The Bannister Butter Broadcast

Tortellini with Vegetables

2012-02-01T19:53:00.005-05:00

This is a great dish that can be used as the main meal or a yummy filling side dish for 180 calories! I did not have zucchini so I substituted frozen broccoli and added a small onion!

Ingredients:

1 package (9 ounces) refrigerated cheese-filled tortellini
1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
1 medium bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces (1 cup)
2 cups chopped roma (plum) tomatoes (6 to 8 medium)
1 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise in half, then cut crosswise into slices (1 1/2 cups)
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

Steps:

1. Cook and drain tortellini as directed on package, using 3-quart saucepan. Wipe out saucepan with paper towel; wipe dry with paper towel.

2. Heat oil in same saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook bell pepper in oil 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until crisp-tender.

3. Stir in tomatoes, zucchini, Italian seasoning and garlic salt. Cover and cook 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until zucchini is tender.

4. Stir in tortellini. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until hot.

Makes 4 servings

Nutrition:

1 Serving (1 Serving)Calories 180 (Calories from Fat 80 ),Total Fat 9 g(Saturated Fat 4 g,Cholesterol 60 mg;Sodium 250 mg;Total Carbohydrate 20 g(Dietary Fiber 3 g,Protein 8 g;Percent Daily Value*:Vitamin A 14.00%;Vitamin C 38.00%;Calcium 12.00%;Iron 10.00%;Exchanges:1 Starch;1 Vegetable;2 Fat;*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Feta Topped Chicken

2012-02-01T19:47:00.002-05:00

I tried this recipe thinking I would not like it and that the chicken would be dry. I couldn't be more wrong on both accounts! It was juicy and delicious and only 200 calories!

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 1/4 lb)
2 tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette dressing
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon seasoned pepper
1 large roma (plum) tomato, cut into 8 slices
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (1 oz)

Steps:

1. Set oven control to broil. Brush both sides of chicken breasts with dressing. Sprinkle both sides with Italian seasoning and seasoned pepper. Place on rack in broiler pan.

2. Broil with tops 4 inches from heat about 10 minutes, turning once, until juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut (170°F). Top with tomato and cheese. Broil 2 to 3 minutes longer or until cheese is lightly browned.

Nutrition:

1 Serving (1 Serving)Calories 200(Calories from Fat 80),Total Fat 9g(Saturated Fat 2 1/2g,Trans Fat 0g),Cholesterol 80mg;Sodium 210mg;Total Carbohydrate 2g(Dietary Fiber 0g,Sugars 1g),Protein 28g;Percent Daily Value*:Vitamin A 4.00%;Vitamin C 2.00%;Calcium 6.00%;Iron 6.00%;Exchanges:0 Starch;0 Fruit;0 Other Carbohydrate;0 Skim Milk;0 Low-Fat Milk;0 Milk;0 Vegetable;4 Very Lean Meat;0 Lean Meat;0 High-Fat Meat;1 1/2 Fat;Carbohydrate Choices:0;*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Cheesy Beef Corn Chip Skillet

2012-02-01T09:55:00.004-05:00

This recipe is a nice spin on tacos and very similar to a popular concession stand hit "taco in a bag". The calorie count isn't bad either at 270 calories per serving!

Ingredients:

1lb. ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
3/4 cup water
1pkg. (1-1/4 oz.) TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Taco Seasoning Mix
2 cups corn chips
1/4lb. (4 oz.) VELVEETA®, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 cups shredded lettuce
2 tomatoes, chopped
3 chipped green onion
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup salsa

Steps:

1. BROWN meat with onions in large skillet; drain. Add water and seasoning mix; cook as directed on package.

2. COVER meat mixture with chips and VELVEETA; cover. Cook on low heat 5 min. or until VELVEETA is melted.

3. TOP with lettuce, tomatoes, green onions, sour cream and salsa.

Nutrition:

Calories 270 Total fat 15 g Saturated fat 6 g Cholesterol 60 mg Sodium 740 mg Carbohydrate 13 g Dietary fiber 2 g Sugars 4 g Protein 18 g Vitamin A 20 %DV Vitamin C 10 %DV Calcium 20 %DV Iron 15 %DV

Italian Chicken Noodle Soup

2012-02-01T09:36:00.003-05:00

Here is a soup that is a pick me up on a cold winter day and won't break your New Years Resolution at 170 calories per serving! It is quick and easy to make .... and yes, even the guys liked it!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1/2 lb), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 carton (32 oz) Progresso® chicken broth (4 cups)
2 cups water
3 medium carrots, sliced (1 1/2 cups)
2 cups broccoli florets
1 1/2 cups uncooked medium egg noodles
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon garlic-pepper blend
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Steps:

1. In 4-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add chicken. Cook 4 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink in center. Stir in onion. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender.

2. Stir in broth, water and carrots. Heat to boiling. Cook 5 minutes over medium heat. Stir in broccoli, noodles, basil and garlic-pepper blend. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables and noodles are tender.

3. Top each serving with cheese.

Makes 6 servings (1 1/2 cups each)

Nutrition Information:

1 Serving (1 Serving)Calories 170(Calories from Fat 50),Total Fat 6g(Saturated Fat 2g,Trans Fat 0g),Cholesterol 35mg;Sodium 710mg;Total Carbohydrate 13g(Dietary Fiber 2g,Sugars 3g),Protein 15g;Percent Daily Value*:Vitamin A 120.00%;Vitamin C 20.00%;Calcium 10.00%;Iron 8.00%;Exchanges:1 Starch;0 Fruit;0 Other Carbohydrate;0 Skim Milk;0 Low-Fat Milk;0 Milk;0 Vegetable;1 1/2 Very Lean Meat;0 Lean Meat;0 High-Fat Meat;1 Fat;Carbohydrate Choices:1;*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Slop Casserole

2011-11-06T11:14:00.004-05:00

Mom always made this and called it Slop Casserole, however - I found the recipe under Hearty Chicken Pot Pie. James likes this name better because in Texas this is what Pot Pie looks like....unlike the Pot Pie here in PA which he says is really chicken and Dumplings! Regardless, it is a great go to recipe for a quick and hearty dinner.

INGREDIENTS:

2 packages (16 ounces) frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
2 cup cut-up cooked chicken or 4 Chicken Breasts
2 cans (10 3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed cream of celery soup
1/2 cup of half and half
1/2 cup of milk
2 cups Original Bisquick® mix
1 cup milk
2 eggs

INSTRUCTIONS:

Heat oven to 400ºF. Mix vegetables, chicken, half and half, milk and soup in ungreased 2-quart casserole.

Stir remaining ingredients in small bowl with fork/whisk until blended. Pour over casserole.

Bake 30 minutes or until golden brown.

(You can also use shredded roast beef and substitute cream of mushroom soup instead of cream of chicken)

Bacon Wrapped Cheese Stuffed BBQ Grilled Chicken

2011-10-16T10:28:00.005-04:00

Bacon…cheese…chicken…BBQ sauce…all wrapped up together and grilled. What’s not to love about that combination? I got the idea for this chicken from the ingredients in my fridge! If you’re a bacon lover, this is a MUST try on the grill or tailgate food!

Grilled Bacon Wrapped Cheese Stuffed Chicken

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
12 slices of bacon
12-16 slices of cheese – mozzarella, cheddar, colby jack – anything you like! (off of a block of cheese, if you’re using pre-sliced for sandwiches 2 slices)
4 tsp barbecue sauce, plus extra for serving
Grilling rub of your choice or seasoned salt
Toothpicks, soaked in water (optional, to prevent excessive burning while grilling)

Directions:

Preheat grill to 350 degrees.

Pound out chicken breasts (in a plastic bag or between two sheets of wax paper) to about 1/4 inch thickness. Coat the top of chicken with grill rub. Turn over so rub side is down on work surface. Spread one teaspoon of barbeque sauce in a thin layer over each chicken breast. Layer cheese in the middle of the chicken. Roll chicken tightly. Wrap with bacon, using as many slices of bacon as you need and using toothpicks to hold bacon in place.

Grill for 20-25 minutes, turning every 4-5 minutes or until internal temperature of chicken breast has reached 165 degrees.

Remove toothpicks and serve with barbecue sauce on the side.

Yield: 4
servings

Spaghetti with Fresh Veggies

2011-08-09T14:53:00.003-04:00

I get cravings to use up the fresh veggies of the summer, this is a crisp and tasty pasta dish with crunchy snow peas, sweet cherry tomatoes, mushrooms and onions. It is also good without the pasta if you want to cut down on carbs. Look into also adding some grilled chicken or shrimp with salt pepper and a pinch of coriander for a nice additional treat mixed with this dish.

Ingredients:

1/2 box of spaghetti/linguine or fettuccine
1 onion, peeled and finely sliced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half or into thirds
1 cup snow peas, top & tailed
1.5 cups button mushrooms finely sliced
fresh basil chopped
fresh parsley chopped fine
Olive oil (3 teaspoons)
butter
Salt & Pepper
Parmesan Cheese

Prep Time: 15mins
Cooking Time: less than 15 mins

How to Make:

STEP 1: boil a pan of salted water and cook the spaghetti according to the instructions

STEP 2: heat the olive oil and lightly saute the onions with a pinch of salt until soft or slightly brown

STEP 3: add the butter and mushrooms followed by some ground black pepper

STEP 4: cook the mushrooms until reduced to half the size

STEP 5: add the snow peas and a little olive oil to coat the vegetables

STEP 6: add the cooked, drained spaghetti and mix throughly to coat the spaghetti with the ingredients

STEP 7: continue frying for about 30seconds to mix the oil in

STEP 8: remove from the heat, add the tomatoes, fresh herbs, cheese and mix

STEP 9: serve immediately

James' Famous Lemon Cheesecake

2011-07-22T13:21:00.006-04:00

I know it says lemon cheesecake but even with 1/2 cup of lemon juice it isn't so strong that you cannot add any of your favorite toppings. James has been making this tasty treat for years! It is the best no bake cheesecake recipe I have ever tasted! It is really good by itself or we love blueberry and cherry pie filling!

James' Graham Cracker Crust
1 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers (1 small wrapped package out of the box)
1/3 cup melted butter
3 tbsp sugar

Mix well, press into pie pan, bake for 10 min at 350 degrees.
Now you are ready to fill it!

James' Famous Lemon Cheesecake

Ingredients:
1 8oz package cream cheese
1 1/3 cup of Eagle Brand Milk
1/2 cup of lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
Soften and whip cream cheese until fluffy.
Add Eagle Brand milk and beat well.
Add lemon juice and vanilla, blend.
Pour into crust.
CHILL WELL.
Then add your favorite topping(I like blueberry!) and enjoy!

Mini Cheesecakes

2011-07-22T11:38:00.004-04:00

This is an awesome little desert with BBQ burgers and fresh cut fries! :o) It is what we will be making tonight!!

INGREDIENTS:
1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 tablespoon margarine, melted

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese,
softened
1/4 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a 6 cup muffin pan.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and margarine with a fork until combined. Measure a rounded tablespoon of the mixture into the bottom of each muffin cup, pressing firmly. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 5 minutes, then remove to cool. Keep the oven on.
3. Beat together the cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla until fluffy. Mix in the egg.
4. Pour the cream cheese mixture into the muffin cups, filling each until 3/4 full. Bake at 325 degrees F for 25 minutes. Cool completely in pan before removing. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Bannister Baked Ziti

2011-07-11T16:10:00.009-04:00

This is a great pasta dish I like to serve the boys before their basketball games! It was also Justin's choice meal when he graduated boot camp!

Ingredients

1 pound of lean ground beef
1 medium onion
1 clove of garlic
1 (32 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce(more or less depending on how much sauce you like!)
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
1 (16 ounce) package ziti/penne pasta
1 tablespoon salt
24 ounces ricotta cheese
1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded asiago cheese
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Brown ground beef with onion, garlic, 1 tablespoon of garlic powder and 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning. when the beef is browned add 1 1/2 of the spaghetti sauce.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add ziti/penne and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and rinse. In a medium bowl, mix ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, asiago cheese, egg, 1 tablespoon of garlic powder and 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning. Once the cheese mixture is combined, add the cooked ziti/penne pasta to the cheese mixture.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish and spoon in enough (1/4 of the sauce) spaghetti sauce to cover the bottom of the casserole dish.

Spoon half the pasta/cheese mixture into casserole dish and pat down. Layer 1/2 the beef/sauce mixture over the pasta/cheese mixture, pat down. Repeat. Topping with remaining spaghetti sauce, followed by Parmesan cheese.

Bake in preheated oven for 50 minutes covered; then 15 minutes uncovered, let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Chicken Stuffed Shells

2011-07-11T15:51:00.006-04:00

This recipe was given to me by one of my fellow teachers...she swore that this recipe was a keeper. I gave it a try and it has been a go-to recipe ever since!

Ingredients
1 lg. box stuffing shells, cooked
4 breasts chicken, cooked and chopped
2 boxes Stove Top stuffing
3/4 c. mayonnaise
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can milk

Directions
Prepare stuffing according to directions on box. Mix chicken in stuffing with mayonnaise. Stuff chicken mixture into the cooked shells. Mix soup with milk and pour over stuffed shells. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Fiesta Enchiladas

2011-05-08T11:03:00.004-04:00

A quick and easy recipe I found to make on Cinco De Mayo and it was so good it is now in the "keeper" file! Enjoy!

Fiesta Enchilada Casserole

INGREDIENTS
1 pound ground beef
3/4 c. chopped onion
1 1/2 c. chopped peppers, mixed red and yellow bells
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
2 cans pinto beans, undrained (about 2 1/2 c.)
2 6-oz. cans tomato paste
8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 dozen flour tortillas
nonstick cooking spray

DIRECTIONS
Brown ground beef in large pan until cooked through. Add peppers and onions, cook about 5 minutes until soft. Add spices, salt and pepper. Add beans with liquid and tomato paste, stir, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Combine both cheeses on a sheet of waxed paper. Spray bottom and sides of a 13x9x2' cake pan with nonstick spray, and cover bottom of dish with flour tortillas. Top with 1/3 of the meat mixture and 1/3 of the cheese, and more flour tortillas. Repeat the layers twice, ending with cheese topping.

Bake in 350 degree oven 30-45 minutes until edges are brown and the casserole is bubbling. Cut into squares and serve with garnish: sour cream, shredded iceberg lettuce, salsa, guacamole, and/or chopped tomatoes. Serves 8 or 10.

Poppy Seed Chicken

2011-01-23T17:35:00.004-05:00

My guys are not fans of chicken, unless its fried. Therefore, if I plan on making chicken once or twice a week, I have to BRING IT, otherwise my crowd will not be pleased. This is an interesting recipe I had first at our family cabin during Labor Day weekend. Now, most pictures show this being served over rice or noodles but we like it plain and it saves on carbs! When you make this serve it with a green veggie like brussel sprouts, broccoli, or green beans.

4 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless, cubed
1 16 oz container sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup or cream of celery soup
1 1/2 sleeve snack crackers (Ritz or Club), crushed
1 tbsp poppy seed(plus some for garnish)
1/2 cup butter, melted

Precook chicken breasts in boiling water until thoroughly cooked. Remove breasts from water. (save the broth for other things!)

Mix together sour cream, cream of chicken soup and cream of mushroom (or cream of celery) soup, one sleeve of crackers and chicken. Spread in greased casserole dish. Cover with 1/2 sleeve of crushed snack crackers. Sprinkle poppy seed on top. Drizzle melted butter on top.

Place in preheated 350°F oven until warmed through and bubbly, about 20-25 minutes.

Crockpot White Chicken Chili

2011-01-17T13:25:00.004-05:00

This recipe smells amazing while it cooks. For a quicker version, just boil the cubed chicken first, drain and add to the rest of the ingredients. Serve with cornbread!

Crockpot White Chicken Chili

4 chicken breasts, cubed (from freezer)
1 cup onion, chopped, cooked (from freezer)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 Tsp ground cumin
1 Tsp oregano
1/2 Tsp salt
1/4 Tsp Tabasco sauce
2 (15 oz. each) cans great northern beans, drained, rinsed
1 (12-15 oz.) can corn, drained
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro, optional

Mix onion, garlic, chicken broth, cumin, oregano, salt and Tabasco in 3 1/2 to 6-quart crockpot. Add cubed chicken breasts. Cover and cook on low for 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 hours, or until chicken is tender (this may vary depending on how hot your crockpot cooks). Stir in beans, corn, and cilantro, if using. Cover and cook on low 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Slow Cooker Pear and Cherry Buckle

2010-12-29T12:15:00.007-05:00

I was super sick with a nasty nasal cold, I needed to make something for our family late Christmas dinner. Saw this on TV, I had all the ingredients, it was EASY and AWESOME!

Pear and Cherry Buckle
Recipe courtesy Sandra Lee

Prep Time: 10 min Inactive Prep Time:--Cook Time: 4-6 hr
Level: Easy
Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients
1 (26-ounce) can cherry pie filling
2 (15-ounce) cans diced pears in syrup
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 (18.25-ounce) box yellow cake mix
1 stick butter, cut into small pieces
1 (1.19-ounce) packet maple and brown sugar instant oatmeal
1/4 cup sliced almonds
Whipped topping, for serving
Directions
Spray a 5-quart slow cooker with butter-flavored cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine pie filling, pears, and almond extract. Pour into prepared slow cooker. Sprinkle cake mix over fruit mixture. Dot with butter. In a small bowl, combine oatmeal packet and almonds. Sprinkle over cake mixture.

