What's Cooking in My Kitchen

Gingersnaps

2010-12-05T17:41:00.006-05:00

These crisp, spicy cookies with their cracked, sugary tops are delicious dunked in tea, coffee, or milk and will be a favorite treat enjoyed during the holiday season.

Gingersnaps

Cookies

3/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 large egg
1/3 cup molasses
2 1/3 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Coating
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets.

Beat together the shortening, sugar, salt, and baking soda.

Beat in the egg, then the molasses.

Add the flour and spices, beating to make a smooth, fairly stiff dough.

To make the coating, combine the sugar and cinnamon, and place in a shallow pan or dish.

Drop the dough in 1" balls into the cinnamon-sugar mixture; a teaspoon cookie scoop works great.

Roll the balls in the sugar to coat, then transfer them to the prepared baking sheets, leaving at least 1 1/2" between them; they'll spread as they bake.

Bake the cookies for 11 minutes, for cookies that are crisp around the edges, and "bendy" in the center. Bake for 13 minutes, for cookies that are crisp/crunchy all the way through.

Remove the cookies from the oven, and cool right on the pan, or on a rack. Cool completely, then store tightly wrapped, at room temperature.

Yield: about 5 dozen cookies.

God bless,

For more recipes, visit my blog at:
http://whatscookinginmykitchen.blogspot.com/

Brown Sugar Snowflake Cookies

2010-12-02T10:22:00.007-05:00

Brown Sugar Snowflake Cookies

Just in time for the holidays, these festive cookies will be a hit at your cookie swap, Christmas parties, church activities etc. You might want to make extra so you can keep some for yourself!

Cookies
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Frosting
1 1/2 teaspoons meringue powder
1 tablespoon cold water
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Granulated sugar or decorating pearls, if desired

In large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar with electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in egg until blended. On low speed, beat in flour, baking soda and salt.

Divide dough into 4 parts; shape each part into a flat disk. Wrap each disk separately in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 2 hours until completely chilled.

Heat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper. On floured surface, roll 1 disk at a time to 1/4-inch thickness (keep remaining dough refrigerated). Cut with snowflake cutters; place on cookie sheets. Reroll scraps once, chilling dough again before cutting.

Bake 8 to 11 minutes or until light golden. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

In medium bowl, beat meringue powder and cold water with electric mixer on medium speed until peaks form. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until soft peaks form, about 1 minute. Spoon frosting into decorating bag fitted with medium round tip; pipe frosting on cookies. Sprinkle with granulated sugar. Let stand about 5 minutes or until frosting is set.

God bless,

For more recipes, visit my blog at:
http://whatscookinginmykitchen.blogspot.com/

Hidden Tunnel Cake

2010-08-31T08:38:00.006-04:00

This super simple yummy dessert is light and delicious!

Hidden Tunnel Cake

1 store-bought angel food cake

1/2 cup boiling water

1 small jell-o (4 serving size)

8 oz. cool whip

1 cup strawberries, chopped

Place cake on serving plate. Cut 3/4-inch-thick horizontal slice from top of cake using a serrated knife; set aside. With small knife, cut 1-inch wide and 1-inch deep tunnel inside center of cake; being careful not to cut through. Remove and save cutout for snack.

Stir boiling water into 1 package (4-serving size) dry Jell-O Brand Gelatin in bowl 2 min. until dissolved. Add enough cold water to 1/2 cup ice to measure 3/4 cup; stir into gelatin until completely melted. Remove 1/2 cup of the gelatin mixture and place in separate medium bowl. Add whipped topping ; stir with wire whisk until well blended. Refrigerate 10 to 15 min. or until thick enough to spread.

Meanwhile, refrigerate remaining gelatin 5 to 10 min. or until thickened. Stir in 3/4 cup of the fruit; spoon into tunnel of cake. Replace top of cake. Frost cake with the whipped topping and gelatin mixture. Garnish top with remaining fruit.

God bless,

Chocolate Eclair Cake

2010-06-02T11:07:00.004-04:00

If you pick up any southern cookbook, you'll likely find this recipe. This cake (which is not really a 'cake' but more like a pudding) is a southern favorite.

Chocolate Eclair Cake

1 box graham crackers
2 (3 1/4-ounce) boxes instant French vanilla pudding
3 1/2 cups milk
1 (8-ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

Frosting:
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1/3 cup milk
2 teaspoons light corn syrup
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

(Tip: For an even quicker frosting, use 1 can of chocolate frosting (found near the cake mixes at your grocery store). Remove lid and foil from the icing. Microwave for a minute or so till the icing is melted and stir. Then cover top layer with melted icing and refrigerate until frosting has hardened again.)

Butter the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan. Line with whole graham crackers. In bowl of an electric mixer, mix pudding with milk; beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Fold in whipped topping. Pour half the pudding mixture over graham crackers. Place another layer of whole graham crackers on top of pudding layer. Pour over remaining half of pudding mixture and cover with another layer of graham crackers.

For frosting, blend together sugar and cocoa. Add butter and milk, mixing well. Add corn syrup and vanilla. Stir until creamy. Cover cake with frosting and refrigerate for 24 hours.

God bless,

For more recipes, visit my blog at:
http://whatscookinginmykitchen.blogspot.com/

Smoked Mac-n-Cheese

2010-04-12T17:39:00.004-04:00

I know I've been neglecting my blog but I have been super busy and blogging hasn't even been on my "to do" list I'm afraid. Hopefully things will slow down a bit and I can get back to sharing some of my families favorite recipes. Here's one that we made this weekend. I knew the first time I made this dish, several months ago, that it was one I wanted to share. It's smoked mac-n-cheese... yes... you read that right... smoked!!! If you haven't ever tried smoked mac-n-cheese you absolutely must try it. Don't have a smoker? This recipe can also be baked in the oven but if you have a smoker you MUST try this recipe!! :oP

Smoked Mac-n-Cheese

8 oz. package small pasta shells

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

2-3 pinches of garlic powder

3 TBSP butter or margarine

1 can condensed cream of cheddar cheese soup

2 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (reserve 1/2 cup to put on top) (tip: buy block of cheese and shred it yourself... it really does taste better than pre-shredded cheese!)

1/2 cup milk (more or less... if you like creamy mac-n-cheese add more milk. If you like drier mac-n-cheese use a little less)

If you are baking this, preheat oven to 350. Bring a large pot of lightly-salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes, then drain. Put pasta back in the pot you cooked it in... why dirty another dish right? Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Stir the butter, cheese soup and cheese into the pasta mixture until it all melts. Add milk to get the consistency you like. Stir well. Transfer the pasta to a casserole dish. Top with reserved cheese. Bake for about 25-30 minutes until cheese melts. If you are smoking it, place it in the smoker for at least an hour for a light smoky flavor or longer if you prefer a stronger smoke flavor. Enjoy!

God Bless,

For more recipes, visit my blog at:

http://whatscookinginmykitchen.blogspot.com/

Italian Wedding Soup

2010-02-17T11:47:00.005-05:00

This recipe makes ALOT of soup so you'll need a really big pot... at least 8 Qt. or more would be better!! This soup is packed with carrots, onions, spinach and meatballs and is a delicious comfort meal served with warm crusty bread.

Italian Wedding Soup

For the meatballs:

2 hamburger rolls or 4 slices white bread
2/3 cup milk
1 large egg
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 pounds ground beef or meatloaf mix
1 medium onion, grated or very finely diced
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried parsley

For the soup:

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, diced; about 2 cups
2 cups finely diced carrots, about 3 large carrots
2 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced
4 to 4 1/2 quarts (16 to 18 cups) chicken broth, homemade or purchased
1 1/2 teaspoons dried Italian herbs or 3/4 teaspoon each dried oregano and dried basil
10-ounce box frozen chopped spinach
1 teaspoon salt, to taste
1/2 to 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, to taste
2 2/3 cups uncooked orzo, ditalini, or other small, roundish pasta

To make the meatballs, combine the bread, egg, milk, and salt, stirring till everything is well moistened. Allow to sit for about 10 minutes to soften.

Add the ground meat, onion, cheese, and herbs. Mix gently till thoroughly combined.

Shape tiny meatballs, (about 1" diameter or less). Using a level teaspoon scoop (which volume-wise is actually 2 level measuring teaspoons) makes about the right size. Place the meatballs on a parchment-lined or lightly greased cookie sheet, and refrigerate them while you prepare the soup.

Get out a large pot, at least 8-quart capacity. Pour the olive oil into the bottom of the pot, and add the onions and carrots. Sauté, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, and cook for another couple of minutes.

Add the broth and herbs, bring to a simmer, and cook gently for 10 minutes.

Add the frozen chopped spinach, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, total; the soup will take awhile to come back to a simmer, due to the frozen spinach. Help it along by breaking it up with a fork as it cooks.

Gently drop the meatballs into the soup. Simmer the soup for 30 minutes or so, then stir in the pasta, cooking till it's al dente. For orzo, this will take about 8 minutes or so.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve the soup garnished with freshly grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese.

Yield: 29 cups, about sixteen 12-ounce servings.

