gingerbread apple upside-down cake

This recipe is now in my top 5 list of favorite desserts! We will be making it again really soon....I just need an excuse....anyone having a party and need me to bring dessert? ;)
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Topping:
4 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
pinch of salt
4 apples (about 1 3/4 lbs), peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch wedges
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Batter:
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 lg. egg
1/3 cup dark molasses
1/3 cup honey
1 cup buttermilk (*see below)
2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
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Make the topping: preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 10 inch cake pan or a 8x11 casserole pan. Melt butter in a small saucepan. Add brown sugar and simmer over medium heat, stirring for four minutes, then swirl in the salt. Remove from heat and pour into the bottom of your prepared pan. Layer on the apples in whatever pattern that pleases you.
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Make the batter: Using a mixer, blend 1/2 cup butter and the sugar on medium speed. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, molasses, honey and buttermilk. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger and cinnamon. Alternate mixing the flour and molasses mixtures into the butter mixture, adding the next one after the last has been incorporated.
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Pour the batter into the pan. Bake at 325 for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for a few minutes before turning it onto a platter (or a cutting board in my case...I really need some nice serving dishes. It's kind of embarrassing.)
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Serve warm or cold with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Serves 12.
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*Buttermilk - if you don't have any on hand, which I never do, you can just put a tablespoon of lemon juice into a liquid measuring cup and add enough milk to make one cup. Let it sit for 5 minutes before adding to the recipe. It turns it into sour milk which also works for any recipe calling for buttermilk.
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Can't you just see the moistness of this cake?! You will not regret making it.

Reindeer Noses - or Holiday Preztel Treats

I love making these because my little boy can help with them. He can help lay out the pretzels, unwrap the hershey kisses or hugs, and then plop the M&M's on top when they come out of the oven.

What you'll need:
waffle shaped pretzels
Hershey kisses or hugs
M&M candies

1. Heat the oven to 180 degrees. Lay out a single layer of pretzels on a cookie sheet (you can line the sheet with parchment paper if you'd like).
2. Top each pretzel with a Hershey kiss.
3. Bake for 4-6 minutes (watch the Hugs because the white chocolate softens more quickly than the milk chocolate), or until the chocolates feel soft when touch with a spoon.
4. Remove from the oven and quickly press an M&M into the center of each Kiss.
5. Allow the treats to cool for a few minutes and then put them in the refrigerator to set for about 10 minutes.
6. You can bag them up in colorful Christmas bags, place on treat plates or just pop them in your mouth!

Egg Nog Creams

One of my favorite Christmas cookies to make are Egg Nog Creams. They are a basic butter cookie with a tasty egg noggy middle. I had a cookie exchange this year with local family members and some good friends and these are the cookies I brought.

For the cookie:

2 sticks of butter, softened
1 egg
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
vanilla (approximately 1 tsp)
pinch of salt
2 1/2 cups flour (may need more if the dough is sticky)

For the egg nog cream:
1/4 cup butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 TBSP rum (or in my case, 1/2 tsp imitation rum extract - hee, hee)
nutmeg and powdered sugar for garnish

::NOTE::
I usually double this, because I like a lot of cream in each cookie and one batch isn't quite enough.

1. Mix first six ingredients. together until well blended.
2. Add in flour until a soft dough forms. Dough will be soft, but should not stick to your fingers.
3. Roll dough into 1" balls. Gently flatten in the palms of your hands. Place at least 1" apart on lightly greased cookie sheet.
4. Using your thumb, gently press an indentation in the center of each cookie.
5. Bake at 350 for about 8 minutes. Remove and gently (using the back of a rounded teaspoon so you don't burn yourself!) re-indent the thumbprints (you'll notice they've risen a bit) and put them back in the over for another 3-4 minutes. Cookies will be light in color, but firm when you touch the top.
6. Cool on wire racks.
7. After cooled, fill with homemade eggnog cream. Sprinkle nutmeg and powdered sugar on top.

Mud Hen Bars

You can't pass these up...I got them from a friend's blog and WOW! Travis said, "They have all the goodness you want in one bar".

MUD HEN BARS

1/2 c. butter, soft

1 c. white sugar

3 eggs, separated

1 1/2 c. flour

1 t. baking powder

1/4 t. salt

1 c. chopped nuts (opt)

1/2 c. chocolate chips

1 c. mini marshmallows

1 c. brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Cream the butter and white sugar. Beat in 1 egg + 2 yolks. Mix flour, baking powder + salt together. Stir dry into the wet ingredients. Spread into a 9x13 glass dish. Sprinkle with nuts, chips + marshmallows. Beat remaining 2 egg whites until STIFF, fold in the brown sugar carefully. Spread over top of cake. Bake for 30-40 minutes.

Creamed Corn

This is so different from the canned creamed corn and you can't have just one serving.

1 cup milk
1 cup whipping cream
6 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3-4 cups fresh kernal corn (I use the organic frozen corn from Costco)
3 Tablespoons flour
3 Tablespoons butter (use real butter, not margarine)

In a medium sauce pan combine the first five ingredients and heat over medium-high heat until almost boiling , stirring occasionally. Add corn and continue to cook until mixture comes to a medium boil. Continue to boil stirring more frequently for five minutes. In a pan melt butter then add flour and cook for one minute to cook out flour taste. Add flour paste to the corn mixture and boil another two minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Mixture will thicken upon standing.

I will actually substitute the milk and cream for fat free half & half and it is just as good but I NEVER substitute the butter. Enjoy!!!

peppermint marshmallows

My new addiction.....who knew it was so easy to make your own marshmallows? You can put in any flavor extract, but I think I will stick with vanilla and peppermint. Delicious!

Get everything you need together before beginning.