IMPORTANT: Place 8 paper towels over slow cooker bowl and under the lid, then secure with lid. (This helps to trap steam.) Cook on LOW setting for 4 to 6 hours. Do not lift lid to check cake for the first 3 hours.

Serve warm with whipped topping.

Tater Tot Casserole

2010-12-29T11:45:00.005-05:00

Okay, this has been a favorite around here for a long time. After all the cooking and baking I have been doing I thought that there had to be a way to kick it up. I knew I would have to improve each layer to make it great. So to the hamburger layer I added cheese soup, half and half and onions. The soup layer I added celery soup and to the tots I added french fried onions! It was awesome and as Paula Dean would say it is a diet dish because it contains NO butter! :o) Enjoy!

Tater Tot Casserole

1 lb. hamburger
1 large onion (chopped)
1 can Cheddar Cheese soup
1/4 c. half and half
2 cans cream soup (any kind you prefer I chose 1 celery and 1 mushroom)
1 lb. pk.of shredded cheddar cheese
1 lg. bag tater tots
12 oz. can of Durkee cheddar onion rings
1 c. milk
1/4 c. sour cream
pinch of parsley
salt and pepper, to taste
Preheat oven to 450°F.

Brown hamburger and drain. Add onion, cook until onions are tender. Add the can of cheddar cheese soup and a 1/4 cup of half and half. Place in the bottom of a well greased 13x9x2 baking dish.

In a bowl, combine the following ingredients:

2 cans cream soup (one celery/one mushroom)
1/4 c. sour cream
1/2 c. milk
parsley
salt and pepper

Mix well and pour over the hamburger. Sprinkle with 1/4 of the shredded cheddar cheese. Cover the top with tater tots. Add the Durkee onion rings and sprinkle with the rest of the shredded cheddar cheese and parsley for garnish. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Then remove foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until browned.

CHICKEN SPINACH CASSEROLE

2010-12-23T21:12:00.013-05:00

Found this recipe on cooks.com, however I knew it needed some tweaking so here is my version. The picture is of the chicken mixture ready to be layered in the casserole dish.

CHICKEN SPINACH CASSEROLE

4 large chicken breasts (boiled and cut into bite side cubes, reserve 1cup of broth)
1 can diced green chilies
1 clove garlic
1 med. onion
2 tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. cumin
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 cans of milk
1 (10 oz.) pkg. spinach leaves
1/2 tsp. salt
1 pt. sour cream
8 oz. corn or tortilla chips (crushed)
2 c. grated cheddar cheese (or your choice)

1. Boil chicken until done and reserve a cup of the broth.

2. Saute butter, garlic, onions and chilies; add cumin - cook 3 minutes. Add a cup of broth, soup, then two cans of milk. Heat through and then add fresh spinach. Cook until leaves wilt. Add salt; simmer until bubbly. Add sour cream and chicken. Heat thoroughly.

Layer crushed chips, chicken mixture and cheese (2 times) in a casserole dish, cover with foil and cook for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove foil and cook until cheese is lightly browned (about 15 minutes).

Enjoy!

My Tuna Casserole

2010-12-01T20:00:00.005-05:00

Of all recipes, my boys think of this as one of their favorites. Even my mother-in-law who hates Tuna casserole, thinks this recipe is a keeper.

Ingredients:

1 box farfalle pasta
4 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion diced
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 cup milk
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1 can Cream of Celery soup
1 1/2 cup cheddar cheese
1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/8 teaspoon pepper
4 cans (approx. 5 ounces each) tuna, drained and flaked
salt, to taste

Preparation:

Heat oven to 350°. Grease a 2 1/2-quart baking dish.
Cook pasta in boiling salted water following package directions; transfer to a colander to drain. Rinse with hot water and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Cook onions and garlic for about 1 minute. Add the milk and cream soups, stirring, until thickened. Add 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese, all the cheddar cheese, pepper, and salt. Stir in the tuna. Mix in the bowtie pasta and stir until blended well.

Transfer to the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese over the top. Bake for 45 minutes, or until browned and bubbly.

Serves 4 to 6. Serve with peas and garlic bread.

Bacon Cheddar Pinwheels

2010-11-27T17:30:00.003-05:00

Bacon-Cheddar Pinwheels

Ranch dressing perks up a crowd-pleasing, cheesy crescent appetizer.
Prep Time: 15 Min
Total Time: 35 Min
Makes: 16

INGREDIENTS:
1can (8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls or 1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations® refrigerated seamless dough sheet
2tablespoons ranch dressing
1/4cup cooked real bacon pieces or 4 slices bacon, crisply cooked, crumbled
1/2cup finely shredded Cheddar cheese (2 oz)
1/4cup chopped green onions (4 medium)

DIRECTIONS:
Heat oven to 350°F.
If using crescent rolls: Unroll dough; separate into 2 long rectangles. Press each into 12x4-inch rectangle, firmly pressing perforations to seal. If using dough sheet: Unroll dough; cut lengthwise into 2 long rectangles. Press each into 12x4-inch rectangle.
Spread dressing over each rectangle to edges. Sprinkle each with bacon, Cheddar cheese and onions.
Starting with one short side, roll up each rectangle; press edge to seal. With serrated knife, cut each roll into 8 slices; place cut side down on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 12 to 17 minutes or until edges are deep golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Serve warm.

Nutritional Information:
1 Serving (1 Appetizer)Calories 80(Calories from Fat 50),Total Fat 6g(Saturated Fat 2g,Trans Fat 1g),Cholesterol 5mg;Sodium 180mg;Total Carbohydrate 6g(Dietary Fiber 0g,Sugars 1g),Protein 2g;Percent Daily Value*:Calcium ;Exchanges:1/2 Starch;0 Fruit;0 Other Carbohydrate;0 Skim Milk;0 Low-Fat Milk;0 Milk;0 Vegetable;0 Very Lean Meat;0 Lean Meat;0 High-Fat Meat;1 Fat;Carbohydrate Choices:1/2;*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Cheesy Potato Soup

2010-11-27T17:25:00.003-05:00

Cheesy Potato Soup

I converted this recipe from a slow cooker recipe....

12 red potatoes, peeled and cubed)
1 cup chopped onion
3 medium stalks celery, diced
1 carton (32-oz) Progresso® chicken broth
1 cup water
3 tablespoons Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 bag (8 oz) shredded American-Cheddar cheese blend (2 cups)
1/4 cup real bacon pieces (from 2.8-oz package)
4 medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup)

In 3- to 4-quart slow cooker, mix potatoes, onion, celery, broth and water.
Cover; cook on Low heat setting 6 to 8 hours.
In small bowl, mix flour into milk; stir into potato mixture. Increase heat setting to High. Cover; cook 20 to 30 minutes or until mixture thickens. Stir in cheese until melted. Garnish individual servings with bacon and green onions. Sprinkle with pepper if desired.
Makes 6 servings (1 1/2 cups each)

Make the Most of This Recipe With Tips From The Betty Crocker® Kitchens
Substitution
Instead of using purchased bacon pieces, cook 2 strips of bacon until crisp, then drain and crumble.
Success
Southern-style hash brown potatoes are diced instead of shredded. These work best in this recipe.

Nutrition Information:
1 Serving (1 Serving)Calories 410(Calories from Fat 140),Total Fat 15g(Saturated Fat 9g,Trans Fat 0g),Cholesterol 45mg;Sodium 1210mg;Total Carbohydrate 50g(Dietary Fiber 5g,Sugars 5g),Protein 19g;Percent Daily Value*:Calcium ;Exchanges:3 1/2 Starch;0 Fruit;0 Other Carbohydrate;0 Skim Milk;0 Low-Fat Milk;0 Milk;0 Vegetable;0 Very Lean Meat;0 Lean Meat;1 High-Fat Meat;1 Fat;Carbohydrate Choices:3;*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Pumpkin Cream Cupcakes

2010-10-25T20:25:00.003-04:00

Made these for my students as a reward for good behavior...they loved them!

what you need
1 pkg. (2-layer size) spice cake mix
1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg

make it
HEAT oven to 350ºF.

PREPARE cake batter as directed on package. Add dry pudding mix and pumpkin; mix well. Spoon into 24 paper-lined muffin cups.

BEAT cream cheese with mixer until creamy. Blend in sugar and egg; spoon over batter.

BAKE 18 to 21 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool 5 min.; remove to wire racks. Cool completely.

kraft kitchens tips
SPECIAL EXTRA
Stir 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg into 1-1/2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping; spread over cooled cupcakes. Keep refrigerated.

Warm Chocolate Pudding Cake

2010-10-25T20:17:00.003-04:00

Made this on Sunday and it was gone on Tuesday!

what you need
1 pkg. (2-layer size) devil's food cake mix
2 pkg. (3.9 oz. each) JELL-O Chocolate Instant Pudding
1/3 cup sugar
2 cups cold milk
1-1/4 cups water
1 cup thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping make it
HEAT oven to 350°F.

PREPARE cake batter as directed on package. Pour into 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.

BEAT dry pudding mixes, sugar, milk and water with whisk 2 min.; pour over batter. Place baking dish on baking sheet.

BAKE 55 min. to 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center of cake layer comes out clean. Cool 20 min. (Sauce will thicken slightly as it cools.) Spoon into serving dishes; top with COOL WHIP.

kraft kitchens tips:

Healthy Living
Save 40 calories per serving by preparing with fat-free milk, JELL-O Chocolate Fat Free Sugar Free Instant Pudding and COOL WHIP LITE Whipped Topping.
Substitute
Prepare using JELL-O Vanilla Instant Pudding.
Note
There is no need to reheat leftovers - this cake is also delicious served cold.
nutritional information
per serving

Calories 300 Total fat 13 g Saturated fat 3.5 g Cholesterol 40 mg Sodium 390 mg Carbohydrate 45 g Dietary fiber 1 g Sugars 31 g Protein 4 g Vitamin A 2 %DV Vitamin C 0 %DV Calcium 8 %DV Iron 8 %DV

"Punker Browners" (aka Pumpkin Brownies)

2010-10-25T20:03:00.005-04:00

I found this recipe and made these when Walker was four years old. He totally loved these unique brownies and called them "punker browners". I lost the recipe some how and just found it this past weekend.I remembered that is was different because they had to be stored in the fridge. He still likes them! :o)

INGREDIENTS:
1 (15 ounce) can solid pack
pumpkin
4 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie
spice
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
FROSTING:
6 tablespoons butter or
margarine, softened
1 (3 ounce) package cream
cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon milk
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups confectioners'
sugar

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a mixing bowl, beat pumpkin, eggs, oil and vanilla until well mixed. Combine dry ingredients; stir into pumpkin mixture and mix well. Pour into a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until brownies test done with a wooden pick. Cool.

2. In a small mixing bowl, beat the butter, cream cheese, vanilla, milk and salt until smooth. Add confectioners' sugar; mix well. Frost brownies. Store in the refrigerator.

CHEESY BEAN DIP

2010-10-03T10:45:00.004-04:00

Took this to Gambles Fall Bash, it was really yummy!!!

CHEESY BEAN DIP

1 lb. ground beef
1 lg. onion
4 cloves crushed garlic
16 oz. jar salsa
16 oz. can refried beans
1 lb. grated Cheddar cheese
1 bag dip sized corn chips

Brown ground beef in a large pan. Discard grease. Add onion and garlic. Cook until onion is done. Stir in salsa and refried beans. Continue cooking until hot. Add Cheddar cheese. Cook and stir until cheese melts and blends in.
If you like spicy food, use the hottest salsa you can find (I use "Salsa Ranchera") and add your favorite hot pepper along with the onions and garlic. Serve with corn chips for dipping.

Memphis Style Mini Burgers (or Memphis Sloppy Joes)

2010-09-12T19:37:00.004-04:00

I used this recipe only I browned the burger n onion and then added the BBQ sauce to make it like a sloppy joe. I used shredded cheddar cheese instead of singles too. I also toasted the buns in the toaster. Walker was my taste tester...he LOVES hmbg BBQ so I was worried he would not like it. He bit into it and looked up with a smile and wide eyes....a hit! LOL! Yummy goodness! And I might add not a bad deal at 250 cal per slide!

what you need
1 lb. Lean ground beef
2 Tbsp. finely chopped red onions
4 KRAFT Singles, halved
8 Slider buns, toasted
1/2 cup Coleslaw
4 slices OSCAR MAYER Bacon, cooked, cut in half
1/3 cup BULL'S-EYE Memphis Style Barbecue Sauce make it
HEAT grill to medium-high heat.

MIX meat and onions; shape into 8 patties. ( I browned the beef and onions and then added half a bottle of Memphis BBQ sauce.

GRILL 3 min. on each side or until done (160ºF), topping with Singles for the last minute.

FILL buns with burgers and remaining ingredients.

kraft kitchens tips
Serving Suggestion
Serve with a cold glass of prepared CRYSTAL LIGHT Iced Tea.
Substitute
Prepare using your favorite variety of BULL'S-EYE or KRAFT Barbecue Sauce.
Substitute
Prepare using split 3-inch soft dinner rolls.
nutritional information
per serving

Calories 260 Total fat 11 g Saturated fat 4 g Cholesterol 50 mg Sodium 480 mg Carbohydrate 23 g Dietary fiber 1 g Sugars 7 g Protein 18 g Vitamin A 4 %DV Vitamin C 4 %DV Calcium 20 %DV Iron 10 %DV K:59194v0:120035

Skillet Meatball Goulash

2010-08-26T18:39:00.004-04:00

Skillet Meatball Goulash

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 (12-oz.) jar beef gravy
1 (14-oz.) can beef broth
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons chili sauce
12 oz. (3 cups) frozen cooked Italian meatballs
8 oz. (3 1/2 cups) uncooked mini lasagna noodles (mafalda)
1/2 cup light sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1. Spray 12-inch nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Heat over medium-high heat until hot. Add bell pepper and onion; cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes or until crisp-tender.
2. Add gravy, broth, water, chili sauce and meatballs; mix well. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium. Cover; cook 5 minutes or until meatballs are thawed.
3. Add uncooked noodles; mix well. Cover; cook about 10 minutes or until noodles are tender and meatballs are thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in sour cream until well blended. Sprinkle with parsley.

Makes 4 (1 3/4-cup) servings

Make the Most of This Recipe With Tips From The Betty Crocker® Kitchens
Recipe Fact
Goulash is a traditional Hungarian recipe of paprika-seasoned beef stew served over buttered noodles and garnished with sour cream. This fast skillet version calls for meatballs and mini lasagna noodles.
Kitchen Tip
To save time, use frozen chopped onion and bell pepper.
Make It Special
For authentic Hungarian flavor, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of paprika to the skillet along with the chili sauce. Garnish each serving with a sprinkling of poppy seed.
Serving Suggestion
Hearty rye bread and deli cabbage salad go well with this Eastern-European-style skillet meal.

Nutrition Information:
1 Serving (1 3/4 Cups)Calories 540(Calories from Fat 145),Total Fat 16g(Saturated Fat 7g,Cholesterol 90mg;Sodium 1760mg;Total Carbohydrate 69g(Dietary Fiber 4g,Sugars 12g),Protein 30g;Percent Daily Value*:Vitamin A 14%;Vitamin C 18%;Calcium 14%;Iron 32%;Exchanges:4 1/2 Starch;4 1/2 Other Carbohydrate;1 Fat;Carbohydrate Choices:4 1/2;*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Game Day Chili

2010-08-15T08:54:00.011-04:00

With football season right around the corner, I wanted to try out this new chili recipe. It didn't disappoint!

Ingredients:

2 pounds ground beef
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 large onion, chopped
1 can (4 ounces) chopped mild green chile peppers, undrained
3 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes, undrained
4 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ancho chili powder, optional
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 can of beef broth
2 tablespoons cornmeal
Preparation:

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef, stirring and breaking up large chunks, until no longer pink. You will probably need to brown the beef in batches. Transfer the ground beef to the slow cooker with the minced garlic, chopped onion, chile peppers, tomatoes, chili powders, cumin, salt, pepper, water or broth, and cornmeal. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 9 hours, checking and stirring about halfway through cooking time. Add a little more water if needed. Serve with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, cornbread and a tossed salad.
Serves 8 to 10.

Whaler Pannini

2010-08-10T13:13:00.009-04:00

I was really bored with regular fish dishes and I really wanted something flavorful for supper. I found several different recipe on line for a fish sandwich so I combined five of them to create this!