God bless,

For more recipes, visit my blog at:
http://whatscookinginmykitchen.blogspot.com/

Buttermilk Pancakes w/Cinnamon Honey Syrup

2010-01-23T10:27:00.008-05:00

Ever since watching Bobby Flay's program, Throwdown, the other night where he challenged Clinton Street Baking Company in NY to a Blueberry Pancake battle, I have had a hankerin' for blueberry pancakes. This morning for breakfast we tried this buttermilk pancake recipe and I added 2 cups of blueberries and whipped up some cinnamon honey syrup. Zach had his pancakes just about finished before I could sit down and eat mine. Even Molly had a little taste (minus the syrup... she's watching her figure) and she thought these were scrumptious too!

Buttermilk Pancakes (makes about 6 pancakes)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon and 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup milk
1 egg
2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons butter, melted

2 cups blueberries, if you like

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat together buttermilk, milk, egg and melted butter. Keep the two mixtures separate until you are ready to cook.

Heat a lightly buttered griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. You can flick water across the surface and if it beads up and sizzles, it's ready!

Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture, using a wooden spoon or fork to blend. Stir until it's just blended together. Do not over stir! Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle. Sprinkle blueberries on top of pancake if you like. I don't add to them to the batter because if the berries burst, you'll get blue pancakes. If you don't mind blue pancakes, then by all means, toss them in the batter. Pancake will be ready to flip when the batter starts to look dry around the edges and gets little bubbles. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Cinnamon Honey Syrup

1/2 cup honey

1 stick of butter

1/4 cinnamon

While pancakes are cooking, place all ingredients into a saucepan and heat until butter is melted and honey is warmed. Serve warm over pancakes.

God bless,

For more recipes, visit my blog at:

http://whatscookinginmykitchen.blogspot.com/

Sausage Cheese Biscuits

2009-12-20T08:42:00.003-05:00

This recipe from King Arthur Flour website (http://www.kingarthurflour.com/) is delicious and a perfect accompaniment to eggs, grits, fresh fruit salad or even a bowl of soup. Or simply grab one on your way out the door; 10 to 15 seconds in the microwave will heat it up nicely. Don’t like sausage? Substitute crispy bacon or diced ham! Recipe says it yields 20 biscuits but I must have cut mine a little bigger because I only got 16. When they came out of the oven, I brushed melted butter on top. What I love about this recipe is they can be made ahead and frozen for later baking.

Sausage Cheese Biscuits

3 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon Pizza Dough Flavor, optional (this is available at King Arthur Flour website and is highly recommended… it really makes this recipe!)

1/2 cup butter, cut in pats

1 cup yogurt or buttermilk or sour cream (low-fat is fine)

2 cups cooked, sliced breakfast sausage links (1/2" pieces)

1 cup diced or shredded cheddar cheese (sharp or extra sharp recommended)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and Pizza Dough Flavor. Add the butter, cut in pats.

Work in the butter till the mixture is crumbly.

Add the sausage and cheese, mixing to distribute. Add the yogurt, buttermilk, or sour cream.

Mix just till everything is evenly moistened.

Transfer the dough to a piece of parchment or a lightly floured work surface. Pat and roll it into an 8" x 10" rectangle about 3/4" thick. Don’t worry if mixture is a little crumbly… just work the crumbs in as you are patting and rolling out.

Cut the dough into twenty 2" squares.

If you've been working on parchment, simply lift the parchment onto a baking sheet. Separate the biscuits so there are about 1" between them. If the biscuits aren't on parchment, space them on a lightly greased baking sheet, leaving about 1" between them.

Bake the biscuits for 20 to 25 minutes, or until they're a medium- to deep-golden brown.

Remove the biscuits from the oven, and cool them on a rack briefly. Brush with melted butter if you like. Serve warm.

TIP: Make now, bake later: these biscuits are a great candidate for the freezer. Simply make biscuits, shape, and place on a pan. Freeze, then transfer to a plastic bag for storage. When you're ready to bake, remove them from the freezer, place on a pan, brush with cream, and bake as directed. They'll take maybe 5 minutes longer, since they're frozen.

God bless,

For more recipes, visit my blog at:
http://whatscookinginmykitchen.blogspot.com/

Ritzy Cookies

2009-12-19T18:21:00.004-05:00

"Is it a cookie or candy?" That's a common statement I hear when people taste these delicious treats. Whatever you want to call them, they are yummy and so easy... and no-bake!!

These can be made with white, milk or dark chocolate. You can also leave them plain or top with chopped nuts, peppermints or a swirl of another flavor of chocolate.

Ritzy Cookies

Ritz crackers
peanut butter
chocolate bark

Spread peanut butter on ritz cracker and top with another cracker. Put together as many sandwich cookies you want to make and place them on a wax-lined cookie sheet. Melt chocolate bark in the microwave according to the directions on the package. Be careful not to burn. When chocolate has completely melted, dip sandwich cookies in chocolate being sure to coat entire cookie. Place on cookie sheet. Let chocolate set. Then eat! See isn't that easy?

God bless,

For more recipes, visit my blog at:
http://whatscookinginmykitchen.blogspot.com/

Cranberry Party Meatballs

2009-12-14T19:16:00.004-05:00

These zippy meatballs are a nice change from the popular grape jelly and chili sauce recipe. The touch of cumin and cayenne really spices things up a bit. You can use either the jellied or whole berry cranberry sauce. I prefer the whole berry that adds little pieces of fruit in the sauce.

Cranberry Party Meatballs

2 (1-pound) bags frozen cocktail-size meatballs (about 64 meatballs)

1 16-ounce can Ocean Spray Jellied or Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce

1 12-ounce bottle chili sauce

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Combine cranberry sauce, chili sauce, cumin and cayenne in a large saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until the cranberry sauce is melted and smooth. Add meatballs; stir gently to coat. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, 12 to 15 minutes or until meatballs are heated through. Place in chafing dish or slow cooker to keep warm.

Makes 30 servings.

God bless,

For more recipes, visit my blog at:
http://whatscookinginmykitchen.blogspot.com/

Nutter Butter Balls

2009-12-13T19:29:00.004-05:00

The hardest part of this recipe is waiting for the chocolate to set before eating them!

Nutter Butter Balls

1 package Nutter Butter cookies
8 ounces, cream cheese, Room Temperature
1 package chocolate bark (this can be found on the baking aisle)

Finely crush cookies in a food processor. Consistency should be like graham cracker crumbs.

With your mixers paddle attachment, thoroughly combine with softened cream cheese. If you don't have a paddle attachment you can use the back of a large spoon to help combine the two together.

Roll the mixture into 1″ balls and place on wax paper covered cookie sheet.

Melt chocolate candy coating as directed on the package and then dip balls into chocolate with a spoon. Tap off excess coating and slide balls on wax paper covered cookie sheet to dry.

Once dry, refrigerate and enjoy!

Makes 43 nutter butter balls.

God bless,

For more recipes, visit my blog at:

http://whatscookinginmykitchen.blogspot.com/

Bacon Roll-ups

2009-12-05T10:07:00.003-05:00

I’ve been thinking of this recipe my mom made while I was growing up. My sister and I often got to help make it. It’s a delicious appetizer, but this morning I decided to make it for breakfast to go along with scrambled eggs. If making this as an appetizer, you might want to insert a toothpick into the rollup to make it easier to pick up and eat (this is how my mom used to make them)! You can double this recipe to make more if you like. This recipe makes 30 rollups.

Here’s what you’ll need… just 3 ingredients!

Bacon Roll-ups

½ can of cream of mushroom soup (save the rest for later use or make the whole recipe and use 1 can)

10 slices of sandwich bread

½ package of bacon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a baking pan with cooking spray.

Trim the crust off the sandwich bread. You can save the crust and make croutons if you like. Cut each slice of bread into thirds (about 1 inch wide). Using a rolling pin, drinking glass or your hands, flatten the bread slices a little bit.

Cut bacon into thirds. Strips should be about 3 inches long. Don’t worry if they aren’t exactly that size. You can stretch the bacon around the roll if needed.

Spread soup on bread slice and starting at the end, roll up the bread. If the soup oozes out the roll-up, you’ve put too much soup on the bread but that's ok... just slathered it back on as best you can and then roll bacon around it. Wrap bacon slice around roll-up stretching if needed to fit around the roll and place on cookie sheet. Continue till you’ve gotten all the bread and bacon rolled up and on baking pan.

Bake in oven for about 20-25 minutes or until bacon is done and crispy. Best when served warm!

God Bless,

For more recipes, visit my blog at:

http://whatscookinginmykitchen.blogspot.com/

Crock Pot Beef Stroganoff

2009-11-08T15:10:00.008-05:00

This is a great "throw in the pot and forget it till it's done" recipe. If you can also saute mushrooms and add before you serve. If you have any leftovers, you can freeze them, noodles (or rice if you prefer) and all, in a seal-a-meal bag then just boil the bag to reheat.

Crock Pot Beef Stroganoff

2 pounds cubed beef stew meat
2 (10.75 ounce) can condensed golden mushroom soup
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
½ pkg onion soup mix
1 tsp minced garlic
Salt, pepper to taste
1/2 cup beef broth
4 ounces cream cheese
Sour cream

In a crock pot, combine all the ingredients except for the cream cheese and sour cream.

Cook on low setting for 5-6 hours. Stir in cream cheese just before serving and let it melt. Serve over noodles or rice with a dollop of sour cream. Serves 6.

