Clip & Cook

Quick Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

2011-03-16T10:04:00.001-07:00

Quick Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

from melskitchencafe.com

*Makes about 4 cups of frosting

½ cup (1 stick, 8 tablespoons) butter, softened to room temperature

3 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature

16 ounces powdered sugar (about 3 ½ cups)

¼ cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

In a large bowl using a handheld mixer or the bowl of an electric stand mixer, beat the softened butter and cream cheese together until it is light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Mix in the vanilla. Add the powdered sugar gradually and mix in fully after each addition. Cream at low speed until well blended and creamy. Pour in the heavy cream and whip until the frosting is light and fluffy.

For a chocolate butter cream you can add 4 oz of melted chocolate or 1/2 C. of cocoa.

Enjoy!

Homemade Wheat Thins Style Crackers

2011-03-14T13:48:00.000-07:00

Homemade Wheat Thins Style Crackers

http://www.tammysrecipes.com

Homemade Wheat Thins Style Crackers

Description:

Easy homemade whole wheat crackers that taste remarkably similar to Wheat Thins! Thin, crunchy, and salty -- you will love these crackers!

Yield:

About 8 ounces of crackers

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon paprika
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold butter, sliced
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
Salt, for topping

Instructions:

1. Combine flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, sugar, and paprika in a medium bowl. Cut in butter with a fork or pastry blender, until small crumbs form. Or, combine the dry ingredients and butter in a food processor bowl and pulse until crumbly.

2. Make a well in the center, and add the water and vanilla. Stir to mix, then use clean hands to knead a few times, just enough to form a ball of dough. (Add just a tad more water, only if needed.) Divide dough into two pieces and cover with a clean towel.

3. Lightly grease two 11x15-inch baking sheets* and sprinkle lightly with salt. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

4. On a lightly floured counter, roll each piece of dough into a thin rectangle approximately 11x15 inches. (Be sure to lightly flour the dough as you roll, so it doesn't stick to the counter!)

5. Transfer the sheet of dough to the baking sheet. Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut dough into squares. Trim edges if desired. Sprinkle tops with salt.

6. Bake at 400 degrees for 5-10 minutes, until crisp and lightly browned. Crackers will become more crispy as they cool, so don't over-bake! (Remove edge crackers that are getting too dark if the middle crackers aren't quite done yet, and continue baking.)

7. Remove baked crackers from sheets and cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or cool, plain or with dips or and store leftover crackers in a sealed bag or container.

Roll out the dough to fit your baking sheet, place on the sheet, and then cut with a pizza cutter into squares

Additional Notes:

*I used stainless steel, but you can use whatever you have. Other options include lining the sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, or using a baking stone (increase baking time if using a baking stone).

Original recipe ingredients from King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking cook book. Instructions and photos are my own.

I don't trim the edges before baking, so we snack on these first! :)

Preparation Time:

15-20 minutes

Cooking Time:

5-10 minutes

Tammy's Review:

These crackers are very good! They taste quite similar to Wheat Thins.

I think these crackers are fairly easy to make. When you consider the high price of a box of "real" Wheat Thins, these crackers are well worth the time!

Yes, it's a small chunk of time. I estimate 15-20 minutes to make the crackers, and then 5-10 minutes to bake. And then there's the clean-up. But the kids can help make these, and have a great deal of fun with it, too!

And, the amount of work involved can be reduced if you use a food processor to blend the butter into the flour.

Macaroni and Cheese

2011-03-08T11:22:00.000-08:00

UltimateComfortFood Macaroni and Cheese

texasnorth.wordpress.com
2 cups shredded cheese…throw some sharp cheddar in there so it’s not too bland
1 egg…preferably from my chickens…I’m being over run with eggs here
1 cup sour cream
2 cups small curd cottage cheese…never use large curd for anything…it’s gross
garlic…as much as your rommates or husband will allow you to put in
salt and pepper to taste
8 ounces of pasta…I prefer rigatoni, as it holds the cheese in there so well…mmmmm

preheat oven to 350
cook pasta according to package
mix together: sour cream, cottage cheese, egg, garlic, salt and pepper
add cheese, mix
add cooked pasta, mix super well
pour into a 2-quart baking dish
bake at 350 for 30 minutes

BIG and CHEWY Chocolate chip Cookies

2011-03-07T08:50:00.000-08:00

BIG and CHEWY Chocolate chip Cookies

http://www.confessionsofacookbookqueen.com
INGREDIENTS

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 (12 oz) bag semisweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 325. Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl and set aside.

Beat the butter and sugars in a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed until combined, about 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla until combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down the bowl and beaters as needed.

Reduce the mixer to low speed and slowly mix in the flour mixture until combined, about 30 seconds. Mix in the chocolate chips until incorporated.

Working with 1/4 cup of dough at a time, roll the dough into balls and lay on parchment paper (I didn't have any and just sprayed sheets with Pam) lined baking sheets, spaced about 2 1/2 inches apart. Bake until the edges are golden but the centers are still soft and puffy, about 17 to 20 minutes.

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes, then serve warm or transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Outrageous Brownies

2011-03-06T19:50:00.000-08:00

Outrageous Brownies

foodnetwork.com

Ingredients

1 pound unsalted butter
1 pound plus 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
6 extra-large eggs
3 tablespoons instant coffee granules
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups chopped walnuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter and flour a 12 x 18 x 1-inch baking sheet.

Melt together the butter, 1 pound of chocolate chips, and the unsweetened chocolate in a medium bowl over simmering water. Allow to cool slightly. In a large bowl, stir (do not beat) together the eggs, coffee granules, vanilla, and sugar. Stir the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and allow to cool to room temperature.

In a medium bowl, sift together 1 cup of flour, the baking powder, and salt. Add to the cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the walnuts and 12 ounces of chocolate chips in a medium bowl with 1/4 cup of flour, then add them to the chocolate batter. Pour into the baking sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes, then rap the baking sheet against the oven shelf to force the air to escape from between the pan and the brownie dough. Bake for about 15 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake! Allow to cool thoroughly, refrigerate, and cut into 20 large squares.

Buttercream Icing

2011-03-04T08:54:00.000-08:00

Buttercream Icing

http://allrecipes.com
Original Recipe Yield 2 -1/2 cups

Ingredients

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons milk

Directions

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, shortening, and vanilla. Blend in the sugar, one cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the milk, and continue mixing until light and fluffy. Keep icing covered until ready to decorate.

Soft Butter Spread

2011-03-04T05:20:00.000-08:00

Soft Butter Spread

http://www.tammysrecipes.com/soft_butter_spread

Description:

A fluffy butter mixture that's easily spreadable

Yield:

2 cups

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup water, at room temperature

Instructions:

1. Using an electric mixer, blend butter on HI until fluffy.

2. Continue mixing, and slowly add oil. Continue mixing and slowly add water. Mixture will turn white and be very light and fluffy!

3. Chill until set. (See additional notes.)

Soft Butter Spread on pancakes...
One of many great ways to use this butter spread!

Additional Notes:

*This mixture may be stored in the refrigerator or at room temperature. At room temperature, it is very soft and fluffy. From the fridge, it is still spreadable, and softens or melts quickly.

This spread is great for toast, bagels, bread, pancakes, or grilled cheese sandwiches. In fact, I thought the grilled cheese sandwiches were extra crispy when I used this spread instead of plain butter!

We have tried adding salt to this recipe, which makes it taste even better (I love salt) but can make the water separate after being stored in the fridge a while.

Preparation Time:

5 minutes

English Muffins

2011-03-03T07:03:00.001-08:00

English Muffins

http://growingupgabel.blogspot.com

I've never been a big fan of English muffins. I went through a phase in my early 20s where I ate them instead of bagels (less calories, I think), but I didn't like it. My husband, however, loves English muffins. I am happy to buy them for him, but they are expensive and it's hard to find an organic version. I looked in to making them, but every recipe I saw called for English muffin rings and I just didn't see the point in buying something I could only use for one thing (well, I could use them for hamburger buns, too).

I was pretty excited when I found this recipe -- no rings and basic ingredients. English muffins are "baked" on the stove top in a frying pan or skillet. They are super simple to make, but they take some time so don't start them if you are in a hurry. They taste absolutely nothing like the store bought brand. They are much better!

English Muffins
1 3/4 cup warmed milk
2 teaspoons yeast
3 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
4-4 1/4 cups flour (white, whole wheat or any combination thereof)
Corn meal

Put milk, yest, sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer. Allow butter to mostly melt. Add rest of ingredients. Mix until well combined. Remove bowl from stand mixer and fold dough over a few times while in the bowl. The dough will be sticky so you may need to use a tad of flour. Either grease bowl of stand mixer or lightly grease another bowl and allow dough to rise in a warm place for about an hour.

Punch down dough. Roll dough in to a rectangle on surface lightly dusted with corn meal. Using a 3" round cookie cutter, cut out dough. Re-roll and re-cut as needed until all the dough is used up. Place cut dough on cookie sheets and cover with a wet towel. Allow to rest for 20 minutes.

Warm a large pan (with a top) over low heat on stove top. Sprinkle pan with corn meal. Cook muffins for 6-7 minutes on each side, covered. Be gentle when turning so as not to deflate the muffins too much. Cool on a rack. These are freezable!

Macaroni Grills Rosemary Herbed Bread

2011-03-01T15:56:00.000-08:00

Bread Machine Recipe for Macaroni Grills Rosemary Herbed Bread

http://idahofergusonfamily.blogspot.com

Bread Machine Rosemary Herbed Bread Like Macaroni Grill
Ingredients
• 1 cup water
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons sugar
• ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons rosemary
• 1 Tablespoon yeast
• additional rosemary to garnish

Directions
1. Place ingredients, according to manufacturer's directions into your bread machine.
2. (some call for all liquids, or all dry ingredients first, so know your machine) Set machine to "dough cycle" and wait. (This takes most machines about an hour and a half for a full cycle).
3. Remove from machine when cycle is complete and place on a lightly greased baking sheet.
4. Shape dough by hand, into a rectangular mound, spreading kind of thin, maybe an inch or two of thickness.
5. Cover and let rise in a warm place for about an hour or until doubled in size. (This is a good time to go ahead and turn the oven on to preheat and help warm the kitchen).
6. Brush with a little olive oil, sprinkle with rosemary and salt if desired. (This is the way its done at Macaroni Grill).
7. Bake at 375°F for 20-25 minutes until crust is golden and crispy. Bread is meant to be a flatter shape and not a high rising bread.
8. Have everyone tear their pieces of bread with their hands,and serve with olive oil flavored with fresh ground pepper.

Pumpkin Pancakes

2011-03-01T12:16:00.001-08:00

Recipe: Pumpkin Pancakes

from Frugal Upstate by Jenn @ Frugal Upstate

Looking for something slightly different for breakfast?

Pumpkin Pancakes

1/2 C Flour
1/2 C Whole Wheat Flour
2 TBS Sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs
1 C milk
1/2 C canned pumpkin (not pie!)
2 TBS oil

Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl & wisk to combine

In another bowl, mix eggs, milk, pumpkin & oil.

Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir to combine.

Drop by 1/4 C onto a medium hot greased griddle. Cook slowly & flip when bubbles appear.

Note: you may want to thin with more milk. Cook on a lower than normal setting or the outside will get too brown before the inside is done.

These are a bit more dense & moist than regular pancakes.

World’s Best Honey Cornbread Recipe

2011-03-01T11:52:00.000-08:00

World’s Best Honey Cornbread Recipe

by Crystal on January 20, 2011

moneysavingmom.com

World’s Best Honey Cornbread

2/3 cup sugar (I used turbinado.)
1/4 cup butter, softened
4 eggs
1/2 cup honey
1 1/3 cups milk
2 1/3 cups flour
1 1/2 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup corn meal
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cream sugar and butter. Add in eggs, honey and milk and mix well.

Mix together flour, baking powder, corn meal and salt. Mix dry ingredients with wet ingredients carefully. Do not overmix. Batter will be lumpy.

Pour batter in greased 11×14-inch baking pan. Bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown.