1 cup whole milk
2 eggs
1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
4 flounder or tilapia fillets
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons canola or olive oil
4 sesame-seed hamburger buns or any sliced special bread
4 leaves romaine lettuceor spinach leaves
1/2 tomato, sliced
4 slices mild cheese, such as mild cheddar (optional)

For the Dill Mayo:
1 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon dried dillweed
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)

1. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the milk and eggs. In another medium-size bowl, mix together the flour, bread crumbs, and parsley.
2. Season the fish with the salt and pepper.
3. Dredge the fish through the egg mixture, then coat it thoroughly with the flour mixture.
4. In a large sauté pan, immediately heat the oil over medium-high heat. When it is hot but not smoking, add the fillets to the pan. Cook on one side until the batter is light golden brown, about 4 minutes. Carefully turn the fillets and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more. Using a slotted spatula, remove them from the pan and drain on paper towels.
5. Meanwhile, whisk together the dill mayo ingredients (if using).
6. Slice the buns and spread the tartar sauce (if using) on the insides. Place a fillet on each bottom bun, then top with the lettuce, tomato, and cheese, if desired. You can toast the buns prior to making the sandwich or grill it in your pannini maker.

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

2010-08-10T13:08:00.005-04:00

The boys just love these peanut butter cookies with some extra special love ... peanut butter icing!

Ingredients

1 cup butter-flavored shortening
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups flour
2 tsps baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Procedure

In a large mixing bowl, cream shortening, peanut butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla extract.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture and mix well.

Shape dough into 1-in balls and arrange 2-in apart on ungreased baking sheets. Alternatively, use a scoop to form dough. Flatten to around 3/8-in thickness with tines of fork.

Bake at 375 F until golden brown, around 7-8 minutes. Remove and cool in wire racks.

Filling

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup cream cheese
2 cups confectioner’s sugar
1 tsp vanilla sugar
5 to 6 tbsps milk

In a large mixing bowl, beat peanut butter, cream cheese, confectioner’s sugar, vanilla and milk. Add more milk as needed to achieve spreading consistency.

Spread on half of the cookies and top each with another cookie.

Creamy Spinach and Cheese Baked Potatoes

2010-06-21T08:33:00.015-04:00

I saw the Neelys on the Food Network making a Twice Baked Potato with greens. I wanted to try the same recipe only with spinach. The potatoes I had were to small to "twice bake", so I changed and tweaked the recipe to match the ingredients that I had. Turns out my recipe was completely different from the Neelys and so, this is my first official original recipe. The picture is sad at best. :o) I didn't think to take one before we ate so the picture is of the leftovers and I put it on here so cooks would know what the dish should look like. The next time I make this, I will be sure to get a better picture.

Creamy Spinach and Cheese Baked Potatoes
Melissa Bannister

Ingredients
12 medium red potatoes, scrubbed, peeled and quartered
2 tablespoons olive oil OR canola spray
1 stick of butter
sea salt, cracked pepper, garlic powder, sugar

1 tablespoon of butter
1 cup chopped red onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 bag fresh spinach
1/2 cup of half and half
1/2 cup grated Parmesan(or a cheese mixture with parmesan, romano, asiago, provolone), plus extra for topping.
1/4 cup shredded smoked mozzarella, plus extra for topping

Directions
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Spray the bottom of a glass casserole dish with canola oil. Place a few small slabs of butter in the bottom and cover with the chunked potato. Sprinkle the top with the sea salt, cracked pepper, garlic powder, and a pinch of sugar. Throw on a couple more small slabs of butter on top. Tent with foil. Slide them onto the center rack in the oven and bake for 1 hour at 300 degrees, then let them cool slightly as you prepare the next step.

In a heavy-bottomed skillet, melt 1 tbsp of butter with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Once warm, saute the onion, garlic and red pepper flakes until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the fresh spinach and continue sauteing until the spinach is soft and tender. Add 1/2 cup of half and half and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Add a couple pinches of the seasonings salt, pepper, garlic powder. Stir in the Parmesan cheese mixture until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat.

Stir the spinach and cheese mixture into the potatoes and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste. Mash/Mix gently making sure all the potatoes are covered and creamy. Sprinkle the mozzarella and extra Parmesan over the tops of the potatoes. Bake them once more (uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes) to heat through and to melt the cheese. Remove from the oven serve with steak and desired vegetable.

2 Fathers Day recipes

2010-06-16T15:03:00.020-04:00

Here are a couple of recipes for Fathers Day that the Dad in your life may enjoy. I could go into details of how to make your own marinades but on this holiday I like to get out of the kitchen and spend more time with the guys! So, Lawry's marinades to the rescue! First up is a steak and peppers recipe that gives a south of the border taste as the marinade is made with chilies, lime juice and Mexican herbs and spices! The second is a versatile recipe that can go with either steak or chicken.

GRILLED STEAK & PEPPERS WITH CHILE LIME SAUCE

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Marinate Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 16 minutes
Makes: 6 servings.

GRILLED STEAK & PEPPERS WITH CHILE LIME SAUCE

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds boneless beef sirloin steak
1 cup Lawry's® Mexican Chile & Lime Marinade With Lime Juice, divided
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
3 red, yellow and/or green bell peppers, quartered
Directions

1. Place steak in large resealable plastic bag or glass dish. Add 1/2 cup of the marinade; turn to coat well. Refrigerate 30 minutes or longer for extra flavor.

2. Meanwhile, for the Chile Lime Sauce, mix mayonnaise, sour cream, 2 tablespoons of the remaining marinade and cilantro in small bowl; cover. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Remove steak from marinade. Discard any remaining marinade.

3. Grill steak over medium-high heat 6 to 8 minutes per side or until desired doneness. Grill peppers over medium heat 5 to 7 minutes or until tender, turning occasionally. Brushing steak and peppers with remaining marinade halfway through cooking time. Serve sliced steak and peppers with Chile Lime Sauce.

Nutrition Information per serving: Calories 328, Fat 20g, Protein 24g, Carbohydrates 13g, Cholesterol 67mg, Sodium 517mg, Fiber 2g

Next up, a fabulous steak OR chicken recipe that will add a little of the tropics to your dads day dinner so .... hang loose and go Hawaiian. The result is a sweet juicy steak or chicken that tastes even better on a warm summer night. Note: I know the marinade says for pork or chicken ... But when I lived in DC I ate at a restaurant called Houston's and they served the most amazing Hawaiian steak and this marinade comes real close to copying their recipe! ;o)

Hawaiian Sirloin Steak or Hawaiian Chicken Breast

Ingredients:

4 Sirloin steaks or chicken breasts
1 cup of Lawry's Hawaiian Marinade with Tropical Fruit Juice
8 pineapple rings

Directions:
1. Place the steaks or chicken breasts in a glass baking dish or sealable plastic bag. Cover with the marinade and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or as long as overnight.
2. Prepare your grill. If you are using a gas grill set the temperature to medium. If you are using a charcoal barbecue get the coals to the point that white ash is showing and the coals are glowing and are spread out in an even layer.
3. Remove the steaks or chicken from the marinade and place on the grill.
4. Grill for 4 to 6 min per side for medium rare or until chicken breasts are cooked through. Remove and allow them to sit for 2 to 3 minutes before serving to increase the juiciness of the steaks.
5. Grill sliced pineapple about 45 seconds on each side and place 2 on top of each steak or chicken breast.
6. Drizzle some of the remaining marinade over the top.

Serve with sweet potato fries baked in the oven and spinach salad.

SPINACH-CHEESE SWIRLS

2010-06-15T13:59:00.006-04:00

These tempting appetizers look like they're difficult to make...but they're not. They feature a spinach, onion and cheese filling simply rolled up in flaky puff pastry and sliced into pinwheels. The kids seem to like them as well .... because of all the yummy cheese they don't even notice the spinach!

Ingredients

1/2 of a 17.3-ounce package Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet), thawed
1 egg
1 tbsp. water
1/2 cup shredded Muenster cheese or Monterey Jack cheese (I used 1/4cup of each)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 green onion, chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1 pkg. (about 10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained

Directions

Heat the oven to 400°F. Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork or whisk.

Stir the Muenster cheese, Parmesan cheese, onion and garlic powder in a medium bowl.

Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Brush the pastry sheet with the egg mixture. Top with the cheese mixture and spinach. Starting with a short side, roll up like a jelly roll. Cut into 20 (1/2-inch) slices. Place the slices, cut-side down, onto baking sheets. Brush the slices with the egg mixture.

Bake for 15 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown. Remove the pastries from the baking sheets and let cool on wire racks for 10 minutes.

Tip: Make sure to remove as much liquid as you can from the spinach before adding it to the pastry. If it's too wet, it may make the pastry soggy.

Spinach and Potato Frittata

2010-05-10T19:50:00.003-04:00

I had no meat thawed out and did not feel like waiting. I saw I had a bunch of eggs and decided it was time to try an Italian Frittata! Good choice! Quick, easy and soooo yummy!

INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 small red potatoes, sliced
1 cup torn fresh spinach
2 tablespoons sliced green onions
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
salt and pepper to taste
6 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Place potatoes in the skillet, cover, and cook about 10 minutes, until tender but firm. Mix in spinach, green onions, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking 1 to 2 minutes, until spinach is wilted.
2. In a medium bowl, beat together eggs and milk. Pour into the skillet over the vegetables. Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 5 to 7 minutes, or until eggs are firm. Enjoy!

THE WINNER! Chocolate Chip Cookie

2010-04-02T13:36:00.003-04:00

After trying dozens of chocolate chip cookie recipes, I believe I found the winner! These puffed up like they are supposed to, are gooey inside, and taste unbelievable. I am going to post the recipe as it was written HOWEVER, I would back off of the sea salt to 1/2 teaspoon instead of one teaspoon. ENJOY!

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups (12 oz) all-purpose flour *If at all possible, please weigh the flour

1 tsp. smallish-medium coarse sea salt *please do not use table salt, the sea salt gives the cookies a nice flavor and hints of texture. If you only have table salt, use 1/2 tsp. *When using sea salt, you will get small crunchy flecks of salt when you bite into the cookie. If you do not like this taste, go with 1/2 teaspoon of table salt.

1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 cups/16 oz of semi-sweet chocolate chips *I use Nestle Toll-House

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 360 degrees. Cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar until it is nice and fluffy (approx. 5 minutes on medium speed on a K-5). Add both eggs and vanilla and beat for an additional 2 minutes. Add baking soda, baking powder, salt, and flour until cookie batter is fully incorporated. Finally add chocolate chips until well distributed. The cookie batter should be somewhat thick. Drop about 2 tablespoons of dough or use a medium cookie scoop and plop the batter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 12-14 minutes until the edges are nice and golden brown. Remove from heat and allow the cookies to stay on the cookie sheet for an additional 2 minutes. Pick up the parchment paper with the cookies still on top and transfer to a cool non-porous surface. Allow the cookies to cool on the paper for at least 3 minutes before serving.

YUM!

GREAT Steak Marinade!

2010-04-02T13:29:00.004-04:00

SENSATIONAL STEAK MARINADE

1/4 c. soy sauce
3 tbsp. light brown sugar
3 tbsp. vinegar
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1/4 tsp. seasoned pepper
1/3 c. Sprite

Whisk all ingredients together until sugar is properly dissolved. Put steaks in an air tight container, pour marinade over the steak. Marinade for at least one hour on each side. Grill to perfection!

Can also be served as kabobs:
2 green peppers (parboiled)
2 lb. boneless sirloin steak, cut in 1 1/2" cubes
1/2 lb. fresh mushroom caps
Peppers
1 pt. cherry tomatoes
1 sm. fresh pineapple
Combine all ingredients and mix well to make marinade. Put sirloin steak in marinade sauce overnight refrigerator. Turn occasionally. Parboil 2 green peppers, cubed, 1 minute; drain.
Allow meat to come to room temperature. Remove meat from marinade. Pour marinade over mushroom caps, peppers, cherry tomatoes and pineapple. Alternate meat and vegetables on skewers. Grill over medium hot fire 10-15 minutes basting frequently with marinade.

Fried Ice Cream

2010-04-01T14:13:00.004-04:00

Peeps, this is way easier than I ever expected! I made this for our Mexican Gourmet night and everyone really enjoyed it!

FRIED ICE CREAM

1 pt. chocolate or vanilla ice cream (can use any kind of ice cream you desire)
1 beaten egg
1/4 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 c. frosted flakes, crushed
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 beaten egg
1/4 tsp. vanilla
Cooking oil for deep-fat frying
Whipped cream (optional)
Chocolate syrup (optional)
Marachino Cherries (optional)
Mint sprigs (optional)

Place 4 scoops (about 1/2 cup each) of ice cream in a small pan. Freeze for 1 hour or until firm. In a small mixing bowl, stir together egg and vanilla. In a pie plate, carefully stir together cereal and cinnamon. Dip each frozen ice cream ball in the egg mixture, then roll it in cereal mixture. Return coated ice cream balls to pan and freeze for 1 hour or until firm. Reserve remaining cereal mixture.
In a small mixing bowl, stir together egg and vanilla. Remove coated ice cream balls from the freezer. Dip balls in egg mixture, then roll them in remaining cereal mixture. Return to pan. Cover and freeze for several hours or until firm.

In a deep fat fryer or heavy saucepan(I used a sauce pan), fry frozen, coated ice cream balls, 1 or 2 at a time in deep hot oil (375 degrees) for 15 seconds or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Return the fried ice cream balls to the freezer while frying the remaining balls. Serve immediately with whipped cream and garnish with mint, if desired. Makes 4 servings.

SALISBURY STEAK

2010-03-08T16:51:00.009-05:00

I found a really good Salisbury Steak recipe if anyone wants to give it a try! I had the whole meal put together while the cookies baked. All done in less than an hour, including clean up.

SALISBURY STEAK
10 3/4 ounces cream of mushroom soup, condensed
1 1/2 pounds ground beef, lean
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs, or cracker crumbs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 onion, finely chopped
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/3 cup water

I also added some onion soup mix in with the seasonings for extra flavor, with beef it never hurts to kick it up a notch!

Heat oven to 350°F. In medium bowl, combine 1/4 of the soup with remaining ingredients except water; mix well. Shape into 6 patties; arrange in single layer in 13x9-inch or 12x8-inch baking dish. Bake uncovered at 350°F. for 30 minutes. Skim off fat.

In small bowl, combine remaining soup and water; spoon over patties. Return to oven and bake for 10 minutes. If desired, garnish with mushroom slices.

Serve with mashed or fried potatoes, green beans (with Catalina dressing) and biscuits!

Peanut Butter cookies with Nutella chocolate spread for desert!

Peanut Butter Cookies

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
1 1/4 cups white sugar
1 cup butter, softened
3 eggs
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:
1.Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
2.In a medium bowl, combine flour, soda, and salt. Mix well with a wire whisk set aside.
3.In a large bowl, blend sugars, using an electric mixer set at medium speed. Add butter, and mix to form a grainy paste, scraping the sides of the bowl. Add eggs, peanut butter and vanilla and mix at medium speed until light and fluffy.
4.Add the flour mixture and mix at low speed until just mixed.
5.Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. With a wet fork gently press cookies in a crisscrossed pattern. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until slightly brown along edges.

SOUPer Bowl Soup

2010-02-07T14:30:00.011-05:00

This soup is so good I couldn't believe that the only seasonings it called for were salt, pepper, and garlic powder! I will admit that the first time I made it ... no one even wanted to try it because they said it didn't look good. Eventually, hunger took over and they had to eat! They all came back for seconds and thirds. Now they ASK me to make it and they call it "THAT" soup. :o) It also is considered a "diet" soup with only 45 calories per cup. I just like all the veggies and the things you can add to it!

Ingredients

1 pound(s) carrots, sliced
3 medium (1 1/2 pounds) onions, chopped
4 stalk(s) celery, sliced
2 large cloves garlic, crushed with press
2 can(s) (28 ounces each) whole tomatoes in juice
1/2 small (1-pound) head green cabbage, thinly sliced
3/4 pound(s) green beans, trimmed and each cut into thirds
1 can(s) (48-ounce) chicken broth
2 can(s) light red kidney beans
1 can black beans
6 cup(s) water
1 teaspoon(s) salt
1/4 teaspoon(s) ground black pepper
1 tbsp garlic power
3 medium (1 1/4 pounds) zucchini, sliced into half-moons
2 bag(s) (6 ounces each) baby spinach leaves

My Additions:
After soup is done, add a couple cooked tortellini and top with shredded parmesan/asiago/romano cheese.

(After soup possible additions)chunk chicken or beef, corn, white kidney beans, chili powder, etc.)

Directions

Coat 12-quart stockpot (or 2 large saucepans) with nonstick cooking spray. Over medium-high heat, add carrots, onions, celery, and garlic; cook 8 minutes or until vegetables soften, stirring occasionally.
Add tomatoes with their liquid, breaking up tomatoes with side of spoon. Add cabbage, green beans, broth, water, salt, and pepper; heat to boiling over high heat, stirring occasionally.
Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Increase heat to high; stir in zucchini and spinach and heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes or until all vegetables are tender.

Nutritional information is based on 1 cup of soup.

Nutritional Information
(per serving)

Calories 45
Total Fat 1g
Saturated Fat 0
Cholesterol 0
Sodium 410mg
Total Carbohydrate 9g
Dietary Fiber 4g
Sugars --
Protein 2g
Calcium --

BBQ Ribs

2010-01-01T19:05:00.013-05:00

I have tried several rib recipes over the years and this one by far made everyone the happiest! Take the time to so these steps and I am sure your family will LOVE you for it!

