually gives their best recipes. You can also usually find about 5 different variations of the same recipe. What I like to do is find the person who I know has good recipes and look up every recipe they submit. You know those are sure to be good. This was no exception. This little muffin is incredibly moist and delicious, from a proven good cook and, I believe, the best variation out of the 5 similar recipes.

Banana Nut Muffins
makes 2 dozen

3 c. flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
2 c. sugar
1 c. nuts, chopped (I used walnut, but you could use pecan or leave out altogether)
2 c. diced bananas (It's easier to dice the less ripe the banana)
1-1/2 c. canola or vegetable oil
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
1 (7 oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained

Mix dry ingredients. Fold in remaining ingredients. Stir to blend. Do not beat. Place in muffin pan and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until done.

*I originally used muffin cups, but next time I won't. You don't need them because the oil makes them really greasy.

**If you want to make a bread, place in loaf pan and bake at 350 for 1 hour.

***These will freeze well for up to 3 months.

Easter Yummy's

2011-04-04T21:30:00.000-05:00

My Buddy is in charge of snacks at his school very close to Easter and Sister mentioned needing my help. Not sure if I would be able to make it down to help her, but here are some of the cutest ideas I have seen so far this season...with a reminder of a few already posted here.

Easter Chicks

Spring Cupcake Bouquet

Hidden Surprise Eggs

Little Peeper Cookies

Jelly Bean Carrots

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Holy Week Cookies

Peeps Sunflower Cake

Change the colors up and make a spring flower!!

Granny's Cut Out Cookies

Use Easter shapes...cross, bunny, egg, etc.

Sausage and Zucchini Pie

2011-03-26T11:03:00.000-05:00

It's a cloudy day and I'm just sitting around waiting for our local weatherman to take over my TV for the afternoon. I do enjoy stormy weather, but I hope we don't see any tornadoes today.

So what better to do right now than share our supper from last night. I will say it is probably one of the best recipes I have tried recently. So easy and so delicious. I have most of my house work time in the mornings when The Bun is taking his first nap of the day, so yesterday I whipped this up in the morning and put it in the fridge until I was ready to bake it off that evening. I allowed it to sit at room temp for about 30 minutes before baking.

Sausage and Zucchini Pie

1 lb. ground sausage
1/4 c. butter
4 c. thinly sliced zucchini
1 large onion, chopped
2 large eggs
2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 (8 oz.) can crescent rolls

Preheat oven to 375. Lightly grease 11x7 inch baking dish. In a large skillet, cook sausage over medium-high heat until browned and crumbly. Drain, and set aside.

In the same large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add zucchini and onion; cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring frequently, or until most of the liquid has evaporated.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, mustard, oregano, basil, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Stir in sausage, zucchini mixture, and cheeses; set aside.

Unroll crescent roll dough and press into bottom and up sides of prepared baking dish, pressing edges together to seal. Pour zucchini mixture into dish. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until set in middle.

Sweet Mustard BBQ Sauce

2011-03-24T13:48:00.000-05:00

This weekend I plan to make a Boston butt for us to eat off of all weekend while The Dish Washer immerses himself in March Madness. (Let's Go Duke!! And Roll Tide for the NCAA-jipped team of the year! Let's win the NIT.) Normally I prefer vinegar-tomato based sauces. My grandmother's is my all-time favorite. Have I shared that yet? And The Dish Washer's family has introduced me to the new love of Clear BBQ Sauce, but I wanted to try something different. So today, while The Bun is napping, I decided to go ahead and make my sauces...the clear and this new one. It's kicky and I can't tell you how it tastes with the meat, but I think I am going to really like it.

Sweet Mustard BBQ Sauce

1 c. apple cider vinegar
2/3 c. prepared mustard
1/2 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper (omit for less kick)
1/2 tsp. hot sauce
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. soy sauce

Stir together first 8 ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter and soy sauce.

I'm going to put it in the fridge until we are ready for it, but I'll probably serve it warmed.

Chicken Cakes with Creole Sauce

2011-03-22T17:32:00.000-05:00

I realize not everyone will enjoy the idea of tuna cakes, so here is a great alternative from The Dish Washer's aunt. I've shared the creole sauce before because I served it with Broiled Eggplant. I enjoy this creole sauce much better than the creole mayo.