God bless,

For more recipes, visit my blog at:
http://whatscookinginmykitchen.blogspot.com/

Smothered Pork Chops with Cider and Apples

2009-10-31T18:14:00.004-04:00

These pork chops are smothered in an apple-based gravy to keep them juicy and flavorful. Served with mashed potatoes and acorn squash makes a nice autumn meal.

Smothered Pork Chops with Cider and Apples

(Serves 4-5)

3 ounces bacon (about 3 slices), cut into 1/4-inch pieces

2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour

1 3/4 cups apple cider

(additional vegetable oil if needed)

4-5 bone-in, rib-end pork chops 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick

ground black pepper (to taste)

1 medium yellow onion , halved and sliced thin (about 1 3/4 cups)

1 Granny Smith apple (large), or 2 small Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 3/8-inch wedges

table salt (to taste)

2 tablespoons water

2 medium cloves garlic , pressed through garlic press or minced (about 2 teaspoons)

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves

2 bay leaves

Fry bacon in small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel-lined plate, leaving fat in saucepan (you should have 2 tablespoons bacon fat; if not, supplement with vegetable oil). Reduce heat to medium-low and gradually whisk flour into fat until smooth. Cook, whisking frequently, until mixture is light brown, about the color of peanut butter, about 5 minutes. Whisk in apple cider in slow, steady stream; increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil, stirring occasionally; cover and set aside off heat.

Heat 1-tablespoon oil in 12-inch skillet over high heat until smoking, about 3 minutes. Meanwhile, dry pork chops with paper towels and sprinkle with 1/2-teaspoon pepper. Brown chops in single layer until deep golden on first side, about 3 minutes. Flip chops and cook until browned on second side, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer chops to large plate and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium and add 1 tablespoon oil, onions, apples, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and water to now-empty skillet. Using wooden spoon, scrape browned bits on pan bottom and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are softened and browned around the edges, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds longer. Return chops to skillet in single layer, covering chops with onions. Pour in warm sauce and any juices collected from pork; add bay leaves. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until pork is tender and paring knife inserted into chops meets very little resistance, about 30 minutes.

Transfer chops to warmed serving platter and tent with foil. Increase heat to medium-high and simmer sauce rapidly, stirring frequently, until thickened to gravy-like consistency, about 5 minutes. Discard bay leaves, and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper if needed. Cover chops with sauce, sprinkle with reserved bacon, and serve immediately.

God Bless,

For more recipes, visit my blog at:
http://whatscookinginmykitchen.blogspot.com/

BBQ Brisket Sandwiches

2009-10-25T16:54:00.005-04:00

Next time I'll toast the buns, but honestly... I was lucky enough just to get a picture before these yummy sandwiches were devoured! If you don't have a pressure cooker, this recipe could be done in your crockpot.

BBQ Brisket Sandwiches

1 medium sliced onion, separated into rings
12 oz bottle of chili sauce
1 cup beef broth
2 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
1 (2 lb) beef brisket
1 teaspoon black pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
6-8 submarine rolls

Combine first 4 ingredients in a 6-quart pressure cooker. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Remove 1/2 cup of chili sauce mixture from pressure cooker.

Trim fat from brisket. Cut brisket in half crosswise if needed to fit into your pressure cooker. Rub the brisket with pepper and garlic. Place in pressure cooker. Spoon 1/2 cup chili sauce mixture over brisket. Close lid securely; bring to high pressure over high heat (about 5 minutes). Adjust the heat to medium or level needed to maintain high pressure; cook 1 hour. Remove from heat; place pressure cooker under cold running water. Remove lid. Remove brisket from pressure cooker, and set aside. Add the brown sugar to chili sauce mixture in pressure cooker; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Shred the brisket using 2 forks. Return meat to sauce in pressure cooker; cook until thoroughly heated. Spoon 1 cup meat with sauce over bottom of each roll, and cover with tops of rolls.

God Bless,

For more recipes, visit my blog at:
http://whatscookinginmykitchen.blogspot.com/

Tuscan Bean and Prosciutto Soup

2009-10-24T09:33:00.004-04:00

This recipe makes a small pot of hearty soup that will serve about 4-6 people. If you have a large family or want leftovers, you'll want to double the recipe!

Tuscan Bean and Prosciutto Soup

1 TBSP unsalted butter or margarine

4 oz. prosciutto (you could also use bacon or ham if you prefer)

4 cups water

1 cup dried navy beans, rinsed and sorted

1/2 cup dried lima beans, rinsed and sorted

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp ground paprika

1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add prosciutto and fry until crisp. Drain on a paper towel and let cool.

Crumble prosciutto into small pieces and add to crockpot. Add water, navy beans, lima beans, onion, salt, cumin, pepper, and paprika. Stir well until combined. Cover and cook on LOW for 10-12 hours.

Add tomatoes and juice, stir well. Cover and cook on HIGH for 30-40 minutes or until soup is heated through.

God bless,

For more recipes, visit my blog at:

http://whatscookinginmykitchen.blogspot.com/

Roasted Garlic and Onion Soup

2009-10-17T16:46:00.009-04:00

This soup sure hit the spot during this week's cold rainy days we had. Paired with homemade bread, this heartwarming, comfort food was just what the family needed while dealing with colds!

Roasted Garlic and Onion Soup (6 servings)

2 medium bulbs of roasted garlic*

1 TBSP olive oil

1/2 cup chopped prosciutto or cooked ham

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped onions (about 2 medium onions)

1 large baking potato, shredded (you can peel first if you like, but I like to leave the skin on for the added nutrients)

3 1/2 cups chicken broth

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Remove cloves from garlic bulbs and mash with a fork to make a paste.

Heat oil in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook prosciutto, parsley, basil and onions in oil about 5 minutes stirring occasionally until onions are tender.

Stir in potato and broth. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered 10 minutes.

Stir in roasted garlic paste, pepper and cheese. Simmer uncovered about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened.

Serve topped with fresh grated Parmesan cheese and hot bread.

*To prepared roasted garlic, carefully peel away papery skin around garlic bulbs leaving just enough to hold garlic together. Cut slice from the top of the bulb enough to expose the cloves. Place the stem end down on a sheet of aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper if desired. Wrap securely in foil and place on a pie plate or shallow baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes until garlic is very tender when pierced with a fork. Cool slightly.

God bless,

Caramel Sticky Buns

2009-09-12T10:36:00.009-04:00

Makes 2 round pans of 8 sticky buns

This dough recipe can be halved if you just want to make 8 rolls. I usually make the whole dough recipe and save half the dough for another day. If you are halving the recipe, a handy recipe converter can be found here:

http://www.fruitfromwashington.com/Recipes/scale/recipeconversions.php
(you’ll want to bookmark this site!)

Caramel Sticky Buns

Dough recipe:

3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons lukewarm water
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
2 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 large eggs
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
3 1/4 cups + 2 tablespoons King Arthur unbleached all purpose flour (if you use another brand, you may have to increase your flour to 3 3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons. If increasing flour, do so a little at a time.)

In a stand mixer, mix the yeast, salt, eggs, honey and melted butter with the water with paddle attachment. Change stand mixer attachment to dough hook and add flour until flour is incorporated. No need to knead! Yes, you read that right! No kneading!

At this point, dough can be refrigerated in a lidded (but not air tight) container and used over the next 5 days. If going to use beyond 5 days, then you can freeze it in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks. Just defrost overnight in the refrigerator the night before you want to use it. If you are using the dough right away, I recommend refrigerating it for about an hour because it's easier to handle cold.

The following topping and filling ingredients make 1 9-inch pan of 8 rolls. If you are using all of your dough at the same time, be sure to double this part of the recipe and then divide the topping and filling mixture into 2 9-inch pans.

Caramel Topping:

9 TBSP unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp salt
1 cup brown sugar
(if you like, you can add halved or chopped pecans to suit your taste… I usually don’t add these)

Roll Filling:

4 TBSP salted butter, softened
¼ cup sugar
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
Pinch of ground black pepper

To mix together the topping, cream the butter, salt and brown sugar. Spread evenly in the bottom of a 9-inch cake pan. If you like, sprinkle your pecans over the topping mixture. S et pan aside.

Now mix the filling by creaming together the butter, sugar, cinnamon and ground pepper. Set aside.

Dust the surface of your work area with flour. Using half of your dough, quickly shape dough into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball in a quarter-turn as you go. This only takes a few seconds… don’t overwork your dough. With a rolling pin, roll out the dough to a 1/8 inch thick rectangle. As you roll, if dough starts to stick to rolling pin or work surface, sprinkle with a little more flour but not too much to make the dough dry.

Spread filling mixture evenly over dough. Start with the long side, and roll the dough into a log. Be careful not to roll too tight, or the middles will pop out. With a very sharp serrated knife, cut the log into 8 equal pieces. Arrange rolls in pan with the swirled edge facing up. If you haven’t cut them evenly, pat down the tops so they are about the same height. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rest and rise for about 1 hour if using refrigerated dough or 40 minutes if using unrefrigerated dough. Note: rising time was in the original recipe so I’ve included it here. But I’ve found that you don’t really need to do this… they’ll still rise during the baking process… so if you really can’t wait for those hot caramel sticky buns.. go ahead and bake ‘em! ;o)

Twenty minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake for about 40 minutes or until golden brown. While still hot, run a knife around the inside of the pan to release the caramel rolls. Invert immediately onto a serving dish. Don’t let them sit too long or you’ll have trouble getting them out of the pan. If needed, spread out the caramel topping evenly over all the rolls while caramel is still hot. Sometimes mine oozes to the middle and the outside rolls need more covering (as in the picture) and sometimes it oozes more over the outside rolls.