Baked Oatmeal

2011-03-01T11:40:00.000-08:00

Baked Oatmeal

http://www.mamasheartblog.com/?p=1778

3 c oatmeal (I use quick oats, but regular oats would work fine as well)
2 T cinnamon
2 t. baking powder
1 t. sea salt (I like Real Salt)
½ c. brown sugar
½ c. honey
1 ½ c. cultured buttermilk
2 eggs
¼ c. coconut oil (or butter), melted
2 t. vanilla
1 c. fruit; raspberries, blueberries, mashed bananas, apples, etc.
½ cup of pecans (optional)

Mix dry ingredients together, add to wet ingredients in mixing bowl. Combine thoroughly (I let the Bosch do the work). Allow to rest for 5 minutes to increase loft (from buttermilk/baking powder combination), pour in to well-greased 9×13″ pan and bake at 350F for 30-40 minutes. Center should be firm and poke-able just like a cake; top should be lightly browned.

Cut in pieces and serve warm (or cold) – it’s especially delightful with a pat of butter and a drizzle of maple syrup.

Perfect Granola Bars

2011-02-13T16:50:00.000-08:00

Perfect Granola Bars
http://michellesnewrecipes.blogspot.com/

1/2 cup and 1/3 cup butter, softened (13 1/3 tbsp.)
1/2 cup honey (6 oz.)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup brown sugar (2.7 oz.)
4 1/2 cups oats (15 oz.)
1 cup whole wheat flour (4 1/2 oz.), or all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup add-ins (i.e. chocolate chips, cranberries, etc.)

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl (or stand mixer). Press into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 325º for 20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack; gently press down on bars after baking to flatten (I use a small, flat cutting board to press down on them). Cut into 24 bars (4 by 6). Store in an airtight container.

Baked Italian Macaroni and Cheese

2011-02-09T12:48:00.000-08:00

Baked Italian Macaroni and Cheese
Baked Italian Macaroni and Cheese
Baked Italian Macaroni and Cheese
Baked Italian Macaroni and Cheese
Baked Italian Macaroni and Cheese
Baked Italian Macaroni and Cheese
Baked Italian Macaroni and Cheese
Baked Italian Macaroni and Cheese
Baked Italian Macaroni and Cheese
Baked Italian Macaroni and Cheese
Baked Italian Macaroni and Cheese
Baked Italian Macaroni and Cheese
Baked Italian Macaroni and Cheese
Baked Italian Macaroni and Cheese
Baked Italian Macaroni and Cheese
Baked Italian Macaroni and Cheese
Baked Italian Macaroni and Cheese

Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 60 min
Serves 8

Ingredients

16 ounces Mueller's Elbow Macaroni
8-10 slices bacon
3 cloves garlic, chopped
5 cups half and half or milk
4 eggs
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Fontina cheese
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup Italian-flavored dry bread crumbs

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Cook and drain pasta according to package directions.
Cook bacon in large saucepan over medium heat until crisp. Remove and crumble. Set aside.
Pour off all saucepan drippings except 1 tablespoon. Stir in garlic. Cook and stir until tender.
Gradually stir in milk. Beat in eggs & Italian seasoning.
Cook and stir until hot & slightly thickened.
Stir in Cheddar & Fontina cheeses. Cook and stir until melted.
Stir in Parmesan cheese, pasta and bacon.
Spoon into a lightly greased 13x9-inch baking dish. Top with bread crumbs.
Bake 40 minutes, or until hot. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Mini Taco Bowls

2011-01-25T07:52:00.001-08:00

Mini Taco Bowls

What You Need

8 flour tortillas (6 inch)

1 lb. extra-lean ground beef

1 cup TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Thick 'N Chunky Salsa

1/2 cup KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Cheddar Cheese

2 cups chopped lettuce

1 tomato, chopped

1/4 cup KRAFT Ranch Dressing

Make It

HEAT oven to 350°F.

MICROWAVE tortillas on HIGH 30 sec. Line each of 8 muffin cups with 1 tortilla. Carefully fold back edges of tortillas, leaving opening in centers for filling.

BAKE 10 min. Meanwhile, brown meat in large skillet; drain. Stir in salsa; bring to boil. Simmer on medium-low heat 10 min.

SPOON meat mixture into tortilla bowls; top with remaining ingredients.

Best-Ever Hot Cocoa Mix

2011-01-18T08:44:00.001-08:00

Best-Ever Hot Cocoa Mix

Makes about 20 servings

3	cups nonfat dry milk
2	cups confectioners' sugar
1 1/2	cups Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 1/2	cups white chocolate chips
1/4	teaspoon Salt

Combine ingredients in large bowl. Working in two batches, pulse ingredients in food processor until chocolate is finely ground. Store in airtight container for up to 3 months. To make hot cocoa, stir 1/3 cup of this mix into 1 cup of hot milk. Top with whipped cream or mini marshmallows.

Hamburger Buns

2011-01-15T18:53:00.000-08:00

Hamburger Buns

/www.tasteofhome.com

Ingredients

2 tablespoons active dry yeast
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water (110° to 115°)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
3 to 3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add oil and sugar; let stand for 5 minutes. Add the egg, salt and enough flour to form a soft dough.
Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 3-5 minutes. Do not let rise. Divide into 12 pieces; shape each into a ball. Place 3 in. apart on greased baking sheets.
Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Bake at 425° for 8-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. Yield: 1 dozen.

Texas Flour Tortillas

2011-01-15T18:50:00.000-08:00

Texas Flour Tortillas (adapted from The Border Cookbook by Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison) homesicktexan.blogspot.com
Ingredients:
Two cups of all-purpose flour (can make them whole wheat by substituting one cup of whole-wheat flour for white flour)
1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1 teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoons of vegetable oil
3/4 cups of warm milk

Method:
Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and oil.
Slowly add the warm milk.
Stir until a loose, sticky ball is formed.
Knead for two minutes on a floured surface. Dough should be firm and soft.
Place dough in a bowl and cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap for 20 minutes.
After the dough has rested, break off eight sections, roll them into balls in your hands, place on a plate (make sure they aren’t touching) and then cover balls with damp cloth or plastic wrap for 10 minutes. (It’s very important to let the dough rest, otherwise it will be like elastic and won’t roll out to a proper thickness and shape.)
After dough has rested, one at a time place a dough ball on a floured surface, pat it out into a four-inch circle, and then roll with a rolling pin from the center until it’s thin and about eight inches in diameter. (If you roll out pie crusts you’ll have no problem with this.) Don’t over work the dough, or it’ll be stiff. Keep rolled-out tortillas covered until ready to cook.
In a dry iron skillet or comal heated on high, cook the tortilla about thirty seconds on each side. It should start to puff a bit when it’s done.
Keep cooked tortillas covered wrapped in a napkin until ready to eat.
Can be reheated in a dry iron skillet, over your gas-burner flame or in the oven wrapped in foil.
While you probably won’t have any leftovers, you can store in the fridge tightly wrapped in foil or plastic for a day or so.
Makes eight tortillas.

Cream of Anything Soup Mix

2011-01-15T18:38:00.000-08:00

(lasts for up to a year) www.hillbillyhousewife.com

Cream of Anything Soup Mix

4 c. powdered milk
1 1/2 c. cornstarch
1/2 c. instant chicken bouillon granules *
4 tsp. dried onion flakes
2 tsp. dried thyme
2 tsp basil – crushed dried
1 tsp. pepper

* For a vegetarian version of this soup, use vegetable broth bullion instead.

Measure all ingredients and pour them into a container with an airtight seal. I like to use a tupperware type container, but a larger freezer bag will work as well. Be sure to label your container.

To Use The Mix:

Combine 1/3 cup of the mix with 1 cup of water and heat it over medium low heat in a small saucepan until it starts to thicken. This is the equivalent of one can of soup.

Homemade Graham Crackers

2011-01-15T18:35:00.000-08:00

Homemade Graham Crackers (Makes A LOT, depending on the shape you cut them in)

weelicious.com

1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1/2 Cup Dark Brown Sugar, packed
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Cinnamon
1 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Cup Butter, chilled & cubed
1/4 Cup Honey
1/4 Cup Water

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a food processor or mixer combine the first 6 ingredients.
3. Add cubed and chilled butter to the mix and pulse/mix until it resembles coarse meal.
4. Add honey and water and continue to mix until it all combines.
5. Remove and shape the dough into a flat disk and place between two pieces of parchment paper.
6. Roll dough out until 1/4 inch thick. Cut into crackers or shapes.*
7. Place cookies on a Silpat or parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
8. Cool and serve.

*To Freeze: After step 6, place the cut out cookie shapes on a baking sheet and freeze for 20 minutes. Remove, place in a Ziploc bag, label and freeze for up to 4 months. When ready to bake, follow steps 7-8, adding an additional 1-2 minutes baking time.

** If you have no Whole Wheat, you can use 1 Cup Oat Bran to 2 Cups AP Flour instead of what the recipe calls for and it works perfect!

Triple Berry Cookie Crumble

2011-01-13T10:07:00.001-08:00

Triple Berry Cookie Crumble

bettycrocker.com

1	pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix
1/2	cup sugar
2	cups sliced fresh strawberries
2	cups fresh blackberries
2	cups fresh blueberries
1	teaspoon ground cinnamon
6	tablespoons cold butter or margarine, cut into pieces

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 9-inch round (2-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray.
In small bowl, mix 1/2 cup cookie mix and 1/2 cup sugar. In large bowl, toss together strawberries, blackberries and blueberries. Sprinkle with cookie mix-sugar mixture. Toss gently until berries are well coated. Place fruit mixture in baking dish.
In medium bowl, mix together remaining cookie mix and cinnamon. Using pastry blender or fork, cut butter into cookie mix until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over fruit.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until topping is golden brown and fruit is bubbly. Serve warm or room temperature.

Pasta Handkerchiefs

2011-01-09T16:44:00.000-08:00

Fazzoletti (Pasta Handkerchiefs) With Chunky Pesto

Time: At least 1 hour

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed

1 teaspoon salt, plus more as needed

2 whole eggs

3 egg yolks

2 cups loosely packed basil leaves, rinsed and dried

1/2 clove garlic, peeled, or more to taste

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, or more as desired

1/4 cup pine nuts

1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish

Pepper.

1. Pulse flour and salt in a food processor once or twice. Add the eggs and yolks, and turn the machine on. Process just until a ball begins to form, about 30 seconds. Add a few drops of water if the dough is dry and grainy; add a tablespoon of flour if the dough sticks to the side of the bowl. Turn the dough out of the food processor, sprinkle it with a little flour, cover it with plastic or a cloth, and let it rest for about 30 minutes. (At this point, you may refrigerate the dough, wrapped in plastic, until you’re ready to roll it out, for up to 24 hours.)

2. Meanwhile, in a food processor or blender, combine the basil with a pinch of salt, the garlic and about half the oil. Process, stopping to scrape down the sides of the container if necessary, and adding the rest of the oil gradually. Add the nuts and cheese, and pulse a few times. The pesto should be well combined but still chunky.

3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Divide the dough in half. Turn one half of the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll it into a large rectangle no thicker than 1/4 inch and ideally closer to 1/8 inch, adding additional flour sparingly as necessary. Repeat with the rest of the dough.

4. Cut into squares no larger than 4 inches across. Drop the squares into the water and cook until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain, reserving a little of the cooking water. Toss the handkerchiefs with the pesto, some salt and pepper, and a spoonful of cooking water, if necessary, to thin the pesto. Serve immediately, garnished with Parmesan.

Yield: 4 servings.

HERSHEY'S "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" Chocolate Cake

2011-01-04T14:57:00.000-08:00

HERSHEY'S "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING (recipe follows)

Directions

1 Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.
2 Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.
3 Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING. 10 to 12 servings.

VARIATIONS:
ONE-PAN CAKE: Grease and flour 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Heat oven to 350° F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely. Frost.

THREE LAYER CAKE: Grease and flour three 8-inch round baking pans. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost.

BUNDT CAKE: Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Frost.

