Cinnamon Toast

Cinnamon Toast

4 (3/4-inch thick) slices homemade white bread
2 Tbsp butter, softened
1/3 cup golden brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350^F. Combine the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla until well mixed and creamy. Spread onto tops of each bread slice. Place on baking sheet and bake at 350^ for 10 minutes. Turn on the broiler and cook until the topping is bubbly. Watch carefully so it doesn't burn! Serve warm.

This is comfort food! So incredibly delicious on a cold day! You can use white sugar instead of brown, but the brown sugar gives this a yummy caramel flavor.

Burgers au Poivre

Burgers au Poivre

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
10 oz white mushrooms, slices
1 onion, thinly sliced
Salt & Pepper
1 lb ground sirloin
1/2 Tbsp coarse black pepper
1 cup dry red wine
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
1 cup beef broth
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

In a medium skillet, heat 1 Tbsp EVOO over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

In a second medium skillet, heat 1 Tbsp EVOO over medium heat. Season the groun sirloin with salt and the coarse pepper and form into 2 large patties. Pour the wine into a dish and dip each patty in the wine, then cook for 4 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.

Add the wine to the burger skillet and reduce to a syrup. Whisk in the butter, then the flour, beef broth and Worcestershire sauce.

Serve the burgers with the wine gravy and the mushrooms. I adapted this from a Rachael Ray recipe and got rave reviews from John!

Eggless Eggnog

Eggless Eggnog

1/2 gallon milk
1 (3.5 oz) pkg instant French Vanilla pudding
1/4 cup sugar
3 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg

In a large bowl, combine 2 cups milk and the pudding mix. Whisk until well combined. Add sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg and whisk well. Stir in remaining milk and chill until ready to serve. Spike with Rum or Bourbon as desired.

I could never stand the thought of drinking anything with raw eggs in it so when I found this recipe online (don't remember where) I saved a copy to try this Christmas Eve. And it's good!!

French Bread

French Bread

1 1/4 cups water (70 to 80 degrees F)
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 cups bread flour
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 tablespoon cornmeal
Olive Oil
Mrs Dash

In bread machine pan, place the first five ingredients in the order suggested by the manufacturer. Select dough setting (check dough after 5 minutes of mixing; add 1 to 2tablespoons of water or flour if needed).

When cycle is completed, turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide in half. Roll each portion into a 10-in. x 8-in. rectangle. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; pinch seams to seal.

Sprinkle a greased baking sheet with cornmeal; place loaves seam side down on prepared pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 20 minutes. With a sharp knife, make four shallow slashes across the top of each loaf. Brush olive oil over loaves and sprinkle with Mrs. Dash. Bake at 375 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks.

We had this bread with French Onion Soup for dinner and it was GOOD!

Adapted from allrecipes.com

Fudge Puddles

Fudge Puddles

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

Sift together flour, baking soda and salt.

Cream butter, peanut butter and white and brown sugars. Mix in egg and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Stir the flour mixture into creamed mixture. Shape the dough into 48 balls, 1 inch each. Place each ball in one compartment of a mini muffin tin.

For filling, put chocolate chips in a double boiler over simmering water. Stir in milk and vanilla, mix well.

Bake for 14 to 16 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and immediately make wells in the center of each using a melon baller. Cool in pan for 5 minutes. Then carefully remove to wire racks. Using 2 teaspoons fill each shell with the chocolate mixture. Top with mini red and green chocolate morsels, if desired.

From allrecipes.com

Pretzel Turtles

Pretzel Turtles

36 small mini pretzels
36 Rolos, unwrapped
36 pecan halves

Preheat the oven to 300^F. Arrange the pretzels in a single layer on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Place one Rolo (chocolate covered caramel candy) on each pretzel. Place a pecan half on top of each Rolo. Bake for 4 minutes. While the candy is warm, press each pecan half to smoosh the Rolo over the pretzel. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Yummy and easy!

Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

Southwestern Pasta Skillet

Southwestern Pasta Skillet

1lb lean ground chuck
Garlic salt and pepper
1/2 cup water
1 Tbsp dehydrated onion flakes
1 can Spicy Chili Beans
1 can Mexicorn
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp dried cilantro
15.5 oz jar Pace Mexican Four Cheese Salsa con Queso
1 lb Rotini, cooked al dente, drained

Brown and crumble the ground chuck in a large skillet with the garlic salt and pepper (to taste) and the dehydrated onions and water. When thoroughly cooked, stir in the beans, Mexicorn, spices and Salsa Con Queso until combined. Cook on low until heated through. Stir in the rotini and serve.

This was good and easy with the pasta.....but it would be CRAZY good as a dip without the pasta! I had to chase John out of the kitchen to keep him from eating it all with corn chips right out of the skillet!

Adapted from recipe with the same name at Pillsbury.com

German Style Beef and Gravy

German Style Beef and Gravy

2 lbs top sirloin steak, cut into chunks
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
1 large onion, chopped
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup catsup
4 oz chili sauce
3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup red wine
14.5 oz can beef broth + 1/2 can water
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

Season the beef with salt and pepper and brown in olive oil and butter in a Dutch Oven. Add the onion and cook until limp. Stir in remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer about 1 hour or until meat is tender. Thicken the gravy, if desired and serve with Mashed Potatoes.