Kansas City Rib Rub
Ingredients:

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup paprika
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon cayenne
Preparation:

Combine all ingredients together and transfer to an air tight container.

Kansas City Rib Sauce
Ingredients:

1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cayenne
Preparation:

Heat oil in a saucepan. Add garlic and sauté until brown. Add remaining ingredients and reduce heat. Simmer for 15 minutes until thickened.

HOW TO:

First thing, start with a good rack of ribs. Actually start with two. One never seems enough. Once you get the hang of it you can move up to ten, twenty, enough to please the crowd that will gather.:o)

Prepare ribs by washing racks and pealing membrane from the bone side. To remove the membrane, slip a sharp knife under the membrane at one end of the rack and pealing back enough to get a good grip. Try using a paper towel to hold the membrane, then pull. You might need a little practice, but you'll get the hang of it. Once the ribs are prepared, evenly coat with the rub and let sit. You can refrigerate overnight or let sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes while you get the smoker or oven ready.

Basting is an option to making ribs. On one hand it will add more flavor to your ribs and can help keep them moist. On the other you can wash off the rub you've already applied. By using a baste (sometimes called a mop) that contains the seasonings of the rub you already used you will enhance the flavor without washing away the flavor you've already added.

Only add sauces at the very end of the cooking process or after you have removed the ribs from the smoker/oven. Sauces can cause burning or excessive caramelization to foods. I will typically remove the ribs, cut them up and then add the sauce. You might also want to put the sauce on the side for people to add as they see fit. Remember, of course sugar burns at 265 degrees F. (129 degrees C.), well below smoking temperatures, but it is best to leave sauces to the end OR you can cook your ribs slow and LOW to ensure the sugars do not burn.

Ham Pot Pie

2010-01-01T11:40:00.004-05:00

HAM POT PIE
1 sm. bone in ham
7-9 qts. water
7 med. potatoes, peeled & cut into bite size pieces
3 carrots peeled and chopped
3 stalks of celery chopped

Boil ham in water until it falls from bone. Add potatoes to ham and water, cook until tender. While the potatoes are cooking, mix together:

1 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 c. milk
Blend with fork, divide dough in half, roll out thin on floured board. Cut with knife into 1" strips then cut strips diagonally. Drop 1 at a time into boiling broth, potatoes and ham. Stir when you drop each dough piece in so they don't stick together. Do other half of dough the same. Simmer about 20 minutes.

Peanut Butter Blossoms

2009-12-13T18:55:00.006-05:00

My friend Paula wanted me to share these...even though we live to far apart, I can at least share how I made them! :o) Merry Christmas Paula!! I miss you- so hear are some Christmas kisses with PEANUT BUTTER for you and our family! :o)

PEANUT BUTTER BLOSSOMS
1 c. sugar
1 c. butter
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. salt
2 (10 oz. pkg.) Hershey Kisses
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. creamy peanut butter
1/4 c. milk
3 1/2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda

Mix all ingredients above except Kisses. Shape in medium size balls. Roll in sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. Place 1 kiss on each blossom, let cool for a few minutes and transfer to cooling rack.

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE

2009-12-08T13:25:00.008-05:00

Some days,a girl just needs a little chocolate. Today was one of those days...thank goodness to my friend Linda who sent me this yummy recipe!

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE

4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
A small splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug (MicroSafe)

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly.
Pour in the milk and oil and mix well..
Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again.
Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts.
The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!
Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.
EAT ! (this can serve 2 if you want to feel slightly more virtuous).

And why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world?
Because now we are all only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake
at any time of the day or night!

Meatloaf & Baked Mashed Potatos

2009-12-06T14:39:00.014-05:00

Made this on Sunday and put in the fridge for tonight. Turned out very well! The potatoes were really good and creamy!

30 minute mini meatloaves

1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
1/2 lb ground pork
1/2 cup Original Bisquick® mix
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 small onion, finely chopped (1/4 cup)
1 egg

Total Time: 35 min

1. Heat oven to 450°F. In small bowl, stir ketchup and brown sugar until mixed; reserve 1/4 cup for topping. In large bowl, stir remaining ingredients and remaining ketchup mixture until well mixed.
2. Spray 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. Place meat mixture in pan; pat into 12x4-inch rectangle. Cut lengthwise down center and then crosswise into sixths to form 12 loaves. Separate loaves, using spatula, so no edges are touching. Brush loaves with reserved 1/4 cup ketchup mixture.
3. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until loaves are no longer pink in center and meat thermometer inserted in center of loaves reads 160°F.

Do Ahead Garlic Mashed Potatos

3 pounds potatoes (about 9 medium), peeled and cut into pieces
6 cloves garlic, peeled
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup whipping (heavy) cream
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon salt
Dash of pepper

1. In 3-quart saucepan, mix potatoes and garlic; add enough water (salted if desired) to cover. Cover and heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer covered 20 to 25 minutes or until tender; drain. Shake pan with potatoes over low heat to dry. Mash potatoes and garlic in pan with potato masher or electric mixer until no lumps remain.
2. In 1-quart saucepan, heat milk, whipping cream, butter, salt and pepper over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until butter is melted; reserve and refrigerate 1/4 cup mixture. Add remaining milk mixture in small amounts to potatoes, mashing after each addition, until potatoes are light and fluffy. (Amount of milk needed to make potatoes smooth and fluffy depends on kind of potatoes used.)
3. Grease 2-quart casserole. Spoon potatoes into casserole; cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours.
4. Heat oven to 350ºF. Pour reserved milk mixture over potatoes. Bake uncovered 40 to 45 minutes or until hot. Stir potatoes before serving.

Special Touch
If you're not serving gravy with the mashed potatoes, try any of these ideas for perking up your potatoes: • Sprinkle 1 cup crushed herb-seasoned croutons over potatoes. • Sprinkle 1 can (2.8 ounces) French-fried onions over potatoes. • Place purchased pesto in a resealable plastic bag; snip off a tiny corner and drizzle pesto over potatoes. • Sprinkle shredded Parmesan cheese over potatoes.

Saussage Balls

2009-11-29T19:28:00.009-05:00

This is also a PD recipe but she uses hers as an appetizer, we like ours for a meal! I serve them with green beans covered in Kraft Catalina dressing and white rice, Yum, Yum!

SAUSAGE CHEESE BALLS

Ingredients:
2 pkgs. (16 oz. each) Regular Flavor Pork Sausage
16 oz. (4 cups) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons minced garlic (optional)
1-1/2 cups all-purpose baking mix (note: go easy on this ...too much drys up the recipe - when mixture is sticky, you are good to go!)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl; stir well. 2. Form into 1” balls. Place on ungreased baking sheet; bake 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.
3. Remove from oven; cool 5 minutes before removing from pan. Serve with cocktail forks or toothpicks.

Note:
May be prepared ahead and frozen uncooked. To bake from frozen: thaw on baking sheet 15 minutes; bake in preheated oven 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Variation: for firmer texture, add 3 cups baking mix and 2 cups shredded cheese to the ingredients listed above.

Cheeseburger Soup and Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-11-29T18:37:00.012-05:00

I have been making this soup for over 5 years now and the gang still considers it a favorite! It is ok to freeze it and warm up later if you make a larger batch!

Cheeseburger Soup
TasteofHome recipe

Ingredients
1/2 pound ground beef
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup diced celery
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
4 tablespoons butter, divided
3 cups chicken broth
4 cups diced peeled potatoes (1-3/4 pounds)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups (8 ounces) process cheese (Velveeta or shredded cheddar is ok too)
1-1/2 cups milk
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup sour cream
Directions
1. In a 3-qt. saucepan, brown beef; drain and set aside. In the same
saucepan, saute onion, carrots, celery, basil and parsley in 1
tablespoon butter until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add
broth, potatoes and beef; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and
simmer for 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
2. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, melt remaining butter. Add flour; cook
and stir for 3-5 minutes or until bubbly.
3. Add to soup; bring to a
boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
4. Add cheese,milk, salt and pepper; cook and stir until cheese melts. Remove from
the heat; blend in sour cream. Yield: 8 servings (2-1/4 quarts).
Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 cup) equals 330 calories, 18 g fat (11 g saturated fat), 59 mg cholesterol, 1,027 mg sodium, 26 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 15 g protein.
© Taste of Home 2009

Wanted to try the recipe to see if they realy were crispy and chewy .... SUCCESS!
Crispy, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from AllRecipes.com

These cookies have a lower chip-to-dough ratio than our earlier favorites and a thicker, softer thing going on than the consummate cookies, to help you differentiate them. But when I’m looking for a classic cookie, kind of like the old school Toll House recipe but better, even, this is what I go for.

As always with cookies, you can scoop, flash freeze and then freeze the cookies until you’re ready to bake them, or to bake a few off at a time. You can bake them straight from the freezer, adding a few minutes to your baking time, of course, or let them thaw out on a tray for a while.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.

2. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended.

3. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended.

4. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time (for giant cookies) or a tablespoon at a time (for smaller cookies) onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.

5. Bake larger cookies for 15 to 17 minutes, or 10 to 12 minutes for smaller ones (check your cookies before they’re done; depending on your scoop size, your baking time will vary) in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Turkey Day

2009-11-26T18:56:00.011-05:00

Ah Turkey... the coveted sleep inducing meat rarely thought about unless it is November. I used to fear the day that I would have to do the work that encompassed Thanksgiving, but I have to say that it really isn't hard to put together. The secret is in the planning. I prepare the menu, log how long things need to cook/bake and at what temperature, then I note the pots, pans, and casserole dishes that each dish will be prepared in.

The Menu:
Turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, filling, noodles, candied yams, green bean casserole, baked corn, baked apples, cranberry sauce, fruit salad, pies, and cake.

Of course the biggie is the turkey. Most turkeys have directions right on the package. My 20lb bird needed to bake at 325 degrees for 4 hours. I start the turkey so that it is done about 1 1/2 hours before everything else. I like to carve and pull the turkey and plate it ahead of time so that the bones and mess are all cleaned up before company arrives. Today we were eating at 5:30 so the turkey started roasting at 12. I put the bird in the roaster will a cup of water, quartered onions, three peeled and chunked carrots. When the turkey is done, I carve all the meat off and put on a plate and cover with plastic wrap.

James peeled potatoes and cut them into chunks for boiling then mashing. When I mash them I add 1/2 stick of butter and 1 cup of sour cream, salt and pepper. Justin made the green bean casserole. Two packages of green beans, two can of cream of mushroom, one can of cream of chicken, 1 cup of milk, 1 cup of french fried onions, mixed it all together, poured it into a glass casserole dish and topped with french fried onions, baked at 350 for 45 minutes. I made the candied yams by combining the juice from the canned yams,a stick of butter and a cup and a half of brown sugar in a sauce pan untill warm. I poured that over the yams in a glass casserole dish, baked at 350 for 45 minutes. For the stuffing I had 2 bags of regular bread cubes and 2 bags of potato bread cubes and I seasoned them with poultry seasoning. I sautéed two onions and four stalks of celery in a stick of butter, when soft I added 2 cans of chicken broth and a cup of water, poured that over the bread and mixed until cubes were well coated, baked at 350 for 45 minutes. The noodles were boiled in chicken bouillon for 10 minutes, drained and then I add two scoops of gravy. Mom made the deserts and the baked corn. Tara brought rolls and baked apples. It was all so great and we loved eating and saying what we were all thankful for. I was thankful that I was not on Prozac .... yet! Happy Turkey Day Everyone ... now it is nap time ZZzzzzzzzzzzz.

Spanish Rice

2009-11-24T18:35:00.005-05:00

This is one of my quick and easy meals that I learned about from my friend Virginia. I love it because it is similar to a semi-homemade hamburger helper!

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1 onion
1/2 green pepper
1 small can of mild green chilies
1 32oz can of diced tomatoes
2 cups water
3 cups of cheese
1 package of Spanish Rice (with seasoning already in the package)

Directions:
1. Brown the ground beef, add onions, green pepper, green chilies. Let cook until the onions are cooked.
2. Add the package of Spanish rice, pour the tomatoes over top, then the water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes or until rice is tender, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the cheese over top, cover and simmer until melted. Mix thoroughly. Serve with tortilla chips or corn bread.

Enjoy!

Roaster Phobia

2009-11-15T13:25:00.026-05:00

Ok, so it is like the 'ol Perdue commercial ... there had to be an intervention. I had Roaster Phobia. The suggested therapy was to roast every weekend for a month. I took the last three weekends to try a little "creative" experiment. Each weekend I roasted using all the same spices but I switched up the meat. The first week, I roasted chicken, the next weekend I roasted beef and the last I roasted pork, this weekend I am back to chicken.

I don't know what took me so long to do this because it is SO easy and takes very little work.Simply trow it together and watch football or a movie while the oven does the work.

The Seasonings:
salt
pepper
garlic powder
season all
olive oil spray

Veggies:
Onion
Carrots
Celery

Here is what I did. I sprayed the roaster and added two cups of water to the pan. I placed the meat of the week in the roaster and threw in quartered onions, carrots and celery. Then I took the seasonings and sprinkled them generously over the meat. I covered and roasted at 350 degrees for several hours (chicken 3 hours, beef 6 hours, pork 4 hours).

When done, the meat fell off of any bones and the fat melted away. I discarded the veggies, reserved the stock from the chicken and beef and froze it to cook with later (great for soups).

With the chicken, we shredded it, and we took fancy bread and made gourmet paninis with our choice of onions, tomatoes, cheese and spicy mustard/mayo.

With the beef, we shredded it and spread it on half of a 12 inch tortilla, covered with shredded cheddar cheese, sprinkled with paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, and season all then folded it in half (to form a half circle) Then we grilled it in our panini maker, cut it with a pizza cutter into strips or triangles and served with salsa and sour cream or cream cheese with a package of Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mixed in. YUM!

The pork was pulled and shredded as well and served with mashed potatoes, sauerkraut, green beans with tomatoes and Paula Deens Harvest Crunch Apple Pie.

This weekend, I am back to the chicken, roasting it the same as above but this time it was shredded and added to gravy (made from the chicken stock in the roaster) and served over waffles. I also made fried apples. Easy enough to do with butter, cinnamon, sugar and a touch of nutmeg in a cast iron skillet. Top those apples with a dollop of cool whip or a scoop of ice cream.

What always held me back from roasting is that I always felt like roasting HAD to be accompanied by mashed potatoes or roasted veggies and although that is good, it gets real old, real quick. These ideas is a creative approach to use roasted meat in a variety of ways and take the mundane out of the mix. All these ideas are sure to make your families mouths water and comming back for more as well as cure Roaster Phobia!!

Stalled out.

2009-10-26T19:16:00.005-04:00

I am sad to say that I am having a great deal of difficulty continuing with my cooking blog. I have made 114 recipes from the The Deen Family Cookbook! That is not a small feat I assure you.

The reason is it is hard to continue is that a lot of the remaining recipes require fresh seafood and being in central PA, fresh seafood is hard to find. When I get some scallops and shrimp, rest assured I will make the recipes because they look so good.

Until then, I want to keep going as I still enjoy cooking. So I will post the recipes of things I typically make at home. Things like hamburger goulash, chicken tortilla casserole, hamburger baked-beans and more.

There are still some deserts I can make and I will post them when I get them done as well.

Orange Glazed Pork Tenderloin

2009-10-13T15:17:00.009-04:00

I wanted to try this recipe for months, but I wanted to save it for a autumn day! Today is just the kind of day that would be great to have some grilled chops! This also works ifs you bake them at 375 for 20 minutes then glaze them and then bake for another 20 minutes.

Grilled Orange-Glazed Pork Tenderloin
Pg. 160 The Deen Family Cookbook

1 cup orange juice
1/4 Olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp salt
2 1 1/4 lb pork tenderloins
1/3 cup honey
vegetable oil for brushing the grill

1.In a blender, combine the oj, olive oil and garlic until smooth. Place the tenderloin in a baggie or container for marinating and coat the pork with the marinade. Seal and marinate overnight or 8 hours.

2. Fire up the grill, remove pork from marinade, pat dry and reserve marinade in a small saucepan. Add the honey to the marinade and bring to a boil until the sauce is reduced to a syrupy consistency, about 20 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, brush your grill and grill the meat for 20 minutes, turning occasionally. Brush with the glaze the rest of the time, about 20 more minutes. Let rest before slicing.

Caramel-Apple Cheesecake

2009-10-12T15:12:00.007-04:00

A two day recipe that is worth the time! YUM! A great cheesecake for fall!

Cousin Jonnie's Caramel-Apple Cheesecake
Pg. 227 The Deen Family Cookbook

Crust
3 cups graham cracker crumbs
9 tbsp butter, melted
1/2cup sugar

Filling
2 lbs (4 8oz packages) Cream Cheese
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
one 16 oz container sour cream
1/2 orange juice
1/2 tsp vanilla
5 eggs

Topping
8 tbsp butter
1 1/2 lbs (about 3 large) apples
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wrap the bottom and sides of a 10 inch spring form pan tightly with foil to prevent moisture from the water bath from seeping in=to the cheesecake.