God Bless,

For more recipes, visit my blog at:
http://whatscookinginmykitchen.blogspot.com/

Peanut Butter Dog Treats

2009-08-26T19:05:00.004-04:00

One of the reasons why I bake my own dog treats is so I know what Molly is eating is healthy and free of chemicals, sugar, preservatives, and by-products normally found in store bought treats. Here's a favorite recipe of Molly's. Use your favorite cookie cutter shape... I used a dog bone shape that is about 2" in length and got about 72 treats. I think they turned out cute!

Peanut Butter Dog Treats

1 cup all purpose unbleached flour*

1 cup whole-wheat flour*

1 TBSP baking powder

1 cup natural peanut butter (I used chunky)

1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a bowl, combine flour and baking powder. In another bowl, mix peanut butter and milk.

Add wet mixture to dry and mix well.

Turn out dough on a lightly floured surface and knead. Roll out to 1/4" thick and cut out shapes. Re-roll scrapes out and continue to cut shapes.

Place on a greased baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until lightly brown. Cool on a rack then store in an air tight container.

You can also freeze some for later use. I recommend storing in the fridge in an air tight container.

*you can use 2 cups all purpose or 2 cups whole wheat... I like to use 1 of each

God Bless,

For more recipes, visit my blog at:
http://whatscookinginmykitchen.blogspot.com/

Panzanella Salad

2009-08-23T14:44:00.007-04:00

This salad is a delicious... I can't stop eating it!!! It's a great way to use up any leftover french bread or boule.

Panzanella Salad
(6 servings)

3 TBPS good olive oil (may need a little more)

1 small French bread or boule, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 6 cups)

Kosher salt

1 hothouse cucumber (also called an english cucumber... it's the long one wrapped in plastic), unpeeled, seeded, and sliced 1/4-inch thick

1 red bell pepper, large diced

1 yellow bell pepper, large diced

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

1/2 red onion, sliced in half rounds

about 1/2 cup feta cheese crumbled (can use more if you like)

1/2 cup black olives, pitted (we like 'em so I used more)

For the vinaigrette:

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/4 cup good red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup good olive oil

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan. Add the bread cubes and sprinkle with salt; cook over low to medium heat, tossing frequently, for 5 to 10 minutes, until nicely browned. Add more olive oil as needed.

Place the cucumber, red pepper, yellow pepper, tomatoes and red onion in a large bowl.

For the vinaigrette, whisk together the garlic, oregano, mustard, vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt and the pepper in a small bowl. While still whisking, add the olive oil and make an emulsion. Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables. Add the feta, olives and bread cubes and mix together lightly. Set aside for 30 minutes for the flavors to blend. Serve at room temperature.

God Bless,

For more recipes, visit my blog at:

http://whatscookinginmykitchen.blogspot.com/

Oven Roasted Potatoes

2009-08-20T19:16:00.005-04:00

The herbs in this delicious side dish can be changed to compliment the seasonings in whatever meat dish you are serving.

Oven Roasted Potatoes

8 medium red potatoes, halved or quartered (leave the skins on for more nutrients)

3 TBSP melted butter or margarine

1 tsp each of salt and pepper

herbs of your choice (I used a couple of sprigs of rosemary and a couple garlic cloves in this recipe but thyme is also yummy)

olive oil to drizzle

Place potatoes on a baking sheet. Drizzle with butter. If the butter doesn't cover them enough, you can drizzle a little olive oil on the potatoes as well. Sprinkle salt and pepper and herbs of your choice. (I just laid the sprig on top, but you can chop them up if you like.) Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour turning the potatoes every 20 minutes.

Yields: 4 servings

God Bless,

For more recipes, visit my blog at:
http://whatscookinginmykitchen.blogspot.com/

Garlic Salmon Linguine

2009-08-19T08:14:00.005-04:00

Salmon is a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids and high in Vitamin D. When I bake fresh Salmon filets, I usually make 3 or 4 extra so that I have left-overs for this recipe. If you don't want to use filets, you can use one can of salmon.

Garlic Salmon Linguine

1 package (16 ounces) linguine

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 cup olive oil

3-4 cooked/baked salmon filets or 1 can (14-3/4 ounces) salmon, drained, bones and skin removed

3/4 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Cook the linguine according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute garlic in oil until crisp-tender. Stir in the salmon, broth, parsley, salt and cayenne. Cook until heated through. Drain linguine; add to the salmon mixture and toss to coat.

Yield: 6 servings.

God Bless,

For more recipes, visit my blog at:
http://whatscookinginmykitchen.blogspot.com/

Orange Coconut Chocolate Chip Muffins

2009-08-18T18:15:00.004-04:00

The original recipe for these muffins came from the King Arthur's website. I changed the recipe a little bit to suit my taste. These muffins are super easy and quick to make. Served at room temperature or warm, they are a wonderful blend of orange, coconut and chocolate and are super yummy with a cup of coffee!! They contain my new favorite baking ingredient, Fiori Di Sicilia, which can be found at King Arthur's website. If you do not have Fiori Di Sicilia, you can use 1/2 to 1 tsp of orange oil or 1 to 2 TBSP of grated orange peel.

Orange Coconut Chocolate Chip Muffins

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup coconut flakes

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon Fiori Di Sicilia (can use 1/2 to 1 teaspoon orange oil OR 1 to 2 tablespoons grated orange peel, to taste if you don't have Fiori Di Sicilia)

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and chocolate chips, and coconut. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, vegetable oil, egg and Fiori Di Sicilia (or orange oil or peel) till light. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir gently for 20 seconds, or only until all of the ingredients are moistened. If you see lumps in the batter, that's OK; don't try to stir them out, or your muffins will be heavy instead of tender! Lightly grease the cups of a 12-cup muffin pan, and fill each two-thirds full with batter.

Bake the muffins in a preheated 400°F oven for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the muffins from the oven, let them cool in the pan for about 5 minutes (or until they've set enough to be handled), and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Yield: 12 muffins.

God Bless,

Speedy Little Angel Bars

2009-08-08T06:39:00.004-04:00

Well this recipe is originally called Speedy Little Devil Bars, but I'm changing it to Speedy Little Angel Bars because this cookie bar (if you like chocolate and peanut butter) is a little piece of heaven on earth! Mmmmm....

Speedy Little Angel Bars

1 stick of margarine, melted

1 devil's food cake mix (I used dark chocolate fudge or something like that...any chocolate cake will do)

1 cup peanut butter (I used chunky but you can use smooth if you prefer)

1 7 oz jar marshmallow creme

Combine melted margarine and dry cake mix. Reserve 1 cup of crumb mixture for top crust. Pat remaining crumb mixture into ungreased 9 x13 pan. Combine marshmallow cream and peanut butter. Top crust layer with combined peanut butter and marshmallow cream and spread evenly. Crumble remaining mixture over marshmallow/peanut butter mixture. Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool (that's the hardest part of the recipe....waiting for them to cool!). Cut into 3 dozen bars.

God Bless,

Beef Roast with Parmesan and Cream

2009-08-04T10:18:00.003-04:00

This recipe came from an italian cookbook that my sister gave me. I had never cooked a roast like this before, but it turned out very delicious and it was quite easy to prepare. Definately a recipe that I will fix again!

Beef Roast with Parmesan and Cream

3 lb beef boneless rump roast
2 oz imported Parmesan cheese cut into 2 x ¼ x ¼ inch strips
2 TBSP butter or margarine
2 TBSP olive oil
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
½ cup dry red wine or beef broth
1 cup whipping (heavy) cream
½ cup freshly grated imported Parmesan cheese

Make small, deep cuts in all sides of beef with sharp knife. Insert 1 cheese strip completely in each cut.

Heat butter and oil in 4 quart dutch oven over medium high heatuntil butter is melted. Cook beef in butter mixture, turning occasionally, until brown on all sides. Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper. Add wine or broth. Cook uncovered until about 5 minutes oruntil liquid has evaporated.

Pour whipping cream over beef; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 2 hours or until beef is tender.

Place beef on warm platter; cover loosely with tent of aluminum foil to keep warm. Skim fat from juices in Dutch oven. Stir grated cheese into juices. Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly and scraping particles from bottom of pan. Cut beef into thin slices. Serve with cream sauce.

1 Serving: Calories 295; Fat 19 g; Cholesterol 105 mg; sodium 420 mg; carbohydrate 1 g; protein 30 g

God bless,

Parmesan & Thyme Crackers

2009-08-02T17:24:00.004-04:00

These savory crackers can be assembled up to 4 days ahead then simply remove from the fridge, cut and bake. If you cut these on thick side, they turn out like a shortbread; thinner slices turn out more like crackers. *Be sure to grate your own parmesan cheese..don't buy the pre-grated kind. It will make a difference! This recipe yields about 30 crackers.