This was very good and I will be making it again! Inspired by allrecipe.com's "Slow Cooked German Short Ribs".

Nacho Chicken Chowder

Nacho Chicken Chowder

1 lb chicken tenderloins
2 tbsp butter
Garlic Salt & Pepper
1 small chopped onion
1 Tbsp chicken bouillon granules
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning
4 cups water
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can Campbell's Fiesta Nacho Cheese Soup
1 can cream style corn
3/4 cup sour cream
Shredded Cheddar
Diced, fresh tomato
Cilantro sprigs
Corn Chips

Cut the chicken into bite-sized chunks and brown in a Dutch Oven in the butter. Season with garlic salt and pepper to taste. Add the onion and continue cooking until onions are translucent. Stir in cumin, chili powder, creole seasoning, water, black beans, soup and corn and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until all ingredients are thoroughly heated and blended together. Just before serving stir in sour cream until smooth. Garnish each serving with diced tomato, a bit of shredded cheddar and a cilantro sprig and serve with corn chips.

Tastes good and it's fast and easy!

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Cajun Chicken Pasta

2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins
2 tsp Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning
1/2 bag frozen red, green and yellow bell pepper strips with onions
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp lemon pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 heaping tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
8 oz hot, cooked linguine

Heat the olive oil and butter in a skillet until butter melts. Season the chicken with the creole seasoning and saute in the oil mixture until chicken is completely cooked (about 10 minutes), turning once. Add pepper-onion mix and cook about 5 minutes. Stir in cream, basil, lemon pepper, garlic powder, pepper and cheese and cook until heated through. Stir in cooked linguine and toss to coat with sauce.

This was delicious! Adapted from recipe at allrecipes.com

Sausage Enchilada Soup

Sausage Enchilada Soup

1 lb sausage
1 tbsp dehydrated minced onions
1 pkg McCormick's Chili Seasoning
8 oz Chile Verde
10 oz can Enchilada Sauce
32 oz carton chicken broth
1 can Rotel tomatoes & green chiles
15 oz black beans, rinsed and drained
16 oz can pinto beans
15.5 oz can whole kernel corn, drained
1/2 tsp dried cilantro

Brown and crumble the sausage in a Dutch Oven with a little water (1/2 cup or so) and the dehydrated onions. Stir in the remaining ingredients and simmer until hot and cooked through.

Fast, easy and tasty on a cold night!

Terry's Texas Pinto Beans

Terry's Texas Pinto Beans

1 pound dry pinto beans
1 (29 ounce) can reduced sodium chicken broth
1 large onion, chopped
1 Tbsp diced jalapeno pepper
1 tsp roasted garlic
1/2 cup green salsa
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Water
Salt to taste

Place the pinto beans in a slow cooker, and pour in the chicken broth. Stir in onion, jalapeno, garlic, salsa, cumin, and pepper. Add enough water to cover the beans by about 1 inch. Cook on low for 10-12 hours or until beans are tender. Add salt to taste.

Adapted from allrecipes.com recipe by the same name. These are really delicious! Next time I'll add a smoked turkey wing and I'll bet they'll be even better!

Sausage, Apple, Bacon and Cornbread Stuffing

Sausage, Apple, Bacon and Cornbread Stuffing

1 (9x9 inch) pan cornbread, cut into small cubes
1 (12 ounce) package dry bread stuffing mix
8 ounces pork sausage links, finely chopped
1 pound bulk pork sausage
1/2 pound bacon slices, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup parsley
1 large Fuji apple - peeled, cored and chopped
1 pinch salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon dried sage leaves, or amount to taste
32 oz carton chicken broth, or as needed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease 9x13 inch baking dish.
Place the cubed cornbread and bread stuffing mix into a large bowl. Set aside.

Place the chopped sausage links and ground sausage in a skillet; cook and stir over medium-high heat until evenly browned. Drain, and place sausage into a bowl. Using the same skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until evenly browned. Drain bacon on paper towels. Drain excess bacon fat from the skillet. Stir the cooked sausage and bacon into the cornbread mixture.

Using the same skillet, cook the celery and onion over medium heat until transparent and tender, about 5 minutes. Stir into the cornbread mixture.

Stir the parsley and apples into the cornbread mixture. Season with salt, pepper, and sage. Pour enough chicken broth over the cornbread mixture to moisten thoroughly, and toss to distribute evenly. Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish.

Bake in preheated oven until top is toasted and the center is firm, about 45 minutes.

This makes more than will fit into a 9x13" pan! It was quite good, but (sorry!) not as good as mine. I added extra sage and some poultry seasoning, but I'll stick with my good, old traditional recipe from now on. Adapted from allrecipes.com

Roast Turkey Breast 2010

Roast Turkey Breast 2010

6lb turkey breast, thawed
1 cup sea salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 cups Welch's White Grape Cherry Juice
1 Tbsp onion powder
1 Tbsp sliced dehydrated garlic
1 tsp celery seeds
1 tsp Poultry seasoning
1 heaping Tbsp dried parsley
Iced Water
2 stalks celery, cut into 3 inch chunks
1 large onion, cut into large chunks
4 Tbsp softened butter
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1 cup white wine

Wash the turkey breast. In a large pot combine the salt, sugar, Juice, onion powder, garlic, celery seeds, poultry seasoning and parsley and stir until salt is dissolved. Place the turkey into the pot and add iced water to completely cover the breast. Keep chilled and let stand for about 6 hours. Remove turkey from brine and pat dry.