Chicken Cakes

4 Tbsp. butter, divided
1/3 c. minced red bell pepper
1/3 c. minced celery
1/4 c. minced onion
3 c. cooked and chopped chicken
1-3/4 c. panko bread crumbs
1/2 c. mayo
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. seasoned salt

In small skillet, melt 2 Tbsp. butter. Add red bell pepper, celery and onion. Cook 5 minutes or until tender. In large bowl, combine chicken, panko and red bell pepper mixture; set aside. In small bowl, combine mayo, eggs, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and seasoned salt. Add to chicken mixture, tossing gently to combine. Form mixture into 10 patties. In large skillet melt remaining butter over medium heat and cook chicken cakes 3-5 minutes per side or until browned. Serve with creole sauce.

Creole Sauce

Applesauce Muffins

2011-03-11T07:00:00.003-06:00

And, finally, these were the sweet muffins that made the cut. For some reason I failed to get a picture of these. They still tasted fine the next morning, but they were definitely better right out of the oven. I made a few mistakes because of a typo in my recipe, but I figured it out before it was a total disaster. Super easy.

Applesauce Muffins
makes 1 dozen

1 c. milk
1 beaten egg
1/4 c. melted shortening
2 c. all-purpose flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 c. regular applesauce
cinnamon-sugar (1 part sugar, 1/4 part cinnamon was how I made mine)

Blend together the first 3 ingredients. In a separte bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Add to wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Batter should be slightly lumpy. Drop 1 Tbsp. batter into each greased muffin tin. Drop 1 rounded teaspoon of applesauce into batter and fill with remaining batter. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Blueberry Pancake Muffins

2011-03-10T07:00:00.000-06:00

These were the sweet muffins that I wanted to take. Something tasted off to me, though. I didn't use my regular pancake mix and that was the problem. The Dish Washer really enjoyed them, so after I made them I froze them in a ziploc bag so that we can pull them out and reheat the individual serving. They weren't as sweet as the boxed blueberry muffins. In fact the blueberries are pretty tart. I used fresh. I would recommend this recipe only to people who like to eat fresh blueberries. I do think they turned out so pretty!

Blueberry Pancake Muffins
makes 1 dozen

2-1/2 c. pancake mix
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg
2/3 c. water
1/4 c. canola oil
1-1/2 c. fresh or frozen blueberries

In a large bowl, combine pancake mix and sugar. In another bowl, whisk the egg, water and oil. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in blueberries. Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 400 for 14-16 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.

*Note: If using frozen blueberries, use without thawing to avoid discoloring the batter.

Cornmeal Breakfast Biscuits

2011-03-09T20:09:00.001-06:00

This past weekend, we took our turn to provide breakfast for our Sunday school class. I was on a muffin kick, so I decided to take a sweet muffin and a savory muffin. These were delicious. They were also easy, but pretty involved. Don't plan to just whip these up, because working with the sticky dough wasn't very fast for me.

Cornmeal Breakfast Biscuits
makes 1 dozen

1 Tbsp. butter
3 large eggs, beaten
1 c. cooked sausage, crumbled
3/4 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 (3 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
3 c. self-rising flour
1/4 c. yellow cornmeal
1/2 c. butter, cold
1-1/4 c. milk
melted butter

Preheat oven to 450. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin pan.

In a medium skillet, melt 1 Tbsp. of butter over medium heat. Add eggs, cook stirring frequently, until eggs are firm. Remove from heat; add cooked sausage, cheese, cream cheese, salt and pepper, stirring until cheese is melted and mixture is combined. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine flour and cornmeal. Using a pastry blender (or your hands), cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Gradually add milk, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened. Spoon about 2 Tbsp. biscuit dough into each muffin cup, pressing dough into bottom and up the sides. (I put flour on my fingers to help make handling the dough easier.) Spoon sausage filling evenly over biscuits. Top with remaining biscuit dough, pressing to seal the edges. Bake 12 to 14 minutes, or until lightly browned. Brush with melted butter. Let cool in pans 5 minutes. Serve warm.

**I took a risk making these because I don't always think reheated biscuits taste very good. But I didn't want to get up at the crack of dawn, so after I baked them the night before I let them cool completely without brushing them with butter. I covered them tightly and placed in refrigerator. The next morning I took them out of the fridge and then brushed them with melted butter. Re-covered them with foil and reheated them in a 300 degree oven for about 40 minutes or until warmed through. They didn't dry out at all as I was worried about.

Baked Parmesan Broccoli

2011-03-06T11:47:00.024-06:00

The Bun has always been a very good eater! When we were visiting grandparents recently, his plate was filled with ham, rutabagas and fried okra. He ate it all. But in the last few weeks, he has decided all he wants is primarily fruit. I know there are worse things for him to want to eat all day, but in an effort to get him to eat more vegetables I decided to try this recipe. It didn't work on him...we'll keep trying, but I thought it was delicious!