Parmesan & Thyme Crackers

1 stick unsalted butter at room temp
4 oz freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 cup)*
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 ¼ cup all purpose flour

In the bowl of an electric mixer with paddle attachment, cream the butter for 1 minute With the mixer on low speed, add the parmesan, thyme, salt, pepper and combine.

With the mixer still on low, add the flour and combine until the mixture is in crumbles bout 1 minute. If the dough is too dry, add 1 teaspoon water (My dough seemed a little too crumbly so I used a little more).

Dump the dough onto a floured board, press it into a ball, and roll into a 9 inch long. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or for up to 4 days.

Meanwhile preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the log into 3/8 inch thick rounds with a small sharp knife and place them on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for 22 minutes, until very light browned. Rotate the pan once during baking. Cool and serve at room temperature.

God Bless,

Cinnamon Smear Scones

2009-08-01T09:09:00.006-04:00

This yummy recipe came from King Arthur Flour's website. These buttery scones have a wonderful swirl of cinnamon through their center and they are a delicious compliment to a nice warm cup of coffee!

Cinnamon Smear Scones

Cinnamon Smear
1/2 cup butterscotch chips
1/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Topping
1 egg white, beaten slightly
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Dough
3 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, cut into chunks
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup evaporated milk or half and half

Preheat your oven to 425°F. Lightly grease a baking sheet, or line it with parchment paper.

Cinnamon Smear: Place the butterscotch chips, brown sugar, 3 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon cinnamon in the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is rough and pasty looking (you can also do this in a blender). Set the mixture aside.

Topping: In a small bowl, whisk the egg white till it's lost its cohesion, but hasn't yet become frothy. In another bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.

Dough: Wipe out the work bowl of your processor with a paper towel, then place the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into the bowl. Process to blend. Add the butter in chunks, and process to break or cut the butter in, forming a mealy, crumbly mixture. Place this mixture in a large mixing bowl. Alternatively, you can use an electric mixer (or your hands, a whisk, and pastry fork or pastry blender) to combine the dry ingredients and cut in the butter.

In a small bowl or cup, blend together the egg, vanilla and evaporated milk (or half and half). Add this to the dry ingredients and stir with a fork until the dough just comes together. Turn the crumbly mass out onto a floured work surface and knead it gently, pressing the cinnamon smear mixture into the dough. It'll look marbleized; this is fine.

Roll or pat the dough into a 10 x 6-inch rectangle, about 1-inch thick, or 10-inch circle. Cut the dough into 12 to 14 squares or wedges. Place the scones on the prepared baking sheet, brush each with the egg white, then sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar.

Bake the scones about 12 to 15 minutes, or until their bottoms are browned and the tops are lightly golden. Yield: 12 to 14 scones.

God bless,

Easy Chocolate Ice Cream

2009-07-17T10:30:00.006-04:00

I've been wanting to make homemade ice cream but didn't have an ice cream maker. Since I need another kitchen gadget like I need a hole in the head, I didn't want to go out and buy one. I also didn't want to use the method we did in my old girl scout days with coffee cans, rock salt and a lot of shaking and rolling the cans... too much trouble! Then I received Cook's Country magazine and low and behold was a recipe for homemade ice cream that required no fancy kitchen gadget or lots of shaking and rolling!!!

This recipe was made with very little fuss and turned out smooth and very chocolaty! The hard part was waiting patiently for it to freeze.

Easy Chocolate Ice Cream

Makes 1 quart

1 tsp instant coffee or espresso powder

1 Tbsp hot water

4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine

1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

pinch of salt

1 1/4 cups cold heavy cream

Combine coffee (or espresso powder) and hot water in a small bowl. Let it stand for about 5 minutes until the powder is dissolved. Microwave chocolate, sweetened condensed milk, and coffee mixture in a bowl stirring every 10 seconds until chocolate is melted (about 1 minute). Stir in vanilla and salt. Let cool.

With electric mixer on medium-high, whip cream until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Whisk one third of the whipped cream into chocolate mixture. Then fold in remaining whipped cream into chocolate mixture until incorporated. Freeze in air-tight container until firm, at least 6 hours.

God bless,

Garlic Roasted Asparagus

2009-07-12T15:32:00.007-04:00

This side dish is delicious and easy!

Garlic Roasted Asparagus

1 1/2 lb. fresh asparagus spears
2 to 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 to 3 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Snap off and discard the woody bases from asparagus spears. Place asparagus and garlic in 15x10x1 inch baking pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat.

Roast for 10 to 15 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender, stiring once halfway through roasting. Serve immediately. Makes 6 servings

God Bless,

Free Slurpee at 7/11

2009-07-10T12:07:00.001-04:00

Tomorrow July 11th (7/11) is free Slurpee day! When you visit any participating 7-Eleven store, you can receive a free 7.11 oz Slurpee!!!

God bless,

Garlic-Parsley Steak Sauce

2009-07-10T11:14:00.003-04:00

I just came across this recipe at Cook's Country. Haven't tried it yet, but plan to the next time we grill out steaks. If you try it first, email me and let me know how it was!!

Garlic-Parsley Steak Sauce

Makes 1 1/4 cups

A little of this aromatic vinaigrette goes a long way.

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup minced red onion
2 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

Combine parsley, onion, garlic, vinegar, and pepper flakes in bowl. Slowly whisk in oil. Season with salt and pepper.

God bless,

Baked Ziti

2009-07-03T17:40:00.006-04:00

This cheesy casserole is a hearty mozzarella-topped comfort dish with loads of saucy beef (or turkey if you choose to use) and perfectly tender pasta.

Baked Ziti

Makes 8 to 10 servings

1 (16 oz.) box ziti pasta
½ medium onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. lean ground beef or turkey
1 (26 oz.) jar of tomato and basil pasta sauce
¾ tsp. salt divided
3 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. all purpose flour
3 cups milk
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ tsp. pepper
1 (8 oz) pkg shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook pasta in a large Dutch oven or pot according to the package directions. Drain and return to Dutch oven.

While pasta is cooking, sauté chopped onion in hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add beef (or turkey) and cook stirring until beef (turkey) crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain meat and return to pan. Stir in pasta sauce and ½ tsp. salt. Set aside.

Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat; whisk in flour until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk; cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Stir in Parmesan cheese, remaining ¼ tsp. salt and pepper. Pour sauce over pasta in Dutch oven, stirring until pasta is evenly coated.

Transfer pasta mixture to a lightly greased 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Top evenly with meat mixture, sprinkle evenly with mozzarella cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until cheese is melted. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

God bless,

30 Lip Smackin' BBQ recipes

2009-07-03T08:15:00.002-04:00

Just in time for your 4th of July BBQ, here is a link to 30 lip smackin' BBQ recipes!

http://tipnut.com/barbecue-sauce/

Have a wonderful and safe 4th of July!!

God bless,

Zach's Cinnamon Rolls

2009-07-02T18:36:00.004-04:00

These cinnamon rolls are super easy because your bread machine does all the work!!

Zach's Cinnamon Rolls

Rolls:
1 cup warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2 eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup margarine, melted
4 1/2 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup white sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast

Filling mixture:
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/3 cup butter, softened

Icing:
1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select dough cycle; press Start. After the dough has doubled in size turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, cover and let rest for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon.

Roll dough into a 16x21 inch rectangle. Spread dough with 1/3 cup butter and sprinkle evenly with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Roll up dough and cut into 12 rolls. Place rolls in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake rolls in preheated oven until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. While rolls are baking, beat together cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Spread frosting on warm rolls before serving.

God bless,

Peanut Butter Apple Dip

2009-06-26T17:54:00.002-04:00

Warning: This recipe can be hazardous to your hips!! LOL!! This dip is so good you might want to double this recipe like I do when I make it.

Peanut Butter Apple Dip

1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
apples, sliced into wedges

In mixing bowl, combine first 4 ingredients with a hand mixer. Mix well. Store in refrigerator. Makes 2 2/3 cup.

Blessings,

Taco Pinwheels

2009-06-19T09:28:00.008-04:00

These pinwheels make an excellent appetizer to take to a potluck or gathering (or you can eat these as a wrap for lunch if you leave them whole). They are always a hit so you might want to double the recipe!

Taco Pinwheels

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup Seasoned Taco Meat (browned ground beef with taco seasoning pkg)

1/4 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 cup salsa

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 tablespoons chopped ripe black olives

2 tablespoons finely chopped onion

5 flour tortillas (8 inches)

1/2 cup shredded lettuce

Additional salsa

In a small mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese. Stir in the taco meat, cheese, salsa, mayonnaise, olives and onion. Spread overtortillas. Sprinkle with lettuce; roll up tightly. Wrap in plasticwrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Unwrap and cut into 1-in. pieces. Serve with additional salsa.

Yield: about 3 dozen appetizers.

God Bless,

Shrimp and Broccoli Alfredo

2009-06-15T14:18:00.007-04:00

This is one of Zach's favorite dishes! When you try this alfredo recipe, you won't want to eat the stuff in a jar!

Shrimp and Broccoli Alfredo

1 package (16 ounces) fettuccine
1 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, cubed
1 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 bag of frozen broccoli (about 4 cups)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dash pepper

Cook fettuccine according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute shrimp and garlic in butter until shrimp turn pink. Remove and keep warm. In the same skillet, combine the cream cheese, milk and Parmesan cheese; cook and stir until cheeses are melted and mixture is smooth. Place a little bit of water in a microwaveable bowl and add broccoli. Microwave for about 4-5 minutes until broccoli is cooked. Drain. Stir the broccoli, shrimp, salt and pepper into cheese sauce; cook until heated through. Drain fettuccine; top with shrimp mixture.