2. Make the crust, in a food processor, mix the cracker crumbs, butter, and sugar. Press the mixture in to the bottom of the pan and half way up the sides of the prepared pan. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, remove from oven and cool completely.

3. While the crust cools, make the filling. In a food processor or with an electric mixer, mix the cream cheese, sugar, and cornstarch until smooth. Add the sour cream, orange juice, and vanilla and blend until smooth. Beat the eggs in one at a time until combined.

4. Pour the filling in to the crust. Place a roasting pan in the center of the oven filled half full with water and transfer the spring form pan to it. The water should come halfway up the pan. Check through the baking pan to see if water needs to be added. Bake for about 1 hour and 45 minutes. Carefully remove cake from roasting pan and refrigerate overnight.

5. To make the topping, melt the butter in a large skillet over high heat. Add pecans and apples and cook until the apples are cover in the butter, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves and the liquid come to a boil, about 3 minutes.

6. Using a slotted spoon, remove the apples and pecan to a bowl and continue cooking the liquid over medium heat. Stirring often until the liquid becomes an amber brown color. Remove from the heat and carefully add the heavy cream, as it may splatter. Return to the heat until it boils, remove from the heat and add the apples and pecans. Allow to cool until they are luke-warm. Top the cheesecake and refrigerate until ready to serve.Use a knife dipped in hot water to cut through the caramel topping.

PB & J Muffins

2009-10-07T19:13:00.006-04:00

“Peanut butter is the pâté of childhood.”- Florence Fabricant

Got home on time tonight for a change! It was nice to be able to make dinner and whip up a desert while dinner was in the oven. PD suggested that these muffins could be used as a breakfast and I could see why! A nice weighty muffin in hand that melts in your mouth and has just the right amount of sweetness! Walker loves them!

PB & J Muffins
Pg. 190 The Deen Family Cookbook

2 cups flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup plus 1 tsp creamy peanut butter
1 cup milk
1 egg lightly beaten
3 tbsp butter, melted
1/4 cup thick jam, such as seedless raspberry or grape (don't use jelly)
1/3 cup honey roasted peanuts

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees. Spray a 12 cup muffin tin with cooking spray. In a food processor, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Pulse in the peanut butter until it looks like course crumbs. Add the milk, egg, butter and pulse until combined.

2. Distribute half the batter into the cups. Drop a tsp full of jam in the middle of each muffin and cover with the remaining batter. Top with the peanuts. Bake until the muffins are golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve warm or cool. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container. They will keep up to 2 to 3 days.

Croque-Madame Caserole

2009-10-04T11:50:00.007-04:00

Beautiful fall weather and geocaching have seriously cut into my cooking time! However, I remain committed to do at least once recipe a week. When winter rolls in and the wind starts whipping around, I am sure I will be cooking away to help heat this drafty 'ol farm house!

I will tell you this, yesterday we had an awesome day geocaching with the whole family, Beeler, and La and Va. We saw some beautiful sites and learned some interesting facts. In the evening we BBQ'd and made smores over a fire pit. I highly recommend skipping the chocolate bar and throwing on a reeses cup. You can also peel and slice a banana, fill it with chocolate chips and marshmallows, wrap it in foil and roast. That is some lip smacking good fire pit desert! Hint: Never lick the metal utensil that you roasted your marshmallow on, it will leave a mark! LOL!

This dish was not one of my fav's....I did not really care for the bites that did not have every ingredient in it, but the bites that had the ham, egg, a LITTLE bread were good. There seemed to be to much sauce as well. I don't think I will make this one again.

Croque-Madame Casserole
Pg 110 The Deen Family Cookbook

8 tbsp butter
1/4 cup flour
2 1/2 cups of milk
2 tbsp dijon mustard
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
10 to 12 slices of bread
8 oz deli ham
1 1/2 cups Gruyere cheese
6 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 13 x 9 baking dish. Make a white sauce by melting butter in a large skillet and cook until bubbling. Whisk in flour and cook for one minute. Slowly whisk in the milk and cook until thick and bubbly. Whisk in the mustard, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

2. Pour a thin layer of sauce into the pan, cover with 5 or 6 slices of bread, 4 slices of ham, and a thin layer of the cheese (3/4 cup). Repeat layers once more ending with a layer of sauce over the top. Bake for 30 minutes, cut into six equal pieces.

3. Fry the eggs, season with salt and pepper and top each portion with a fried egg.

Walker said he would eat this once a year. James said once a lifetime! I agreed with James! But just because we didn't care for it does not mean you won't so get cooking and give it a try!

Green Chile Taco Soup & Banana Spice Cake w/ Peanut Butter Frosting

2009-09-22T17:42:00.012-04:00

“Peanut butter is the pâté of childhood.” - Florence Fabricant

Another busy night at the Bannister household with Walker at soccer practice, James is mowing, Justin is at the Volleyball game, and I am cooking. Soups are always a hit around here as long as they eat like a stew. Fall is such a great time to make soups, it just seems like the right time of year. Also, if you have soup for supper ... there is always room for desert! So tonight I made the quickest soup ever, Kelley's Green Chile Taco Soup and Paula's Banana Spice Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting. I browned some burger, chopped some onion, and James read off the rest of ingredients to me as I threw everything in the pot. In 7 minutes, we were done and the soup was simmering! Same with the cake, it really is so simple to make a cake from scratch. I would have NEVER have thought so before doing this blog!

Well, the soup is a keeper! Very hearty and flavorful and versatile. We figured we could add a dollop of sour cream (which I did), crunch up tortilla chips like crackers and put them in the soup (which James did) and it was ever better! On another note, I must say that I am a bit surprised that there isn't more butter in some of these recipes in this book. Actually, there are many that have no butter and there are some that have a couple tablespoons, but nothing like what I was expecting ....until this one....the Banana Cake with PB icing has a combined total of 3 and 3/4 sticks of butter. WOW! But is was the STAR of the night and a great tasting cake!

Kelley's Green Chile Taco Soup
Pg. 53 The Deen Family Cookbook

3 tbsp veg oil
1 lb ground beef
1 cup chopped yellow onion
One 28 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
One 14 oz can corn, undrained
One can black beans, undrained
2 cups beef broth
One 4 oz can green chile, (i used mild)
1 tsp cumin
1/2 bunch cilantro (i used 1 tbsp dried)
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
toppings:
grated cheese
guacamole
tortilla chips
sour cream

1. Heat oil in the skillet, brown hamburger and onion until brown, drain if needed.

2. Scrape beef mixture into a large pot and add remaining ingredients (except the toppings) Heat till steaming and turn to simmer for at least 15 minutes. Serve with your choice of toppings.

Banana Spice Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting
pg. 203 The Deen Family Cookbook

Frosting
3 cup 10x sugar
2 1/4 creamy peanut butter
12 tbsp (1 and a half sticks) soft butter
3/4 cup heavy cream
3 tbsp honey
3/4 tsp vanilla

Cake
4 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp salt
1 pinch of ground cloves
1 3/4 granular sugar
2 1/4 sticks of butter (soft)
4 large ripe bananas
1/4 sour cream
4 eggs lightly beaten
1 tbsp vanilla
2 cups chopped honey roasted peanuts for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 9 inch cake pans. To make frosting,cream the 10 x sugar, peanut butter and butter. Add the cream, honey and vanilla and continue to cream until smooth. Cover and chill until needed.

2. To make the cake, sift together the dry ingredients, flour, soda, powder, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and cloves. In another bowl, beat sugar and butter. Add the bananas, sour cream, eggs and vanilla until well combined.

3. Fold the dry mixture in to the wet mixture. Pour evenly into the cake pans. bake for 30 - 40 minutes, test with a tooth pick. Let cool on a wire rack.

4. Split each layer horizontally and fill each layer with frosting sprinkling the crushed peanuts between each layer. Top the cake with frosting and remaining peanuts.

4 Cheese and Pesto Italian Baked Spaghetti

2009-09-20T18:23:00.008-04:00

A WONDERFUL day for geochaching with just the four of us! Spent 5 hours outside tramping around mountain tops, finding trinkets and enjoying the fresh air! When we got home, we all pitched in getting dinner ready. Baked Italian chicken and Paula's pesto spaghetti! The whole prep only took about 20 minutes and we were in the recliners watching football while it baked! This dish has awesome flavor and went great with the chicken! Everyone loved it ad want it again. I loved that that it was flavorful yet not overpowering!

4 Cheese and Pesto Italian Baked Spaghetti
Pg 108 The Deen Family Cookbook

1 lb uncooked spaghetti
1 lb ricotta cheese
2 six or seven oz containers of prepared pesto
2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
1cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup crumbled feta

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a flameproof 13 x 9 baking dish. Cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than box directions. Drain well and transfer to a bowl. Stir in the remaining ingredients EXCEPT 1 1/2 cup of mozzarella and 1/2 cup Parmesan. Transfer to a baking dish.

2. Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese and bake until melted (about 20 minutes. Turn the oven to broil and broil for 1 minute until golden. Serve hot.

Crab Potpies & Cream Cheese & Shrimp Dip

2009-09-18T14:03:00.012-04:00

"I'm on a seafood diet. When I see food, I eat it." - Misc.

I have been wanting to get these recipes on the blog for weeks! I just had to keep looking for puff pastry at Wally-World! LOL. Well, last weekend, I found it. I have watched numerous chefs on TV working with puff pastry but I have never had the experience until now! Again, this is one of the little things that I would probably never have tried if I didn't embark on this awesome cooking journey. Walker has his first home soccer game tonight, so we will be devouring these dishes after his game. Justin is working right after school and James will be home a little later than normal as he is helping out by running errand like going to the bread store. :oP Regardless, after working with the puff pastry,I am sure I won't be as intimidated by it as I was before.

Well, the game was a loss and so was the crab potpie. I'm sure I may have done something wrong but this didn't have much flavor,wasn't thick enough and just wasn't worth digesting. I have been through numerous recipes and this one just isn't worthy. James said that he thought we would have come across one we didn't like long before this so *shrug* it's ok. :o) We did however, enjoy the shrimp dip! We just bought some bagette bread and it was fabulous!

Note: On the upside I only have 94 recipes to go before I have cooked the whole book!

Michael's Buttery Crab Potpies
pg. 58 The Deen Family Cookbook

1 stick of butter
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 tbsp flour
1 1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup clam juice
1/4 sherry
1/2 lb crabmeat
2 4oz can sliced mushrooms
1 cup frozen peas
2 sheets of frozen puffed pastry
1 egg, beaten with 1 tsp water

1. In a medium pot over medium heat, melt butter. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally until softened. Sprinkle in four and cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Add the milk, clam juice, and sherry. Bring to a boil, stirring until thickened (about 2 minutes). Add the crabmeat, mushrooms, and peas; remove from heat and transfer to the fridge to cool.

2. Meanwhile, unfold the pastry sheets on a lightly floured surface. Place four oven proof bowls or large ramekins rim down on the pastry and cute four circles a bit larger that the bowls. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees with the rack in the middle position.

3. When crab is cooled, divide it among the four bowls. Brush the rims with egg mixture, lay pastry circle over each and seal the edges. Cut steam vents in the pastry and brush with the egg mixture. Place bowls on baking sheet and bake on the middle rack until the pastry is puffed and golden, 20 - 25 minutes. Serve hot.

Jodi's Cream Cheese and Shrimp Dip
pg. 32 The Deen Family Cookbook

14 oz cooked and chopped shrimp
one 3 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup fine chopped green onions, (white and green parts)
2 tsp sour cream
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp hot sauce
crackers or crusty bread and raw veggies for dipping

Autumn Harvest Crunch-Top Pie

2009-09-16T17:08:00.009-04:00

“But I, when I am done each night upon my knees will ask the Lord to bless me, with apple pie and cheese!” - Eugene Field

I wanted to make a nice meal tonight since I have open house at my school tomorrow. So, I made meatloaf, mac n cheese and Paula's Autumn Harvest Crunch-Top Pie! I just know the boys will love it! They are always begging me to make desserts, well tonight they got one! PLEASE believe me when I say this was SIMPLE. I hate making pies and this went quick! It had surprising ingredients, I used a Wal-mart store bought crust (which is cheaper and easier than homemade) and I didn't even peel the apples! (With Golden Delicious the skins are so thin and waxy they melt away when baked.) Holy Smokes! This pie was SOOOO delicious, warm and gooey...it made us all feel cozy on a crisp autumn night! I'm pretty sure this is my favorite recipe so far! (note: I am NOT an apple pie fan either!):o)

Autumn Harvest Crunch-Top Pie
pg. 223 The Deen Family Cookbook

Crumb Topping
1 cup flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4tsp salt
1 stick of butter
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Pie
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup dark raisins
1/4 cup apple cider or dark rum
1cup sour cream
2 eggs
2/3 cup brown sugar
3 lbs mixed apples
1 unbaked 9 inch pie crust

1. Prepare the topping in a medium bowl by whisking together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. Using a fork or pastry cutter, cut the butter to form large crumbs. Stir in walnuts. Chill, covered, until needed.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. In a small saucepan, combine the cranberries, raisins, and rum or cider, bring to boil over medium-high heat, then remove and let cool.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream, eggs, and brown sugar. Stir in the dried fruit mixture and apples. Arrange the crust in the pie plate. Fill the crust with the mixture heaping it in the middle. Place on the prepared baking sheet and bake fore 45 minutes.

4. Remove the pie from the oven and increase the temp to 425 degrees. Scatter the topping over the pie. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes more until the topping is golden and the juices are bubbling. Serve warm!

Cheesy Corn Bread, Spinach and Turkey Casserole

2009-09-15T18:48:00.007-04:00

This casserole is FULL of flavor! We love it! (Can't wait to have the leftovers for lunch tommorrow)! These ingredients went together quick even with me having to make the cheese sauce! Justin is away at a volleyball game tonight, Walker is studying for two tests and stressing over why his girl broke up with him today, which kills him because he doesn't know why. LOL! Ah Middle School love! Hopefully this casserole will help ease the pain. :o)

Cheesy Corn Bread, Spinach and Turkey Casserole
pg. 106 The Deen Family Cookbook

2 tbsp olive oil
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 1/4 lbs ground turkey
1 medium onion
1 clove garlic
salt and pepper to taste
one 10oz pkg frozen spinach (I used one can instead)
one 10 oz can cheddar cheese soup ( I made cheese sauce since Wally world had no chz soup)
3/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
one 8 1/2oz pkg corn muffin mix
1/2 cup buttermilk
2/3 frozen corn, thawed and drained
1 egg
1 3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese

1. Preheat 400 degrees. Grease 13 by 9-inch baking dish and set it aside. In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp of the oil. Add the pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds. Add the turkey and brown. Then add onion and garlic and when cooked add salt and pepper to taste.

2. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl , add the spinach, soup, and Worcestershire sauce and mix well. Pat the mixture evenly in to the baking dish.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the corn muffin mix, buttermilk, corn, egg, and 3/4 cup of the cheese. Bake for 10 minutes then add the remaining cup of cheddar cheese and bake for 20 minutes.

Ham and Bean Soup

2009-09-13T10:02:00.007-04:00

I am loving this recipe, it is so easy! I just love it when the directions say "combine all ingredients and cook!" It literally took about 10 minutes to throw together. My gang really likes soups in the fall and winter but I gotta make the soup hearty or it doesn't go over well. So I added additional onion, celery, and carrots as well as three ham hocks. I also used a 7 bean combination instead of just navy beans. Mom, Dad and us all had this soup for supper and everyone really liked it. It is a bit salty so I wouldn't add the salt in the recipe again. This is a great fall soup and really reminds me of being at Grams on the farm!

Michael's Navy Bean and Ham Hock Soup
Pg 57 The Deen Family Cookbook

1 lb dry navy beans, soaked over night or by quick soak method (on package)
6 cups veg or chicken broth
1 or 2 smoked ham hocks
1 large yellow onion (1 cup)
2 large chopped carrots (1/2 cup)
2 stalks celery(1/2 cup)
2 cloves of garlic
1 1/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp pepper
3/4 tsp worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp PD hot sauce or other hot sauce

1. Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker. Cook covered until the beans are tender, about 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low. Uncover and cook for one hour more until thickened.

2. Transfer the ham hock to a cutting board and trim all the meat off and return to the slow cooker.

Artichoke and Gruyere Quiches & Italian Pasta Salad

2009-09-08T19:48:00.013-04:00

It's been a log time since I posted a recipe! A nice long weekend trip to North Carolina to visit family got in the way! LOL! We all had a fabulous time and learned of a great new hobby called GeoCaching. If you like the outdoors and want to do something fun and free with your family, look it up at http://www.geocaching.com. It is similar to treasure hunting and scavenger hunting for cool trinkets!

Anyway, I had to use some ingredients up so I wanted to make the Mini Artichoke and Gruyere Quiches and Paula's Italian Pasta Salad. James, Justin, Walker and I all tried the recipes but I was alone in the kitchen as everyone was getting back into the grind after being away. I am sure this weekend, we will make some additional recipes to go along with our new GeoCaching hobby!