Baked Parmesan Broccoli

4 bunches broccoli, cut into florets
6 Tbsp butter, divided
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 c. milk
1 egg yolk, beaten
1 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/2 c. panko bread crumbs

Place cut broccoli in a pot of water and bring to a boil. (Or cook in steamer basket.) Boil for 10 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Drain and place in 9x13 baking dish.

Meanwhile, in a sauce pan, melt 4 Tbsp. butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook until tender. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Stir in flour until blended; gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. (Watch for it to burn on the pan...keep stirring!!) Stir in a small amount of hot mixture into egg yolk; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Cook and stir 1 minute longer. Remove from heat and stir in the cheese, salt and pepper.

Pour over broccoli. In a small skillet, cook bread crumbs in remaining butter until golden brown; sprinkle over the top.

Bake, uncovered, at 400 for 15-18 minutes or until heated through.

Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Creamy Basil Vinaigrette

2011-03-05T11:38:00.001-06:00

This was served with the flank steak from yesterday. I thought that they were very good. Especially when the grill marks mixed with the vinagrette. I followed the directions exactly, but next time will boil the potatoes longer. There was some some rawness to a few of the big pieces. Overall, delicious!!

Grilled Sweet Potatoes

3 lbs. sweet potatoes (about 4 to 5)
Vegetable cooking spray
Creamy Basil Vinaigrette

Bring potatoes and water to cover to a boil in a large pot. Cook 12 to 15 minutes or just until slightly tender. Drain. Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain well. Let stand 10 minutes. Peel and cut into wedges. Place potatoes on cooking grate, that has been sprayed with cooking spray, and grill for 6 or 7 minutes on each side or until grill marks appear. Drizzle potato wedges with Creamy Basil Vinaigrette, and serve immediately.

Creamy Basil Vinaigrette

1/2 c. plain fat-free yogurt
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinaigrette
2 Tbsp. honey
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Spice-Rubbed Flank Steak

2011-03-04T11:30:00.002-06:00

We've really been soaking up these mild temperatures and been doing a lot of grilling. This weekend we had this flank steak and grilled sweet potatoes.

Spice-Rubbed Flank Steak

3 Tbsp. brown sugar

2 tsp. ground cumin

2 tsp. oregano

2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1-1/2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 (2 lb.) flank steak, trimmed

Vegetable cooking spray

Combine first 6 ingredients in a shallow bowl. Stir in olive oil until combined. Gently rub olive oil mixture evenly on steak. Let stand 20 minutes. Coat cold cooking grate with cooking spray, and place on grill over medium-high heat. Place steak on grill and cook, covered, 8 minutes on each side or to desired degree of doneness. Let stand 5 minutes; cut steak diagonally across the grain.

Tuna Cakes with Creole Mayonnaise

2011-03-03T08:33:00.002-06:00

You'll remember that I am not crazy about seafood, although I am trying more and more. I can't be a good eating example to The Bun if I don't at least try. I have always enjoyed tuna fish, oddly enough. I thought this sounded interesting to try. I will use less lemon zest in the cakes next time. Also, the longer the mayo sat, the saltier it became. Maybe a little less Creole seasoning next time, too.

Try Chicken Cakes as an alternative.

Tuna Cakes with Creole Mayonnaise

2 (12 oz.) cans solid white tuna in spring water, drained well
1-1/4 c. Italian bread crumbs
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tsp. lemon zest
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 c. mayonnaise, divided
1-1/4 tsp. Creole seasoning, divided
1/4 c. olive oil
1 tsp. lemon juice

Drain and rinse tuna. Place tuna and breadcrumbs in a large bowl; stir in eggs, lemon zest, mustard, 1/3 c. mayo, and 1 tsp. Creole seasoning. Shape mixture into 8 patties.

Cook 4 patties in 2 Tbsp. hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until golden; drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining tuna cakes and oil.

Combine lemon juice and remaining 2/3 c. mayo with 1/4 tsp. Creole seasoning. Serve with hot tuna cakes.

Edamame and Bean Salad

2011-03-02T11:19:00.006-06:00

Edamame and Bean Salad

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 c. shelled edamame beans

1 (15 oz.) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

5 ounces cheese, cut into 1/2 inch chunks (use whatever cheese you like...pepper jack)

salt and pepper to taste

In a small, nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, but not brown, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a serving bowl, combine edamame, cannellini, cheese and salt and pepper. Add the garlic mixture and toss until all the ingredients are coated.