Place a small rack in a roasting pan (at least 2 inches deep) and place the turkey breast, skin side up on the rack. Place the celery and onion around the turkey. Combine the butter with the thyme and rosemary and rub under and over the skin of the turkey. Pour wine into pan. Cover tightly with foil making sure the foil is tented over the turkey and bake for 1 hour. Remove the foil and continue roasting for 1 - 1.5 hours or until turkey is completely cooked and browned.

Use the pan drippings to make gravy! This was truly a perfectly cooked turkey breast. It was very tender and extremely juicy and I'll definitely be cooking turkey like this again! Excellent flavor. No recipe, John and I both threw things into the brine and we're very happy with the results.

Green Beans with Ham and Baby Potatoes

Green Beans with Ham and Baby Potatoes

1-1.5 lb bag fresh green beans, cleaned and cut into pieces
1 lb baby potatoes, washed and cut in half
8 oz smoked ham cubes
1 stick butter
1 sweet onion, chopped
Salt & pepper
32 oz carton chicken broth

Place all ingredients in a crockpot. Cover and cook on high 4-6 hours or until done. Excellent!

Adapted from a Southern Living recipe.

Brandied Cranberries 2010

Brandied Cranberries 2010

2 bags cranberries, washed
1 large Fuji apple, peeled and diced
1 heaping tsp crystallized ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup Blackberry Brandy

Preheat the oven to 300^ F. Place the berries and the apple into a 9x13" baking dish. Sprinkle with ginger, cinnamon and cloves and stir in the sugar. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from oven and stir in the Blackberry Brandy. Cool and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Delicious!!!

Not My Usual Sweet Potato Pie

Not My Usual Sweet Potato Pie

2 lbs sweet potatoes, baked until tender and peeled (about 6-2.5"x5" potatoes)
3/4 cup softened butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup half & half
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 pie shells, thawed

Preheat the oven to 424^F. Combine the potatoes, butter, sugars, spices and salt in a large mixing bowl and beat until well combined. Add half and half, eggs and vanilla and beat well. Pour into pie shells and bake at 425^ for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350^ and bake about 45 minutes or until pie is set in the middle.

This Sweet Potato Pie is BETTER than mine! John very tactfully said "it's as good as yours" but I know...it's definitely better. This is the best Sweet Potato Pie I've ever eaten!!!

Adapted from allrecipe.com's "Sweet Potato Pie I".

Greek Roasted Chicken

Greek Roasted Chicken

1 chicken, cut up (or bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts)
Olive Oil
Garlic Salt & Pepper
1 Lemon
1 tsp crushed, dried rosemary
1/2 tsp dried oregano

Preheat the oven to 375^F. Place the rinsed chicken in a baking dish. Drizzle with oil, season with garlic salt and pepper. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice over the chicken. Add rosemary and oregano and bake until chicken is browned and cooked thoroughly.

Yum!

My Favorite Chili

1 1/2 lbs lean ground chuck
1/2 lb hot Italian sausage
1 large onion, diced
1/3 cup diced frozen red & green bell peppers
1 heaping tsp roasted garlic
Gralic Salt & Pepper
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 pkg Carrol Shelby chili mix
32 oz carton beef broth
6 oz can tomato paste
3 cans dark red kidney beans, 2 cans drained & 1 not
1 tbsp diced pickled jalapenos, or to taste

Brown the ground chuck and sausage in a large Dutch oven stirring often to crumble. Add onions, peppers, garlic, garlic salt, pepper and Worcestershire. Cook until onions are translucent. Add the chili mix and stir well. Add remaining ingredients and simmer 1 to 2 hours.

Serve hot with sour cream, shredded cheddar and/or tortilla chips.

Spanish Pork Dip Sandwiches

Spanish Pork Dip Sandwiches

1 (4-5 lb) boneless pork butt roast
Salt & Pepper
3 tbsp olive oil
12 oz Goya Mojo Criollo Spanish marinating sauce
2 packets (.75 oz ea) pork gravy mix
2 cups water
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 large sweet onion, sliced
1 fresh loaf Cuban bread

Rinse the roast and season all over with salt & pepper. Heat olive oil in a heavy skillet and brown the pork roast on all sides. Place pork in slow cooker.

Combine the Spanish marinating sauce with the 2 packets of gravy mix, water and vinegar and pour over the roast. Top with sliced onions and cook on high for 1 hour then reduce heat to low and cook 6-8 hours or until meat is tender and shreds easily.

Remove pork and onions to a large bowl, reserving liquid. Shred meat. Add 1 cup reserved liquid to moisten.

Slice bread into 8 equal portions; slice each portion in half lengthwise. Place shredded pork on bottom bread slices, top with remaining bread slices. Spoon reserved liquid into individual small bowls for dipping. Makes 8 sandwiches.

Adapted from a finalist's recipe in the Southern Living 2004 Cook-Off. This is GOOD!!!

Tangy Pork Tenderloin

Tangy Pork Tenderloin

1-1.5 lb pork tenderloin
1/4 cup honey
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp mustard
1/2 tsp paprika

Place tenderloin on a rack in a foil-lined pan. Mix together remaining ingredients and spoon about 1/3 of the mixture over the tenderloin. Bake in preheated 375^ oven for about 30 minutes, spooning more sauce over about every 10 minutes, until meat reaches 170^ on a meat thermometer.

