Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Sweet Cornbread
A couple of months ago, when my family and I were on a never ending illness kick, my mom decided to risk her own health, cross our threshold (which should have been covered in caution tape at that point) and bring us dinner. Thanks mom! She brought over a yummy homemade bean soup and cornbread. They were both delicious! I really liked this cornbread recipe. It was a little more cakelike and not as crumbly as some other cornbread recipes. I made this the other day to go with our dinner. It's so good, and of course I cover it with butter and honey!
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup Corn Meal
1 T. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cups milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup veg. oil
3 Tbls. melted butter or margarine (I used butter)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8" square baking pan. Combine flour, sugar, corn meal, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Combine milk, eggs, oil and butter in a small bowl, mix well. Add to flour mixture, stir just until blended. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 35 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
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Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Brownie Toffee Trifle
I feel like I haven't posted anything in forever. Well now that I'm starting to make my way out of the black hole of my Christmas mess....I can share another recipe! Every year for Christmas Eve we get together with my husband's side of the family. This year we decided to do just desserts. One of my favorite desserts to make is a trifle. They are so easy and you don't have to worry about some of the common problems that can occur when baking. I love to bake, but when you're going to make something a few hours before the party, it's nice to have a recipe that you know won't fail. Even if the trifle recipe calls for a baked ingredient, like cake, you can still use it even if it falls apart. Just layer and your done! For this recipe I searched multiple trifle recipes and came up with some layers that I thought would work best. It was soooo good!
Ingredients:
Brownie mix( I used brownies with the cream cheese swirl, 9X13 pan)
Whipped topping
Caramel topping(the kind you put on sundaes)
Chocolate fudge pudding, large box, instant
Toffee candy bits(I used the Heath brand, covered in chocolate, in baking section)
Bake brownies as directed,cool. Make pudding as directed, chill. Now in a trifle dish, layer brownies, pudding, caramel sauce, heath candy, whipped topping. Layer one more time and finish with some candy sprinkled on top of last whipped topping layer. Refrigerate before serving. Enjoy!
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Saturday, December 26, 2009
Cheater Chili Rellenos
Friday, December 25, 2009
Merry Christmas
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. Luke 2: 9-14
Wish you and yours a wonderful Christmas Day! Merry Christmas!
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. Luke 2:14
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Thursday, December 24, 2009
Almond Joy Christmas Drink
Monday, December 21, 2009
Just an Idea...
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Layered Bean Dip
Cookie # 7 EggNog Cookies
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Cookie # 6 German Chocolate Cookies
Friday, December 18, 2009
We've Changed!
If you follow us on Twitter you may have to re-follow us since our Twitter name has also changed. Sorry for the inconvenience. The Twitter follow link is on the right side of the page. Pin It
Treat #5 Chocolate Covered Pretzels
This year, for my neighbors, I decided to make chocolate dipped pretzel sticks. I love chocolate covered pretzels. Probably because, like the payday bars, I love the combination of sweet and salty. These were very easy to make. I put them in clear christmas gift bags, tied with a bow and a tag.
Ingredients:
large pretzel rods
Chocolate for melting( I used Wilton's melting chips in cocoa)
Candy, chopped
Ex-butterfingers,heath bits,sprinkles,mini chocolate chips, candy canes(The candy cane pieces and chocolate chips were a little bit harder to work with)
Directions:
Follow the melting directions on the back of your chocolate. Spoon chocolate over half of the pretzel. Shake off excess. Sprinkle or spoon candy over the chocolate. Set on waxed paper. Once completely hardened, put in gift bags.
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Thursday, December 17, 2009
Cookie #4 Payday Bars
One of my favorite candy bars, if not my favorite candy bar is a Payday. I love the combination of sweet and salty. While looking for new recipes to try for this week of cookies/treats, I came across a recipe for payday bars. I never had heard of them, but they sounded really good. I almost completely demolished the bars by burning myself on the hot pan and dropping half of the crust onto my oven door! However, I decided to take the remaining crust from the 9X13 pan, put it in a smaller square pan, bake it for a few more minutes, and it was saved. I'm so glad, because this turned out to be such a great treat! Oh...and simple...