2 Cups granulated sugar

1/2 Cup plus 2 Tbs. light corn syrup

3 Tbs or 3 envelopes of unflavored gelatin

1 pinch of salt

3/4 Cups water, divided

1/2 teas. peppermint extract

food coloring (if desired)

3/4 C. powder sugar for dusting

1. Coat a 9x13 inch baking pan with cooking spray then dust generously with powder sugar.

2. Pour 1/2 C cold water into a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Stir in the gelatin and let sit for 10 minutes. (It will look kinda gross...it's okay!)

3. While the gelatin in sitting - put the 2 C. sugar, corn syrup and 1/4 C. water into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil on high heat. Stir it to make sure the sugar dissolves. Let the mixture boil (bubble vigorously) for approx. a minute to a minute and a half and no more! Remove from heat immediately. With the stand mixer on low, drizzle the hot sugar syrup in a small, steady stream into the gelatin. Add a pinch of salt and gradually increase the speed to medium. When the mixture has begun to froth and stabilize (1-2 minutes) increase the mixer speed to high and beat until fluffy (8 minutes)

4. With the mixer still on high, add the peppermint extract and food coloring and beat for another minute AND NO MORE! (It will cool too much.)

5. Working as quickly as you can, scrape the fluff into the prepared pan. Using slightly moistened hands, smooth the marshmallow down into the pan and let cool for 2 hours. If you are cooling longer than 2 hours then you need to cover it with plastic wrap. Do not let the plastic touch the marshmallows or you may never get it off.

6. When it's ready, use a pizza cutter dipped in powder sugar to cut the marshmallows into 1 inch squares. Roll each square into powder sugar so it wont stick to anything. Store in an airtight container. They will keep for up to a month. Good luck not eating them in less than a week though.

Corn Dog Casserole

This recipe totally brings out the kid in me. I love hot dogs and this was pretty good. The sage in it made it taste a little like stuffing. Delicious!

I didn't take a photo of mine so I'm using the one from www.tasteandtellblog.com

Ingredients:

2 cups celery, chopped

1 cup onion, chopped

1 1/2 lbs hot dog, sliced

2 eggs

1 1/2 C milk

1 teas. sage

1/2 teas. black pepper

18 oz. corn bread mix (I couldn't find an 18 oz box so I used one that was a little smaller and it turned out fine)

8 oz. shredded cheese

In a skillet cook onions and celery until tender. Place in a mixing bowl and set aside. Place hot dogs in the skillet and brown them slightly. Mix them with the celery/onion in the bowl. Pull out one cup of that and set aside. In another bowl, combine eggs, milk, sage, and pepper. Add it to the hot dog mixture. Stir in cornbread and 1/2 the cheese. Pour into a greased 3 quart baking dish. Top with reserved hot dog mixture and the rest of the cheese. Bake uncovered at 350 until golden brown. About 30-45 minutes.

Swiss Cheese Grean Bean Casserole

This is not your everyday green bean casserole....it's the best there is! However, I haven't actually tried any other kind of green bean casserole, but I'm pretty sure this destroys the competition.

Ingredients:

1/2 onion, diced (I usually put the whole onion in)

6 T butter, divided

2 T flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp pepper

16 oz sour cream

16 oz swiss cheese, grated

5 cans green beans, drained

2 C corn flakes

In a large pot saute onion with 2 T butter until translucent. Add 2 more T butter, flour, salt, sugar, and pepper. Cook for a few minutes. Add sour cream and swiss cheese. Heat until all cheese is melted. Fold in green beans. Pour into a 9x13 casserole pan. In a small bowl melt 2 T butter and add corn flakes. Sprinkle over the casserole and bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes at 400 degrees. Enjoy!

If I am making this for just my family, I will divide it up between two smaller casserole pans and freeze one without the cornflakes on top.

Genevieve couldn't keep her hands out of it this morning. I didn't really mind.....she was actually eating veggies which is something she rarely does. Plus it made for a cute photo.

Chunky Cheddar Cheese Chowder

I love this soup! It's like drinking cheese - yum!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 small onion, chopped
4 carrots, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 small green or red bell pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup flour
1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth
2 cups milk
4 cups (16 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon pepper
cooked and crumbled bacon


Directions:
Melt butter in a 3 quart saucepan over medium-high heat; stir in onion, carrots, celery, bell pepper, and garlic. Saute 5-10 minutes or until veggies are tender.
Add flour; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in chicken broth and milk; cook over medium heat for five minutes or until mixture is slightly thickened and bubbly.
Add shredded cheese, salt, and pepper, stirring until cheese melts and mixture is smooth. Ladle into soup bowls and serve with crumbled bacon on top. *Makes 7 cups
* I have also added some left over baked potato to the soup which makes it a little more filling. I also like to sprinkle some green onions on top with the bacon. DELICIOUS!!!

Corn Chowder

It's totally soup season! I love all kinds of soups. So get ready for a few recipes from me this month.

Ingredients:

2 cups cubed, peeled potatoes.

1/2 cup chopped onion (I always do more like a cup)

1/2 cup finely chopped celery

1 (8 oz) can cream-style corn (I always use a regular size can and it's just fine.)

1 (15 oz) can whole kernel corn, drained

1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk

1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt - or however much you like

some crumbled bacon for the top. The recipe calls for only 2 slices for 4 servings. Yeah right! I say 2 slices per person. You do whatever makes you happy! =)

You can also add some cubed ham to make it a hearty meal.

Direction:

Boil potatoes for about 20 minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside for a few minutes. In the same pot saute your onion and celery in a little evoo until tender and then add the potatoes back to the pot. Partially mash the potatoes with a fork. Add both cans of corn and evaporated milk. Mix well and simmer for 5 minutes. Add your cayenne and salt to soup. Ladle chowder into soup bowls and top with bacon. And there you have it - a quick and easy - yet very yummy soup.

