Lemon Poppy Seed Cakes

This recipe from Southern Living was on my mind from the moment I first read the recipe. I found them to be ok, but I never have to have them again. The Dish Washer, on the other hand, is crazy about them

Lemon Poppy Seed Cakes

1/2 c. butter, softened
2 oz. cream cheese, softened
1-1/4 c. granulated sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 c. milk
1/4 tsp. poppy seeds
3/4 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. lemon zest, divided
1-3/4 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1-1/4 c. powdered sugar
1/4 c. fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350. Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until well blended. Gradually add granulated sugar, beating until creamy and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears after each addition. Beat in milk, poppy seeds, almond extract, and 1-1/2 tsp. lemon zest.

Whisk together flour and next 2 ingredients in a large bowl. Gradually add to butter mixture, beating until blended. Spoon batter into 1 greased and floured (12 cup) mini Bundt pan, filling all cups three-fourths full. Spoon remaining batter into a second pan, filling only 6 cups.

Bake lemon-poppy seed cakes at 350 for 24-26 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center of cakes comes out clean. Remove from pans to wire racks, and let cakes cool 10 minutes.

Whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice and remaining lemon zest until smooth. Drizzle glaze over warm cakes. Let cakes stand 4 to 5 minutes or until glaze sets.

Hot Cranberry Punch

Where, oh, where to begin? You probably thought I was never coming back! The Bun is a little over 7 weeks from being "cooked" and to say that I have been pre-occupied preparing for him is the understatement of the year!!!

I guess we should back up to Thanksgiving! We spent Thanksgiving with The Dish Washer's family and certainly had plenty to eat! If you could have seen the pan of dressing that we were eating out of...YUM! Biggest pan I have ever seen. I took the Apple Dapple Cake that Tossie shared with us. I actually made it the Sunday before for our church wide Thanksgiving meal and made it in my pretty bundt pan. I decided the next time around, I would make it in a 9x13 so that the icing could really soak down in the cake. It was much better that way!!! Tos said that is how she always makes it too. Click on the recipe to see the picture of the bundt pan cake. I also made her Sweet Potato Casserole, which everyone loved!

Then came busy December...
Somewhere in between, I also made Chicken and Biscuit Dumplings so have now added a picture of that. My friend and her beau came over for a Christmas gathering and she brought her Taco Soup. It was very good! She's not known for her skills in the kitchen so I was very proud of her domestication! I made Symphony Brownies to go with dinner and had her some White Trash as a parting gift.

We've been to Atlanta to cheer on our favorite football team. ROLL TIDE! Then we went to Vegas to attend the National Finals Rodeo. One last trip before The Bun. WHEW!! I'm tired!

Mom and dad came up to see The Bun's room one of those weekends and she was wanting to try a frittata out of Southern Living. I hope to post that soon.

I guess that catches us up to Christmas! For my family's gathering Christmas eve, I made Goody Girl Championship Potatoes and Lady's Green Beans. Other things on our list of goodies besides the turkey and dressing was ham, Waldorf salad, macaroni and cheese, squash casserole, sweet potato casserole (the same mentioned above), pea salad, devilled eggs, cake, cookies, and more cake! Man there was a lot...I'm sure I am leaving something out!

Christmas day we hosted The Dish Washer's family at our home. With all the eating, we decided just to do heavy snack foods. We had dips and chips galore, mini pulled pork bbq sandwiches, twice baked new potatoes, and desserts coming out the wazoo including chocolate chip pound cake and Granny's Cut-Out Cookies. I also made a cheese bite that I plan to share soon and a lemon poppy seed cake that I have had on my mind since reading about it.

I also made this punch to serve and it was first time to make and try. Man this was soooo good and I am not typically a fan of hot apple cider. This has the warmth but a much different taste. It was in my handwritten cookbook that I have mentioned on here several times.