Yield: 4 servings

God Bless,

French Toast Sandwiches

2009-06-14T10:06:00.007-04:00

Probably not the healthiest breakfast, but these sure are good!!

French Toast Sandwiches

1/4 cup peanut butter

4 slices whole wheat bread

1 small firm banana sliced

2 eggs

1/3 cup milk

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 Tablespoon butter

Honey, optional

Spread peanut butter on two slices of bread. Top with banana slices and remaining bread. In a shallow bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, cinnamon and vanilla. Dip both sides of sandwich into egg mixture. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat; grill sandwiches on both sides until golden brown. Serve w/honey if desired.

Yield: 2 servings

God Bless,

Herbed Dinner Rolls

2009-06-10T08:32:00.008-04:00

No one will ever know that you started these delicious dinner rolls in the bread machine (unless of course you let the secret out!)

Herbed Dinner Rolls

1 cup water (70° - 80°)
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 egg
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon each dried basil, oregano, thyme and rosemary, crushed
3-1/4 cups bread flour
2-1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
Additional butter, melted
Coarse salt, optional

In a bread machine pan, place the water, butter, egg, sugar, salt, seasonings, flour and yeast in order suggested by manufacturer. Select dough setting(check dough after 5 minutes of mixing; add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water or flour if needed).

When cycle is completed, turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough into 16 portions; shape each into a ball. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, at least 30 minutes.

Bake at 375° for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. If desired, brush with butter and sprinkle with coarse salt. Remove from pans to wire racks. Yield: 16 rolls.

For plain dinner rolls omit the dried basil, oregano, thyme and rosemary.

God Bless,

Molly's Muttballs

2009-05-30T06:53:00.008-04:00

One of the things I like to make is dog treats for Molly (and friend's dogs too!). She's a great taste-tester (a job she loves!!). One of Molly's favorites is muttballs. They are so easy to throw together and this recipe can be adapted for anything that you may have on hand.

Molly's Muttballs

1 pound ground turkey or chicken
1 egg
1/2 cup grated/shredded cheese (I use parmesan or mild cheddar)
1/2 cup bread crumbs (or you could use quick oats)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 Tablespoon parsley flakes (if I have fresh parsley, I'll just grab a handful and chop)
1/2 cup shredded carrots (I have also used shredded zucchini or squash)

If baking, preheat oven to 350 degrees. You can also fry these on top of the stove till they are browned and cooked through, but I prefer baking... less mess and easier!

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl until blended. With a small melon scooper, scoop and roll mixture into balls and place in a mini-muffin tin that you've sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes. You can flip the muttballs half-way through the cooking time if you'd like them browned on the sides, but honestly... Molly doesn't care whether they are browned or not so I usually let them cook.

Store in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days (if they last that long!) or wrap well and freeze for up to 2 months (thaw before serving). This recipe makes about 36 muttballs.

Cooking for your furbaby can be fun... they aren't really picky if the recipe doesn't quite turn out. Some human-grade foods to avoid if you are cooking for your furbaby:

Chocolate and coffee - contains theobromine and caffeine which can be toxic and affect the heart. Can cause death.

Macadamia nuts - contains an unknown toxin that can affect the digestive and nervous system and muscles.

Moldy or spoiled food - DUH! This is a no-brainer! Would you want to eat it?!

Mushrooms - wild growing mushrooms can contain toxins which may affect multiple systems in the body, cause shock and result in death.

Onions - contains sulfoxides and disulfides which can damage red blood cells and cause anemia.

Peach and plum pits - can obstruct digestive tract.

Persimmon seeds - can cause intestinal obstruction.

Raisins - contains unknown toxins that may damage the kidneys

Salt - large quantities may lead to electrolyte imbalances.

Sugary foods - can lead to obesity, dental problems and diabetes.

Table scraps - should never make up more than 10 percent of the diet, if that.

Yeast dough - can expand and produce gas in the digestive system, cause pain and possible rupture of the stomach and intestines.

As always, if you are uncertain about any foods that are safe to feed your pet, check with your vet!!

God Bless,

Pan Swapping

2009-05-29T18:16:00.019-04:00

Here's a handy chart for substituting pans when you don't have the exact size the recipe calls for. Note though, you may have to adjust the cooking time. You'll want to check whether the new pan has the same depth of ingredients as the original size. If it makes a deeper layer, it will cook more slowly -- if shallower, it will cook more quickly.

Cake Mix Add-ins

2009-05-20T13:00:00.004-04:00

Do you have a boxed cake mix in your cupboard? Create a new taste sensation by adding a simple ingredient or two! For example, add rich flavor to a white cake mix with your favorite extract...mix coffee instead of water into chocolate cake mix for a mouth-watering mocha variation...or fold flaked coconut into a yellow cake batter for a tasty change of pace.

Before mixing the cake batter, try one of the following variations:

• Substitute coffee or your favorite carbonated beverage for the water.

• Add 1 tablespoon of grated lemon or orange peel.

• Add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves.

• Add 2 to 3 teaspoons of vanilla, almond, orange, lemon, coconut, peppermint or rum extract, or butter or maple flavoring.

After mixing the batter, stir in one of the following ingredients:

• 2 to 4 ounces of finely chopped semisweet or milk chocolate.

• 1 cup finely chopped nuts.

• 1 cup coarsely crushed cookies.

• 1 cup flaked coconut.

• 1/2 cup almond brickle baking chips or English toffee chips.

• 2 tablespoons poppy seeds.

Ideas for Memorial Day Weekend!

2009-05-19T12:21:00.009-04:00

This coming weekend will kick off the "official" summer season with the long Memorial Day weekend. Time to crank up the BBQ! Here's a few recipes to try:

HONEY-LIME GRILLED CHICKEN

1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup lime juice
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each)

In a resealable plastic bag, combine the honey, soy sauce and lime juice; add chicken. Seal and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 30-45 minutes.

Drain and discard marinade. Grill chicken, uncovered, over medium heat for 6-7 minutes on each side or until juices run clear. Yield: 4 servings

RANCH POTATO SALAD

This recipe is from memory...I don't have the recipe with me but ingredient measurements can be altered to suit your own tastes.

2 pounds red potatoes, cubed (use at least 2 lbs... if using more potatoes will have to increase the rest of the ingredients)
1 bottle (8 ounces) ranch salad dressing
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
2-3 green onions chopped
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped (this can be omitted if you don't like)
1/2 to 1 full pkg of bacon, cooked and chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until tender.

In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Drain potatoes; add to the dressing mixure and gently toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until chilled or can be eaten warm... either way is yummy! Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 6-8 servings

And a BBQ wouldn't be complete without DESSERT!!!

CAPPUCCINO MOUSSE TRIFLE

2 1/2 cups cold milk
1/3 cup instant coffee granules
2 (3.4 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
1 (16 ounce) package frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
2 (10.75 ounce) loaves frozen pound cake, thawed and cubed (NOTE: original recipe called for frozen pound cake, but I've made it with a prepared chocolate cake made from the box and like it better. Be sure to try both ways and let me know which you prefer!)
1 (1 ounce) square semisweet chocolate, grated
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a large mixing bowl, stir milk and coffee granules until dissolved; remove 1 cup and set aside. Add pudding mixes to the remaining milk mixture; beat on low speed for 2 minutes or until thickened. Fold in half of the whipped topping.

Place a third of the cake cubes in a 4-qt. serving or trifle bowl. Layer with a third of the reserved milk mixture and pudding mixture and a fourth of the grated chocolate. Repeat layers twice. Garnish with remaining whipped topping and chocolate. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

Buttermilk Waffles

2009-05-16T10:55:00.005-04:00

On Saturdays when we have time for a leisurely breakfast, we like to make waffles. Here's one of our favorite recipes.

Buttermilk Waffles

2 cups flour
2 Tbsp sugar
½ tsp salt
1 ½ tsp baking soda
1 ¾ cups buttermilk
2 eggs, separated
4 Tbsp (1/2 stick) butter, melted and cooled
½ tsp vanilla extract
Vegetable oil for brushing on waffle iron

Possible toppings: butter, syrup, superfine sugar, whipped topping, ice cream, sour cream, fresh fruit (bananas, strawberries, blueberries), fresh grated nutmeg, cinnamon sugar. My favorite.... while waffle is still hot, spread peanut butter on it, top with sliced banana and drizzle with honey!!!! MMMM!!!!!

Combine flour, sugar, salt and baking soda.

Mix together the buttermilk and the egg yolks. Stir in butter and vanilla.

Brush the waffle iron lightly with the oil and preheat it. Stir in the buttermilk mixture into flour mixture. Beat the egg whites with a wire whisk or electric mixer until they hold soft peaks. Stir them gently into the batter.

Ladle the batter into waffle iron and bake until the waffle is golden brown, usually 3-5 minutes. Serve immediately or keep warm for a few minutes in a low oven.