*I've always thought it would be delicious to add some cheddar cheese to this chowder, but have yet to test it out. Let me know if you do.

Lion House Dinner Rolls

Ingredients
2 cups warm water (110 to 115 degrees)
2 tablespoons dry yeast
2 teaspoons salt
1 egg
2/3 cup nonfat dry milk powder (instant or non-instant)
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter or shortening
5-5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour

Directions

1) In large bowl of electric mixer, combine water and milk powder, stir until dissolved.
2) Add yeast, then sugar, salt, butter, egg, and 2 cups flour.
3) Mix on low speed of mixer until ingredients are wet, then 2 minutes at medium speed.
4) Add 2 cups more flour; mix on low speed until ingredients are wet, then for 2 minutes as medium speed. (Dough will be getting stiff and remaining flour may need to be mixed in by hand).
5) Add about ½ cup flour and mix again, by hand or mixer.
6) Dough should be soft, not overly sticky, and not stiff.
7) (It is not necessary to use the entire amount of flour.)
8) Scrape dough off sides of bowl and pour about 1 T.vegetable oil all around the sides of the bowl so it is covered with oil.
9) Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in warm place until double in size.
10 (My note here- I just sprayed a clean large bowl with vegetable spray and put my ball of dough in there, turning to cover the dough with the vegetable spray.).
11) After dough has risen, sprinkle cutting board or counter with flour and place dough on floured surface.
12) Roll out and cut rolls in desired shape and size.
13) Place on greased (or parchment lined) baking pans.
14) Let rise in warm place until rolls are double in size (about 1 to 1 ½ hours).
15) Bake at 375 for 15 to 20 minutes or until browned.

16) Brush with melted butter while hot.

Ryan loves these rolls...I think they are a little bitter (probably from the dry milk) but a little honey butter or jam will sweeten them right up. Enjoy!!!

Pumpkin Pecan Dessert Squares

Ingredients:
1 box yellow cake mix

8 TBSP unsalted butter, melted

4 TBSP unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

3 eggs

1 jar Muirhead Pumpkin Pecan Butter

2 TBSP milk

1 TBSP All-Purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degree. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking pan.

Reserve 1 cup of cake mix in a small bowl.

In a bowl, stir together remaining cake mix, 8 TBSP melted butter and 1 egg. Pour into the prepared pan.

In another bowl, stir together the jar of pumpkin butter with the remaining 2 eggs and the milk. Spread over the cake batter in the baking pan.

Add the flour, sugar and cinnamon to the small bowl with the reserved cake mix and stir together. Add the 4 TBSP of cold butter. Using a pastry blender or fork, cut the butter until pea-sized crumbs form and the mixture clumps together. Crumble over the mixture in the baking dish.

Bake until golden, about 40 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack to cool. Cut into squares and serve.

This is an enjoyable treat that warms up your home with the fall scent of pumpkin pecan. Enjoy!!!

Butternut Squash

Cut the butternut squash in half and lay face up in 9x13 pan. Fill pan 1/2 inch with water. Generously spray insides of squash with spray butter. Sprinkle with nutmeg and cinnamon. (maybe a little ginger)

Cook at 400 for 1 hour. Leave in longer if needed.

Spoon squash into serving bowl. Spray with more butter or use real butter, add more cinnamon and nutmeg. Sprinkle with salt. Lightly mash so it is chunky. Serve! That is the lowfat version. If you think your family may not eat it, let them sprinkle some brown sugar on their portion.

(sorry about the funny picture positioning, haven't figured out how to move them around...I wanted the one in the bowl at the bottom, oh well, I guess you at least get the idea, :) right?)

Pumpkn Pancake & Cider Syrup

Pancakes: Beat 2 eggs Stir in: 3/4 cup pumpkin, 2 TB sugar, 1/2 tsp each: cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking soda and salt; 1-1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 cup oil, and 1-1/2 cups flour.
Stir in about 1-1/2 cups milk, until desired consistency.

Syrup: Mix well and boil 1 minute: 1 cup sugar, 2 TB cornstarch, 2 cups apple cider or juice and 2 TB lemon juice.

Stacia's Treat

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

One of my "must make at least twice" Fall recipes
that I got from one of my fabulous college roommates.

1 1/2 c. shortening

3 eggs
4 1/2 c. sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1 large can pumpkin
7 1/2 c. flour
3 tsp. cinnamon
3 tsp. nutmeg
3 tsp. baking powder
3 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 packages chocolate chips

Cream together shortening, eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Stir in pumpkin. Add dry ingredients, mixing well. Stir in chocolate chips. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

BEWARE! IT MAKES A TON!

If you don't need 150+ cookies - you can always cut the recipe in half.

And here's a recipe card I made last year for a recipe exchange. Enjoy!

Roasted Fall Vegetable and Ricotta Pizza

I know this kinda sounds strange, but seriously it's so amazing!

Ingredients for roasting:

A 2lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch lengths

1 red onion, peeled and quartered

4 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed

3 large red new potatoes, peeled and quartered

salt and pepper

olive oil

Ingredients for pizza:

Olive oil, for baking sheet and drizzling

Flour, for dusting surface

1 pound pizza dough, fresh, or thawed if frozen
8 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese, grated (about 2 cups)
Roasted Fall Vegetables, coarsely cut (you will have extra)
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, or 1 tsp. of dried (optional)
Coarse salt and ground pepper

2 chicken breast, grilled and chopped (optional, but not an optional item for Wayne)

First:

You need to roast the veggies.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Divide vegetables and garlic between two rimmed baking sheets (line with parchment paper, if desired, for easy cleanup); dividing evenly, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper.
Roast until vegetables are tender and beginning to brown, 40 to 50 minutes, tossing them and rotating sheets from top to bottom halfway through. (To store: Let cool, place in an airtight container, and refrigerate up to 3 days. Pour off any accumulated liquid before using.)