This was tasty but John wasn't terribly impressed. He thought it was "tough"...it wasn't though...just not as tender as I usually cook pork! You'll defintely need the foil in the pan to help clean-up because this burns easily due to the honey. We had it with Cheesy Broccoli and Rice. Adapted from an e-meals suggestion.

Pork with Noodles

Pork with Noodles

1 1/2 lbs boneless pork sirloin, cut into cubes
3 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
Garlic salt and pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp paprika
1/2 cup white wine
Water
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream
Hot, cooked egg noodles


Cook the pork cubes in olive oil with onions, garlic salt and pepper until well browned. Stir in the wine, both paprikas, and enough water to cover by about 1 inch. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the pork is very tender and the liquid is reduced by about half. Stir in the mushroom soup and additional water, if needed, to just reach the top of the pork and simmer another 1/2 hour. Stir in the sour cream just until well combined and heated through. Combine with the noodles and serve.

OK...no big whoop.

Taco Turkey Wraps

Taco Turkey Wraps

1/2 cup sour cream
2 tbsp taco seasoning
1 ripe tomato, diced into 1/4 inch pieces
1 tbsp minced red onion
2 tsp lime juice
Salt & Pepper to taste
4 large Whole Wheat tortilla wraps
8 tbsp shredded Mexican blend cheese
1/2 lb thinly sliced deli turkey breast
Salsa, if desired

In a small bowl combine the sour cream and taco seasoning until well mixed. In another small bowl, combine the tomato, onion, lime juice and salt & pepper to taste.

Spread the sour cream mixture over the tortillas. Sprinkle with cheese. Top with turkey. Divide the tomato mixture in a line slightly off center of each tortilla. Fold in the sides about 1 inch then roll each tortilla up tightly. Serve with Salsa if desired.

Tasty! I'd add some shredded lettuce next time. Adapted from allrecipes.com

Potato Salad

My Potato Salad

3 cups potatoes, cut into 1" chunks
1 tbsp dehydrated minced onion
2 tbsp chicken bouillon granules
Water
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped fine
Salt & Pepper to taste
1/8 tsp celery seed
1/4 tsp paprika
1 tbsp Ranch Dressing mix
2 tbsp minced sweet salad peppers
1/3 cup sweet salad cubes
2 tbsp yellow mustard
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp bacon bits
1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar

Place the potatoes, minced onion, and chicken bouillon in a saucepan and add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until potatoes are tender (about 15 minutes). Drain and cool.

Combine cooled potatoes with remaining ingredients until well mixed. cover and chill at least 2 hours before serving.

My favorite potato salad!

Lemon Horseradish New Potatoes

Lemon Horseradish New Potatoes

1/4 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 pounds small new potatoes, unpeeled

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Melt butter in a 2 quart casserole dish in the oven. Stir in salt, pepper, horseradish and lemon juice. Place potatoes in dish and toss to coat with butter mixture.

Cover and bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, or until potatoes are tender.

From allrecipes.com This was good. I liked the flavor and they went really well with the fish. Next time, though, I'll cook these without covering the pan because I think a little crunch would make these taste even better.

Hidden Valley Broiled Fish

Hidden Valley Broiled Fish

1 packet (1-oz) Hidden Valley Original Ranch Salad Dressing mix
1/3 cup lemon juice
3 tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup white wine
2 lbs mild white fish fillets (I used Pacific Cod)

In a small dish, combine the dressing mix with the lemon juice, oil and wine and whisk until smooth. Place the fish in a large plastic zip-loc bag and pour the dressing mix over it. Seal and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Preheat the broiler. Cook the fish for 5 minutes on each side or until it flakes easily with the side of a fork. Serve immediately.

I don't like fish...but this was good. I ate one whole piece! I would make this again and I will definitely use this type fish again because it was so mild tasting and didn't smell horribly fishy. John was very happy with it cause he LOVES fish and he said this was excellent! Recipe from HiddenValley.com

Broccoli with Lemon Almond Butter

Broccoli with Lemon Almond Butter

1 head fresh broccoli, cut into florets
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds

Steam or boil broccoli until tender, approximately 4 to 8 minutes. Drain.

In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium low heat. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice. lemon zest, and almonds. Pour over hot broccoli, and serve.

Adapted from allrecipes.com Classic and delicious!

Cheddar Mashed Potatoes

Cheddar Mashed Potatoes

4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tbsp butter or margarine, softened
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
2 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1 teaspoon minced chives

Place potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water, add salt to taste; cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain and mash. Add sour cream, butter, salt, if needed, and pepper; beat until smooth and fluffy.

Transfer to a buttered 1 quart baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese, bacon and chives. Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted.

From allrecipes.com Yum! I love these!

Smoky BBQ Meatloaf

Smoky BBQ Meatloaf

1 1/2 lbs ground chuck
1/4 cup mayonnaise
3 tbsp dehydrated minced onion
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
3/4 cup crushed Ritz crackers
1 cup crushed potato chips
3/4 tsp liquid smoke flavoring
Garlic salt and Pepper to taste
1 pinch cayenne pepper
3 slices bacon

Preheat the oven to 375^F.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except the bacon and mix well. Spray a 9x13" pay lightly with Pam. Shape the meat into a loaf and place in the pan. Cover the top with bacon strips. Cover the pan loosely with foil and bake for 1 1/2 hours or until done.