Mini Artichoke and Gruyere Quiches
Pg. 22 The Deen Family Cookbook

4 tbsp butter melted
2 tbsp butter softened
3/4 cup crushed Ritz crackers
4 slices of bacon
1 tbsp chopped green onions
1/2 cup marinated artichoke hearts
1/2 cup grated gruyere
1/2 cup milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees Lightly grease mini muffin tins with 2 tbsp of butter.
2. Crush the crackers crumbs and melted butter, divide the mixture among the muffin tins pressing the crumbs up the sides.
3.Over a medium heat cook bacon and transfer to paper towel. Slowly cook onion and artichokes in a pan until tender. Crumble bacon back into the mixture. Divide the mixture among the muffin tins. Sprinkle the cheese over the mixture.
4. Beat the milk, eggs, salt and pepper, spoon over the mixture in each tin filling no more than 3/4 way full.
5. Fill the muffin tins approximately half full with the mixture. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until firm and lightly browned. Serve warm.

Paula's Italian Pasta Salad
Pg. 42 The Deen Family Cookbook

1 package(s) (12-oz) bow-tie pasta
1 cup(s) store bought balsalmic vinaigrette salad dressing
1/4 cup mayo
2 cups cherry tomatoes
one 14oz can sliced mushrooms
2/3 cup pitted kalamata olives
1/3 cup medium green bell pepper, seeds and ribbing removed, chopped
1/3 cup(s) (chopped) onion
2 tbsp(finely chopped) fresh basil
2 cups feta cheese

Directions
1. Prepare pasta according to package directions; drain well.
2. In a large bowl, combine pasta and remaining ingredients; toss gently. Cover and chill, tossing occasionally. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Blackberry Pork Chops, French Fries & Lemony Pea Salad

2009-08-31T20:06:00.014-04:00

"I was 32 when I started cooking; up until then, I just ate." - Julia Child

Wow,being back at work certainly cuts down on my chatty blogging doesn't it!? I am sure that after I get back into the swing of things that I will be back to flapping my yap like a pro. Until then....

I wanted to make a great meal tonight for my family but it had to be quick as we were mowing the lawn this evening. With lots to be done, I chose the Pork Chops, fries and peas because it was simple and quick. The pork chops took about 10 minutes as did the peas. The fries took longer to cut than to cook, but even that went quick since I didn't have to peel them! The blackberry on the chops were amazing! These recipes just prove that you do not need to spend a lot of time on dinner to make it special and tasty! James and Walker LOVED the blackberry sauce on the chops and of course the fries were popular. The peas on the other hand were just a little too much. They were good, but like James said, "I won't be requesting those again anytime soon."

Pan-Fried Pork Chops with Blackberries
pg. 88 The Deen Family Cookbook

8 6oz pork chops
3 tbsp house seasoning (garlic powder, salt, pepper)
4 tbsp butter
1/4 canola oil
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups of blackberries
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp thyme
lemon wedges

1. Sprinkle the chops generously with house seasoning. Heat large skillet over high heat. Add butter and oil and swirl until the butter is melted. Sear the chops, in batches if necessary, until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

2. Remove the skillet from the heat, add wine, return to the heat. Simmer, scraping up the brown bits, until the wine has mostly evaporated, 4 to 6 minutes. Whisk in the blackberries and honey and cook until the berries are soft and a falling apart, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the thyme and adjust seasoning.

3. Reduce the heat to low and add the pork chops, overlapping them in the pan. Baste the chops well with the sauce, cover, and cool until warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.

Crispy French Fries with Mayonnaise Dip
Pg. 130 The Deen Family Cookbook

Dip
2 tbsp mayo
2 tsp dijon mustard

Fries
6 cups of peanut or veg oil
2 lb russet potatoes, cleaned, cut into sticks
salt and pepper

1. Whisk mayo and dijon together to make the dip.

2. Heat oil to 350 and add the potato sticks in batches letting them cook until pale golden yellow. Drain on a paper-towel lined plate.

3. Raise the temp to 375 and fry them again until golden. Let stand for one minute, drain on a paper-towel and toss with salt and pepper. Serve with dip.

Light and Lemony English Pea Salad
pg. 149 The Deen Family Cookbook

1/2 cup light mayonnaise
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp grated lemon zest
2 tbsp chives
2 10oz frozen peas, thawed and drained.
salt

Mix all ingredients except peas. Once well mixed pour over the peas and season with salt.

Pumpkin-Nut Bread

2009-08-31T19:06:00.004-04:00

It is not the strongest pumpkin grower that survives, not the most intelligent, but the grower most responsive to change.--- Charles Darwin, Theory of Pumpkin Evolution.

Well, this pumpkin did not survive but rather was eaten by my family, new homeroom students and the teachers of the 7th and 8th grades! The bread is a little dryer than the recipes I have had prior to this, however, with some cream cheese icing it hits the spot!

Jodi's Pumpkin-Nut Bread
Pg. 186 in The Deen Family Cookbook

1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 cup veg oil
4 tbsp butter, melted
3/4 cup chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350. grease and flour 9 x 5 loaf pan. Sift the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon into a medium bowl. Make a well in the center and add the pumpkin, eggs, oil, and butter. Stir until combined, fold in the pecans.

2. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a sharp knife inserted in to the center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack and turn loaf out once it is cool.

Lemon Buttery Fish, Grilled Shrimp, & Brussel Sprouts

2009-08-30T13:23:00.011-04:00

The guys came home from fixing the fence and were ready to eat. They all jumped in to help me cook so we could eat sooner, that is some motivation! James helped with the fish, Walker was master chef of the shrimp and I did the brussel sprouts. Everyone working together like that we had the shrimp as an appetizer in 15 minutes and were eating our meal in 30 minutes. I have never liked brussel sprouts, no mater how they were prepared. I am not going to lie, the larger brussel sprouts were not that great , the the little ones I could eat a whole serving and THAT is a first! Walker even liked them!

Corrie's Lemony, Buttery Baked Fish
Pg. 65 The Deen Family Cookbook

4 6oz fillets of flaky white fish (tilapia)
1 tsp House Seasoning (garlic powder, salt & pepper)
3 tbsp butter, soft
2 tbsp thin sliced green onions
grated zest of lemon

1. Preheat oven to 400. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Arrange fish on the sheet and sprinkle with house seasoning

2. In a small bowl, combine the butter, green onions, and lemon zest. Slather mixture on top of the fillets. Bake until fish is opaque, 10-12 minutes.

Kelley's Easy Grilled Shrimp
Pg. 69 The Deen Family Cookbook

2 cloves of garlic
3/4 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
2 tbsp olive oil
2 lbs large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tsp salt
juice of one lemon
lemon wedges for serving.

1. Combine garlic, paprika, cayenne, Old Bay and the 2 tbsp olive oil. Pour over the shrimp and marinate in a covered bowl for 30 minutes.

2. Lightly oil the grill and preheat. Toss shrimp with the salt and lemon juice, marinate another 5 minutes. Grill or broil the shrimp for 2 to 3 minutes per side until they are pink with some charring around the edges. Serve hot with lemon wedges.

Oven Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Lots O'Butter
pg. 132 The Deen Family Cookbook

1 lb brussel sprouts, trimmed and halved
2 1/2 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss brussel sprouts with the butter, salt, and pepper. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake, tossing occasionally for 20 to 30 minutes until tender and golden. Serve hot!

Italian Zucchini Bake & Apple Cake

2009-08-26T17:18:00.012-04:00

"If you want to make an apple cake from scratch, you must first create the universe." ~Carl Sagan

At the present time I am unable to create a universe, however...I can bake an apple cake from scratch and pray it comes out all right! LOL! This bad boy takes an hour and half to bake so I wanted to get it started early. It was easy and I added extra apples 'cause I know the boys will appreciate that! I also made Aunt Peggy's Italian Zucchini Bake along side my baked Italian Parmesan chicken. Justin was helping at Volleyball, Walker had soccer, and James was feeling under the weather from allergy shots. That means the house is empty so I got a lot done...fast!

The zucchini bake was an Italian treat and complimented the chicken nicely! The apple cake, well lets just say it wasn't fit to eat so don't make it....HA! That will just save all those ingredients for me! Seriously, this cake is moist, flavorful and melts in your mouth. Talk about some comfort food!

Aunt Peggy's Zucchini Bake
pg. 141 The Deen Family Cookbook

4 tbsp butter
1/2 chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
one 4 oz can mushrooms
one 1 oz pkg Italian seasoning
1/4tsp salt
one 6 oz can tomato paste
2 1/2 lbs zucchini
1 cup mozzarella
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350. Melt the butter in skillet and saute onion and green pepper for 5 minutes, add mushrooms, seasoning, and salt.

2. Remove from heat and add tomato paste and 3/4 cup water until paste is dissolved. Stir in the zucchini and transfer mixture to an 11x7 baking dish. Top with Mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake for 30 - 40 minutes, until zucchini is tender when peirced with a knife.

Uncle Bobs Fresh Apple Cake
pg. 205 The Deen Family Cookbook

3 cups diced Granny Smith apples
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups veg oil
3 eggs

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease a bundt pan or tube pan.

2. In a bowl, mix together the apples, walnuts, vanilla, and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

3. Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar, oil, and eggs in a large bowl. Add the flour mixture and beat until completely combined. Fold in the apple mixture.

4. Scrape the batter into the greased bundt pan and bake for one and a half hours or until a tester comes out clean.

5. Allow to fully cool in the pan, about an hour then turn onto a plate. Wrap tightly and store in the refridgerator or at room temperature.

Peach Stuffed Pork Chops and Corries Carrot Cupcakes w/Cream Cheese Frosting

2009-08-25T19:16:00.013-04:00

“If vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake.” - Jim Davis

A busy day at work does not mean you can't whip up an awesome tasty meal to enjoy after a hard and stressful day! Tonight, I tried Michelle's Peach Stuffed Pork Chops. I did have to adapt this recipe as my pork chops were not cut think enough to stuff so I simply topped the chops with the peach mixture. I also wanted to do something special for some of the people I work with and make them a delicious little treat that said "welcome back to school and good luck with the new academic year"! LOL! That is quite a mouth full so I KNEW that whatever I chose HAD to be good! I chose Corrie's Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting. This desert is going to be sweet and rich, just like my wish for my colleagues new school year!

Michelle's Peach Stuffed Pork Chops
pg. 93 The Deen Family Cookbook

6 tbsp olive oil
Lg pinch of red pepper flakes
2/3 cup sliced peaches
1 cup Monterey Jack Cheese
1/4 tsp pepper
6 1/2 thick center-cut-bone in pork chops
salt

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a saucepan, stir in peaches, 2 tsp of sugar if desired, slightly cooking.

2. Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds. Sear the chops on one side until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the chops and add the peach mixture. Transfer the skillet to the oven to finish cooking about 8 - 10 minutes.

Corrie's Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
pg. 196 The Deen Family Cookbook

Cupcakes
3 cups flour
3 cups sugar
1 tbsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups veg oil
4 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla
1 cup walnuts
1 cup coconut
1 1/2 cups baby food carrots (3 4oz jars)

Frosting
One 8 oz cream cheese (soft)
4 tbsp butter
1 cup 10x sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Garnish (optional)
3/4 choppedwalnuts

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 32 cupcake tins with liners. Mix dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. (flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt). In a different bowl, whisk oil, eggs, & vanilla. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry, then fold in the walnuts, coconut and carrot puree.

2. Fill the cups 1/2 full. Bake 30 minutes until golden or until a toothpick comes out clean.

3. Make frosting by mixing all ingredients together and after cupcakes are cool, generously frost!

4. To garnish roll edges in crushed walnuts.

Cream Cheese & Strawberry - Stuffed French Toast

2009-08-23T15:47:00.005-04:00

“Doubtless God could have made a better berry (than the strawberry), but doubtless God never did." - William Allen Butler

Since our family likes a late breakfast early lunch on weekend days, I thought this recipe would hit the spot. Mom and Dad's TV is out of order so they came over and watched me make this recipe and we made them sample it as well! The batter is typical french toast batter and the stuffing is simple too. It took longer to slice the berries than anything else! I spread cream cheese on each slice and then covered the cheese with strawberries. I also used a little granular sugar in the berries since they were out of season and not real ripe. James and Walker LOVED this saying it tasted like strawberry cheesecake. Dad did not like the cream cheese, and I liked it a lot better with maple syrup!

T.J.'s Cream Cheese and Strawberry-Stuffed French Toast
pg. 173 The Deen Family Cookbook

2eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp sugar
4 oz.cream cheese
12slices of white bread
1cup sliced fresh strawberries
butter, for cooking
maple syrup and confectioners sugar, for serving

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk,and sugar. (I also added a bit of cinnamon). Spread the cream cheese on 6 slices of the bread. Divided the berries among the 6 slices and place on bread. Top with the remaining slices of bread and press to seal.

2. Melt butter on the griddle over med-low heat. Dip the sandwiches in the egg mixture for a few seconds on each side. Cook sandwiches until golden brown, sprinkle with confectioners sugar, and top with maple syrup

Sausage, Herb, Cream Cheese Crescent rolls. Tomato, Jack N Crab Dip, & Stewed Garlicy Sausage & Peppers.

2009-08-21T13:49:00.013-04:00

"What can I eat with cream cheese? I feel fat just sticking my finger in the container and licking it off." - C926-Team Pink.

Well, we have had a busy day in the kitchen but since it was raining ... it gave us something to do. We tried three different recipes from the cookbook today, two had sausage, two had cream cheese, & one had crab!

First we started off with Bobby's Hot Tomato, Jack, and Crab Dip. I have made several versions of this over the years, especially around Christmas time. This is the first one that ever had tomatoes in it. My guest Sous Chef of the day, my 13 year old son Walker, was kind enough to join me in the kitchen and promptly helped chop and seed the tomatoes for this dish. He also, diced the green onions and added seasonings. The crescent rolls were super easy and Walker helped me spread the cream cheese on the triangles and fill them with sausage. He even gave a shot at rolling them up and ... yes... he was better at it than me. When I told him that the looked pretty he said, "I'm not going for pretty, I'm going for good tasting food." *sigh* Just like his mom. When we were done he said, "Ya know, I think we are BETTER than the butter queen!" Gotta love that kid! Finally, we put together the Stewed Garlicky Sausage and Peppers. This recipe was soooo easy, and I love the fact that it is a crockpot meal so it can be made on a weeknight. Walker like the fact that it smelled like sausage pizza!

All very yummy ... out of the three dishes, the sausage herb crescent rolls were great! The crab dip was really good, and the stewed sausage recipe was good, but the sausage I used was not so good. :o( (Next time - better sausage!)

Bobby's Hot Tomato, Jack, and Crab Dip
pg. 30 The Deen Family Cookbook

8 oz cream cheese softened
1 cup grated pepper jack cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp Paula Deen hotsauce
1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat, free of shells
1 cup seeded diced tomatoes
1/4 cup green onions, minced
1/4 cup fresh basil
2 garlic cloves minced
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
2 avocados

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

1. mix together all the ingredients up to the crab meat till creamy, then fold in remaining ingredients. Gently stir until thoroughly mixed. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve hot with crackers or toast points.

Corrie's Sausage, Herb, and Cream Cheese Crescent Rolls
pg. 25 The Deen Family Cookbook

1 pound good quality sausage
2 cans crescent rolls
8 ounces cream cheese
2 tsp chopped sage
1/4 tsp PD hot sauce

Directions: Preheat oven 375 degrees.

1. Crumble and brown the sausage in a non stick skillet over medium high heat.
When well browned, stir in hot sauce, let cool, drain well.
2. Open the crescent rolls and separate them. You may lay them on the baking sheet you will bake them on or use waxed paper for this step.
Spread cream cheese over each triangle. Place a tablespoon of the meat, roll up and seal.
3. Place onto ungreased baking sheet.Bake till golden (about 15 minutes).

Stewed Garlicky Sausage and Peppers
pg. 97 The Deen Family Cookbook

2 large yellow onions, chopped
2 large green peppers, chunked
1 large red pepper, chunked
4cloves of garlic, minced
3 tbsp EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil)
1 3/4 lb sweet or Italian sausage, chunked
1 tsp dried oregano
pinch of red pepper flakes
2 tbsp tomato paste
One 14 oz can diced tomatoes with juice
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 tsp salt
chopped fresh basil

1. Cut the sausages into 1-inch pieces. In a medium soup pot over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil and cook the sausage pieces, stirring occasionally, until well-browned, about 5 minutes. Add oregano and red pepper flakes, cook for another 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, cook another minute. Add diced tomatoes with juice, the wine, and salt. Simmer for 2 minutes.

2. Arrange half the onion/pepper mix in the bottom of the slow cooker. Pour half the sausage mix over them. Add the rest of the onion/pepper mix, top with remaining sausage mixture. Cover and cook for 2 hours on high or 4 hours on low. Garnish with Basil or Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Creamy Corn & Shrimp Chowder and Twice-Baked Potatoes wth Shrimp

2009-08-20T20:31:00.013-04:00

“I do not believe that you have to spend a lot of money to eat well: it is hard to beat a plain old baked potato.” - Laurie Colwin

Yummers! I loved a baked potato, but i love a loaded baked potato even more! Tonight I wanted to make two recipes that included similar ingredients. So I chose Corrie's Creamy Corn and Shrimp Chowder and Michael's Deluxe Twice-Baked Potatoes with Shrimp. I got home a little late from a doctors appointment so I wondered if I would have time to make everything on time. Well, I gave it a shot and it worked out just fine. Everyone had a bite to eat before running off to other things! The soup was a hit but I wandered if I could make it thicker...the potatoes are NOT a week night thing because it is time consuming - however, I could see us making it on a Sunday afternoon!