Next:
Preheat oven to 475°. Brush a large baking sheet (preferably rimless) with oil, or line with parchment paper, if desired, for easy cleanup. I like to sprinkle a little cornmeal on the pan after oiling it to add a little crunch to my crust. Totally optional.
On a lightly floured surface, roll and stretch dough as large as will fit on baking sheet; transfer to sheet.
Sprinkle dough with half the mozzarella. Scatter vegetables and chicken on top, and dollop with ricotta; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and, if using, rosemary. Drizzle with olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Bake until bubbling and golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve.

I like to brush the edges of the crust with a little olive oil before baking. And I grill the chicken breasts with the rosemary on them instead of sprinkling it all over the pizza. And there you have it! A delicious and filling fall dinner.

No Bake Peach Cheesecake

2 c. graham cracker crumbs
6 Tbsp. margarine, melted
1 c. sugar divided (1/4 & 3/4)
4 pkg (8 oz each) Neufchatel Cream Cheese, softened (this is the 1/3 less fat cream cheese)
1 3 oz pkg peach jello
1 15 oz can sliced peaches in juice, drained, chopped*
1 8 oz tub lite cool whip thawed

Mix graham cracker crumbs, margarine and 1/4 c. sugar. Press onto bottom of 13x9 pan. Refrigerate while preparing filling. Beat Neufchatel Cheese and remaining sugar in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add dry gelatin mix, mix well. Stir in peaches and cool whip. Spoon over crust. Cover. Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm. YUMMY!!!

*can substitute 2 chopped fresh peaches.

Carrot Cake

3 c. flour
2 c. sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 c. oil
4 eggs
3 c. grated carrots
1 c. raisins-optional
1 c. nuts-optional

Mix all of the dry ingredients together. Add oil & mix well. Add eggs one at a time and beat well. Add grated carrots and mix well. Pour onto greased cookie sheet (large). Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes.

Frosting

2 c. powdered sugar (approximately)
4 oz. softened cream cheese
1/2 cube butter/margarine softened
1 tsp vanilla

Mix together with mixer.

Caramel Brownies

1 pkg. German Chocolate Cake Mix (or Dark Chocolate)
3/4 c. melted margarine
1/2 c. evaporated milk
2 c. chopped nuts-optional

50 unwrapped caramels (one package has about 50)
1/3 c. evaporated milk
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mix together cake mix, margarine, 1/2 c. evaporated milk and nuts. Spread half of the mixture into a lightly greased 9x13 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 6 minutes. While this is baking, melt caramels in 1/3 c. milk on medium to med-low heat. Remove cake from oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips. Pour melted caramel mixture on top. Drop the remaining cake mixture by spoonfuls on top. Bake at 350 for 20-24 minutes. Cool for at least 3 hours before cutting. Super yummy :)

Oreo Cookie Frosting

Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter
1 teaspoon of vanilla
2 tablespoons of water
1 lb of confectioners sugar (approx 4 cups)
1 tablespoon of meringue powder (found at Michael's Craft Store)
14 Oreos, finely crushed in food processor
Directions
In bowl of stand mixer, cream butter , vanilla and water. Add confectioner's sugar, meringue powder and crushed Oreos. Mix until well combined. And there you have it....another way to enjoy those Oreos!

Layered Jello

Since Jello salads are so popular in Utah....I thought it was time for me to learn how to make one.

ingredients:
1 3/4c boiling water (per packet)

8 - 3 oz. packets of various jello flavors and colors (raspberry, lime, pineapple, orange, mixed berry)

4 oz. sour cream

4 oz. cream cheese

about 8 oz. cool whip

Place 9×13 glass baking dish in refrigerator on level surface for at least 20 minutes or until completely chilled. Whip the sour cream and cream cheese together until well combined in a large bowl. Add in the cool whip, whisking until smooth. Set aside.

In another bowl combine one packet of jell-o with 1 cup boiling water, once the sugar has desolved, add 3/4 cups of cold water, let it cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Pour 1 cup of the jello into the chilled baking dish making sure it covers the entire bottom and place back in the refrigerator until when you touch it, it is mostly set. With the remaining 3/4 cup of jello whisk in 3 Tablespoons of the cheese/cool whip mixture until smooth. Pour the jello/whip mixture on top of the set jello layer. Repeat for each flavor of jello making sure each layer is set before adding another (about 15 minutes).

Tips:Make sure that each layer is set well enough (it’s pretty much solid to the touch) before adding on a new layer. Don’t forget to let the newly mixed jello & boiling water cool before you add the next layer on, if not it will melt the other layers and things will get all kooky with layers between, separated and to the sides of each other. Once you get into the rhythm of making the layers, it’s becomes quite easy. You’ll be setting one jello layer in the fridge, while the next flavor is cooling.

Just so you know - I only used 5 boxes because that's all I had on hand. I also thought it would be prettier in a triffle bowl. And I was right. ...it's beautiful! I made this twice...the first time I didn't have all the ingredients to do the cream cheese mixture so instead I just used plain old vanilla yogurt and it was delicious.

Peanut Butter Dip

This is one of those recipes that you almost always have the ingredients around for. And it's pretty delicious too!

1 Cup Vanilla Yogurt

1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar

1/4 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter (I added a little more)

Whisk together all the ingredients until smooth and serve!