Free Cooking Club

2009-05-14T12:19:00.003-04:00

I've never realized just how much cooking/baking is a calming/stress-reducing activity for me. The last couple of weeks my mother has been very ill and in the hospital. I haven't been able to get in the kitchen and cook a thing... and we are so tired of all the hospital cafeteria and fast food that we've had to rely on these past weeks! Mom is doing better and now in a rehabilitation hospital. I look forward to getting back into the kitchen and cooking something delicious. In the meantime, I just received this and thought I'd pass it along:

There is a new online cooking club from Betty Crocker. Each week, The Mixer features a new class line-up complete with brand new recipes, tips and techniques, flavor secrets and much more. You can participate in a live chat with the Betty Crocker Kitchens experts or watch on-demand! It’s fun. It’s easy. It’s FREE.

Learn how to unlock the flavor secrets while making your favorite Asian dishes! Visit http://www.bettycrocker.com/themixer to join now.

Here's the Scoop!

2009-04-29T09:57:00.006-04:00

Here's the scoop (pun intended)! LOL! Just for today (from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.), Baskin-Robbins is having a 31 cent scoop night to raise money for the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) National Junior Firefighter Program.

To find more about this fundraiser and participating locations, go to: http://www.baskinrobbins.com/spotlight/31centScoopNight.aspx

God bless!

2009-04-27T15:02:00.002-04:00

A little humor for Monday! :o)

Ginger-Ale Chicken and Apple Cobbler Cake

2009-04-27T12:10:00.010-04:00

I usually prepare just one chicken since that's enough for us but original recipe is for two. If you don't like this marinade, try creating your own and using the ginger-ale baking method... it creates a very moist chicken and is yummy!!

Ginger Ale Chicken

Prep: 10 min.; Chill: 8 hr.; Bake: 1 hr., 40 min.; Stand: 10 min.

Tips: Use oven mitts or a towel to hold and gently slide chickens off the hot cans. Buy reduced-sodium liquid steak seasoning if you are watching your salt in-take.

2 (3-lb.) whole chickens
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup liquid steak seasoning
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon pepper
2 (12-oz.) cans ginger ale

Remove giblets and necks, if necessary. Rinse chickens with cold water; pat dry. Place each chicken in a large zip-top plastic freezer bag.

Whisk together oil and next 5 ingredients. Pour evenly over chickens. Seal bags, and chill for 8 hours, turning occasionally. Remove chickens from marinade, discarding marinade.

Using a can opener, carefully remove lids from cans of ginger ale. Remove one-fourth ginger ale from each can, and reserve for another use, leaving remaining ginger ale in can. Place cans in a lightly greased large roasting pan. Place each chicken upright onto a ginger ale can, fitting can into cavity (like the chicken is sitting on the can--yes... it looks funny!). Pull legs forward to form a tripod, allowing chickens to stand upright.

Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 1 hour and 40 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into thigh registers 170° and chickens are golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes; carefully remove cans before serving.

Apple Cobbler Cake

2 (21-oz.) cans apple pie filling
1 (18.25-oz.) pkg. Butter Recipe or Yellow Cake Mix
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
2/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup milk
Vanilla ice cream

Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, combine cake mix and butter; blend at low speed for 45 to 60 seconds or until crumbly. Place 1 1/2 cupscake mixture in medium bowl; stir in walnuts or pecans and cinnamon until well mixed and set aside.

Add milk to the remaining cake mixture in large bowl; stir until dry particles are moistened.

Spoon pie filling into ungreased 13x9-inch pan. Top with heaping spoonfuls of cake batter. Sprinkle with nut mixture.

Bake at 375°F. for 30 to 40 minutes or until topping is golden brown and cracks appear dry. Cool 30 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream.

Pressure Cooking

2009-04-24T08:57:00.006-04:00

Memories of your mother or grandmother cooking with their pressure cookers probably bring to mind being told to "Stay out of the kitchen", "Don't touch the jiggy-thing" or you might even can tell a story or two of the time dinner exploded all over the kitchen! Today's pressure cookers are much safer and easier to use. I purchased an electric one and it's pretty much goof proof and a great way to get dinner on the table in no time at all without heating up the kitchen. Forget to take dinner out of the freezer? No, problem! With a pressure cooker, you can still have dinner done in just a short time.

Here's a pressure cooker recipe that is one of our favorites:

Barbecued Beef
Yield 6 to 8 servings

1 TBSP vegetable oil

3 to 4 pound boneless, trimmed chuck or rump roast

1 large onion

1 1/2 cup prepared BBQ sauce

1 can (12 oz.) beer --- If you are like me and don't drink... bum one off of your neighbor--or in my case, brother-in-law! They may give it to you with the understanding that they get some BBQ, of course! ;o) You could also probably use a dark cola.

1 1/2 teasp. chili powder

Heat the oil in the pressure cooker over med-high heat. Add the roast and brown evenly on all sides. Add the onion. Cook for 1 minute. Remove roast to a plate and add the BBQ sauce, beer and chili powder. Stir well. Place roast back in sauce. Cover and bring to high pressure over high heat. Lower the heat to stabilize the pressure. Cook for 60 minutes. Remove from heat. Release the pressure and when pressure has dropped, unlock and remove cover. Test with fork; the fork should penetrate easily. If not tender, cover and cook under pressure for an additional 10 minutes.

Quick and Easy: Zesty Italian Crescent Casserole

2009-04-21T14:04:00.004-04:00

Serve with a salad and/or veggie and dinner is on the table in no time!

Zesty Italian Crescent Casserole

1 lb. lean ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 cup of your favorite tomato pasta sauce
6 oz. (1 1/2 cups) shredded mozzarella or monterey jack cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1 (8-oz.) can refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

Heat oven to 375°F. In large skillet, cook ground beef and onion over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until beef is thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently. Drain. Stir in pasta sauce; cook until thoroughly heated.

Meanwhile, in medium bowl, combine mozzarella cheese and sour cream; mix well.

Pour hot beef mixture into ungreased 9 1/2 or 10-inch glass deep-dish pie pan or a 2-quart glass baking dish. Spoon cheese mixture over beef mixture.

Unroll dough over cheese mixture. (If using pie pan, separate dough into 8 triangles; arrange points toward center over cheese mixture,crimping outside edges if necessary.) In small bowl, mix Parmesan cheese and butter. Spread evenly over dough.

Bake at 375°F. for 18 to 25 minutes or until deep golden brown.

What's for dinner?

2009-04-20T12:50:00.005-04:00

Sometimes I'm at a loss at what to fix for dinner. Most times I can rely on my menu-planner, Zach, but even he will sometimes get stuck on the same dishes. He's pretty easy to cook for but sometimes I think he would be perfectly fine with chicken every night of the week so coming up with different ideas can be a challenge. If you are at a loss for what to have for dinner this week, here are a couple of our favorites:

Chicken Pot Pie (This Southern Living recipe can be made ahead of time and served with a salad)

1 (3 ½ pound) whole chicken*
5 cups water
2 celery ribs with leaves
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

3 to 4 bacon slices
3 green onions, sliced
2 large celery ribs, chopped
½ cup all-purpose flour
3 hard cooked eggs, sliced
3 carrots, cooked and diced
1 cup frozen peas or 1 8.5 oz can peas
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon chopped fresh or 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
½ (15 oz) pkg. refrigerated piecrust

Bring first 5 ingredients to a boil in large Dutch oven; reduce heat and simmer 1 ½ hours or until chicken is done. (See note below* for short cut)

Remove chicken, reserving 3 ½ cups broth in Dutch oven; discard celery tops. Let chicken cool; skin, bone and cut chicken into bite-sized pieces.

Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp; remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving 3 tablespoons drippings in skillet. Crumble bacon and set aside.

Saute green onions and chopped celery in hot drippings in skillet over medium heat 5 minutes or until tender. Gradually whisk in flour until blended (it will look clumpy). Gradually add reserved broth; cook whisking constantly, 3-5 minutes or until thickened and bubbly (this will start out not looking like it is going to work, but keep stirring it will eventually mix well and thicken). Stir in chicken,
bacon, eggs and next 5 ingredients.

Spoon mixture into a greased 3-quart baking dish and top with refrigerated piecrust sealing crust to edge of dish. Cut slits in crust for steam to escape.

Bake at 450 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden and bubbly.

Yields 6 servings.

*You can save yourself some time and use 3 cups of cooked chicken
and 3 1/2 cups chicken broth. If you used store bought broth you may want to decrease or eliminate your salt.

Bacon Spinach Pizza

Ingredients:

1 (13.8-oz.) can refrigerated pizza dough
1 (9-oz.) pkg. frozen spinach
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 cup coarsely chopped onion
1 (6-oz.) pkg. refrigerated cooked Italian-style chicken breast
strips, chopped
8 oz. (2 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese
1 (2.8 to 3-oz.) pkg. precooked bacon slices, cut into 1/2-inch
pieces

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400°F. Grease 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Unroll dough; place in greased pan. Starting at center, press out dough to edge of pan. Bake at 400°F. for 9 to 13 minutes or until edges are light
golden brown.

2. Meanwhile, cook spinach as directed on package. Drain well;
squeeze to remove liquid. Heat oil in small skillet over medium-high
heat until hot. Add onion; cook and stir 3 to 4 minutes or until
tender, stirring frequently.