CUPCAKES: Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. Heat oven to 350°F. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost. About 30 cupcakes.

"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING
41/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
52/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
63 cups powdered sugar
71/3 cup milk
81 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

One Bowl Chocolate Cake

2011-01-04T14:56:00.001-08:00

One Bowl Chocolate Cake III

allrecipes.com

By: shirleyo

"This is a rich and moist chocolate cake. It only takes a few minutes to prepare the batter. Frost with your favorite chocolate frosting."

Original Recipe Yield 2 - 9 inch round cake layers

Ingredients

2 cups white sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two nine inch round pans.
In a large bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla, mix for 2 minutes on medium speed of mixer. Stir in the boiling water last. Batter will be thin. Pour evenly into the prepared pans.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until the cake tests done with a toothpick. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Homemade bagel recipe

2011-01-04T14:25:00.000-08:00

Homemade bagel recipe. Make great handrolled water bagels, it's as easy as baking a loaf of bread!

By John D Lee

photo credit: tabacoa.com

photo credit: the freshloaf.com

photo credit: antarcticsun.com

Homemade bagels taste better!

I've made a lot of bagels in my time. I owned a bagel restaurant for years, and you would find me every bleary eyed morning kneading the dough and hand rolling all the fresh bagels for the day.

I've since gotten out of the bagel game (Yay sleep!) but I still love a great bagel.

People think that making outstanding bagels at home is really difficult, but it's really no harder than making a loaf of bread...and can be done within about an hour.

Don't be discouraged if your bagels look at bit funny at first, you'll get the hang of it in no time, and those curiously shaped bagels will still beat supermarket bagels hands down.

What makes a bagel different from other breads is the two stage cooking process. A bagel is first briefly boiled, and then baked. I worked the meat counter in a Jewish deli as a teenager, and as my boss would say, an unboiled bagel is just a roll with a hole!

Homemade bagel recipe

4 cups bread flour

1 Tbls sugar

1 1/2 tsps salt

1 Tbls vegetable oil

2 tsps instant yeast

1-1/4- 1-1/2 cups of warm water.

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. You don't have to worry about soaking the yeast when you use instant yeast (most yeast sold these days is instant yeast). The dough should feel stiff, but add the extra water if it's really stiff, or you can't get all the dry flour incorporated.

Plop the dough down onto the counter, and knead for about ten minutes, or until the dough is uniform and smooth.

Cut the dough into 8 equal sized balls, and let rest for 10-20 minutes.

Pre heat your oven to 425.

Now, take each of the dough balls and using two hands, roll it into a little snake on the counter. When the snake is longer than the width of your two hands, wrap it around your dominant roiling hand. The dough rope should be wrapped so the overlapping ends are together at your palm, near the start of your fingers. Now take the two overlapping ends, and use your palm to squish/roll these two ends together. Once the dough is fused, you should have a perfectly circular bagel-to-be! This is the only part of the process that can take a little practice before your bagels will look really professional. Don't get discouraged if they don't look perfect, it just takes practice!

Let your bagels rest on the counter for about 20 minutes, and meanwhile, bring a pot of water to boil, and grease a large baking tray lightly. You can just rub a splash of vegetable oil and rub it around.

After the 20 minute wait, your bagels will start to look puffy, and it's time to get them boiling! Add them as many at a time as you can to your boiling water without crowding them. Boil for about a minute, turn them over, and boil for another minute. Take them out a let dry for a minute and then place them on your oiled baking tray. Repeat until all the bagels are boiled.

Add the tray to the oven, and after 10 minutes, flip the bagels over, bake for another ten minutes; and they're done!

Let them cool for at least 20 minutes, get the cream cheese ready, and feast on what's got to be one of the best weekend brunch treats possible!

You can add any toppings you like to these. To make sesame, onions, poppy seed, caraway etc. etc. bagels just have a dry plate ready with the seed or spice topping spread out on it. After the bagels have come out of the boiling water, place them face down onto the seeds, and then place the seed side up onto the baking tray. Bake and flip as for plain bagels.

Auntie Anne’s Pretzels

2011-01-04T14:21:00.001-08:00

Auntie Anne’s Pretzels

1 1/2 C. warm water
1 1/8 tsp active dry yeast (1 1/2 pkg.)
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 1/8 tsp salt
1 C. bread flour
3 C. regular flour
2 C. warm water
2 Tbsp baking soda
To taste, coarse salt
2 – 4 Tbsp butter (melted)

Sprinkle yeast on lukewarm water in mixing bowl; stir to dissolve. Add sugar, salt and stir to dissolve; add flour and knead dough until smooth and elastic. Let rise at least 1/2 hour.

While dough is rising, prepare a baking soda water bath with 2 cups warm water and 2 tbsp baking soda. Be certain to stir often.

After dough has risen, pinch off bits of dough and roll into a long rope (about 1/2 inch or less thick) and shape. Dip pretzel in soda solution and place on greased baking sheet. Allow pretzels to rise again. Bake in oven at 450 for about 10 minutes or until golden. Brush with melted butter and enjoy!

Breadmaker: French Bread

2011-01-04T14:19:00.000-08:00

Breadmaker: French Bread

To make a crusty French bread loaf I make the dough in the breadmaker but finish cooking the loaf in the oven, so that I can make bread sticks or a more rustic-looking loaf than would be produced in the breadmaker.

Ingredients

375 ml water
3 tsp olive oil
2 tsp salt
1 tbs sugar
600g/ 4 cups bread flour
1.5 tsp yeast

Method:

1. Place into breadmaker pan in the order recommended by your breadmaker.

2. Place pan into your breadmaker, select the DOUGH cycle and start the machine.

3. When the machine is finished, remove the dough and punch down. Knead gently and shape into a rough loaf shape, or two long bread sticks. Place onto a greased tray and score the top with a sharp knife about 1/2" deep. Rest, and allow to rise for around 50-60 minutes, until it has doubled in size.

4. Glaze the top with milk, and bake in a preheated 200'C (180'C fan-forced) oven for 20-25 minutes, or until cooked and golden brown.

www.towards-sustainability.com

Cheddar Coins

2010-12-30T09:12:00.000-08:00

Cheddar Coins
goodcheapeats.com

1 cup unbleached flour

1/3 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/3 cups finely grated, sharp cheddar cheese

1 teaspoon salt (you may want to reduce this according to taste)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 cup butter, cubed

1 egg

In bowl of food processor, combine flours, cheese, salt, and garlic powder. Add butter cubes and pulse until crumbs are formed. Blend in egg until dough comes together around the blade.

Turn dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Form into 1 inch log. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill at least 2 hours. Preheat oven to 375 ° . Slice into thin coins. Bake for 15 minutes. Cool on rack. Package in airtight container.

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Muffins

2010-12-28T09:01:00.000-08:00

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Muffins

happyhousewife.com

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups flour ( I use whole wheat)
1/3 cup white sugar
2 teas baking powder
1/4 teas salt
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1/4 canola oil (or applesauce)
brown sugar
cinnamon

Mix together flour, white sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add egg, milk and oil. Mix together.

Fill muffin cups 1/4 full with batter.

Add a pinch of brown sugar. (Or a little more)

Cover the brown sugar with batter.

Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon on top.

Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

Serve.

Christmas Brunch Casserole

2010-12-22T05:06:00.000-08:00

Christmas Brunch Casserole

Original Recipe Yield 4 to 6 servings
allrecipes.com

Ingredients

1 pound bacon
2 onions, chopped
2 cups fresh sliced mushrooms
1 tablespoon butter
4 cups frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 pinch dried parsley
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

Place bacon in a large skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Drain and set aside. Add the mushrooms and onion to the skillet; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent and the mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes.
Grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish with the tablespoon of butter. Place potatoes in bottom of prepared dish. Sprinkle with salt, garlic salt, and pepper. Top with crumbled bacon, then add the onions and mushrooms.
In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs with the milk and parsley. Pour the beaten eggs over the casserole and top with grated cheese. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until set. (45 minutes if making fresh, not fridged!)

Beer Cheese Dip

2010-12-20T11:33:00.001-08:00

Beer Cheese Dip

	Assorted dippers such as cubes of bread, cubes of ham, green onions, apple wedges and pretzel twists, if desired
1	clove garlic, peeled, cut in half
1/4	cup butter or margarine
1/4	cup all-purpose flour
1	can or bottle (12 oz) regular or nonalcoholic beer
6	cups shredded mild Cheddar cheese (1 1/2 lb)
	Green onion, chopped, if desired



	Print these coupons...





	About Concordance™

Rub inside of 3-quart saucepan with cut sides of garlic; discard garlic. Add butter to saucepan; melt over low heat. Stir in flour; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in beer. Increase heat to medium-high; heat to boiling. Boil 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick and smooth.
Reduce heat to low. Add cheese, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until cheese is melted and mixture is smooth.
Transfer cheese mixture to fondue pot. Immediately place fondue pot over flame. Serve with dippers. Garnish dip with onions.

Belly Burning Buffalo Wings

2010-12-20T11:28:00.001-08:00

Belly Burning Buffalo Wings

by David Lauterbach

2008 November 16

I’ve been all around this great country of ours and I’ve tried a lot of Buffalo wings… sometimes they get it right, and hot means HOT. But most of the time, they’re served up weak and you end up loading them up with the hot sauce on the table just so you can feel like there’s something in your mouth. And guys like us are always looking to out do one another when it comes to how hot we can handle it… your buddy orders his atomic, so you order yours insanely atomic… I’ve been there. So with that in mind I’ve created Belly Burning Buffalo Wings.

Honestly, there are quite a few buffalo wing recipes out there, and they’re all the same… but these are about the hottest you’ll enjoy before you can’t feel your lips anymore.

Another word about this recipe… I never seem to make wings the same way twice, and each time I make them, I like them that way the best. So with that in mind, I have modified this to be an all-purpose recipe… whether you want to bake, fry or grill your wings, this is the one-and-only Buffalo wing recipe that you’ll ever need. It’s easy to scale too… for 2lbs use 1/2 stick of butter and, er, half of whatever 3/4 of a cup is for the hot sauce, and etc.

Ingredients:

4 pounds of chicken wings
1/4 pound butter
3/4 cup of Frank’s Red Hot sauce or an equivalently hot sauce
1/4 cup of Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon of Dave’s Insanity Sauce (or your favorite brand of “insanely” hot sauce or anything else you want to use to make this unique)
1/4 cup of vinegar
2 or 3 tablespoons of McCormick’s Montreal Steak Seasoning
1 teaspoon of Cayenne pepper (my favorite pepper)
cooking oil (if you are frying)
2 or 3 tablespoons of olive oil (baking or grilling)
celery & blue cheese are optional (just like at Hooters)
lots of beer to wash it all down

Prepare the wings by cutting them into two sections and toss the tip… they don’t need it anymore and you’re not gonna eat it.

In a bowl, mix the wings with 2 or 3 tablespoons of olive oil (or whatever oil) and shake on the the McCormick’s Montreal Steak Seasoning (man, that stuff is good) and the Cayenne pepper (man, that stuff is good too).

Fry way: Start getting your deepest frying pan (or your fryer, if you have one) warmed up with enough oil to cover one layer of wings completely. You can tell when the oil is hot enough by sticking something like a wooden match or the end of a wooden spoon into the oil. If the oil bubbles around it, it’s hot enough to fry. If you put food into oil before it is hot enough, it will just soak into the food and make it excessively greasy. Fry the wings about 10-12 minutes… don’t try to cook them all at once unless you have a huge fryer. Six or seven at a time may be all your pan can handle before the oil bubbles over.

Bake up!: Oven to 400. Use a big pan (or two) so that you can spread the wings out in one layer, or two the most. Keep the wings covered for the first :30 minutes, uncovered for the last :30 minutes. Time is approximate… oven temps are a bitch.

Grill ‘em: Spray your grill with non-stick spray. Light it and get your (probably) gas grill as hot as you can. After you put the wings on in a single layer, lower the heat way, way down. Grill times and temps vary with size, BTU’s and yes, grill quality, but I’ll start with about :30 minutes. Rotate each wing once.

Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the vinegar and the Red Hot, Tabasco & Dave’s Insanity Sauce. If you’ve never tried Dave’s now is the time, and for Christ’s sake, go easy on the Insanity sauce if it’s your first time! Why are we adding three different hot sauces? Cause each of the two off the shelf sauces has a slightly different taste and the Dave’s adds the serious heat. When the butter is all melted and everything is mixed together, turn the heat way down low to keep the pan warm.

When your wings are done, drain them off (if you fried or baked) and toss them in the hot sauce in a large bowl. Mix well.

Serve em up with the celery sticks and blue cheese dressing… they can really help take the edge off. Oh, and don’t forget to drink beer with them… even though beer will NOT help sooth the heat, it’s the most important part of the winged experience.

Frugal Christmas Candy Recipe:

2010-12-16T13:27:00.000-08:00

Frugal Christmas Candy Recipe:

moneysavingmom.com

Ingredients

Saltine Crackers
1 Cup of Brown Sugar
2 Sticks of Butter (1 cup)
2 Bags of Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place a layer saltines onto a cookie sheet.

Then put 2 sticks of butter and a cup of Brown sugar into a sauce pan and melt, stirring continuously. Once the sugar has completely melted and the mixture has come to a slight boil pour it over the layer of saltines and carefully spread evenly.

Place into oven and bake for about 5 minutes.

Remove from the oven and pour 2 bags of chocolate chips over tops evenly. Once the chips begin to melt you can carefully spread them to make sure to cover the entire pan.

Place cookie sheet into the fridge and allow to cool completely before cutting up into bite size pieces.

Chai Mix

2010-12-14T10:06:00.001-08:00

Chai Mix

bettycrocker.com

1 jar mix for about 4 servings

1/2	cup instant nonfat dry milk
1/4	cup vanilla-flavored instant creamer (dry)
3	tablespoons powdered sugar
1/4	cup unsweetened instant tea (dry)
1	teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2	teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4	teaspoon ground cloves



	Print these coupons...





	About Concordance™

In small bowl, mix dry milk, creamer and powdered sugar. In another small bowl, mix all remaining ingredients. Spoon milk and tea mixtures alternately into 8-ounce jar, packing lightly.
Include these directions on package: For each serving, place 1/4 cup Chai Mix in cup. Fill with 8 ounces very hot water. For creamier chai, use half milk and half water. Makes 4 servings.

Decadent Fudge Sauce

2010-12-14T10:03:00.000-08:00

Decadent Fudge Sauce

www.bettycrocker.com

About 3 cups sauce

1	can (12 oz) evaporated milk
1	bag (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)
1/2	cup sugar
1	tablespoon butter or margarine
1	teaspoon vanilla



	Print these coupons...





	About Concordance™

In 2-quart saucepan, heat milk, chocolate chips and sugar to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly; remove from heat.
Stir in butter and vanilla until sauce is smooth and creamy. Cool about 30 minutes or until sauce begins to thicken. Store covered in refrigerator up to 4 weeks.

Divine Caramel Sauce

2010-12-14T10:01:00.000-08:00

Divine Caramel Sauce

www.bettycrocker.com

About 2 1/2 cups sauce

1	cup light corn syrup
1 1/4	cups packed brown sugar
1/4	cup butter or margarine
1	cup whipping (heavy) cream



	Print these coupons...





	About Concordance™

In 2-quart saucepan, heat corn syrup, brown sugar and butter to boiling over low heat, stirring constantly. Boil 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in whipping cream; heat to boiling. Cool about 30 minutes. Serve warm. Store covered in refrigerator up to 2 months. Reheat slightly before serving if desired.

Peppermint Thins

2010-12-13T15:34:00.000-08:00

Peppermint Thins (thin mints)

Crisp chocolate cut-outs perfect for dipping and decorating in a wide variety of ways.

1:20prep time 4:20total time

4 1/2 dozen cookies

www.landolakes.com

Ingredients

Cookie

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups powdered sugar

3/4 cup Land O Lakes® Butter, softened

1 Land O Lakes® All-Natural Egg

1 teaspoon peppermint extract

Coating

15 ounces vanilla or chocolate-flavored candy coating (almond bark)

Decorations

Holiday decorator candies

Hard peppermint candies, coarsely crushed

Directions

Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in medium bowl until well mixed; set aside.

Combine powdered sugar and butter in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add egg and peppermint extract; continue beating until well mixed. Reduce speed to low; gradually add flour mixture. Beat until well mixed.

Divide dough into thirds. Shape each into a ball; flatten slightly. Wrap each in plastic food wrap; refrigerate until firm (at least 2 hours or overnight).

Heat oven to 375°F. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface, one-third at a time (keeping remaining dough refrigerated), to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut with 2-inch round cookie cutter. Place 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until set. Remove to wire cooling rack. Cool completely.

Place candy coating in small microwave-safe bowl; microwave on HIGH (100% power), stirring often, for 60 to 90 seconds. Stir until smooth.

Place waxed paper onto flat surface. Dip each cookie into warm coating; shake off excess. Place onto waxed paper. Immediately decorate as desired. Let stand until coating is set.

Store between layers of waxed paper in loosely covered container.

Double Decker Brownies

2010-12-11T06:22:00.001-08:00

Double Decker Brownies

happyhousewife.com

Bottom Layer

1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk chocolate chips

Top Layer

3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teas baking soda
1/4 teas salt
2 cup milk chocolate chips
1 teas vanilla
1/3 cup butter
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 large eggs

Bottom Layer Instructions

Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Melt butter. Add brown sugar and vanilla to the melted butter. Allow mixture to cool slightly and mix in the egg. Combine butter mixture with flour mixture. Mix together until combined. Mix in chocolate chips by hand. (Using a mixer will break-up the chocolate chips)

Press into a greased 9×13 pan.

Top Layer Instructions

Mix together flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together chocolate chips and vanilla. Melt butter, then add sugar and water to the melted butter and bring to a boil. Pour the butter mixture over the chocolate chips and stir until the chips are melted. Mix together the melted chips and the flour. Finally, mix in the 2 eggs. Pour over the bottom layer in the 9×13 pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Do not over bake. Cool slightly, then serve.

Homemade Butter

2010-12-09T17:30:00.000-08:00

Why not make your own Butter

latenightboutique.blogspot.com

I always thought making butter was a long process, but did you know it only takes 3.5 minutes and two ingredients for lightly salted butter.

You need a food processor, mixer or blender. I use a food processor. Pour 2 cups of whipping cream in your food processor and 1/2 to 1 teaspoon sea salt. Start your food processor and let it run until you hear slushing and see the butter separate from the buttermilk, this will take about 3 to 3 1/2 minutes.

Pour the butter and the buttermilk in a bowl lined with a cheese cloth or thin cloth napkin..

Gather your cloth and gently squeeze the buttermilk out.

Place the butter in a dish and refrigerate.

Here is your fresh buttermilk, you can use it to make biscuits, muffins, breads, waffles or pancakes.

Butter in no time at all and it only cost $ 1.70 to make for a pound of butter, FRESH.

( I bought the cheesecloth at Publix grocery store )

Sweet Northern Cornbread

2010-12-09T07:16:00.001-08:00

Sweet Northern Cornbread

frugalupstate.com

Golden and delicous!

1C Flour
1C Cornmeal
4 TBS Sugar
1 TBS Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
2 Eggs
1C Milk
1/4 C Oil

Mix together all dry ingredients in one bowl.
Beat all wet ingredients together by hand in another bowl.
Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients and beat by hand until just smooth.
Pour batter into a greased 9X9 baking dish and bake at 425 for 20-25 minutes.

Variations:

Pour into muffin tins or a cast iron skillet instead of a baking dish.
Add 12oz drained corn-regular or “fiesta” style.
Leave out milk and add a can of creamed corn.
Fold in 1 C cheese before baking.
Add in 4 oz can of diced green chilies.
Use melted butter or shortening instead of the oil.
Substitute applesauce for the oil.
Use skim milk for the milk.
Use 3 egg whites instead of 2 regular eggs.
Substitute whole wheat flour for the white flour.
Use Splenda, brown sugar, molasses, maple syrup or honey in place of the sugar.

Savory Parmesan Bites

2010-12-07T07:15:00.001-08:00

Savory Parmesan Bites

Kraft.com

prep time

15 min

total time

30 min

makes

32 servings

What You Need

1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese, divided

2 cans (8 oz. each) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

1 red pepper, chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Make It

HEAT oven to 350°F.

BEAT cream cheese and 3/4 cup Parmesan with mixer until well blended.

SEPARATE dough into 8 rectangles; seal seams. Spread with cream cheese mixture; top with peppers and parsley. Fold each rectangle lengthwise into thirds to enclose filling; cut into 4 squares. Place, seam-sides down, on baking sheet; top with remaining Parmesan.

BAKE 13 to 15 min. or until golden brown.

Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese

2010-12-06T06:22:00.000-08:00

Here’s my variation of Martha Stewart’s recipe.

thesavedquarter.com

Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese

Serves 6-8

1 small butternut squash (about 1 pound) , peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
or 10 oz. frozen butternut squash puree

1 cup low-sodium chicken stock

1 1/2 cups nonfat milk

1/2 cup cottage cheese

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Pinch of cayenne pepper

3/4 teaspoon coarse salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 pound whole wheat elbow macaroni

6 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated (about 1 1/2 cups)

4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, finely grated (1 ounce)

2 tablespoons fine breadcrumbs

1 teaspoon olive oil

Olive-oil cooking spray

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare pasta according to package instructions.

Combine squash, stock, and milk in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until squash is tender when pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes. If you’re using frozen squash, combine as directed and simmer until completely heated through. Remove from heat. Mash/puree contents of saucepan and 1/2 c. cottage cheese; stir in nutmeg, cayenne, and salt, and season with black pepper. Stir squash mixture, cheddar, and 2 tablespoons Parmesan in with the drained, cooked pasta.

Lightly coat a 9″ x 13″ baking dish with cooking spray and transfer the pasta to the dish. In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs, remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan, and oil; sprinkle evenly over noodle mixture. Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and delicious on top.

Variation: Add a cup of frozen peas and carrots and a drained can of tuna to the mixture when you add the pasta for Mac & Cheese with Tuna and Peas the way my mom used to make it.

Toffee Squares

2010-12-01T12:58:00.000-08:00

Recipe: Cleta Bailey’s Toffee Squares

thepioneerwoman.com

Prep Time: 10 Minutes | Cook Time: 15 Minutes | Difficulty: Easy | Servings: 24

Ingredients

2 sticks Butter
1 cup Packed Brown Sugar
1 whole Egg
2 teaspoons Vanilla
2 cups All-purpose Flour
2 cups Chocolate Chips (milk Or Semi-sweet)
¾ cups Finely Chopped Pecans

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, and flour and mix until combined. Spread on cookie sheet with an offset spatula until thin. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden. Remove pan from oven and sprinkle on chocolate chips. Return to oven for 1 minute. Remove from oven and spread chocolate thinly over the cookie layer.

Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Cut into squares.