It is great with fresh fruit, graham crackers, pretzels and marshmallows.

Sweet Potato Hash

Sweet Potato Hash with Bacon

found on Shazam in the Kitchen, adapted from Bon Appetit

1/2 pound bacon sliced in 1/2 inch strips
2 small onions chopped
1 large red pepper diced
2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 tsp dried thyme

Cook bacon in large skillet until crisp. Transfer to paper towel lined plate to drain. Leave drippings in skillet. Add onion, bell pepper, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables are softened. Stir in potatoes and another shake of salt. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Stir every 5 minutes. Remove cover and cook for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally so that any excess liquid evaporates and potatoes start to brown. Stir in thyme and bacon.

Chicken Salad

Okay girls. Here is my way belated posting of that CHICKEN SALAD.

GOOD things come to those who wait :)

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. boneless, skinless CHICKEN breast
2 ribs of CELERY
1 small red ONION
1 cup GRAPES
1/2 cup PECANS
1/2 golden delicious APPLE
1 tsp. DILL WEED
1 oz. fresh parmesan CHEESE
1 clove GARLIC
1 cup Hellmann's light MAYO


DIRECTIONS:
Place chicken breast in a large pot of water. Add 1 tsp. of salt, pepper and season all. Boil for 30 minutes until cooked. Then drain and put in refrigerator to cool. I like to just run it under cold water to speed things up. Chop celery, pecans, onion and cooled chicken. Peel, core and chop apple. Add to a large bowl. I like to squeeze the juice from the celery, apple and especially the onion prior to adding them in the bowl to keep it from having too much liquid. Add grapes halved, dill weed, parmesan cheese, pressed garlic and mayo. Mix with a large spatula until blended.


SERVING OPTIONS:
For a MEAL, use chicken salad as stuffing for croissants.
For an APPETIZER, Place a bread bowl on a platter, line the bowl with green leafy lettuce and encircle with club crackers.

Adams peanut butter cup ripple cheesecake

This is a picture of the first layer you will add another layer of cheesecake and toppings again and bake! I would of taken a picture of the finished product... but it's gone! It is SO yummy!!!

Adams peanut butter cup ripple cheesecake

For the Crust:4 1/2 cups crushed Oreo cookies1/2 cup melted butter

For the Filling:
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup chocolate fudge topping, divided
6 peanut butter cups, cut into small wedges
6 butterfinger, chopped

Crush Oreos in a food processor. Add melted butter and mix well. Press onto bottom and up 1" sides of a 10" springform pan. Bake at 350 for 6 minutes.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and sour cream until smooth. Add eggs and beat on low speed till combined. Stir in vanilla. Pour half of cream cheese batter over crust. Microwave half of the hot fudge topping till pourable, but not hot. Drizzle this over the cheesecake batter. Sprinkle with half of your peanut butter cups and butterfinger. Pour the rest of your cheesecake batter over the peanut butter cups and butterfinger. Then top with remaining peanut butter cups and butterfinger, pressing down on them a little.

Bake at 350 for 55-60 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen but do not remove sides. Cool 1 hour longer on wire rack. Microwave remaining fudge topping and drizzle over top of cheesecake. Refrigerate overnight. Garnish with more peanut butter cups if desired.

This is sooo good! Add as much hot fudge, and peanut butter cups and butterfinger as you think looks good. I think I added more of each of these ingredients. Enjoy!

Rustic Plum Tart

For the crust:
1 cup flour,plus a little more for the work surface
1/4 cup yellow corn meal
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
(I didn't have unsalted butter so I used regular butter and omitted the 1/2 teas. salt)

For the filling:
1 1/2 lbs of plums, pitted and sliced
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon flour
1 egg yolk mixed with 1 teaspoon of water (egg wash)

Make the crust: In a food processor , pulse flour, cornmeal, sugar, and salt several times to combine. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces remaining. Add 2 tablespoons ice water; pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed. (If needed, add up to 2 tablespoons more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time.) Do not over mix.
Turn dough out onto a floured work surface; knead once or twice. Flatten dough into a disk; wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Flour a large (about 16 inches long) piece of parchment paper. Place dough on paper. Using your knuckles, press edges of dough so it doesn't crack during rolling. Lightly flour top of dough to prevent sticking; roll out to a 14-inch round. Transfer dough (still on parchment) to prepared baking sheet.
Make the filling and bake: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, toss together plums, sugar, and flour. Mound plum mixture in center of prepared crust, leaving a 2-inch border all around. Fold border over fruit in a pleated pattern. Brush dough with egg wash. (I then sprinkled a little more sugar on the crust to make it extra yummy)
Bake tart until crust is brown and filling is bubbling (see note), about 45 minutes. Transfer baking sheet to a rack; let cool 20 minutes. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature.

FYI - I don't have a food processor so I just used a pastry blender. It worked perfectly!

Note:Filling often bubbles out through small openings in the edge of the crust during baking, so don't worry if a little juice ends up on the baking sheet; line it with foil for easy cleanup.

Orange Julius

1 can (6oz) frozen orange juice concentrate (or less)
1 c. milk
1 c. water
1/3 c. sugar (or less)
2-3 Tbsp. powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
about 9 ice cubes

In a blender, blend all ingredients except ice. Slowly add ice cubes one at a time until it reaches a "smoothie" consistency. Serve immediately.
(*If you are adding frozen fruit, add a little at a time BEFORE adding ice cubes. If using fresh fruit, add at the very beginning when you are blending everything else.)