1st layer/The Crust:
1box yellow cake mix
2/3 c unsalted butter, softened
1 egg
Mix all of the ingredients, press into a slightly greased 9X13 pan. Bake at 350 for 12-18 minutes.(I baked mine for 20-25. Until the edges were golden)
Second Layer:
2 cups of marshmallows
Sprinkle marshmallows over top of crust. Bake for another 5 min.
3rd layer:
1 bag peanut butter chips
2 T. butter
2/3 cup corn syrup
2 cups crispy rice cereal
2 cups salted peanuts
Melt chips, butter and corn syrup in a saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in cereal and peanuts. Poor over base and spread evenly.(I had to press mine around)Cool, cut into squares.
Recipe from Gooseberry Patch-Old Fashioned Country Christmas Pin It
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
My Gingerbread Houses
For this week's ROTW I chose mini gingerbread houses. The inspiration came from the Martha Stewart site and graham crackers were used in place of gingerbread. That's not the part that would cause horror. This is. I put my houses together with a GLUE GUN! It worked liked a dream. I'm so glad the cashier at my grocery store gave me the idea. This week has been sooo busy and I wasn't about to try and put together multiple little houses with frosting. I've heard it is very time consuming. And besides, it's not like I'm going to eat them anyways. Do people actually do that? Me and my 2 kids had a lot of fun putting them together. I hope to make it a yearly tradition. I used the royal icing recipe that Kimberly posted along with her tip to use hair dye bottles(which worked great!).
Here are my houses.
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Cookie # 3-Peanut Butter Chocolate Oat Bars
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Night Before Christmas Mice
This mouse cookie recipe is a fun recipe to make with the kids. They are more of a cookie for decorating than a cookie that's going to win you best cookie recipe of the year. They have a sweet chocolatey taste, but I felt they were a bit dry. I still wanted to post them though, because the kids really liked them and my daughter had fun making her own little mice.
Ingredients:
3/4 c sugar
1/2 c softened butter
1/2 c shortening
1 t. vanilla
1 egg
2 1/4 flour
1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa
1/2 t. baking powder
mini semi-sweet chocolate chips for eyes
red or black string licorice for tail
Beat sugar, butter, and shortening until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, mix well. Mix dry ingredients together and add to wet mixture. Mix well. Form into 1 inch ball, pinch/form nose. Form 2 little flat ears for each and put on head. Add choc. chips for eyes. Bake on un-greased cookie sheet at 325 for 8-10 minutes. Put the tails in right when you pull them out of the oven while still hot.
Makes 3 dozen mice
Recipe found in the Gooseberry Patch Old Fashioned Country Cookies cook book. Pin It
Monday, December 14, 2009
Christmas Cookie # 1-Chocolate Spiced Crinkle Cookies
Sunday, December 13, 2009
A Week of Treats!
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Gingerbread party
Friday, December 11, 2009
Mini "Gingerbread" House Challenge!
Join us over at our facebook group "event" for a mini "gingerbread" house challenge. If you are up to making one of these adorable little houses, come join us! By "attending"...all you are saying is that you would like to try and make a house and then... what we would love for you to do, is come back and show off your pics!
Gingerbread House Challenge(FB Page)
Idea and photo courtesy of Martha Stewart Pin It
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Turkey Veggie Soup
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Fiesta Pinwheels
It's that time of year when most of us will end up going to at least one holiday party. Whether it's a work, school, friend or family get-together, we almost always will bring an appetizer to share. While searching for some finger food ideas for my son's birthday party this weekend, I found this yummy and easy recipe on the Taste of Home website. They are served cold, so you do not have to worry about keeping and transporting them hot. If you have a long drive ahead of you, just stick them in the cooler.
Ingredients
- 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup picante sauce
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- Dash garlic powder
- 1 can (4-1/2 ounces) chopped ripe olives, drained
- 1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies
- 1 cup (4 ounces) finely shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
- 8 flour tortillas (10 inches)
- Salsa
Directions
- In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, sour cream, picante sauce, taco seasoning and garlic powder until smooth. Stir in olives, chilies, cheese and onions. Spread about 1/2 cup on each tortilla.