Adapted from allrecipe's "Guy Approved Meatloaf". Very tasty meatloaf!!

Hawaiian Pork Chops

Hawaiian Pork Chops

4 pork chops
2 tbsp olive oil
Garlic salt and pepper to taste
1 onion, sliced into rings
3 tbsp yellow mustard
1 tbsp honey
1 small can crushed pineapple
3 tbsp brown sugar

Season the chops with garlic salt & pepper and brown in oil on both sides. Place the onion rings in a 9x13 pan and lay the pork chops on top of them. Combine the mustard and honey and brush over each chop. Divide the pineapple over each chop and sprinkle with brown sugar. Place in a 375^ oven and bake about 45 minutes or until tender.

Not bad...John liked them better than I did. Served with Baked Sweet Potatoes and Cole Slaw.

Pepperoncini Beef

Pepperoncini Beef

3-4 lb beef roast
1 large onion, cut into chunks
16-oz jar pepperoncini

Place the roast and the onion into the slow cooker and pour the jar of pepperoncini over all. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.

Good and spicy! We'll be having this again! Adapted from recipe at allrecipes.com

Lemon Chess Pie

Lemon Chess Pie

3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
1 box Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons grated lemon peel
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup whipping cream, whipped

Heat oven to 350°F. In 1-quart saucepan, mix granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, salt, milk, and butter. Cook over medium heat until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved, stirring constantly. Set aside; cool.

Make pie crust as directed on box for Two-Crust Pie using 9-inch glass pie plate. In small bowl, whisk 1 egg, the egg yolk and vanilla. Stir egg mixture into sugar mixture in saucepan. Stir in lemon juice and peel. Pour into crust-lined plate.

Top with second crust and flute; cut slits in several places. Brush beaten egg over top crust. Cover crust edge with strips of foil to prevent excessive browning.

Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until golden brown. Cool at least 2 hours before serving. Serve with whipped cream. Store covered in refrigerator.

Matt Rossi of Ada, Michigan, took 1st Place with this recipe at the Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crusts Pie Baking Championship, 2009 Michigan State Fair. This was OK, but I wouldn't have guessed it was a prize winner - I didn't like the flour in the filling and it tasted kind of salty to me.

THE Pasta Salad

THE Pasta Salad. My Way

16 oz pkg Rotini pasta, cooked to al dente, drained and cooled
3 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
10 oz pkg frozen peas, thawed and drained
1/2 lb Boar's Head Black Pepper Ham, cut into thin strips
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (your choice)
8-oz Sweet Salad Cubes
2 tbsp minced dehydrated onions
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup Ranch dressing
2 tsp yellow mustard
2 tsp hot sauce
2 tsp paprika

In a large bowl, toss the cooked pasta, chopped eggs, peas, ham, cheese, and salad cubes until combined. In a smaller bowl combine the dehydrated onions, mayo, sour cream, Ranch dressing, mustard, hot sauce and paprika and stir until well blended. Pour over the pasta mixture and stir until well mixed and pasta is thoroughly coated. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Stir before serving...if too dry, add a little milk and stir until combined.

Inspired by recipe at allrecipes.com....Original called for Swiss cheese, which I didn't have. I used half shredded Colby and half Cheddar-Jack, but I'm betting the Swiss would be the best. This was good with Fried Chicken.

Top of the Stove Stuffed Peppers

John told me that his mother used to make stuffed peppers in a big pot on top of the stove and that he'd never had them any other way until he met me. My mom used to make them in a pressure cooker and, as far as I'm concerned, my Mom's are the best I've ever had, so I thought I'd try this cooking method and see how it compared. Pressure cookers frighten me which is why I usually bake mine! I found my "base" recipe on allrecipes.com, it's called Saucy Stuffed Peppers and has some very good reviews, with several people saying this is how their Hungarian/Croatian etc. grandmothers used to make peppers. I've borrowed several of the reviewer's ideas and added a couple of my own.

Top of the Stove Stuffed Peppers

5-6 large green bell peppers
2 lbs lean ground chuck
3 tbsp dehydrated minced onions
Salt & Pepper to taste
6-oz can tomato paste
1 1/4 cup uncooked long grain white rice
1/4 cup catsup
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp oregano
46 oz bottle V-8
8-oz Chili Sauce
Water

Make a circular incision around the stem of the peppers and remove it and the seeds. Wash peppers inside and out and set aside.

Combine the chuck, onions, salt & pepper, tomato paste, rice, catsup, Worcestershire, garlic powder and oregano and mix until well combined. Stuff into each pepper and place in a heavy, fairly deep pot, stuffed side up.

Combine the V-8, chili sauce and enough water to cover the peppers and pour over them. If there is leftover meat, form into balls and add to the tomato juice around the peppers. Cover and cook on low heat for 2 to 3 hours, gently moving the peppers around in the broth every 30-45 minutes.

Results: Excellent! However, next time I'd omit the tomato paste...it was plenty tomato-y without it! John raved about it!