Sugar Baked Beans

1/2 lb bacon diced
4 onions diced
1/4 c mustard
1/8 tsp garlic
1/2 c vinegar
1 c brown sugar
Simmer above ingredients for 20 mins then pour over beans mixture

Beans:
1 can kidney beans
1 can butter beans
1 can lima beans
drain above cans then add
1 can tomato sauce
2 medium cans pork and beans (undrained)

Bake 1 hour at 350 or crock pot on high for 4 hours

Spinach Strawberry Salad

This is one of my favorite salads (as you can tell by the half empty salad dressing bottle). It's quick and easy AND my husband even likes it which is an added bonus because it's healthy too! Here is what you need:

Spinach

Strawberries

Chicken

Poppy seeds (I add them to my salad dressing but if you don't have them it doesn't make that big of a difference.)

Balsamic Vinaigrette (I found a really good one at Costco by the fancy cheeses it's made by "Cindy Kitchen"). Or if you want to make your own here is a recipe I found on the allrecipes.com:

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Enjoy!!!

Carmel Popcorn

13 Big Marshmellows
1/2 C. Margarine
1/2 C. Brown Sugar
1/8 tsp Baking Soda
1 Bg of Popped Popcorn

Pop your popcorn and set aside. In a bowl add your marshmellows, margarine, brown sugar. Microwave for 1 1/2 minutes. Stir. Microwave for another 1 min. Add baking soda and microwave for 4 seconds. Pour over the popcorn.

Cafe Rio Burritos

3 chicken Breasts cooked
12 Flour Toritillas
1 Can Green Enchilada Sauce
Cheese
1 box Zatarans Rice and Beans Mix

Cook your Zatarans Rice and Beans according to the directions on the box. While that is cooking cook your chicken and shred. Mix your chicken and rice and beans together. Divide mixture into 12 Flour Toritillas with seam side down. Pour your Green Enchiliada Sauce over the top and add cheese. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

Savory Stuffed Mushrooms

For our enrichment last night we were challenged to bring a recipe that was made with five items or less. That was a little bit harder than I thought it would be. Anyway, I found this.

Ingredients:

12 large mushrooms or about 20 smaller ones
6 oz. mild sausage
3 Tbs. seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 Cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 teas. dried parsley


Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a large baking sheet. Remove and chop mushroom stems, reserving caps.
Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat; add sausage. Cook until browned and crumbly, about 5 minutes; drain. Stir in chopped mushroom stems, bread crumbs, and 1/4 cup mozzarella into skillet. Remove from heat. Spoon sausage mixture into mushroom caps. Arrange stuffed mushrooms on prepared baking sheet. Top mushrooms with remaining mozzarella. Bake about 15 minutes. Place on a serving platter and garnish with parsley.

* For extra cheese flavor, add 3 Tbs. grated parmesan cheese to the filling. I didn't do this because then it would be 6 ingredients and that is unacceptable! =)

Tropical Fruit Salad

This is the sauce that I used on the fruit at bunco. However, I didn't follow the recipe when it came to the amount of fruit or which fruit to use.

2 bananas, sliced
2 cups fresh pineapple chunks
2 oranges, peeled and chunked
2 medium apples, chopped
1 cup sliced strawberries

½ cup thawed frozen limeade concentrate
½ cup honey
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon poppy seeds or papaya seeds

Combine all fruit in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together limeade, honey and oil until well blended. Stir in seeds. Pour over fruit salad and gently mix together. Serve immediately. You can also add ½ cup slivered almonds for an added crunch just before serving.

Grilled Pineapple Up-side Down Cake

This recipe was so super easy and fast and delicious!

The sauce caramelizes on the BBQ...yummy!

Ingredients:

1 small pineapple cut into wedges (canned pineapple is okay too)
32 maraschino cherries
3/4 c. butter (1 1/2 sticks)
1 1/4 c. packed brown sugar
3 Tbs. lemon juice
1 pound cake (10.75 oz) cut into 8 slices (Wayne found individual pound cakes near wal-marts bakery)
whipped cream
16 skewers


*Make sauce in small saucepan - butter, sugar, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil and simmer until slightly thickened (about 5 minutes)
*Brush both sides of cake slices with sauce and grill for 1-2 minutes, until grill marked and warmed.
* Grill fruit on skewers for 2 minutes or until warm and grill marked
* Top cake with 2 skewers and drizzle with more sauce and a dollop of whipped cream

Note to self - if I ever take a photo of anything on the BBQ again.....let out the smoke before taking the photo so it doesn't fog up the camera lens =)

Italian Sodas

1 bottle of Torani flavored syrup (usually in coffee/tea aisle)
2 liter bottle of Sprite (any brand works)
Quart of Half & Half

Pour half & half into a pitcher about 2/3-3/4 full. Pour in Torani and Sprite to taste. If you need more flavor, add more syrup and/or sprite, if you want it creamier add more half & half.
Good syrup flavor combinations: peach & vanilla or raspberry & vanilla, it tastes like peaches and cream, or raspberry cream. Or you can do flavors by themselves. Just play around with it. You can also make them individually in a tall glass if you are offering different flavor options. I get the Torani from Albertsons or Harmons. So far WalMart doesn't carry this brand. I haven't tried it with other brands.

Crock Pot Cream Cheese Chicken

Cream Cheese Chicken

6-8 boneless chicken breasts, fresh or frozen
1 cube margarine
1 package Good Seasonings Italian dressing mix
1-2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 8 oz. brick cream cheese
1/2 cup water if using fresh chicken (not frozen)
1 pkg bowtie or egg noodles, or rice, or potatoes

Slice margarine cube and spread around the bottom of the crock pot. Sprinkle dressing mix on chicken, both sides. Cook in crock pot 5-6 hours on low, 3-4 hours on high. Leave the cream cheese out all day (covered) so it's really soft and mix it really well with the soup. After the chicken is done cooking, if there is a lot of liquid you can drain some of it, (I usually leave most of it and may add a 2nd can of cream of chicken so there is more sauce) and spoon soup mixture over it. Cook for additional 30 minutes or until soup is heated through. Serve with rice, pasta or potatoes. So Yummy!!! (Sorry I don't have a picture to post...still don't have a digital camera...)