Tangy Garlic Wings

2011-03-01T08:41:00.005-06:00

The truth of this recipe is that I believe this would have been delicious. However, I was cooking low on slow on the grill and the next thing I know I see flames shooting from the grill. The chicken was completely charred. It isn't always rosy in this kitchen. But I did manage to taste the sauce before I put it on the chicken and I watched as it got thick and sticky on the chicken. Man, I wish I hadn't burned it. The original recipe calls for chicken wings, but I had thighs and drumsticks. I think you can use it on any chicken you prefer.

**Made later and it is very good. This time I chose to use boneless skinless chicken breast.

Tangy Garlic Wings

1 c. ketchup
1/2 c. melted butter
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic salt
2 dashes hot sauce
4-1/2 pounds chicken wings

In a large bowl, combine first 7 ingredients. Add wings, tossing to coat; chill for 4 hours. Grill until done.

Deer Repellent

2011-02-28T08:27:00.002-06:00

Deer are overcoming our yard! Usually once a day we can look out and see anywhere from 1 to 9 deer in the yard. And they are multiplying quickly!! We have several neighbors that feed them and along the way, they stop to eat up our backyard. They especially love my knockout roses, which I don't especially love. They sell deer repellent at home supply stores, but why buy it when you can make your own. I thought I would share if any of you have the same problem, because this really works well. It isn't harmful to them or to us!

Deer Repellent

1 raw egg
garlic powder
water

In a large spray bottle, put egg and a generous sprinkle of garlic powder. Fill with water and shake to combine. Spray directly on plants you wish to keep deer out of. Sometimes, I even pour on the ground as a perimeter. Spray every 1-2 weeks depending on the weather.

**Also, good news this week. I've been cooking a lot of new recipes. Be on the lookout this week.

Shaggy Man Split Pea Soup

2011-02-24T22:40:00.001-06:00

picture from pauladeen.com

This is what happens when I watch The Food Network all day on Saturday. The Dish Washer calls it my ESPN. I get these recipes on my brain and have to try them. We haven't had soup weather this week, but that didn't stop me. The Bun has been under the weather, so I decided this was the week to try it. I have never had split pea soup and wanted to try it for a long time. This recipe sounded like one The Dish Washer would be able to handle, with the sausage and all. I didn't use the butter...just let the onion cook in the bacon. No picture, because the color of this soup in my mocha colored bowls is pretty gross looking! Try it if you like Split Pea Soup or always wanted to try it.

Shaggy Man Split Pea Soup

Magnolia Bakery Vanilla Cupcake

2011-02-19T22:53:00.000-06:00

Today was The Bun's 1st Birthday party and I made these cupcakes to celebrate the day. They are a recipe used by Magnolia Bakery in NYC. I thought they turned out pretty tasty. I also used the same recipe to make his smash cake.

Magnolia Bakery's Vanilla Cupcake

Apple Spice Muffins

2011-02-13T20:53:00.000-06:00

Today, in honor of The Bun's upcoming 1st birthday, we decided to take these tasty Apple Spice Muffins to his Sunday school teachers to say thank you for loving on him so much this past year. Check them out...

Chicken and Brown Rice Soup

2011-02-07T21:03:00.002-06:00

Freezes well!!

Today, The Bun and I took dinner to a lady from church who recently had some surgery. I had been waiting for the perfect opportunity to make some new recipes that Tossie had emailed me a while back she had at BUNKO and today was the day. We made this soup, Sour Cream Muffins, and Peanut Butter Bars. Tos also sent me a recipe for Blueberry Banana Cobbler, but since I was only needing single serving items, I decided against it. This soup is some good stuff! I had to use 2 cans of cream of chicken since mushrooms were one thing mentioned as a dislike and it was good, but next time I will make it with the mushroom soup just to see the difference. I made it yesterday and when I went after it today, the rice must have soaked up a lot of the moisture overnight. To fix that, today I added almost 4 more cups of chicken broth to return it to it's "soupy" state. Just a heads up that you may have to do that.

Chicken and Brown Rice Soup

5-6 chicken breasts, diced and cooked
2 cans cream of mushroom
4 c. water
1 pint half and half
30 oz. chicken broth
4 Tbsp. butter
2 c. brown rice
salt and pepper, to taste

Simmer 45 min-1 hour or until rice is done

Sour Cream Muffins

2011-02-07T20:53:00.001-06:00

This was such a quick and easy bread to whip up.

Sour Cream Muffins

1 c. self-rising flour
1 stick butter, melted
1/2 c. (4 oz) sour cream

Stir flour and sour cream into melted butter. Drop into greased muffin tins and bake approximately 20 minutes at 400. Makes 6 regular sized muffins or 12 minis. Easily doubles.