Cheddar Cheese Bread

Cheddar Cheese Bread

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
3 cups bread flour
1/4 cup dry milk powder
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 1/4 cups warm water
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select White Bread setting; press Start.

From allrecipes.com, I substituted a Cheddar-Jack mix for the the cheese (I didn't have enough cheddar) and I baked this in a loaf pan after my bread machine finished the dough. It smelled awesome while it baked! Used it for Roast Beef sandwiches and it was delicious!!

Lemon Butter Snowbars

Lemon Butter Snowbars

Crust:
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened

Filling:
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 Tbsp flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
3 Tbsp lemon juice
Confectioner' sugar for sprinkling

Heat oven to 350^. For crust, combine all crust ingredients. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until mixture is crumbly, 2-3 minutes. Press on bottom of ungreased 8-inch square baking pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

For filling, in small mixer bowl, combine sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder and lemon juice. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed, 1-2 minutes. Pour over hot crust. Continue baking for 18-20 minutes, or until
filling is set. Sprinkle with powdered sugar; cool completely. Cut into bars.

This is one of my favorite bar cookie.

Slow Roasted Mesquite Chicken

Slow Roasted Mesquite Chicken

1 whole chicken, washed
1 head garlic, most of the skin removed and the top sliced off to expose the cloves
1 onion, quartered
Garlic Salt and Pepper
1 tsp roasted cumin
1/4 cup tequila
3 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp olive oil
Grill Mates Mesquite seasoning

Stuff the cleaned chicken with the garlic head, onions, garlic salt, pepper and cumin. Place in the slow cooker, pour in the tequila and lime juice. Rub the olive oil over the outside of the chicken and sprinkle liberally with the mesquite seasoning. Put the lid on and cook for 8 hours on low or until the chicken is done.

This was very good! Served with Rice & Beans. Yummy!!

Ham & Swiss Bowtie Casserole

Ham & Swiss Bowtie Casserole

1 onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
2 tbsp butter
1 lb ham cubes
16-oz pkg frozen broccoli, carrot & cauliflower combo
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 soup can water
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp pepper
2 tsp mustard
8-oz shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
16-oz pkg Bowties, cooked to al dente and drained
1 can French Fried Onions, crushed

Saute the onion and celery in butter in a large skillet until tender. Add the ham and continue cooking about 10 minutes. Stir in the vegetables and cook about 10 more minutes. Add mushroom soup, water, thyme, pepper, mustard, Swiss and Cheddar cheese and stir to combine. Cook about 15 minutes or until the cheese melts and mixture is thoroughly heated. Stir in cooked Bowties and pour into a large casserole dish or 9x13" pan. Bake at 350^F. for 20 minutes or until hot. Sprinkle with crushed Fried onions and return to oven for 10-15 minutes longer.

This is my recipe...I've made it for years and I don't remember where I got the inspiration for it. This is another one of those dishes you can change according to what you have on hand. It's easy and it tastes good!

White Castle Wannabes

White Castle Wannabes

1 1/2 pounds hamburger
1 onion, chopped
1 package Lipton onion soup mix
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1/2 cup milk
Sara Lee Classic Dinner Rolls (they're in the bread isle at my supermarket), sliced in half
Optional- Cheese slices

In a large bowl mix the hamburger, Lipton onion soup mix, peanut butter, and milk. Spread the meat mixture on a cookie sheet with a lip. Put it in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes. The meat will skrink... Take it out of the oven and put the diced onions all around the edges to flavor the meat. Place back in the oven for about 10 minutes. Take it out of the oven. If you want onions on your sliders then spoon them onto the meat from the sides. Add your cheese slices...And add the tops of your rolls (the bottom part of the rolls will just sit on the counter). Put it back in the oven for... you guessed it, another 10 minutes! Take it out of the oven, they're done! Slice the meat with a pizza cutter and pick up the slider/top bun with a spatula and set it on the bottom bun.

These were easy and pretty good. Not quite the same as a White Castle, but fairly close. Of course, I couldn't find the Sara Lee rolls, so I used Slider Buns from the bakery at Target, so that could be why they tasted not quite the same to me.

Lifted from http://cookingwithcarrie.blogspot.com with many thanks!

Cheesy Ranch Potato Bake

Cheesy Ranch Potato Bake

4 medium-sized Yukon Gold potatoes
1 tsp chili powder
Salt & Pepper to taste
3 tbsp butter, cubed
4 oz mild cheddar, shredded
1/2 cup Ranch dressing

Preheat the oven to 400^F. Lightly spray a 9x9" baking dish with Pam. Peel the potatoes and cut into 1/2" cubes. Toss the cubed potatoes with the chili powder, salt and pepper and place in the baking pan. Cover with foil and bake 40-45 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Remove from oven, mix in the Ranch dressing and sprinkle the cheese over all. Return to oven and bake about 10 minutes more or until the cheese has melted.

This was quite good but since John didn't like it as much as I did, I probably won't make it often. Served with grilled steaks and salad. Adapted from allrecipes.com

Russian Salad Dressing

Russian Dressing

1 cup mayonnaise
3 teaspoons minced onion
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried parsley
3 tablespoons chili sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup

In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, onion, horseradish, Worcestershire, parsley, chili sauce and ketchup. Chill until serving.