Merinade

1 c. soy sauce
2 c. sprite
1 squirt lemon juice
1\4 tsp garlic salt
1\3 c. veg. oil
2 Tbsp Red Hot (by Tabasco sauce)
onion cut into pieces
mix and place meat in and let sit for anywhere from 3 hrs to overnight. Excellent on BBQ Venison and chicken

Sticky Rolls

2 frozen Bread loafs
thaw for 20 min then cut into walnut size pieces. Dip into mixture of
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
then make a mixture of
1 c. brown sugar
1 stick butter
1 pkg butterscotch pudding ( cooked no instant! )
place rolls in well greased bunt cake pan or two loaf pans refrigerate over night. In morning let rise 1-1 1\2 hrs then bake at 350 for 30-40 min

Coffee Cake

2 c. bisquick
2\3 c. milk or water
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 egg
Mix and pour in pie plate.
Topping:
1\3 c. bisquick
1\3 c. brown sugar
1\2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. margarine ( do not melt cut in )
( I usually double my topping I like a lot)
Mix until crumbly sprinkle on top and bake at 375 for 18-20 min

Cauliflower Salad

1 head lettuce chopped
1\2 head cauliflower chopped
4 oz mozzarella cheese grated
mix and refrigerate until right before serving then add sauce
Sauce:
1 C mayo
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp bacon bits
2 c. grated parmesan cheese
Mix well

Chicken Spinach Salad

Salad
1 6 oz bag baby spinach leaves
1 12 oz pkg broccoli slaw
1 med cucumber
1 sm red pepper
Chicken mixture
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
1\4 c. fresh basil cut up
1\4 c. chopped peanuts
cook in a little bit of oil til chicken is done
Dressing
3\4 c. poppy seed dressing
2 garlic cloves
1 1in piece of gingerroot chopped and juice squeezed out in dressing
mix well pour a little bit over chicken while cooking.
Mix all mixtures and serve

Easy Chicken Enchilada Cassarole

4-6 c. cooked and diced chicken
1 lg. Can cream of chicken soup
1 4oz can diced green chillies
½ c. milk
12 corn tortillas torn into pieces
1 c. grated cheese
Mix first 4 ing. Pour over tortillas in cassarole stir until coated . Bake at 350 for 30 min. Remove and top with cheese , bake another 5-10 min. until cheese is melted. The other way I do it is just leaving tortillas whole and layering like lasagna.

Corn Salsa

1 bunch green onions
1 bunch cilantro
2 avocados
2 tomatoes
1 can black-eyed peas including juice
1 bag frozen sweet corn
1 envelope italian dressing
1\4 c. vinegar
wash and chop green onions, cilantro, dice tomatoes, cube avacados, stir in peas, corn vinegar and dressing mix. Serve with tortilla chips

Twisted Peanut Buter Cups

Holy Cow! These are so sinfully delicious. The granola on top adds just the right amount of crunch and the filling is so creamy.

You've gotta try these!

Twisted Peanut Butter Cups

Adapted from Pillsbury Best of the Bake-Off Winner Cookbook
24 cookie cups

Ingredients:

1 roll (16.5 oz) refrigerated peanut butter cookie dough(you can also make a homemade recipe or use a bag mix)
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
2 oats n honey crunchy granola bars (I used Nature Valley), crushed (3/4 cup)


Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 24 mini muffin cups with cooking spray. Cut cookie dough into 24 slices. Press 1 slice in bottom and up side of each mini muffin cup (dust fingers with flour or dip fingers in water if necessary).

Bake 10-15 minutes or until edges are deep golden brown. Cool in pans on wire racks 5 minutes. With tip of handle of wooden spoon or with a small baby spoon, press dough down in center of each cup to make room for 2 tablespoons of filling.
In 2 quart saucepan, melt white chips and 3/4 cup of the peanut butter over low heat, stirring constantly. Divide mixture evenly into cookie cups (about 1 tablespoon each). Refrigerate for 10 minutes.

In same saucepan, melt chocolate chips and remaining 3/4 cup peanut butter over low heat, stirring constantly. Divide chocolate mixture evenly on top of the white chocolate mixture in each cup (about 1 tablespoon each).

Sprinkle crushed granola bars over top of each. Refrigerate until set, about 1 hour. Remove from muffin cups before serving.

Cheesecake Pops

This has to be the BEST dessert I have ever made! It's cheesecake on a stick dipped in chocolate and yummy toppings. My favorite was the cookies n' cream one. The Heath bar one was my second favorite. I basically did the yellow one just for looks. It wasn't nearly as irresistible as the other two.

Cheesecake Pops
Makes 30 – 40 Pops

Ingredients:
5 8-oz. packages cream cheese at room temperature
2 cups sugar
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
5 large eggs
2 egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ cup heavy cream
Boiling water as needed
Thirty to forty 8-inch lollipop sticks
1 pound chocolate, finely chopped – you can use all one kind or half and half of dark, milk, or white (Alternately, you can use 1 pound of flavored coatings, also known as summer coating, confectionary coating or wafer chocolate – candy supply stores carry colors, as well as the three kinds of chocolate.)2 tablespoons vegetable shortening(Note: White chocolate is harder to use this way, but not impossible)Assorted decorations such as chopped nuts, colored jimmies, crushed peppermints, mini chocolate chips, sanding sugars, dragees) - Optional


Directions:
Position oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Set some water to boil.
In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, flour, and salt until smooth. If using a mixer, mix on low speed. Add the whole eggs and the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well (but still at low speed) after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and cream.
Grease a 10-inch cake pan or a 8x11 glass casserole pan (not a springform pan), and pour the batter into the cake pan. Place the pan in a larger roasting pan. Fill the roasting pan with the boiling water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake until the cheesecake is firm and slightly golden on top, 1 hour 10 minutes.
Remove the cheesecake from the water bath and cool to room temperature. Cover the cheesecake with plastic wrap and refrigerate until very cold, at least 3 hours or up to overnight.