Peppermint Patties

2010-11-22T14:33:00.001-08:00

Peppermint Patties

These are the addictive classics, with a snappy, minty middle and a luscious chocolate coating. Packaged prettily, they make perfect gifts. Be sure to whip up a test batch for yourself just to make sure they're really, really good.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon water
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon peppermint extract

1 (1-pound) box confectioners' sugar (3-3/4 cups)
1 tablespoon shortening
10 to 12 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
6 hard mint candies (we used Starlight), crushed in a ziplock bag with a rolling pin

Instructions

In the bowl of an electric mixer, stir together the water, corn syrup, lemon juice, and peppermint extract, then sift in half the confectioners' sugar. Add the shortening. Beat on medium, then slowly sift in the remaining confectioners' sugar until the mixture is well combined.
Knead the mixture into a ball (it will be very stiff; if necessary, add 1/2 teaspoon water to make it workable). Use the bottom of a glass pie plate to apply firm, even pressure to flatten the ball between sheets of waxed paper into a circle about 9 inches in diameter and 1/4 inch thick. Lay the waxed-paper-covered disk on a cookie sheet and freeze it until it's firm, about 15 minutes.
Place the frozen disk on a cutting surface and remove and reserve the waxed paper. Cover a cookie sheet with parchment. With a small round cutter (ours was 1-1/4 inches), cut out circles from the disk, then place them on the cookie sheet. Gather the scraps into a ball, use the pie plate and waxed paper to flatten it again, and cut more circles until the entire disk is used up. Freeze the circles for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler over barely simmering water. Coat the patties one at a time: balance each on a fork and dip it (use another fork as needed to flip the patty in the chocolate), then shake off any excess chocolate before returning the coated patty to the parchment. Sprinkle each patty with a bit of crushed mint candy. Add more chocolate to the double boiler as necessary until all the patties are coated.
Harden the finished patties in the refrigerator for at least an hour, and preferably overnight. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge, layered between sheets of waxed paper, for up to one month. Include tags with your gifts instructing recipients to keep the patties refrigerated. Makes 5 dozen.

Loaded Cornbread Casserole

2010-11-22T14:31:00.001-08:00

Loaded Cornbread Casserole
Ray Lampe from NFL Gameday Cookbook

What you need:

1 1/4 cups yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, melted
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 (15 oz) cans creamed corn
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup canned french-fried onions

What you do:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a 9- by 13-inch pan.

In a big bowl, combine the cornmeal, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Add the milk, butter and eggs. Mix well.

Add the corn and mix well.

Pour into the prepared pan.

Spread the cheese and bacon evenly over the top. With a fork, push the cheese and bacon into the batter, just submerging it.

Sprinkle the onions over the top.

Bake for about 1 hour until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Hot Cocoa Mix

2010-11-21T16:38:00.000-08:00

Best Hot Cocoa Mix

The secret ingredient in this mix is the mini chocolate chips, which melt when combined with the boiling water and give the cocoa an extra-rich flavor. The recipe makes enough for four gift-size portions, each of which can be measured into a small plastic bag and tucked into a cup or mug filled with mini marshmallows, candy stick stirrers, and a spoon. Wrap each filled gift cup in cellophane and don't forget to include a tag with the following instructions: "Spoon 3 or 4 generous tablespoons of cocoa mix into your cup (depending on the size), add boiling water, and stir well."

Ingredients

2 cups nonfat dry milk powder
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup powdered nondairy creamer
1/8 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Measure all of the ingredients into a mixing bowl and whisk them until they are evenly blended.
Store the mix in a tightly covered container at room temperature until you're ready to package it. Makes about 4 cups of mix.

Pumpkin Play Dough

2010-11-21T16:36:00.000-08:00

Pumpkin Play Dough

Ingredients:
2 c. flour 1 c. salt 2 c. water 3 tsp. pumpkin pie spice orange food coloring
2 tbsp. vegetable oil 4 tsp. cream of tartar
Combine ingredients in a large pot. Cook on low heat. Stir until dough forms and pulls away from the side of the pot. Remove the dough and let it cool. Then store it in an air-tight container.

Homemade Play Dough

2010-11-21T16:06:00.000-08:00

Chocolate Play Dough
shabbychiccrafts.blogspot.com

1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup salt
1/2 tablespoon cream of tartar
1 1/2 tablespoon oil
1 cup water
Mix dry ingredients in a medium size pot. Add wet ingredients and stir together over low heat until a ball of dough forms. Remove play dough from pot and knead by hand until dough is smooth and evenly colored. Store in airtight container.

Gingerbread Play Dough
SAME recipe as above-omit the cocoa powder and add 1/2 teaspoon allspice, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg and 1 teaspoon ginger.

Pumpkin Pie Spice

2010-11-20T18:29:00.000-08:00

Pumpkin Pie Spice

joythebaker.com

makes about 2 tablespoons

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

big pinch of cardamom (or you can substitute mace)

Blend all spices together, working out any lumps that might occur. Store in an old spice jar.

Gifts in a Jar

2010-11-19T06:00:00.001-08:00

Gifts in a Jar
Tipjunkie.com

Pumpkin Pie Playdough Recipe

2010-11-17T06:11:00.001-08:00

Pumpkin Pie Playdough Recipe
Momsbudget.com

This is non-edible but smells like pumpkin pie so great for the kids during Thanksgiving or Christmas.

5-1/2 cups flour
2 cups salt
8 teaspoons of cream of tartar
1 spice container of pumpkin pie spice (about 1-1/2 oz if buying in bulk)
3/4 cup oil
orange food coloring (if you don't have orange, use 2 parts yellow, 1 part red)
4 cups water

In a large saucepan combine all ingredients. Cook over medium heat, stirring until all lumps are blended. Allow to cool then knead pumpking pie playdough on a lightly floured counter or table until it is smooth and of playdough consistency. Add small amounts of water or flour if needed. Store in airtight container or tightly sealed ziploc bag.

Mix all ingredients. Cook and stir over medium heat until all lumps
disappear. Knead the dough on a floured surface until it is smooth. Store in
a plastic bag.

Cranberry Apple Cider

2010-11-16T18:58:00.001-08:00

Cranberry Apple Cider

5dollardinners.com

Ingredients

1 64 oz. bottle 100% apple juice
12 oz. bag fresh cranberries
Handful whole cloves
Couple cinnamon sticks

Directions

Pour the apple juice into the slow cooker. Add the fresh cranberries, whole cloves and cinnamon sticks.
Set on high for 4 hours. Strain the cranberries, cloves and cinnamon sticks before serving.
The cranberries will pop and release their tart juices. The sweetness of the apple juice will balance it out. If you wish for a sweeter cider, then add a few Tbsp of brown sugar to sweeten it up!
Serve warm, straight of out the slow cooker.

Simple Homemade Enchilada Sauce Recipe

2010-11-16T17:25:00.001-08:00

Simple Homemade Enchilada Sauce Recipe

Homeec101.com

2 TBSP Vegetable oil
2 TBSP all purpose flour
2 TBSP chili powder
1 rounded tsp cumin
2 cups chicken stock or 1 can chicken broth – heated (I just use the microwave)
8 oz tomato sauce
1 tsp salt (may need a little more if using homemade stock)
1/4 tsp garlic powder

Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan over medium low heat. When the oil is hot, whisk in flour and chili powder. Cook for one – two minutes just long enough to get rid of the raw flour taste. Whisk in the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil and immediately reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes.

If you want a gluten free version of this recipe, skip the flour and follow the directions, but reserve 1/2 cup of the hot chicken stock and whisk in 1 TBSP corns starch. Add this slurry to the sauce and finish cooking as directed.

If you are making beef enchiladas, go ahead and use beef stock or broth in the recipe and for vegetarian -stay with me here, this is a stretch- vegetable stock.

It’s really quite versatile.

French Toast Casserole

2010-11-13T15:10:00.001-08:00

French Toast Casserole:
makeitworkmom.com

1 loaf French bread cut into 1-inch cubes (10 cups)
8 eggs
3 cups milk
4 tsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 tsp salt, optional
1 tsp cinnamon

Place bread cubes in a 9×13 baking dish. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, salt and cinnamon. Pour over bread. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours (or overnight).

Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Dot with pats of butter and sprinkle the top with a sugar/cinnamon mixture.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick/knife inserted in middle comes out clean.

Serve with maple syrup.

Cinnamon Pretzels

2010-11-13T04:56:00.000-08:00

Cinnamon Pretzels:

Organizeyourstuffnow.com

November/December Midwest Living magazine

This is all you need:

2/3 Cup Vegetable Oil

1/2 Cup Sugar

2 teaspoons ground Cinnamon

1 16-ounce package Small Pretzels

In a large roasting pan combine: Vegetable oil, Sugar and Cinnamon.

Stir together, then add the pretzels and toss well to coat with cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Bake, uncovered, in a 300 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Home Baked Pita Bread

2010-11-12T06:16:00.000-08:00

Home Baked Pita Bread

Goodcheapeats.com

Adapted from The New Doubleday Cookbook

1 1/4 cups water
1 teaspoon honey
3 cups unbleached flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast

In the bread machine pan, place ingredients in the order recommended by the manufacturer. In my case, that means liquids first, then dry ingredients with yeast last. Set on dough cycle. When dough cycle ends, remove dough to lightly floured surface.

Preheat oven to 450 °. Divide into 12 equal-sized pieces. Roll into balls. Roll each ball into a 5-inch circle and rest on floured kitchen towel. Continue process. until all 12 pieces are rolled.

Place two rounds on lightly floured cookie sheet and bake for 2 minutes. Flip and bake another 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Do not brown. Dough should puff like this:

Continue the process, allowing oven to reheat for another couple minutes in between batches.

Yes, this is a long process, but the result is fun and the puffing is cool.

Homemade Soft Scrub

2010-11-12T06:11:00.000-08:00

Homemade Soft Scrub
“Clean House, Clean Planet,” by Karen Logan

Mix

1 2/3 c baking soda
1/2 c liquid soap (like Dr. Bronner’s found at Trader Joe’s, e.g.)
1/2 c water

Finally add (last)

2T vinegar

Stir until lumps are gone. Add to your flip-top bottle (like a shampoo bottle). If it’s too thick, dilute more with water.

Simply squeeze on and scrub!

Garlic Cheese Twists

2010-11-11T13:21:00.000-08:00

Garlic Cheese Twists

2 cups flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp instant yeast

Stir together and add:

1 cup water
1 Tbsp oil
1 egg

Stir together. Add enough flour to make a smooth dough and knead for 8 minutes. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.

Roll out dough into a rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick (as for cinnamon rolls). Then spread with:

1/4 cup butter
1/4 tsp parsley
1/4 tsp dill weed
1/4 tsp garlic salt

Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese. Fold the dough in thirds (top down, bottom up). Cut into 1 inch strips. Twist each strip a few times, then tie in a knot. Place on a greased pan. Let rise for 30 minutes. Bake @ 375 F for 15-20 minutes. Serve fresh and warm!

Makes approximately 12-15 twists.

Butternut Squash Bread

2010-11-05T18:52:00.001-07:00

Butternut Squash Bread

mybakingaddiction.com

Ingredients
1 cup butternut squash purée
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
1 cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cardamom

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour one 8.5 x 4.5 x 2.5 inch loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the butternut squash puree, eggs, oil, water and sugars until thoroughly combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom.
3. Stir the dry ingredients into the butternut squash mixture. Combine just until incorporated; do not over mix. Pour into the prepared pan.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 55-65 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Notes
1. Make it your own…this is the perfect base recipe to play around with, toss in some mini semi sweet chocolate chips, white chocolate, nuts, dried cranberries, etc. Have fun and get creative!

Best Muffins Ever

2010-11-02T14:28:00.000-07:00

“The Best Muffins Ever”
kingdomfirstmom.com

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350. Prepare your muffin tin – with or without liners – and oil the top and wells.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the following:

3 1/2 cups flour
4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Mix well.

In a second, medium mixing bowl, combine the following:

1 1/3 cup sugar
10 tablespoons melted and cooled unsalted butter
1 cup whole milk- room temperature
1 cup sour cream- room temperature
2 large eggs- room temperature

Whisk well. Pour wet ingredients into dry and gently fold – leave it lumpy; there should still be some streaks of dry flour.

Then you customize! Choose your add-ins and fold in until just combined – do not over mix.

Flavorings (1 or 2)
1/2 tsp almond extract
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 cup coconut
3/4 tsp ginger
2 tsp lemon zest

Nuts (optional, 3/4 cup)
pecan pieces, almond slices, walnut pieces

Fruit or Chocolate (1 1/2 cups)
apricot halves fresh or dried chopped
bananas, thinly sliced
blueberries, fresh or frozen
granny smith apples (peeled and coarsely chopped)
raspberries, fresh or frozen
chocolate chips (my personal favorite)

Distribute the batter into the muffin tins using an ice cream scoop. Batter should mound higher than the cups by 3/4 inch or so. Bake until golden for 30-35 minutes. The tops will likely meld.