Corrie's Creamy Corn and Shrimp Chowder
pg. 51 The Deen Family Cookbook

6 ears of corn, kernels cut off (or one can)
2 tbsp of butter
1 medium onion chopped
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper
1 lb large shrimp
3 green onions (white and green parts, trimmed and chopped

1. Put the corn cobs into a large pot with just enough water to cover. Boil gently for 20 minutes. Discard the cobs and reserve the corn-infused water.

2. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the corn kernels, chicken broth,cream, and 3 cups of the corn water. Season with salt and pepper to taste and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and let simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the shrimp and simmer until just opaque, 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Ladle the chowder into bowl and garnish with green onions.

Michael's Deluxe Twice-Baked Potatoes with Shrimp
pg. 72 The Deen Family Cookbook

4 russet potatoes (6 to 8 oz each)
vegetable oil, to coat potatoes
4 slices of bacon
1/2 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed.
1 1/2tsp Cajun seasoning
salt
1/3 cup thin sliced green onions (white and green parts)
4 tbsp butter (soft)
1/4 cup sour cream
3 tbsp mayo
3/4 tsp pepper
(I added 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese as well)

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees and bake veggie oil coated potatoes for one hour.

2. While potatoes are baking, fry bacon for 7 minutes, put on to paper towel lined plate reserving 3 tbsp grease.

3. Cut shrimp into thirds (I left mine whole) add to bacon grease with Cajun seasoning, salt, and cook until pink.

4. When potatoes are done, slice off the top 1/3 and scoop out the flesh of the tops and the 2/3 portion leaving 1/4 inch border of the potato inside the skin. Mash the flesh of the potato with the salt, green onions, butter, sour cream, mayo, and pepper. Stuff the skins with the filling mounding it as high as you can. Top the potatoes with shrimp and bacon.

5. Return potatoes to oven for 5 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with reserved green onions and serve!

Baked Chicken With Dijon and Lime & Collards

2009-08-19T09:01:00.013-04:00

"As for those grapefruit and buttermilk diets, I'll take roast chicken and dumplings." - Hattie McDaniel

One of the great things about committing to this blog is that it forces me to cook and bake things that I would have never normally tried. With the anxiety that surfaces when cooking wandering what will work what will not, will it taste good, will people like it, doing it this way allows you to step out of the box and try without worrying that you have ruined a meal...this way you can look at it as if it is simply an experiment. Tonight I am making a dijon and lime baked chicken and coupling it with one of James favorites, collard greens and dumplings! I prepared the chicken ahead of time and set it in the fridge till I was ready to bake. An extremely simple recipe with some really flavorful condiments. Dijon, mayo, garlic, lime zest, and salt n pepper. The collards were also simple to make and turned out to be my favorite collard recipe yet! Chicken broth, hot-sauce, garlic, salt and pepper...oh yeah and butter! These recipes were quick, easy and got everyone fed before running off to all the other commitments our busy family has. The boys were not very thrilled with the chicken (because of the dijon and lime) but my adult pallet was loving every minute of it. This chicken had the taste of a restaurant quality meal.

Bobby's Baked Chicken With Dijon and Lime
pg. 78 The Deen Family Cookbook

One 3 1/2 chicken cut into 8 peices
3 tbsp Dijon
1 tbsp Miracle Whip
1 clove of garlic, minced
finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime
3/4 tsp pepper
salt
fresh parsley

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Rinse chicken, pat dry. Place in greased casserole dish. In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, mayo, garlic, lime zest, and juice, and pepper. Season the chicken generously with salt. Pour the dijon/mayo mixture over the chicken and coat well.

2. Bake for 30 minutes or until cooked through. Drizzle with pan juices over the top and garnish with parsley.

Michelle's Collards
pg.124 The Deen Family Cookbook

I tweaked this recipe for time allotment. It called for cornmeal dumplings, I just made cornbread with green chilies instead.

Collards
2 quarts chicken broth or water.
1 tsp Paula Deen Hot Sauce
1 tsp Lady and Son House Seasoning (salt, pepper, and garlic powder)
one lb bunch collards, center ribs removed, leaves cut
4 tbsp butter

1. In a large pot, combine all ingredients except the collards and simmer for 15 minutes. Add collards and cook for 20 minutes. Strain and salt and pepper to taste.

Spicy Corn and Crab Puffs & Blueberry Skillet Coffee Cake

2009-08-18T16:51:00.016-04:00

“The crab that walks too far falls into the pot” - Haitian Proverb

La n Va are bringing the main course tonight so I thought a nice little appetizer would be great along with a super sweet dessert! I decided to try Bubba's Spicy Corn and Crab Puffs and a second time recipe favorite Easy Blueberry Skillet Coffee Cake. I will still list the coffee cake recipe even though I made it before, we all know that is makes regular buttermilk biscuits taste like a bakery shop delight! I will note that all the hell I went through frying the puffs was worth the awesome taste, but I HIGHLY recommend having an actual fryer on hand for this job as using the skillet caused me to have three pea-sized blisters on my left upper-arm. I was doin' some serious extreme cooking today! I know I sound like a broken record but the recipe was easy and went together so fast. I heated the oil and began frying away. These puffs were easy to tell when they needed flipped and really took no time at all to cook. The spattering hot oil kept me on my toes however, so I was able to get my workout in while frying! Within a total of about 12 minutes all the puffs were done and Walker and I were quick to sample...yummy! Justin and James both thought they were good just the way they were. Being fans of sea food, we both thought we could have used a bit more crab. If you are still worried about what it may taste like, I would say it is like a pimped out hush-puppie! lol!

Bubba's Spicy Corn and Crab Puffs
pg. 18 The Deen Family Cookbook

1/4 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
one 8 1/2oz box corn muffin mix
1 lb of lump or backfin crabmeat, well drained
1 cup frozen or fresh corn kernels
5 green onions white and green parts, chopped
21/2 tsp hot sauce
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
peanut or veg oil for frying

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and eggs. Stir in the corn muffin mix. Fold in the crab, corn, onions, and hot sauce. Add salt and pepper.

2. Heat oil in skillet to 330 degrees.

3. Using two spoons, carefully drop heaping spoonfuls and fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate, season with salt, pepper, and additional hot sauce as desired. Serve immediately.

Easy Blueberry Skillet Coffee Cake

Streusel Topping
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp butter
2 1/2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Coffee Cake
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp light brown sugar
1 12 oz tube buttermilk biscuits
1 cup blueberries

1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees. To make the streusel, combine the almonds, sugar, butter, flour, and cinnamon in a food processor anad pulse till large crumb form.

2. In a 9 inch cast iron skillet or other oven proof skillet, cook the butter and brown sugar over medium heat until melted. Arrange the biscuits in a single layer in the pan, scatter the blueberries over the biscuits and the streusel topping over the berries. Bake until the biscuits are golden and a tester inserted in the center of a biscuit comes out clean (about 30 minutes). Allow to cool slightly and serve warm.

Shrimp Scampi w/Artichokes and Basil & Southwest Blackbean Salad

2009-08-17T08:51:00.014-04:00

"Shrimp is the fruit of the sea. You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, sautee it. There`s, um, shrimp kebabs, shrimp creole ...." - Bubba

As the family was returning from their various areas of "vaca"...I wanted to make a nice welcome home dinner. I decided on Paula's Shrimp Scampi with steak and Jamies Southwestern Black bean Salad. The guys were relaxing in the pool after driving 9 hours to get home from Michigan so Va and I did a tag team on supper. She grilled the steak on the grill while I whipped up the scampi. The salad was premade a couple hours earlier. This is my second attempt on the salad recipe and it was even yummier after using all the correct ingredients. ;o) Again, super easy and very yummy. Everyone really liked all the dishes. The marinated artichokes were a pleasant addition to the scampi and we served it over linguine. We talked about the guys fishing trip in Michigan and Va's Atlantic City trip, my Wash. D.C. trip and Walkers NC trip and Jackie and Frankie's beach trip! Everyone had really nice stories and enjoyed congregating around the diner table to reconnect after all our travels.

Paula Deen's Shrimp Scampi w/Artichokes and Basil
pg. 67 of The Deen Family Cookbook

8 TBSP (1 stick) of butter
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/3 cup dry white wine
3/4 TSP salt, plus more to taste
1/8 TSP red pepper flakes, plus more to taste
Pepper
2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and diveined
1 cup marinated artichoke hearts, drained
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
Juice of one lemon
Cooked pasta or rice for serving

1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the wine, salt, pepper flakes and pepper to taste, and bring to a simmer. Let the liquid reduce by half, about 2 minutes.
2. Add the shrimp and artichokes, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are just pink, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in the basil and lemon juice. Sprinkle with salt to taste and serve over pasta or rice.

Jamie's Southwestern Avocado and Blackbean Salad
2nd attempt with all the correct ingredients. (Even Yummier)

1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice
2 or 3 dashes of Paula Deens hot sauce or other hot sauce
4 cps of chopped romaine lettuce
2 avocados, pitted, peeled, & diced
2 cps of fresh or frozen corn
2 15oz cans of blackbeans, drained and rinsed
1 cup chopped cherry tomatoes
3/4 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
salt n pepper to taste

1. In a small bowl, whisk cilantro, oil, lime juice, and hot sauce.
2. In a large bowl combine remaining ingredients, add the dressing and salt and pepper to taste!

Pimento Cheese

2009-08-12T19:26:00.007-04:00

Anyone like Pimento Cheese? Uhhh, not so sure about this one....but James says its good. I was really looking forward to this making this as it is one of James's favorites. He is getting ready to go fishing and I wanted to send this along as a nice surprise to snack on while on the lake. Fortunately, he liked it but I am not a fan. IF, I make this again, I would make it with Miracle Whip an not Mayo. I am not a fan of either, I just know that when I buy this in the store it is not as bitter or salty as this recipe. We served it on French Bread. Once everyone returns from their trips, I'l resume making more recipes! P.S. Turns out that his fishing buddies loved it to! I would have used it for bait! LOL!

Bobby's Pimiento Cheese spread

1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup grated sharp cheddar
1 cup grated Monterey Jack
1/2 cup mayonnaise (Miracle Whip)
1/2 teaspoon House Seasoning, recipe follows
2 to 3 tablespoons pimentos, smashed
1 teaspoon grated onion
Cracked black pepper

Directions
Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth and fluffy. Add all of the remaining ingredients and beat until well blended. It can be used as a dip for crudite or as a sandwich filling.

House Seasoning:
1 cup salt

1/4 cup black pepper

1/4 cup garlic powder

Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

When the assistant chef take over...

2009-08-11T06:21:00.003-04:00

Last night I didn't have to cook! When we got home work, Justin already had supper ready. It just so happened to be his and his girlfriends One year and four month anniversary! (sheesh!) ANYWAY, he didn't cook anything from the Paula Deen Family Cookbook. Instead he made two recipes from Applebees. A Fettuccine Alfredo dish and a chocolate dessert. It was VERY delish and rich! It was also nice because we also cook for Dad (Bill) since mom is on chemotherapy this week and typically she doesn't eat the first few days. I'm not sure what today will bring but I do have a recipe ready from the cookbook. This week the cooking will be sparse since Walker is in NC with his friend, James is leaving for Michigan to go fishing, and I'm heading to DC to visit my old roomie!

Banana-Chocolate Gorilla Bread

2009-08-09T11:55:00.009-04:00

WARNING!!!! This is quite possibly the most devilishly ADDICTIVE, scrumptious baked good that's made its way out of my oven." - Bucky Bratt

AND...it's EASY! If you have kids....this one is super fun to have them help with!
Justin and Andi were my assistant chefs today! We got all the ingredients together and set up a little assembly line. Justin got out the crescent rolls and took them apart, Andi basted them with sweetened condensed milk then they put bananas on each one and sprinkled each with a few chocolate chips. Justin sealed each one as I sprinkled walnuts in the bundt pan. We then put the dough rolls in the pan and I sprinkled them with cinnamon sugar and drizzled melted brown sugar and butter over the layer. We repeated these steps on more time and put it in the oven to bake for an hour while we ate and swam. Let me tell you what, I hope you repented your sins today because this dessert is simply to sinful and addictive to eat on a Sunday! If you only ever try one recipe from this blog...it should be this one! There is none left...this house is clean! LOL!

Michelle's Banana-Chocolate Gorilla Bread

3 tbsp of sugar
1tsp cinnamon
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 stick of butter
2 12oz tubes refrigerated crescent roll dough
3 tbsp sweetened-condensed milk
2 bananas sliced 1/4 inch thick
2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cup walnuts

This is supposed to serve 8 but its more like 2! LOL

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray the bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray. Mix sugar and cinnamon. In a small saucepan, melt the brown sugar with the butter over low heat.

2. Break open the rolls and separate the triangles. brush each triangle with sweetened condensed milk and top with 2 bananas slices and a couple chocolate chips. Fold the edges of the triangle together and seal. Sprinkle each with 1/4 teaspoon of the cinnamon sugar.

3. Place half of the walnuts in the pan and top with half of the dough packets. Pour half of the brown sugar-butter mixture over the dough and sprinkle with 2 tsp of the cinnamon sugar. Repeat with the rest of the ingredients. Bake for one hour until puffed, golden brown, and firm to the touch. Transfer the pan to the rack and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Place a platter on top of the pan and invert. Serve warm.

Tortilla Casserole, Bacon Vinaigrette over Greens, & Blueberry Coffee Cake

2009-08-08T15:54:00.032-04:00

"You know you are good in the kitchen when you can cook seafood & collard greens." - Monique Coleman

Justin is helping again today since all his friends are busy and his girlfriend is working. HAHA Walker left today to go to NC for a week and my in-laws will be leaving on Monday so I will only have 3 people to feed! Our massive household is slowly dwindling. Which has its positives ... like I will be able to start making some of the shrimp recipes! :o) (In the picture: Justin (Assistant Chef enjoying the dessert!)Chicken Tortilla Casserole, Warm Bacon Vinaigrette ove collards & Blueberry Skillet Coffee Cake

Okay, deep breath... I am about to embark on making greens. The Chicken Tortilla Casserole doesn't worry me too much because I already have a recipe that is very similar, so I know that it will turn out fine. The greens on the other hand, I'm not so sure.... Once I had the casserole in the oven I started the greens, they smelled so good that I figured I was doing something right! The recipe stated that you could pour this vinaigrette over the raw greens but when Justin and I did a taste test, we liked the cooked greens better so I simply folded them into the warm skillet and served them with the casserole. Present for dinner was James, Jim, Sharran, Justin and me! We enjoyed dinner and compared the chicken casserole to the other recipe I have. James like the new one better only because it does not have chunks of tomato in it! The two dishes complimented each other very well. When dinner was on the table, the oven temp was the same from the casserole to the blueberry dish so I popped that in to bake while we ate. After dinner we cleaned up dishes and finished up in time for the dessert to come out of the oven ... nice and oooey gooooey warm. Everyone had seconds of the dessert! It took regular 'ol butter biscuits and turned them into a comforting warm dessert that was the STAR of the night! Everyone now is in the living room relaxin, Justin headed to the tractor pulls and I plan on enjoying an iced tea right after I publish this blog! THANK YOU PAULA for givin me the motivation to cook and taste AND enjoy my first collard greens ever! ;o)

Warm Bacon Vinaigrette over Greens

1/4 lb bacon (6 slices)
1 tbsp minced red onion
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1 tbsp dijon mustard
salt and pepper
Mixed Greens

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the bacon for 5 to 7 minutes, until crisp. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, then crumble.

2. Add the onion to the skillet with the bacon grease and cook, stirring, over medium heat for about 1 minute, until softened.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar and mustard. Add the mixture to a skillet and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the bacon and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the greens and serve.

Jamie's Mexican Chicken and Tortilla Casserole

1 16oz. jar salsa (2 cups)
1 cup chicken broth
1 6oz. bag tortilla chips
3 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 small yellow onion
3 cup jack/pepperjack cheese
I also added 1 can of mild green chilis and 1 can of cream of mushroom soup

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine the salsa and broth in a blender and process until smooth. In a large bowl, toss the tortilla chips with 2 1/2 cups of the salsa mixture. In a separate bowl, toss the chicken with the remaining 1/2 cup salsa mixture.

2. In a greased 13x 9 baking dish, layer on third of the chips, followed by half of the chicken, half of sliced onion, & one third of the cheese. Cover with foil and back on the middle rack for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Easy Blueberry Skillet Coffee Cake

Streusel Topping
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp butter
2 1/2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Coffee Cake
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp light brown sugar
1 12 oz tube buttermilk biscuits
1 cup blueberries

1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees. To make the streusel, combine the almonds, sugar, butter, flour, and cinnamon in a food processor anad pulse till large crumb form.