3. Remove partially baked crust from oven. Top crust with spinach,
onion, chicken, cheese and bacon.

4. Return to oven; bake an additional 9 to 12 minutes or until cheese
is melted. Cut into squares.

I know this is probably a little strange, but this is yummy drizzled
with a little bit of ranch dressing on top!

Tip: Baking

2009-04-17T18:18:00.005-04:00

Tip: Baking

For best results, ingredients for cakes, cookies, and breads should be at room temperature before mixing unless the recipe specifies otherwise. Most refrigerated ingredients will come to room temperature in about 20-30 minutes.

Eggs in their shells can be brought to room temp quickly by placing them in a cup or bowl of warm tap water for a few minutes while you are preparing your other ingredients!

Happy Baking!!!

Bake Sale Goodies

2009-04-17T12:14:00.006-04:00

My mom's church is having a bake/yard sale tomorrow and she's asked me to bake some goodies for her to take. I plan on making the French Breakfast Puffs in a mini muffin pan but here are some additional recipes that I'm thinking about and thought I'd share:

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/2 C Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
1/2 C Softened Butter
1 1/2 C Sugar
1 C Canned Pumpkin (puree...not the pie filling)
1 tsp Vanilla
1 Egg
1 C Chocolate Chips

Cream butter and sugar together. Add pumpkin, vanilla and egg. Beat until the mixture is light and creamy. Mix all dry ingredients together well in a bowl. Add dry ingredients to wet and mix well. Fold or gently mix in chocolate chips. Drop by the rounded teaspoonful onto a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes (until lightly browned).

S'mores Bars

8 to 10 whole graham crackers
1 package fudge brownie mix (13-inch x 9-inch pan size)
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup chopped peanuts

Arrange graham crackers in a single layer in a greased 13-in. x 9-in.x 2-in. baking pan. Prepare the brownie batter according to package directions. Spread over crackers. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Sprinkle with marshmallows, chocolate chips and peanuts. Bake 5 minutes longer or until marshmallows are slightly puffed and golden brown. Cool on a wire rack before cutting.

Yield: 2 dozen.

New Layout

2009-04-17T10:41:00.002-04:00

I've searched the WWW for a new blog layout and decided to go with this one for the time being. There's not a lot of "food" related themes to pick from and this was about the only one I could find. I tried a nice pretty design but my sister said it reminded her of bugs! Not the impression I want to give on my food blog... so I decided to stick with this one for now!

Vermicelli with Fresh Herbs / Chicken Piccata

2009-04-16T11:21:00.006-04:00

Here's a simple italian dish made with fresh ingredients. It's great by itself or a side dish to chicken piccata (the way we like to eat it)!

Vermicelli with Fresh Herbs
6 main course or 8 first course servings

1 pkg (16 oz) vermicelli
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup pine nuts
1 TBSP chopped fresh parsley
1 TBSP capers, chopped
2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary leaves
2 tsp chopped fresh sage leaves
1 tsp chopped fresh basil leaves
1 pint (2 cups) cherry tomatoes, cut into fourths
Freshly ground pepper

Cook and drain vermicelli as directed on package.

While vermicelli is cooking, mix oil, pine nuts, parsley, capers, rosemary, sage and basil in large bowl. Mix in tomatoes.

Add vermicelli to tomato mixture; toss gently until vermicelli is evenly coated. Serve with pepper.

1 Serving: Calories 415; fat 14g; cholesterol 0 mg; sodium 50 mg; carbohydrate 65g; protein 11g

Want to serve it with Chicken Piccata? Here's my sister's recipe...

Chicken Piccata (Serves 4)

2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (1 1/2 pound total)
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup flour
Salt and pepper
4 Tbsp olive oil
4 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup chicken stock or dry white wine
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup brined capers
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley

Cut the chicken breast halves horizontally, butterflying them open. If the breast pieces you are working with are large, you may want to cut them each into two pieces. If the pieces are still thick after butterflying, put them between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound them with a meat hammer to 1/4-inch thickness.

Mix together the flour, salt, pepper, and grated Parmesan. Rinse the chicken pieces in water. Dredge them thoroughly in the flour mixture, until well coated.

Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet on medium high heat. Add half of the chicken pieces, but do not crowd the pan. Brown well on each side, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the pan and reserve to a plate. Cook the other breasts in the same manner, remove from pan. Cover with aluminum foil and keep warm in the oven while you prepare the sauce.

Add the chicken stock (or white wine), lemon juice, and capers to the pan. Use a spatula to scrape up the browned bits. Reduce the sauce by half. Whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Plate the chicken and serve with the sauce poured over the chicken. Sprinkle with parsley.

Banana Bread

2009-04-15T13:01:00.010-04:00

We like bananas at our house, but once they start turning a little brown...YUCK! Good thing that's the perfect ingredient for banana bread. Don't have time to make banana bread? Don't worry... just freeze the bananas till you are ready to bake. There are several ways you can freeze bananas:

Peel and place it whole in a freezer bag

Leave the peel on and freeze in a freezer bag (this is what I do)

Mash it and place in a sealed container to freeze

When you need bananas for baking, just thaw them and use. Here's a simple and easy banana bread recipe:

Banana Bread

1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed very ripe bananas (3 to 4 medium)
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped nuts, if desired***

Move oven rack to low position so that tops of pans will be in center of oven. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottoms only of 2 loaf pans, 8 1/2x4 1/2x2 1/2 inches, or 1 loaf pan, 9x5x3 inches.

Mix sugar and butter in large bowl. Stir in eggs until well blended. Add bananas, buttermilk and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt just until moistened. Stir in nuts. Pour into pans.

Bake 8-inch loaves about 1 hour, 9-inch loaf about 1 1/4 hours, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Loosen sides of loaves from pans; remove from pans and place top side up on wire rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours, before slicing. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature up to 4 days, or refrigerate up to 10 days.

*** If you want a new spin on banana bread, substitute 1 cup of one of the following instead of nuts:

blueberries

cranberries

strawberries

mini chocolate chips

Ham and Potato Soup

2009-04-15T11:50:00.006-04:00

There's nothing better on a damp and chilly day -- like today--- like a good 'ol pot of soup! Here's a favorite of Zach's... and a good way to use up that Easter ham!

Ham and Potato Soup

1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cup chopped onion
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 cup chopped ham
2 Tbsp all purpose flour
3 cups chicken broth
4 cups unpeeled, chopped (cubed) potatoes
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 tsp. freshed chopped thyme
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
Garnish: additional chopped ham

In a large stockpot, over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add onion, garlic and ham; cook for approximately 4 minutes or until onion is soft and ham begins to brown. Add flour and stir for approximately 1 minute or until well blended. Add broth and stir; cook until thickened and bubbly. Add potatoes; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. With a potato masher, mash potatoes until only a few chucks remain. You can leave it as chunky as you like. Add cream, thyme, red pepper flakes, and black pepper; cook for 2 minutes. Stir in cheese and sour cream until well blended.

When serving, garnish with additional chopped ham if desired. We like to eat this with some soft crusty bread so that we can dip it in the soup!

Breakfast Casserole

2009-04-14T18:08:00.004-04:00

Here's a great recipe that you can put together the night before and put it in the fridge. The next morning, take it out and let it come to room temp and put it in the oven to bake.

Breakfast Casserole

2 ½ cups frozen shredded hash browns or tater tots
¾ cups shredded Monterey Jack or cheese of choice
1 pkg. Knorr’s Leek Soup mix
1 cup cooked chopped ham, Canadian bacon, bacon or sausage
¼ cup sliced green onion
4 beaten eggs
1 12-oz can of evaporated milk (or 1 ½ cup evaporated skim milk)

Spray 2-qt casserole square baking dish with Pam. Arrange potatoes evenly in the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle cheese, ham (or meat), green onions over potatoes. In a mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk and soup mix. Pour over mixture in the dish. Sprinkle with Mrs. Dash or Crazy Salt.

Bake uncovered at 350° for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

French Breakfast Puffs

2009-04-14T14:07:00.002-04:00

Tried these this past weekend and they were so easy to make and so yummy!!! Make sure you eat these while they are still warm. And IF you have any leftovers, these can be frozen! (but I don't think you'll have that problem! *grin*)

French Breakfast Puffs

For the muffins:
1/3 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup milk

For the topping:
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease 12 medium muffin cups or use muffin liners. (I got 16 muffins out of a standard size muffin tin)

2. Mix shortening, 1/2 cup sugar and the egg throughly in large bowl. Stir in flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg alternately with milk. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.

3. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

4. Mix 1/2 cup sugar and the cinnamon. Roll hot muffins immediately in melted butter, then in sugar-cinnamon mixture. Serve hot.

Variations:

Toss 2 tablespoons finely chopped nuts into the cinnamon-sugar mixture for Nutty French Breakfast Puffs.

Or make Baked Mini Donut Holes. Prepare the recipe as directed, except divide the dough among 24 greased mini muffin cups, and bake 11 to 13 minutes.

Enjoy!!!

2009-04-14T13:31:00.000-04:00

Okay... so here goes... my first blog post on my new blog!!! WOOHOO!!! You'd be surprised at how difficult it was to find a blog name that wasn't already out there on the WWW!!! But I finally found one!

On this blog, I plan to share recipes, cooking ideas, kitchen tips and whatever else I think of. So let's start this blogging experience....