Cool 15 minutes and enjoy!

Cream Cheese Pie Dough

2010-11-01T14:06:00.001-07:00

Cream Cheese Pie Dough (adapted from The Joy of Cooking)
Makes 2 9-inch crusts
by Chief Family Officer

2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
8 oz cold cream cheese, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup cold half and half, heavy cream, or milk

1. In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Pulse for a few seconds to mix well.

2. Sprinkle the butter and cream cheese over the flour mixture. Pulse for short bursts until butter and cream cheese are the size of small peas.

3. Remove the lid and pour two-third of the half and half (six tablespoons) evenly over the flour mixture. Replace the lid and pulse for short bursts until the liquid is absorbed. Check the mixture to see if it clumps together. If it doesn't, add additional half and half one tablespoon at a time.

4. Once mixture clumps together, turn half of it out onto a floured surface and knead just enough to bring it together into a ball. Form into a disc or square, depending on what you intend to do with it. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour and up to two days, or freeze for up to two weeks.

Beef Stroganoff

2010-10-28T06:08:00.000-07:00

Cheater’s Beef or Venison Stroganoff

Recipe from FrugalUpstate.com

1-2 lbs Beef or Venison
1 pkg brown gravy mix
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream

Slice meat in thin strips & brown in a skillet.
Add soup & dry gravy mix to meat and cook until hot & bubbling.
Season with salt & pepper as desired.
Take off heat, stir in sour cream & serve over rice, noodles or toast.

Bonus Crockpot Version: Do not brown meat-just slice & place all ingredients except sour cream in the Crockpot. Cook on low 4-6 hours.

Bonus Bonus Oven Version: Prepare as for Crockpot version, but place in a covered casserole dish and cook at 350 for 1 hr in the oven.

Homemade Bisquick

2010-10-26T11:36:00.001-07:00

Make your own Bisquick
4 1/2 cups flour
2 T. sugar
1 T. plus 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 cup dry milk

Mix together and store in air tight container. Use in any recipe that calls for baking mix/Bisquick.

Now that you have Bisquick, you can make these yummy biscuits!

Cheesy Garlic Biscuits
2 cups Bisquick
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2/3 cup milk

Combine dry ingredients. Add milk and stir. Use two teaspoons to scrape biscuit "globs" on a parchment lined baking sheet (the parchment probably isn't necessary, I just like the ease of using it). Bake 10 minutes in a preheated 400 degree oven. Meanwhile combine...
2 T. butter, melted
2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. garlic salt

When the biscuits come out, brush with the butter mixture and return to oven for 5 more minutes. You can brush them again when they come out if desired.

Meatballs with Alfredo Sauce over Egg Noodles

2010-01-07T14:54:00.000-08:00

Simple ingredients... unbelievable results!

Ingredients: egg noodles, meatballs and Alfredo sauce.

*My egg noodles ($5 for 6 pounds) and meatballs ($9 for 5 pounds) were from Gordon Food Service. The Alfredo is homemade... straight from the freezer!

First of all, I should mention that I'm using my 1.6 quart crock pot... so cute, and such a perfect size! We were having friends over for dinner (hence serving the yummy but not overly healthy Alfredo sauce!) and so I placed 40 meatballs into the crock pot (more than enough for 4 adults and a toddler).

Next, I warmed my batch of Alfredo sauce, and poured it over the meatballs.

I made sure to coat each meatball really well, since the meatballs were frozen, the Alfredo began to chill again, but after turning in my crock pot on warm for two hours, the melded together perfectly!

Lastly, just before serving dinner, I boiled enough egg noodles for our dinner. I placed several meatballs on top of the noodles and then ladled out enough Alfredo sauce to coat the noodles.

Yum.

Recipe Recap:
Egg noodle, 1 pound
Meatballs, 40
Alfredo sauce, 1 jar or 1.5 cups of homemade

Red Beans & Rice

2010-01-05T18:40:00.000-08:00

Red Beans & Rice is an easy and inexpensive meal that is surprisingly yummy and quick to make. (Thanks Beth for this recipe!)

The ingredients are simple and easy to find:

1 can of kidney beans, drained

1 large can of seasoned diced tomatoes

1/8 C. bacon crumbles

2 boil in the bag rice packets (1/2 box)

1 pkg kielbasa (I used turkey kielbasa)

While my rice was boiling, I placed my beans, tomatoes and bacon on medium heat.

Then I sliced and quartered the kielbasa, and added it to the mix.

I raised the cooking temperature a bit and allowed the kielbasa to heat thoroughly while everything bubbled together at a slow boil.

Finally, I added the rice. Honestly, this dish may not be pretty to look at, but it is yummy!

Pizza & Dough

2010-01-05T09:11:00.000-08:00

I found this recipe through momadvice.com.

I feel that I have 'cheated' a little bit since this recipe calls for the use of a bread machine and some of my readers will not have bread machines. My advice, if you are looking for a bread machine, is to first look for one at a thrift store, they should have outlets available for you to plug in a try out the machine. Otherwise you can look for a local Italian grocery store who may sell fresh dough (locally, Cantoro's Market, 7 and Middlebelt), or you could pick up frozen pizza dough at any grocery store.

Most of the ingredients you should already have in your cupboards.
Ingredients: water, corn meal, olive oil, flour, onion powder, garlic powder, yeast, salt, baking powder and sugar (in the blue lidded container).

First I placed all of the dry ingredients into my bread maker.

Followed by the water and the olive oil.

The dough setting on my machine takes an hour and forty minutes... so plan well in advance.

This dough recipe claims to be a knock off of Pizza Hut's... I haven't eaten at Pizza Hut in years (and I didn't order one for a side by side comparison) but my husband (who prefers Jett's) said that this pizza had "great taste!"

The dough batch is enough for two medium pizzas, or a large pizza and bread sticks.

Toppings Side Note: I've made a few home-baked pizzas in my day, and so I've learned that a single (15-ish oz) can of pizza sauce can cover 3 pizzas. When I first open my can of sauce, I divide it into thirds and freeze the two remaining thirds for later date pizzas.

I also decided to shred my Mozzarella on the larger shred side of the grater. I used 2 cups of shredded Mozzarella cheese on my pizza- and trust me, it was plenty!!!

We have purchased pre-made pizza dough from Cantoro's Market (really yummy) and just spread our toppings on top and baked the pizza. This Pizza Hut clone's recipe calls for parbaking the crust for 10 minutes BEFORE adding the sauce an toppings. PARBAKE: to prebake. Who knew?

Side Note: When rolling out/stretching out your dough, use floured hands and a floured surface... and if your dough is sticky, coat it will more flour.

I decided to only bake a single medium sized pizza (since it is just the three of us) and I packed the second half for the freezer! (We'll see how that turns out... my plan is to let it thaw in the fridge over night before I make my next pizza.)

This is what parbaking did to my crust. (If you peek at the upper right section of my crust you can see my 'crust band-aid,' my husband found a You Tube video on pizza dough tossing (as if...) and you are supposed to spread the dough out on the backs of your hands with your knuckles... again, who knew?)

Then I layered on our toppings, 'his and hers' style (I'm the Feta and tomato half :) ).

After baking our pizza for 10-15 minutes, this is what was pulled from the oven. Delicious!

Thick and crusty! The only thing that I'd do differently next time, is I would butter the crust edges a little bit before the final baking!

Recipe Recap: (baking temperature: 450*)
1 1/3 cups of water
2 teaspoons of sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons of salt
2 tablespoons of olive oil (+ additional for parbaking step)
2 tablespoons of cornmeal
3 1/4 cups of flour (not bread flour, just regular flour)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon of onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoons of yeast

Tidbit Treats

2010-01-01T19:02:00.000-08:00

We were invited to a snack-o-licious New Year's Eve party and I brought these Tidbit Treats for my sharable snackie.

Ingredients: 1 package of Little Smokies, I can of pineapple (reserve the juice) and half a cup of Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce.

Begin by slicing each Little Smokie in half. Slicing these in half allows you to make 80 bite sized treats.

Next, open your can of pineapple, make sure to set aside about 1/2 a cup of the juice. (Swig the rest if you'd like!)

I normally slice 3-4 rings at a time, making 10 sections per ring. Cans of pineapple typically contain 10 rings- so a) you can nibble a couple of rings if you are hungry, or b) you will have extras in case you have a slicing malfunction!

First add a piece of pineapple to a toothpick- wider side towards the top. Then add half of a Little Smokie to cover the tip of the toothpick. SO CUTE!

Keep up the great work with the rest of the pineapples and Smokies...

Then layer the Tidbit Treats into a small crock pot (mine is a 1.6 quart). I needed to make double- decker layers in my little crock pot.

Lastly, add 1/2 a cup of Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce and 1/2 a cup of the pineapple juice and turn the crock pot on low. Allow the Smokies to warm and then serve!

"Homemade" Salad Dressing Tutorial

2009-12-29T18:48:00.000-08:00

We eat a lot of salad in our house! I LOVE salad, in fact I am know for making some of the yummiest salads on earth (I am not know for my humility huh?).

Since we practically drink salad dressing in our house, I like to make my own. My favorite seasoning packet is made by Good Seasons. I have tried using the store brand equivalent- which is still really yummy- but I have found that I can have the REAL THING if I get creative.

Last summer I popped into GFS (Gordon Food Service) to make a purchase and I found my favorite seasoning packet super sized!
In fact, this packet makes 16 bottles of salad dressing for $5.29.

Small $1.49/bottle & Big $.33/bottle.

I keep my seasoning mix in a plastic storage container in the pantry until I need it.

Making homemade salad dressing is easy, super inexpensive, yummy and can be made healthier than purchased dressing. Here are all of the ingredients that I use: seasoning mix, red wine vinegar (you could sub balsamic if you'd prefer), vegetable oil and water.

I have purchased several Good Seasonings cruet's (salad dressing holders) they come in a box with two seasoning packets, and they usually sell for $2.59- which I think is funny because 2 small packets of seasonings alone should cost about $3.

Here are the simple steps in making your own dressing:

Fill the cruet up to the "V" line with vinegar- full price, this should cost about $.25.

Next, add water up to the "W" line... $0.

A heaping spoonful of seasoning mix is about 1/16 of the big packet, $.33.

The directions say to add oil to the "O" line, but I add half the amount of oil, making the dressing lighter and yet still very yummy! $.10.

Lastly, I add more water all of the way to the top of the cruet. The directions do NOT say to do this, but it is just another way for the dressing to be healthier- I like a LOT of dressing!!!

Mmmmmmmmmmm, delicious! And only $.68!!!

Chicken Parmesan Tutorial

2009-12-29T08:02:00.000-08:00

Every once in a while I get in the mood for Chicken Parmesan... it is such a yummy and beautiful dish.

Ingredients: Chicken breasts, bread crumbs, Ranch salad dressing,* tomato sauce, pasta and sliced deli cheese (I prefer Provolone). *You can substitute a whipped egg with a little bit of milk instead of the Ranch salad dressing... but I don't recommend it (wink!!!).

TIP: If you are pulling your chicken breasts from the freezer, you can either allow them to thaw for 24-ish hours in your fridge, or you can place them in a Ziploc bag in a bowl of COLD water. Change the water every 15 minutes, and your chicken should be thawed within an hour. *Place a heavy object on top of the chicken to keep it submerged and equally thawed.

Place a healthy portion of bread crumbs and Ranch salad dressing in separate bowls. Keep in mind that there will be waste from both of these ingredients.

First, dip the chicken breast in the Ranch salad dressing- make sure to coat the entire breast well!

Then immediately dip the dripping with Ranch piece of chicken into the bread crumbs, and again, coat well.

Over low to medium heat, melt a little bit of butter or olive oil, and then add your crumbed chicken breasts. I place them top side down FIRST, since I only plan to flip them once.

Add a lid, and allow the breasts to cook for about 10 minutes. When the edges of the chicken breasts begin to turn white, carefully flip your chicken. *It may be tempting to flip the chicken with tongs- but I'd advise flipping gently with a spatula since the crusting can easily come off of the chicken. If you do happen to lose some of the crusting, don't worry! Cheese will cover any 'bald spots!'