Hot Cranberry Punch

2 c. pineapple juice
2 c. cranberry juice
1 c. water
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. whole cloves
1-1//2 sticks cinnamon
pinch of salt

Put brown sugar, cloves, cinnamon and salt into percolator basket. Pour juices and water into percolator. Allow to hat for about 10 minutes or until perked. Remove basket. Can be refrigerated when cooled and reheated.

**I didn't have any cloves, so I just use two whole sticks of cinnamon instead.

Be looking for those other posts with the new recipes spread out over the next few days.

Taco Meatloaf

It's no secret around here that we love meat! All kinds from pork to chicken to beef. Tonight The Dish Washer requested a meatloaf, but I really didn't feel like making one that I have already made. 1. We didn't have all the ingredients for some of those. 2. I wanted to make something quick and easy! After doing some research, I found a similar recipe in my sister-in-law's church cookbook. I made my own changes and we now have another meatloaf winner! Of course, The Dish Washer then has to quote the movie Wedding Crashers.




It is funny when he says it. He asked tonight what I would do if our boy grows up to demand the meatloaf! :) This is going to seem like a lot for 2 people, but I love to freeze already made meatloaf for those days I am feeling lazy in the kitchen.

Taco Meatloaf

2 lbs. ground beef

1/2 c. bell pepper, chopped

1/2 c. onion, chopped

1 can whole kernel white corn, drained

1 packet taco seasoning

1-1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

2 eggs

1 c. salsa

french-fried onions

Preheat oven to 375. In a saucepan, saute onion and bell pepper in olive oil. When close to being done, add can of corn to get the flavor. In a large bowl, mix beef, veggie mixture, taco seasoning, cheese and eggs all together. Form into 2 loaves and place in greased pans. Top with half of the salsa on each loaf. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and drain off grease. Add french-fried onions. Bake for an additional 10 minutes. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Catalina Cranberry Chops

Here's the unique recipe I promised. Caught my attention since cranberry sauce is front and center in most grocery stores right now! The original recipe calls for chicken, but I decided to try it first on pork chops.

Catalina Cranberry Chops

4 lbs. bone-in thin sliced pork chops

1 (16 oz.) can whole berry cranberry sauce

1 (8 oz.) bottle Catalina dressing

1 envelope onion soup mix

Preheat oven to 350. Place chops in 9x13 baking dish. (May need 2 if you have large pork chops that you are using!) Mix remaining ingredients and pour over pork chops. Bake 50 minutes or until chops are done.

Bacon Cheeseburger Soup

Last night we hosted our supper club and had so much fun! I have been making soups for the past month for The Dish Washer and I to narrow down our favorites to two that we would make. Of course he chose Pork Green Chili. After doing a little more research on how to season that one up better, I came across the Tim Love REAL DEAL recipe. It wasn't available when I originally went hunting for it, so I was thrilled to see it. I didn't have everything that he calls for so I mixed his version and the version I have already posted to season mine up a little better. It turned out a little "kickier" than I would have liked, but it made him happy so I guess it is a fair trade.

The second winner in the soup contest for us was this recipe from Paula's most recent magazine. It came just in the nick of time!! It is extremely easy to make. The Dish Washer reminds me of my grandmother, so we now have plenty of soup to put away in the freezer because he just can't stand the thought of not having enough food for everyone! I forgot about a picture, so I'll have to take that next time we eat it.

Bacon Cheeseburger Soup

10 slices bacon, but into 1/2 inch pieces
2 lbs. ground chuck
1 onion, chopped
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 (32 oz.) box low-sodium chicken broth
1 (14.5 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes
1 (10.75 oz.) can cheddar cheese soup
1/4 c. dill pickle relish
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
Garnish: french-fried onions

In a large Dutch oven, cook bacon until crisp; remove from pan, and drain on paper towels. Add ground chuck, onion, and garlic; cook for 6 to 8 minutes, or until beef is browned and crumbly. Drain well. Add chicken broth, tomatoes, soup, relish, bacon and Worcestershire sauce. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until soup is heated through. Garnish with french-fried onions.