This was OK...probably will never bother to make it again. From allrecipes.com

Applesauce Pancakes

Applesauce Pancakes

2 cups dry pancake mix
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 eggs
1 cup applesauce
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup milk

In a large bowl, stir together pancake mix and cinnamon. Make a well in the center of the pancake mix. Add the eggs, applesauce, lemon juice and milk; stir until smooth.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

These pancakes were awesome! Fat & fluffy! From allrecipes.com

Chicken Pot Pie Bubble Bake

Chicken Pot Pie Bubble Bake

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cut into cubes
(or use the meat from a Deli Rotisserie Chicken)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 small Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
3/4 tsp poulty seasoning
1/2 cup water
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cups milk
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 can (12-oz) Pillsbury Golden Homestyle refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

Heat the oil in a heavy skillet and saute the onions and celery until onions are translucent (I cooked my chicken breasts in the same pan). Add the diced potatoes, poultry seasoning and water and bring to a boil. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add the cream of chicken soup, milk, mixed veggies and 1/2 cup shredded cheese. Stir in the cubed chicken and pour into a 9x12" baking dish. Separate the biscuit dough into 10 biscuits and cut each one into quarters. Place the biscuit pieces over top of the chicken mixture and bake at 375^F for about 35-40 minutes or until biscuits are completely cooked and no longer doughy inside. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake about 5 minutes longer or until cheese melts.

Adapted from Pillsbury's October 2005 (#296) "Casseroles". My opinion: Yuck! The original recipe said to stir the biscuit pieces into the chicken mixture and then bake it. If I had done that, instead of putting them on top of the chicken, I'd have had to throw the whole mess away! The biscuit tops were niced browned, but the bottoms, although totally cooked, were "slimy" tasting from sitting in the gravy. Blech!

Fluffy Canadian Pancakes

Fluffy Canadian Pancakes

3 egg whites
1 tbsp sugar
1 cup flour
1 tbsp baking powder
Pinch salt
1 cup milk
3 egg yolks

Beat the egg whites and sugar in a large glass or metal bowl until stiff peaks form. I love my Kitchen Aid Mixer! It was busy beating while I put the rest of this together.

In another large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in the milk and egg yolks until smooth. Fold in 1/3 of the egg whites, then quickly fold in remaining whites until no streaks remain.

In the meantime, heat a lightly buttered girddle over medium high heat. Pour or scopp the batter onto the hot griddle and cook until pancakes are golden brown on both sides. Makes about 16 pancakes.

Serve hot with butter and warm syrup! These may well have been the best pancakes I've ever made! They were fluffy and light and tasted great!! John loved them...I swear the man ate a dozen by himself and would have ate more if I hadn't beat him to them!

Adapted from allrecipes.com

Ham and Noodle Casserole

Ham and Noodle Casserole

4 tbsp butter
1 small onion, diced
16-oz pkg diced cooked ham
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup reduced fat sour cream
Pepper
1/2 cup half & half
1 1/4 cups shredded swiss cheese
3/4 cup shredded cheddar
16-oz pkg egg noodles, cooked and drained
1 can French Fried Onions

Preheat oven to 350^F. Grease a 13x9 casserole dish.

Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the onion and saute until translucent. Stir in ham, chicken soup, sour cream, pepper to taste, and the half and half until combined. Simmer gently until mixture is hot. Stir in the swiss, cheddar and the noodles and pour all into the 13x9" dish.

Bake 35 minutes, covered with foil. Remove the foil and sprinkle with the crushed French Fried Onions. Bake 10-15 minutes longer or until lightly browned and bubbly.

Quite tasty! Inspired by recipe of the same name at (where else?) allrecipes.com!

Tuscan Salad Dressing

Tuscan Salad Dressing

3 tbsp mayonnaise
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup water
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp minced roasted garlic
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp black pepper

Whisk all ingredients together and pour into a salad dressing container. Regrigerate at least 1 hour. Shake well before serving.

I didn't have any red wine vinegar so I used Balsamic. This dressing was very good...but it was an ugly color because of the Balsamic vinegar. I'll definitely try it again with the Red Wine!

Adapted from allrecipes.com's "Nonna's Tuscan Salad Dressing".

Southwestern Style Spaghetti

Southwestern Style Spaghetti

1.75 lb meat loaf mix (ground chuck and ground pork)
Garlic Salt and pepper to taste
3-4 shakes Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 pkg taco seasoning mix
1 heaping tsp chipotle chili powder
3/4 tsp roasted cumin
24 oz Barilla Roasted Garlic pasta sauce
1 lb hot, cooked thin spaghetti

In a skillet, crumble and brown the ground meat, garlic salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce until the meat is completely cooked. Drain. Stir in the taco seasoning mix, chipotle powder, cumin and pasta sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer about 20 minutes.

This was really good for something I just threw together! The sauce was nice and thick and mildly spicy and tasted great over the thin spaghetti.

Hamburger Lo Mein

Hamburger Lo Mein

1 lb ground chuck
1 small onion, chopped
1 tsp garlic, minced
Garlic salt and Pepper to taste
1 (12-oz) jar homestyle beef gravy
3 tbsp lite soy sauce
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 packets Beef seasoning mix from Ramen Noodles
16-oz pkg frozen stir fry vegetables (or mixed veggies of your choice)
12-oz pkg spaghetti, cooked and drained

Brown and crumble the ground chuck, onion, garlic, garlic salt and pepper until done. Add gravy, soy sauce, ginger, beef seasoning packets, and vegetables. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook until vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir in cooked spaghetti and serve hot.