Cheese! Glorious cheese!

Place a slice of cheese over each chicken breast after cooking for an additional 10-ish minutes after flipping. *Always check to see if your chicken is thoroughly cooked by cutting into a piece- and again, don't worry about the slice- the cheese will cover that too!

Serve over pasta mixed with tomato sauce and drizzle with an additional stripe of sauce!

Recipe Recap:
1 box of pasta
1 jar's worth of sauce
1 chicken breast per person being served
1-2 cups of bread crumbs
1-2 cups of Ranch salad dressing
1 slice of deli cheese per person being served
butter or olive oil to place in the pan

Homemade Croutons

2009-12-29T07:58:00.000-08:00

I purchased a loaf of Italian bread, but you could easily make a smaller batch of croutons with leftover bread. Ingredients: bread, butter, olive oil and spices.

Because I am using an entire loaf of bread, I have melted one stick of butter and I have stirred in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Reduce this mixture if you are working with a smaller quantity of bread.

To prepare the bread, first slice your bread similarly to the thickness of a typical slice of sandwich bread.
Taking 3-4 slices at a time, cut the bread into 1" slices.

Turn the slices 90* and finish slicing the bread into 1" cubes!

I find it easier to work with smaller batches, it helps to evenly coat all of the bread cubes.

Drizzle the butter and oil mixture over the cubes, and mix thoroughly.

Mmmm, your cubes will look just as yummy as these! (Not saturated, just coated!)

Go ahead, eat a few... just don't eat too many or you'll have fewer croutons to enjoy later!

After you've finished taste testing your buttery cubes, add some of your favorite spices. I've added my ol' stand by of Good Seasons Italian salad dressing mix AND some dried Rosemary- I definitely recommend the Rosemary!!!

Spread an even layer in the bottom of a pan. Bake at 375* for 10 minutes, flip all of your half crispy croutons and bake for another 8-10 minutes. Keep a close eye on your crisping croutons- especially during the second half of the baking!

I prefer 2 metal 9x13's so that I don't accidentally toss half of my croutons off of the pan when I flip them half way through baking.

These croutons are a perfect addition to any salad! We are BIG salad eaters in our home, so I thought that I'd share some of my favorite salad add-ins.

Romain lettuce (best current price is $3.99/2 pound bag of pre-washed, pre-cut leaves at Gordon Food Service).

Cheddar, mozzarella, feta, diced eggs, bacon crumbles, grilled chicken, sliced steak, thinly sliced deli meat, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrot slices, sliced strawberries, dried cranberries or cherries, canned pineapple chunks, canned mandarin orange slices and, of course... yummy croutons!

And be sure to try my favorite 'homemade' salad dressing!

Homemade Pancake Mix

2009-12-22T20:31:00.000-08:00

We normally keep a box of Bisquick on hand, but every once in a while my family has a pancake hankering after we have finished the last box on our shelf! So just in time for Christmas, I decided to share a 'pantry staples' version of easy pancake making... along with some tips from my pancake flippingextraordinaire husband!

This mix is simply made from flour, milk, and egg, butter, sugar, salt and baking powder. These ingredients should already be in your cupboards!

First, combine the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, salt and baking powder, mix well.

Next, in a separate bowl, beat the egg until it is bubbly!

Add the remaining wet ingredients with the frothy egg. (Milk and melted butter).

I add my secret weapon of pure vanilla extract! My husband brings me Haitian vanilla when he returns from his Raincathers trips! Haitian vanilla is POTENT! Yum!

Combine the wet and the dry ingredients, and this is what your batter will look like!

I need to mention a few key pancake pointers before I continue:

1. I am NOT the lead pancake maker in our home. I'm the lead dish washer!!! Dave is much more skilled than I am, but I LOVE you guys... so I persevered and 'pancaked it up' for your benefit!!!

2. Whether you make your pancakes on a griddle (like me) or in a pan, make sure that your surface is HOT!!! (300*- 350* if you are using a griddle). I accidentally unplugged my griddle without realizing it... so it wasn't super hot(again, this is why I'm the lead dish washer...). You can test the heat of the surface by splashing a little bit of water on the surface- and if it quickly 'dances' and goes up in steam... you're set to begin dropping batter onto the surface!

3. If your batter doesn't form perfectly round circles (like when your heat has been GREATLY reduced... or turned off), you can use the back of a spoon to help evenly spread out your batter!

4. Patience is a virtue.

Soon after dropping, your batter will begin to puff!

You will know when your pancakes are ready to be flipped on three accounts: 1. your batter will begin to bubble (let the bubbles pop!) and 2. your pancakes will stop steaming- you'll recognize this when you see it, and 3. the edges and eventually the surface of your pancake will begin to lose its shiny batter look.

Duh- lish!

This recipe makes between 8 & 12 good sized pancakes, and this recipe could easily be doubled, tripled or even quadrupled!

This, by far, is my favorite way to eat any pancake!!! I call this a pancake taco!!! No butter or syrup necessary (great for even the messiest family members!)!

Recipe Recap:

1 cup of flour

1 egg

3/4 cup of milk

2 tablespoons of melted butter

1 tablespoon of sugar

3 teaspoons of baking powder

1/2 teaspoon of salt

*1 teaspoon of vanilla*

Alfredo Lasagna

2009-12-19T19:43:00.000-08:00

Ingredients for Sauce (Tutorial)
1/2 C. Butter (aka: 1 stick)
2 Cloves Garlic (I use about 8)
2 C. Heavy Cream (16 ounces)
1/4 t. Pepper
1/2 C. Parmesan Cheese
3/4 C. Mozzarella Cheese (I use the fine shred variety for quicker melting!)

To Prepare:
Melt butter on medium heat. Add garlic, cream and pepper- simmer (5 min.). Stir often. Add Parmesan cheese and simmer 10 minutes. When sauce seems thick, slowly add Mozzarella cheese and stir until smooth.

Ingredients for the lasagna:
3-4 chicken breasts worth of shredded chicken
1 (16 oz) container of cottage cheese
1 (2c.) package of shredded mozzarella
9 cooked lasagna noodles
1 small package of fresh spinach leaves
1 batch of homemade Alfredo sauce (I actually use 1/2 a batch).

For the layering:
I spread a little bit of sauce on the bottom of the pan, then I layer lasagna noodles (cooked), then I mix 1/3 of the Alfredo sauce with 1/3 the container of cottage cheese, and I spread that over the noodles.

Next I spread a layer of shredded chicken across the Alfredo/cottage cheese mix. Then I place a thin layer of fresh spinach leaves on top of the chicken.

I finish out the layer but sprinkling 1/3 of the package of mozzarella cheese. Triple the layers and add Italian bread crumbs on top of the final layer.

Bake at 350* for 45 minutes covered and 15 minutes uncovered.

Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting and serving! Enjoy!

Muffins

2009-12-19T19:37:00.000-08:00

This is a simple and versatile recipe with ingredients that are most likely right in your cupboards! Flour, milk, sugar (in the lidded container), vegetable oil, baking powder, salt, an egg and something yummy to mix into the batter... I chose strawberries!

My son and I picked these strawberries last summer on a vacation up north...Mmmm, so yummy and special! Still frozen, I placed the berries in my food chopper.

I chopped enough for a cup's worth. The recipe that I am using (modified from Recipeczar.com) calls for just half a cup... but I prefer more yummy stuff!!!

***Keep in mind that you could use other mix- ins like blueberries, banana's or chocolate chips!

I wanted my muffins to have more of a breakfasty healthy-ness to them, so I added 1 1/2 cups of white flour and 1/2 cup of wheat flour... I'd just use while flour for more of a 'treat' type of muffin!!!

... and in goes the baking powder and the salt!

In a separate "wet ingredient bowl," I combined the milk, the egg and the oil.

Slowly, I added the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.

Lastly, I added the strawberries- they looked so beautiful in my mix!

Since I was primarily baking these muffins for my son (he just turned two), I used my mini muffin pans- but otherwise I would have used a 12 sectioned regular sized pan for this recipe.

After baking for just 18 minutes... they were perfect!

I LOVED the pink hue of the strawberries!

And yes, my son enjoyed them... especially with butter!

Recipe Recap:

2 cups of flour

1/2 cup of sugar

1 Tablespoon of baking powder

1/2 Teaspoon of salt

1 Egg

3/4 cup of milk

1/2 cup of vegetable oil

1 cup of fruit or chocolate

Serving size, 12 muffins

Bake at 400* for 18-20 minutes!

Bakin' Bacon

2009-12-19T19:36:00.001-08:00

My boys are bacon lovers... but I HATE the mess! So I crank up my oven to 500.*

Make sure to line your baking sheet with foil... and lay your bacon across the sheet. *I will let my slices touch since they shrink while cooking!

When the bacon has finished... well, baking, I lay a few paper towels on the foil to soak up the grease... viola!!! Easy clean up!

PS: Don't leave your kitchen- bakin' bacon is a quick process! I normally bake mine for about 10 minutes!!!

Cheesy Potatoes

2009-12-19T19:35:00.001-08:00

Simple ingredients, yummy outcome... every time!

Seriously, shredded potatoes, chips, cream of chicken soup, sour cream and cheese- what's NOT to love?

Yes, I could have shredded my own potatoes, but this is an EASY recipe, so I began with a nice bag of Ore Ida's!

Kelly told me that it is better to have the potato shreds loose and not a big potatoey ice cube- so she will allow the bag to sit on her counter for about an hour before she begins making the dish. I however, chose to remove my shreds from the freezer the night before, and had them to defrost in the refrigerator over night.

Place your shredded potatoes in a large bowl, and add the tub of sour cream and the can of cream of chicken soup. Mix thoroughly!

Mix in the shredded cheese a little bit at a time, until the ingredients are thoroughly combined!

Note: I shredded cheese from a block. I have found that shredding my own cheese really does taste MUCH better than purchasing pre-shreds, plus... I am always able to shred 3-4 cups worth of cheese from a single 8oz block... an 8oz bag of pre-shredded cheese is only 2 cups!

Lightly spray the inside of a 9 x 13 pan, and evenly spread the mixture inside.

Next, take a couple of handfuls of chips, and crush them to smithereens!

Note: Can you tell that I used the Ore Ida bag to crush my chips in? Ziploc's often tear open when crushing items that will have sharp-ish edges. Some "Green" people will even save the thick plastic bags that cereal is kept in inside the boxes to use for future crushing!

Apply a thin layer of chip crumbs over the entire top to the mixture.

Bake at 350* for an hour, and enjoy!

What I love about this dish is that you bake it at home, and you can easily travel without fear of spilling the contents! Cheesy Potatoes are yummy hot and even once they have cooled to room temperature too! Maybe this dish could be passed at one of your next holiday gatherings!

Recipe Recap:

1 large bag of frozen shredded potatoes

2 cups of shredded cheese

1 can of cream of chicken soup

1 tub (16 oz.) of sour cream

Potato chip crumbs (at least 1 cup)

Alfredo Sauce

2009-12-19T19:33:00.000-08:00

Simple ingredients, scrumptious results!

Ingredients include: heavy cream, butter, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, garlic and pepper.

NOTE: I am making a quadruple batch!

First, melt the butter in a stock pot, and then add the garlic and pepper.

Next, stir in the Parmesan cheese a little bit at a time- so it melts right into the butter! I stand at the stove and continuously stir.

Once you are confident that the Parmesan cheese has been thoroughly melted into the mixture, pour in the heavy cream. Keep stirring!

You will know that it is time to add the mozzarella cheese when the previous step begins to haze, letting you know that the cold cream's temperature has been raised. Slowly add the mozzarella, and stir for an additional 5 minutes!

Lastly, I prepare several meal sized containers for freezing!

Technically, I have made 4 batches simultaneously, but each of these containers holds just over 1.5 cups of delicious Alfredo sauce- plenty to feed between 4 and 6 people.