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Stay tuned because I am planning to make some pork chops tonight using a very unique recipe that caught my eye. I'm hoping it will be so good!! I've also stocked up recently at a great Winn Dixie sale on my Chex cereal in preparation for the holidays and good ole White Trash.

Chicken Corn Soup

Well, Buttercream is simmering away on the stove and I couldn't be happier. If I could share the way the house smells, I would! It isn't the coldest of nights, but this soup has been calling my name ever since I read it's recipe on Monday.

A high school friend recently started a new blog about their move from all things Southern to the cold North! She makes some yummy looking things and BAKES the most incredible breads, pies and cookies, all the while staying connected to home with her recipes.

Here's her blog...check it out!

Belle of the Kitchen

I knew I had to try this soup when I read the recipe. It seemed so quick and easy and has all the tastes that The Dish Washer and I love. I'm just sorry he isn't here to try it. I've helped myself to a sample bowl tonight and MAN it is good! I'm having company tomorrow night for dinner and wanted to have it ready so that all I have to do is come home and warm it up! I even bought some crusty bread at her suggestion.

Chicken Corn Soup

Click on the link for her recipe and pictures!! Mmmmmmmmmmmm!

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In other news, we have been busy! I recently started off the soup season with Pork Green Chili. Last weekend we tailgated and had grilled chicken thighs using the Cha Cha Cha marinade, I doubled us a recipe of Spinach Dip because we were putting it away quick and I made cake balls that (hopefully) looked like pumpkins.

I used carrot cake, cream cheese frosting and colored the vanilla almond bark orange and green. I even took some to My Buddy when I met the whole gang for a train ride to the pumpkin patch.

Luncheon Chicken Salad

(The bread isn't burned, it just looks that way because I am a bad picture taker!)

Whew!! We've been busy since my last post and I can't believe it is already October!! Lots and lots has happened and lots and lots of cooking has been going on!

Let's first start with the most important news of all...Skittle has arrived!! My Buddy is the most excited big brother you have ever seen in your life and Skittle is such a sweet baby. I am dying to see him again! While I was home, I made Sister and her bunch their first dinner as a family of four. It included: Roast, mashed potatoes, corn salad and fried squash. My Buddy helped me make some box brownies (The Chicken Farmer's favorite) and we served that with ice cream.

Then the next weekend, we had some more spend the night company at our house. We love having them come because we love having company. Being the ones who live "away," we don't get many visitors too often so when we do it is so exciting. In honor of The Dish Washer's birthday, we had meatballs (that I made from scratch instead of using frozen for this recipe this time), Lady's green beans, squash casserole and Not Yo' Mama's banana pudding. He loves some banana pudding and it is exactly what I made last year, but I think what he loved most about his birthday this year was finding out that The Bun in the Oven is a mini Dish Washer! We get to eat BLUE birthday cake icing for the rest of our lives and are so excited!

Oh, and we have tiles falling out of our shower. The Dish Washer's dad is helping to fix that, so I am in the process of making them lunch for tomorrow since I will be at work. It will be a trio of salads...creamy dill slaw, sweet potato salad and this new recipe for chicken salad. I've never been good at making chicken salad, but The Dish Washer requested specifically chicken salad with grapes so I am giving it a try.

UPDATED**** If you like grapes in your chicken salad, this is SOOO YUMMY!! I didn't add the honey because I thought the grapes would be plenty of sweetness for us. This is definitely a keeper for me!

Luncheon Chicken Salad

2 c. cooked chicken, diced and cooled
1/3 - 1/2 c. mayo
2 Tbsp. sour cream
1 c. green seedless grapes, sliced
3 green onions, chopped (including green tops)
1 celery rib, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp. salt
dash pepper
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. honey, or to taste

Combine all ingredients. Add more mayo as needed. Allow to chill at least 8 hours before serving.