- Roll up jelly-roll style; wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. Slice into 1-in. pieces. Serve with salsa. Yield: about 5 dozen.
Editor's Note: Pinwheels may be prepared ahead and frozen. Thaw in refrigerator.
Turkey Alfredo
Now I am sure at this point you all must think that we only make the most fattening foods we can find. While I do love a good, full fat treat, the majority of my meals include fish and this year alone I have lost 76 lbs while enjoying all of these foods in moderation. It is my intention to start posting my fish recipes at the beginning of the year when everyone wants to get off the holiday weight. I made this tonight for my family, using light whipping cream. I will write all of my changes next to the recipe but I want to post the original for three reason- 1. not everyone is dieting, 2. this is a great, fast and easy treat to enjoy once in a while and 3. it will help you get rid of any leftover chicken or turkey. It truly is delicious and so much cheaper than a restaurant.
Chicken Fettuccine in Alfredo Sauce
courtesy of Kevin Larson
3/4 cup heavy cream or half and half (I used light whipping cream but try with milk)
3/4 cup butter (I used 1/2 stick which still gave it a buttery taste though maybe not as rich)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated (I used 1/4 cup of the real stuff, grated from a block)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup white wine (optional)
pinch of Italian seasoning
pinch of garlic salt
1 1/2 lbs boneless cooked chicken cut into strips (I used left over white meat turkey, shredded)
Fettuccine or other preferred wide noodle (I used Whole Wheat spaghetti noodles)
In large deep skillet, pour 3/4 cup of heavy cream. Add butter. Warm slowly until butter melts. Turn up heat up it starts to simmer. Add 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese and garlic. Simmer 2 minutes stirring constantly. Add Italian seasoning and garlic salt. Spoon off 1/4 cup of sauce, put into small bowl and add 1-2 TBL flour, mix until smooth and add back to pan. Continue cooking until thicker, add chicken, cover and simmer for 2-4 minutes longer. Serve over noodle of your choice.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Cranberry Crumb Cake
| Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 9″x 13″baking pan with foil and butter the foil. Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Using a heavy-duty mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugar until soft and light (about 5 minutes). Add whole eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. On low speed, add half the flour mixture and mix well. Add yolks, mixing well, then add remaining flour mixture. Scrape batter into prepared pan. Smooth the top. Scatter cranberries over the batter. CRUMB TOPPING Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir in melted butter and combine with your fingers until the mixture is coarse crumbs. Scatter the crumbs evenly over the berries. Bake for 40 minutes, or until cake is firm. Cool cake in pan on wire rack. |
Friday, December 4, 2009
Molasses Crinkle Cookies
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Chicken/Turkey Tetrazzini
Isn't it great to find a new recipe that the whole family likes? This week, while going through my cookbooks trying to find some dinner ideas, I came across a chicken tetrazzini recipe. I have never tried tetrazzini before, but it sounded really good and not too fussy. My family can be pretty picky, so I'm always a little hessitant to try something new. This recipe came from a Costco cookbook, but I did make some changes to it. It was very simple and definitely a keeper.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup salted butter(1/2 stick)
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1/4 cup flour
1 teas. salt
1/4 teas. pepper
2 cups chicken broth(or 14oz can)
1 cup half and half
3 Tabl. Sherry
2 cups of cooked, shredded or cubed chicken or Turkey
14oz of cooked penne pasta
4 cups shredded cheddar and monterrey jack cheese(mixed, not each)
1/2 cup bread crumbs
Melt the butter in a pan. Saute garlic in butter 'till tender. Add salt and pepper. Add flour and stir until smooth. Pour in broth, then half and half, while stirring. Bring to a boil, then simmer and stir until sauce thickens, approx. 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add sherry then add 3 cups of cheese and stir until melted. Add the chicken and the pasta and stir. Pour into a greased 9X13 pan. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bread crumbs. Bake uncovered at 350 for 30 minutes, or until it is hot and bubbly. Pin It