Making a single batch is just as much work as making several batches- but since this sauce freezes well, I plan ahead for several meals!

Recipe Recap: (single batch)

16 ounces of heavy cream

3/4 cup of mozzarella cheese -finely shredded

1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese

1 stick of butter

2ish cloves of garlic

a dash of pepper

My quadruple batch's estimated cost:

64 ounces of heavy cream- $6 (Costco)

4 cups of mozzarella cheese- $1 (self shredded a single brick)

2 cups of Parmesan cheese- $2 (sale at Super Kroger)

4 sticks of butter- $1.50 (Meijer store brand)

garlic & pepper- nominal

Total: $10.50/ 8 meals!

Cranberry Relish

2009-12-19T19:30:00.000-08:00

This easy and delicious recipe takes about 10 minutes start to finish, but the best results (tastily speaking) are when these ingredients have been combined at least 12 hours before serving!

Ingredients: fresh cranberries, orangy- citrus fruit and sugar.

Begin by rinsing your berries.

While you are rinsing your berries, look for odd-ball squishable (past their prime) cranberries and toss them aside. Berries that are wrinkly, yet firm are still good to use, but the smushy ones need to go!

Fill your food chopper with berries.

NOTE: Do not fill to capacity, the berries need room to move around to get thoroughly chopped.

Just for the record... I LOVE the smell of cranberries! This step is heavily scented!

The two bags that I had purchased yielded about 8 cups of chopped cranberries.

One cup of sugar needs to be added to each bag of chopped berries.Here are my two cups!

NOTE: This is a once a year side dish... live it up and ENJOY the sugary goodness!

Next it is time to prepare the citrus fruit. This year I am using twoclementines (we're totally addicted!) instead of the typical single orange. You may choose your own preference!

I warmed my clementines in the microwave (20 seconds) to provoke their juiciness!

Then, while the fruit is still warm, roll it between the palm of your hand and the counter to really get the juices flowing!

The original recipe calls for zesting of the citrus peel. I have zested and lacked in zest over the years- and have found that this step isn't essential.

Clementines, in fact, cannot be zested... FYI!

NOTE: I have even substituted straight up orange juice when I have forgotten to bring an orange home from the grocery store... don't worry, this recipe is very forgiving!!!

Slice your fruit in half...

And squeeze all of the juiciness out!

Its OK if a few plump pieces of pulp fall into your dish... they'll be yummy!

Next add your sugar and mix thoroughly! (It *could* be tempting to lick the spoon post stirring, but I wouldn't advise it! Allow your ingredients to meld for a while before sampling to allow the bitter berries to absorb the sweetness!)

Keep in mind that your recipe will shrink due to the sugar added. Just after mixing, my 8 cups of cranberries + 2 cups of sugar are equalling about 6 cups of relish. When the relish is done combining, I will most likely have between 3 & 4 cups of cranberry relish!

Recipe Recap:

2 bags of fresh cranberries

2 cups of sugar

1 large or 2 small citrus-y fruits

Personal NOTE: I don't care for gravy so I have always slathered my turkey with this cranberry relish- try a bite in my honor... you'll thank me!!!

Faux Shepherd's Pie

2009-12-19T19:28:00.000-08:00

Ingredients: Ground beef, potatoes, mixed veggies, cream of chicken soup, milk and corn starch... how could you go wrong? Simple. Inexpensive. Yummy.

*Note: I'm pretty sure that I have never used corn starch before- so I had to make a mad dash last minute run to get some... don't worry if you need to purchase some too, mine was only $1.29!

I decided to start with the potatoes. I peeled and boiled 5 good sized potatoes. I did have a bit left over- but I'm OK with that... wink!

The recipe calls for STIFF mashed potatoes, which means NO milk or butter can be added. So I decided to whip out my Kitchen-Aid stand mixer and let it do the hard work of mashing for me! (I WILL NEVER HAND MASH AGAIN...EVER!)

Bonus features from using a mixer (just in time for Thanksgiving... you're welcome!)
1. Perfectly smooth mashed potatoes!
2. All of the swirling helped to cool the potatoes more quickly.
3. I could attend to making the rest of the recipe- I simply just walked away!
4. No muscle fatigue or cranky attitude flare up mid-mashing!

I added one pound of my previously cooked ground beef. It is important NOT to drain the beef, as this adds to the flavoring of the dish. I used Angus, which left me with less 'juices' than other varieties may have.

Once the ground beef has been thoroughly cooked, I added the contents of one can of cream of chicken soup. Mix well and heat thoroughly.

While my meat and soup were melding together on the stove top, I stirred one cup of milk and one tablespoon of cornstarch together.

It is important not to have any cornstarch lumps - so I made sure to smash the back of my spoon into the side of the measuring cup while stirring to break apart any lumps that I found.

TIP: Once you are satisfied that your contents are thoroughly mixed, pour immediately into the pot on the stove. The cornstarch will settle to the bottom of the container when you stop stirring.

Next add a package of frozen mixed veggies (I LOVE adding my FREE after doubled coupon veggies into meals!!!).

Keep stirring until all of your ingredients are heated thoroughly and are combined well.

I lightly sprayed the bottom of my casserole dish and poured my beef and veggie mixture inside.

Next, I loaded up a piping bag with an extra large decorating tip (I knew these would come in handy someday...) and I squeezed little dollops of mashed potatoes, coating the top. In truth, you could just spread a thin layer of potatoes on top with a spatula... but where is the fun in that? AND... I loved cutting perfect pieces between the potato dollops...

TIP: The warmer the mashed potatoes, the easier the squeezing and the better the presentation. I actually made a second Shepherd's Pie to freeze, and the time between piping the two batches allowed my potatoes to cool significantly. I also noticed that the first pie was far more attractively piped, so next time I will microwave my potatoes if necessary.

Bake at 400* for 15-20 minutes, or until thoroughly warmed!

And let me say, this is delicious!!!

Recipe Recap: serves 4
1 pound of undrained ground beef
4-5 medium/large potatoes
1 package of mixed vegetables
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon of cornstarch

This recipe *may* be the perfect answer to what to do with your leftover potatoes after Thanksgiving...

Dinner Rolls

2009-12-19T19:27:00.000-08:00

I recently found this recipe and couldn't wait to try it out! I have really been enjoying making yummy foods from scratch! The taste of a little bit of time mixed with effort has been delicious!

To begin making the dinner rolls, first add 1/2 C. milk to 1/4 C. of water, and add 2T. of butter. Warm these ingredients on the stove top (Do not boil! I just watched the butter chunks melt to know when the liquids were warm enough!)

While the milk, butter and water are warming, mix 3/4 C. flour, 1/2t. salt, 2T. sugar and an envelope of rapid rise yeast.

Add wet mix to the flour mix and beat for 2 minutes in your mixer.

Add 1/4 C. flour and beat on high for 2 more minutes.

Slowly, add 1C. of flour... I did this step 1/4 C. at a time!

Next, the dough needs to be kneaded! Generously flour your work surface, and knead for 8-10 minutes. *If you have never kneaded dough before, it is very simple! Smush the dough with the heels of your hands, pressing the dough away from your body. Then spin the dough 45 degrees and knead again!

Knead the dough for about 8-10 minutes.

After kneading, the dough needs to rest for 10 minutes. I made my dough into a ball, and then I laid a damp paper towel over the dough while it rested.

Then I cut the dough into 12 even pieces.

I should have taken more time to shape the dough into balls... next time!

The 12 dinner rolls need to be placed into a well greased round baking pan.

(I placed 9 rolls around the edges and three in the center!)

The dinner rolls now need to rise.

I covered my pan with aluminum foil and set the pan on our stove top with the burner on the lowest setting. The rolls need to rise for 30 minutes.

After the rolls have had half an hour to rise (the warmth from the burner really helps!), brush the tops with a little bit of melted butter and gently sprinkle with salt!

Bake the rolls for 20 minutes at 375*. Mmm, these rolls were delicious- even a little bit sweet!

I think that the next time that I make these rolls, that I will multiply the quantity. I am thinking that I will not allow the dough to rise, I will just roll into balls, after the dough has rested, and then freeze the dough for individual rolls for a later date. I'll keep you posted!

Recipe Recap:

2-2 1/4 C. all purpose flour

1 envelope yeast

2T. sugar

1/2t. salt

1/2 C. milk

1/4 C. water

2T. butter

Chicken Chili

2009-12-19T19:21:00.000-08:00

I have been serving this Chicken Chili to guests for years! Each time I make this recipe for a new audience I am asked for the recipe, but I have dodged and evaded actually sharing the recipe since my Chicken Chili is embarrassingly easy (and inexpensive) to make!!!

Simple, yet healthy ingredients allow my Chicken Chili to be quick to make, filling and delicious!

Ingredients:
2 cups shredded chicken.
2 cups of homemade chicken stock (or 2 cans)
3 cans of Great Northern beans (do not drain)
2 packages of mixed vegetables (or 3 cans- do not drain)
3 tablespoons of taco seasoning mix (or 3 packets)
6-8 cups of water (dependant on canned vegetable liquid)

Open and pour in the 3 cans of undrained Great Northern beans.

Add either fresh or frozen shredded chicken to the crock pot.

See how easy this is? Embarrassing!!! Add the vegetables.

Add the taco seasoning- you'll be amazed at how yummy this soup is!

Finally, pour your chicken stock and the 6-8 cups of water on top and give all of the ingredients a good stirring.

Keeping your crock pot on the low setting, cook your soup for 3-6 hours before serving.

Surprise, surprise... I LOVE to add shredded Cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream on top of my soup!

This soup wonderfully compliments a crusty bread and side salad! I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how filling this easy Chicken Chili is!

NOTE: The shredded chicken and the chicken stock for this recipe are from the chicken that I used for my Chicken Stock post. Half of the shredded chicken was used to make this Chicken Chili recipe.

Clip & Cook

Quick Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Homemade Wheat Thins Style Crackers

Homemade Wheat Thins Style Crackers

Macaroni and Cheese

BIG and CHEWY Chocolate chip Cookies

Outrageous Brownies

Outrageous Brownies

Ingredients

Directions

Buttercream Icing

Recipe Photos

Buttercream Icing

Ingredients

Directions

Soft Butter Spread

Soft Butter Spread

English Muffins

Macaroni Grills Rosemary Herbed Bread

Bread Machine Recipe for Macaroni Grills Rosemary Herbed Bread

Pumpkin Pancakes

Recipe: Pumpkin Pancakes

World’s Best Honey Cornbread Recipe

World’s Best Honey Cornbread Recipe

World’s Best Honey Cornbread

Baked Oatmeal

Baked Oatmeal

Perfect Granola Bars

Baked Italian Macaroni and Cheese

Mini Taco Bowls

Mini Taco Bowls

What You Need

Make It

Best-Ever Hot Cocoa Mix

Hamburger Buns

Hamburger Buns

Ingredients

Directions

Texas Flour Tortillas

Cream of Anything Soup Mix

Homemade Graham Crackers

Triple Berry Cookie Crumble

Triple Berry Cookie Crumble

Pasta Handkerchiefs

Fazzoletti (Pasta Handkerchiefs) With Chunky Pesto

HERSHEY'S "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" Chocolate Cake

HERSHEY'S "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

Directions

One Bowl Chocolate Cake

Recipe Photos

One Bowl Chocolate Cake III

Ingredients

Directions

Homemade bagel recipe

Homemade bagel recipe. Make great handrolled water bagels, it's as easy as baking a loaf of bread!

Homemade bagels taste better!

Auntie Anne’s Pretzels

Breadmaker: French Bread

Breadmaker: French Bread

Cheddar Coins

Cheddar Coins

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Muffins

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Muffins

Christmas Brunch Casserole

Christmas Brunch Casserole

Ingredients

Directions

Beer Cheese Dip

Beer Cheese Dip

Belly Burning Buffalo Wings

Frugal Christmas Candy Recipe:

Chai Mix

Chai Mix

Decadent Fudge Sauce

Decadent Fudge Sauce

Divine Caramel Sauce

Divine Caramel Sauce

Peppermint Thins

Ingredients