2. In a 9 inch cast iron skillet or other oven proof skillet, cook the butter and brown sugar over medium heat until melted. Arrange the biscuits in a single layer in the pan, scatter the blueberries over the biscuits and the streusel topping over the berries. Bake until the biscuits are golden and a tester inserted in the center of a biscuit comes out clean (about 30 minutes). Allow to cool slightly and serve warm.

Meatloaf, MacnCheese, & Creamed Spinach

2009-08-06T12:14:00.016-04:00

It's about how to make the best meat loaf or macaroni and cheese. It's about brilliant simple cooking, really. - Tyler Florence

I can't remember a time when the family wanted meatloaf until I found a great recipe, now they can't get enough of it. I also found a mac and cheese recipe and tweaked to my families liking. I am about to forgo all that work and perfecting to try two new recipes from The Deen Family Cookbook. I also am making creamed spinach AND beer and onion biscuits from the cookbook. Here's to a big night of cooking and hopefully smiles on everyones faces!

The meatloaf went together fast with 10 ingredients and I could tell that it would be juicy (key to success in this house). The mac n cheese, I will admit made me VERY skeptical. It went together with 9 ingredients and looked very nice but I worried how it would turn out. Justin (one of my assistant chefs)was home and helped me. With both of us, we were ready to go to the oven in 20 minutes. That is a quick prep.

As the meatloaf and mac n cheese, were baking, I mixed the 10 ingredients for the beer and onion biscuits and scooped them by 1/4 cup onto a baking sheet and popped them in in time for all to be done at the same time.

With 15 minutes left for everything to bake, I browned onion and bacon and when done, I added two bags of baby spinach. Once they were wilted, I added heavy cream and brought it to a boil until the cream stuck to the spinach. La n Va came and brought roasted cauliflower with red pepper flakes. Everything was done at the same time and a whole crew descended upon the kitchen: James, Jim, Sharran, La, Va, Johnny, Justin, Walker, and me....I went first! LOL

The meatloaf was amazing and juicy and sweet. The mac n cheese was a winner, very flavorful and cheesy. The spinach, was THE STAR of the night. It went so fast I didn't even get a picture of it! The biscuits tasted just like Tastefully Simples Beer Bread.

So, these are our new favorites so far (Beth, I know, I will send these too. haha). For dessert, we cheated with a mix and made apple cinnamon cupcakes. I really love making a meal where everything is great tasting and fills up my family and friends!

Aunt Peggy's Old-Fashioned Meat Loaf

1 lb ground beef
One 6oz can tomato paste
1/2 cup vidalia onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 quick-cooking oats
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/3 cup ketchup
2 tbsp packed light brown sugar
1 tbsp dijon mustard

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, tomato paste, onion, green pepper, oats, egg, salt, pepper. Shape into a loaf in a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the ketchup, brown sugar, and mustard. Slather the glaze over top the meat and bake for 1 hour or until meatloaf is cooked all the way through.

Corrie's Bacon Creamed Spinach

3 slices of bacon
1/2 cup fine chopped yellow onion
2 6oz. bags baby spinach
1/4 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper

1. In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crisp, then transfer to a paper towel. Pour off all but 1 tbsp of the fat from the skillet. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened (3 to 5 minutes). Add the spinach and toss until well blended.

2. Add the cream, and salt and pepper to taste. Let the mixture bubble over medium heat until the cream is thickened and clinging to the spinach, about10 minutes. Crumble the bacon over the spinach, stir and serve.

Anthony's Ultimate Doubly Cheesy Mac n Cheese

4 tbsp butter
1/2 lb uncooked elbow or bowtie noodles
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 mustard powder
4 cups grated cheddar cheese

Bubba's Beer and Onion Biscuits

3 cups flour
1 tbsp sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 stick of butter
1 cup beer
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
2/3 crushed fried onions
pinch of cayenne

1. Preheat oven 400 degrees. Lightly grease a baking sheet. In a large bowl or food processor, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder,salt, and baking soda.Cut the butter into the mixture with a pastry cutter or fork. Add the beer, cheese, onions, and cayenne, stirring or pulsing until dough forms.

2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it gently, just enough to form a ball. Pat the dough into a 1/2 inch thick round. Using a 2 1/2 in round cutter, stamp out circles of dough. Gently knead the leftover scraps together and stamp out more...(I just dropped them by spoon)

3. Transfer the biscuits to prepared baking sheet, brush tops with butter. Bake until golden brown about 25 to 30.

Peaches & Cream Shortcake

2009-08-05T13:17:00.027-04:00

“Life is better than death, I believe, if only because it is less boring and because it has fresh peaches in it” - Thomas Walker

MMMMmmmmMMMM, peaches. I must say this is definitely a family favorite in this house. Since we have had a considerable number of leftovers this week, the family and I have decided to have a hodgepodge supper and call it "Clean Out the Fridge Night". Leftovers aren't so bad around here and especially if I make an awesome dessert to wrap it all up! I know I can't go wrong with peaches.

This is another easy recipe, containing only 9 ingredients and taking approximately 45 minutes from start to finish, including peeling the peaches. The BEST part of this process is sweetening the peaches and sneaking a slice or two for yourself as you prepare! I made it to peeling peach number 3 before sneaking a bite! ;o) The process is simple, peel and slice peaches, sweeten. Mix dry ingredients, mix wet ingredients, combine the two...bake. Put it all together by cutting the shortcakes in half and filling with peaches and replacing the top and throw on a scoop of cool whip. Ooohhh baby, what a sweet and yummy way to wrap up the night.

James, Jim, Sharran, Justin, Justin's girlfriend - Andi, Walker, myself and my five year old nephew "Benny-ha-ha" all dug in with sweet anticipation of the delectable peach flavor and this shortcake did NOT disappoint! I have had other shortcakes that are very dry and overpower the fruit flavor, this one seemed to melt in our mouths, very creamy .... this recipe is just peachy! Oh, and Benny-ha-ha wants the recipe.. I love it! :o)

"An apple is an excellent thing -- until you have tried a peach." - George du Maurier

Peaches and Cream Shortcake

12 Peaches
3 tbsp brown sugar

2 3/4 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick of butter (of course)
2 tbsp butter melted to brush the tops before baking
2 eggs
one 8 oz container sour cream
2 tsp vanilla
Cool Whip

1. Preheat oven 450 grease baking sheet. combine sliced peaches with brown sugar and let sit (or chill) for at least 20 minutes.
2. Combine dry ingredients, then cut in the butter to make large "crumbs".
3. Whisk eggs, vanilla, and sour cream. Fold into the dry ingredients until just combined. Drop dough by the quarter cup onto baking sheet. Brush tops with butter,bake for about 12 min or until golden. Allow to cool.
4. Split shortcakes, put about 1/2 of peaches on the bottom half and cover with the top. Add a dollop of cool whip and ENJOY!

Sausage Bites & Smoky Tomato-Bacon Pasta

2009-08-04T09:55:00.014-04:00

"Never eat more than you can lift. " -- Miss Piggy

That's right! Sausage and bacon dishes today! Sorry Miss Piggy, but when you get invited to dinner here, it isn't for a seat AT the table, it's for a place ON the table!

HOLY COW ...I MEAN PIG! These recipes are AWESOME! If you want them, make sure you email me or leave a comment on the tiny "comment" word below because THEY ARE WORTH IT!

These recipes are not only delicious, but also EASY. The Tiny Sausage-Tomato bites had only FOUR ingredients and as I was rolling them into meatballs, my guest chef was starting to whip up the Smoky Tomato-Bacon Pasta containing only FIVE ingredients! My son Justin joined in on the fun in my kitchen circus. I couldn't hardly say no because when I talked about this adventure of blogging and bought the book, Justin pushed the grocery cart reading Paula's cookbook and specifically chose this recipe to make. As many of my family and friends know, my hubby and sons are no strangers to the kitchen and have been known to stir a mean pot and bake a batch every so often. So we danced around the kitchen occasionally bumping into one another and got'er done! His pasta was done just seconds before my sausage bites and we rang the bell for dinner. Folks started running in, Jim, Sharran, James, Justin, Walker, and Benny (my soon to be nephew). It was love at first bite for all! The best was that Jim hates cheese, the pasta had cream cheese in it and because the flavors were so incorporated, he couldn't taste it....which was great! We oohed and awhed all through dinner eating off of fancy plates and enjoying simple recipes withincredible flavor. What a great night! At this point, I am not sure what we will get into Wednesday, but trust this....it will be yummy!:o)

TINY SAUSAGE-TOMATO BITES

1lb loose sausage crumbled(can be hot, sweet, or breakfast - your choice)
1.5 cups Bisquick
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
cherry tomatoes, halved

1. Hand mix first three ingredients together until well blended.
2. Roll into 1" balls and place on cookie sheet and flatten them with palm of your hand (enough to look like a patty- good job for the kids).
3. Make a dent with your thumb to nestle half a cherry tomato, cut side up in the indentation.

Bake @ 375 15 - 25 minutes or until done. I did the whole 25 minutes because I made them a little bigger for my guys, I also always make a double batch because they are awesome warmed up!

SMOKY TOMATO-BACON PASTA

10 strips of bacon
1 large yellow onion
1 28oz can of dices tomatoes
salt and pepper
4 ounces of cream cheese cut into chunks
1 lb cooked rigatoni

1. In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crisp and brown (TIP: I used kitchen scissors and cut them into 1 inch sections before putting them into the skillet because you are going to crumble them later anyway.) Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Keep 1/4 cup of the bacon grease in the skillet .
2. Add the onion and cool over medium heat, stirring until onions are softened about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in diced tomatoes and crumbled bacon. Season with salt and pepper, simmer, stirring occasionally (about 10 min) Stir in the cream cheese until melted.
3. Meanwhile, boil and cook your pasta. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Toss with the sauce and serve immediately.

Soutwest Blackbean Salad & Key Lime Pie

2009-08-03T08:07:00.020-04:00

My doctor told me to stop having intimate dinners for 4; unless there are 3 other people. - Orson Welles

So, tonight our great friends Larry and Virgina (commonly known as La n Va)are coming over to eat and swim. A normal event for a hot summer day. They volunteered to bring the grub and graciously let us know that the cuisine would be chili and cornbread. PERFECT! I have 2 recipes out of Paula's family cookbook that will go perfectly with this. Southwestern Avocado and Blackbean Salad and Key Lime Pie. Since Va and JB do not like avocados, I'll leave some out in their portion of the salad. Please understand that I am not allowed to publish the recipes due to copyright laws, however if you want the recipe just email me and I will be happy to share. A majority of these recipes are very simple and do not require lavish ingredients.

Key Lime (& Orange)Pie. Okay, so I start this thing off and I have no rules. Go figure. I took Paula's brothers (Bubba) recipe for tiny chocolate key lime pies and tweaked it a bit. Instead of chocolate crust I used regular graham crackers. I also took a hint from Sunny Anderson (Cooking For Real - Food Network) and hand squeezed the juice of 3 limes and 2 oranges instead of buying the juice as Paula's brother suggested in their recipe. Advice: buy the juice... unless you have an extra dish towel and fifteen minutes on your hands. Feeling the OJ in the scrape on my hand was not fun either, however, the end result just may be a nice payoff. I taste tested prior to putting in the oven and I must say ....we may have a winner! On to the Salad!

Southwestern, Avocado & Blackbean Salad. At the start of this recipe, I was thinking it was not going to go very well. With mine, I had to make some changes, like I used iceberg lettuce instead of romaine and Jamie (Paula's son) had fresh cilantro and I used store bought. As I threw more ingredients in the better it got and by the time I was done...I had a salad that was worthy of a beer! The beans, corn and avocado really make it eat like a meal. Now we will just have to wait and see what everyone thinks tonight!

Well, heck the whole gang was here, James, Justin, Walker, Sharran and Jim (James parents), La and Va, and Johnny (Va's brother)all made it to dinner. The chili was great, Va made two kinds of awesome sweet cornbread (one with and one without jalapenos). The southwestern salad was a hit,especially with those who enjoyed avocados and I thought Justin would lick the Lime-Orange pie pan clean! So all in all it was a great first run for two of the recipes from The Deen Family Cookbook! The supper was followed up by a fun dip in the swimming pool AND JUST WHEN I THOUGHT THAT I COULD RELAX, mom called....

.....of course she was making her homemade peach jelly with cherries. O...M....G...it is so freaking good that we could not help but to pitch in. Mom stirred the thickener, Justin stirred the jelly, James poured it into jars, Dad put the lids on and timed Justin, as he was to only stir for 3 minutes and I washed the sticky but yummy pans and spoons! Luckily we had a half jar left over so we got to bring that home for morning toast! AND I drove mom crazy as I talked in a funny voice and cracked jokes...what else am I good for! HA!

I can't wait to see what we get into Tuesday!

Jamie's Southwestern Avocado and Blackbean Salad

1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice
2 or 3 dashes of Paula Deens hot sauce or other hot sauce
4 cps of chopped romaine lettuce
2 avocados, pitted, peeled, & diced
2 cps of fresh or frozen corn
2 15oz cans of blackbeans, drained and rinsed
1 cup chopped cherry tomatoes
3/4 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
salt n pepper to taste

1. In a small bowl, whisk cilantro, oil, lime juice, and hot sauce.
2. In a large bowl combine remaining ingredients, add the dressing and salt and pepper to taste!

Bubba's Tiny Chocolate-Key Lime Pie

1/2 lb (2 sticks) butter, melted plus more for greasing pans
1 3/4 cup of chocolate wafer cookie crumbs
3/4 cup of sugar

1 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup of fresh squeezed lime or Keylime juice
3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
grated lime or keylime zest
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
whipped cream for serving
chocolate curls for serving (chocolate bar shavings)

1. Preheat oven to 325. lightly brush 30 cups or two mini muffins pans with melted butter. Fill any unused cups half way up with water. In a medium bowl, combine the cookie crumbs, butter, and sugar. Press about `1 tablespoon of the cookie mixture into each minimuffin cup, making sure there are no cracks. Bake pie crusts for 10 minutes.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the condensed milk, keylime juice, egg yolks, lime zest, vanilla, and salt. Spoon 1 even tbsp of filling into each warm pie crust. Bake the pies until the filling is set. 20 - 2 minutes.

3.Transfer the pans to a cooling rack and let stand 20 minutes at room temp. Use a small spatula to loosen and remove the pies. When they are cool, top each with a dollop of whipped cream.

My Beginning .... cooking

2009-08-02T13:27:00.001-04:00

I can remember at five years old standing next to Gramma Baker in her kitchen while she rolled pie dough and of course with the left over raw crust, we would make cinnamon milk pies for me to munch on. She taught me how to make milk toast for breakfast and as I grew older, I helped make lunch for the farmhands with her. Her signature dish was country ham and browned potatoes. I was 26 before I was brave enough to try that but I did it!

When I stayed with Gramma Piper we would make homemade rolled dough cookies. Her gingerbread and raisin filled cookies were to die for! Although she has given me the recipes, they just never taste the same.

I remember being 8 years old and standing in my moms kitchen while she was in the next room (her beauty shop) shouting out directions of how to make supper. It may not have been the most conventional way to learn how to cook, but it worked! It was a sign of the times, and relationships between mothers and daughters were evolving. As moms took to the work force, many of my peers had no one to show or tell them anything about cooking. I was at least lucky enough to get direction from mom while she was doing hair! She taught me how to make my first casserole called hamburger goulash, and it was good! I also would bake on Saturdays after cleaning the house. Typically making my choice of cookies and the occasional Texas sheet cake.

So, thanks to these three women and their combined talents I had a fantastic background for cooking and baking. But it was not until my mid thirties that I branched out from boxed meals and processed food and actually started to cook. I guess as my sons got older and their tastes were developing and expanding it gave me the motivation I needed to get cookin'! We also have two great friends that share the love of cooking and great tasting food. With these folks, we sure do have a great time.

This leads to where I am today. A wife, mom, and teacher that enjoys cooking at the end of the day to help unwind and get a sense of accomplishment that she has prepared a nice meal for her family. So with that, lets get this party started!

The Beginning of the Butter Broadcast.

2009-08-02T13:14:00.006-04:00

Well, I have made a decision to imitate a popular movie and cook my way thru someones cookbook while I journal the events that take place around the recipes I will be cooking. I want to do this to prepare a documented account of all the fun that resides around me and my family cooking and living. Someday, maybe my great grandkids will read this and do something similar for their family!

The first thing I did was research different cookbooks and the recipes within. Knowing that this would be a lengthy and major undertaking, I didn't want to subject my friends and family to recipes that they may not prefer! Although there were several great contenders, my personal favorite, Paula Deen "The Butter Queen" was the winner of my little secret contest! Her recipes mostly match the way I already cook but allows me to branch out and try new things and put different twists on the familiar.

Paula says, it isn't always about just the cooking. I agree. My friends and family have made literal "events" out of our love of food and cooking and have now started a tradition of having family gourmet nights where we set a fancy table and prepare at least a four course meal. We have so much fun and each person contributes to the evening with their own recipe of the night. I want to document this and the best way I know how is to cook my way through the cookbook and write it all down all while using todays technology...blogs!

All recipes by Paula or her family will be noted in the blog and credited as well as the Cookbook publisher Simon and Schuster