When the cheesecake is cold and very firm, scoop the cheesecake into 2-ounce balls and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Carefully insert a lollipop stick into each cheesecake ball. Freeze the cheesecake pops, uncovered, until very hard, at least 1 – 2 hours.

When the cheesecake pops are frozen and ready for dipping, prepare the chocolate. In the top of a double boiler, set over simmering water, or in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, heat half the chocolate and half the shortening, stirring often, until chocolate is melted and chocolate and shortening are combined. Stir until completely smooth. Do not heat the chocolate too much or your chocolate will lose it’s shine after it has dried. Save the rest of the chocolate and shortening for later dipping, or use another type of chocolate for variety.
Alternately, you can microwave the same amount of chocolate coating pieces on high at 30 second intervals, stirring until smooth.
Quickly dip a frozen cheesecake pop in the melted chocolate, swirling quickly to coat it completely. Shake off any excess into the melted chocolate. If you like, you can now roll the pops quickly in optional decorations. You can also drizzle them with a contrasting color of melted chocolate (dark chocolate drizzled over milk chocolate or white chocolate over dark chocolate, etc.) Place the pop on a clean parchment paper-lined baking sheet to set. Repeat with remaining pops, melting more chocolate and shortening (or confectionery chocolate pieces) as needed.
Refrigerate the pops for up to 24 hours, until ready to serve.

*I just used the Wilton's melting chocolate instead of all the fancy options that were in the recipe. You really can't go wrong with the Wilton's. Just don't cook it too long. I microwaved it in a mug instead of a double boiler for 30 seconds - stir - and another 10-30 seconds.

Chocolate Truffles

8 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
½ cup heavy cream
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
½ cup cocoa powder

Chop the chocolate into small pieces and put it in a heat-proof bowl. In a small saucepan, bring the cream just to a simmer., then pour it over the chocolate in the bowl. Let it stand for about 10 minutes or until the chocolate has melted. Stir until smooth. Cover the mixture and let stand at room temperature for 45 minutes.

Stir in the vanilla. Now beat with a hand mixer until the mixture has lightened in color and holds a soft peak, about 3 minutes. Chill in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes.

Sift the cocoa powder over a baking sheet. To shape the truffles, use 2 spoons (I used 1 tsp measuring spoons) to measure out small lumps of chocolate just as your would drop cookie dough, and drop them onto the cocoa-lined baking sheet. Rub your hands in some cocoa powder to keep the chocolate from sticking. Them pick up one of the lumps of chocolate and lightly roll it between the palms of your hands to a form a ball. Put the truffle back on the baking sheet and roll it in the cocoa powder until it is entirely covered. Do the same with the rest of the truffles. Put all of the truffles on a plate and loosely cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to serve. They will keep for up to a week. Take them out of the fridge 15 minutes before you serve them.

Samoa Girl Scout Cookies

They taste pretty close to the real thing!

Cookie Base:

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup butter, softened

1 large egg

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

First, make the crust.Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan, or line with parchment paper.In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter, until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. Working at a low speed, gradually beat in flour and salt until mixture is crumbly, like wet sand. The dough does not need to come together. Pour crumbly dough into prepared pan and press into an even layer.Bake for 20-25 minutes, until base is set and edges are lightly browned. Cool completely on a wire rack before topping.

Topping:

3 cups shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)

12-oz good-quality chewy caramels

1/4 tsp salt

3 tbsp milk

10 oz. dark or semisweet chocolate (chocolate chips are ok)

Preheat oven to 300. Spread coconut evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet (preferably one with sides) and toast 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until coconut is golden. Cool on baking sheet, stirring occasionally. Set aside.Unwrap the caramels and place in a large microwave-safe bowl with milk and salt. Cook on high for 3-4 minutes, stopping to stir a few times to help the caramel melt. When smooth, fold in toasted coconut with a spatula.Put dollops of the topping all over the shortbread base. Using the spatula, spread topping into an even layer. Let topping set until cooled.When cooled, cut into 30 bars with a large knife or a pizza cutter (it’s easy to get it through the topping).Once bars are cut, melt chocolate in a small bowl. Heat on high in the microwave in 45 second intervals, stirring thoroughly to prevent scorching. Dip the base of each bar into the chocolate and place on a clean piece of parchment or wax paper. Transfer all remaining chocolate (or melt a bit of additional chocolate, if necessary) into a piping bag or a Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off and drizzle bars with chocolate to finish.Let chocolate set completely before storing in an airtight container.

Soft and Chewy Caramel Corn

1 cube butter

1 cup karo syrup

2 2/3 cups brown sugar

In a heavy pan melt butter and coat sides of pan, then add karo and brown sugar. Over medium-high to high heat bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

As soon as it boils add:

1 can Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk

Stir well, turn down heat (medium to medium high), so that it keeps boiling but doesn't scorch. Cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and stir in:

1 tsp vanilla

Pour over 3 gallons of popcorn

***I put the popcorn in a paper bag and then add the carmel. Close the top and start to SHAKE, SHAKE, SHAKE. By putting it in a paper bag, you can move the popcorn around without getting burned.

Enjoy!!!