This was very good and very easy! Adapted from allrecipes.com "Ground Beef Lo Mein"

Banana Pound Cake with Caramel Glaze

Banana Pound Cake with Caramel Glaze

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
4 ripe bananas, mashed
5 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
1 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tbsp Praline Liqueur
1/4 cup heavy cream

Preheat an oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Set aside. Grease and flour a fluted tube pan.

Beat 1 cup of butter, shortening, 2 cups of brown sugar, and 1 cup of white sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. The mixture should be noticeably lighter in color. Add the bananas, followed by the eggs one at a time, allowing each egg to blend into the butter mixture before adding the next. Beat in 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract with the last egg. Pour in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing until just incorporated. Fold in the pecans; mixing just enough to evenly combine. Pour the batter into prepared pan.

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the glaze. Heat 1/2 cup of butter, 1/4 cup of brown sugar, 1/4 cup of white sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir continuously until the sugars have dissolved, then gently simmer for 1 minute. Slowly pour half the glaze over baked cake while still in the pan. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack, and slowly drizzle remaining glaze over the top.

Adapted from allrecipes.com. This is AWESOME! John says on a scale of 1-5 this is a 10!

Hamburger Vegetable Soup

Hamburger Vegetable Soup

1-1/2 lbs lean ground chuck
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
Garlic Salt and Pepper to taste
1 tsp minced roasted garlic
15.5 oz can black beans, drained
28 oz can Muir Glen crushed tomatoes with basil
1/2 cup water
32 oz beef broth
1 tsp celery flakes
1 tsp basil
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp rosemary
1/2 tsp sugar
6 dashes Tabasco
2 large potatoes, peeled and diced
16-oz frozen mixed vegetables
2 handfuls of shredded cabbage (the kind for cole slaw)

Crumble the ground chuck into a large Dutch oven. Add the onion, celery, garlic salt, pepper and garlic and cook over medium-high heat until meat is browned and crumbled, stirring often. Add the beans and tomatoes. Rinse the tomato can with 1/2 cup water and add the water to the pot. Stir in the beef broth, celery flakes, basil, thyme, rosemary,sugar and Tabasco. and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes. Stir in the diced potatoes and simmer until potatoes are nearly done. Add the frozen vegetable and the shredded cabbage and simmer, stirring occasionally until vegetables are cooked, about 10-15 minutes.

Good soup...next time I'll chop the cabbage though. I didn't like it shredded - it was ugly! John loved this soup.

Chicken Enchilada Suiza Casserole

Chicken Enchilada Suiza Casserole

2 lbs chicken breast tenderloins
Water
Salt
Olive Oil
18 corn tortillas
4 tbsp butter
1 small onion, diced
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
16-oz jar salsa verde (I like Target's Archer Farms brand)
1 tbsp chili powder
1 scant tbsp roasted cumin
1 heaping tbsp diced pickled jalapenos
3 cups shredded Cheddar
1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican blend Cheese

Cook the chicken in a large pot with water to cover and salt, until done. Remove chicken and set aside until cool enough to handle, then shred or chop into bite-sized pieces. This can be done ahead of time.

Melt the butter over medium heat in a large saucepan and cook the onion until translucent. Stir in the flour until bubbly. Whisk in the chicken broth and cook until it begins to thicken. Add the cream, salsa verde, chili powder, cumin and jalapenos. Stir in the chopped chicken and simmer for about 20 minutes.

Heat a tiny amount of olive oil in a skillet until hot. Fry each tortilla until each side until they begin to blister a little bit, turning once, and set aside.

Preheat oven ot 350^F. Spoon about 1 cup of chicken mixture over the bottom of a 9x13" pan and reserve another cup for the top. Lay 6 tortillas over the sauce and top with half of the remaining chicken mixture. Sprinkle with half the shredded cheddar. Repeat layers, ending with the last 6 tortillas. Top with the reserved sauce and sprinkle the shredded Mexican cheese over all. Cover pan tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 15 minutes more or until the casserole is bubbly and light golden brown on top.

Serve immediately, garnished with dollops of sour cream, pico de gallo and/or chopped cilantro.

This was inspired by Emeril's "Mexican Enchilada Suiza Lasagna" (which I would have made if I'd had all the ingredients!)

I loved this! And John went back for seconds which is practically unheard of when it comes to Mexican flavored foods!

Coney Island Hot Dogs

Coney Island Hot Dogs

1 lb ground chuck
1/3 cup water
Salt & Pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup catsup
1/8 cup sugar
1/8 cup vinegar
1/8 cup yellow mustard
1/4 tsp celery seed
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Cooked Hot Dogs
Buns

Cook the ground chuck, salt & pepper and onions in a skillet with the 1/3 cup water until finely crumbled and browned. Once the water has evaporated and the meat is browned, add the remaining ingredients, reduce heat and simmer at least 20 minutes. Serve over hot dogs in buns.

I always assumed that a Coney Island Hot Dog was just another name for Chili Dog...until I found this recipe on allrecipes.com (Grandpa's Classic Coney Sauce). I think I like this better than Chili Dogs! It's very tasty and I'll definitely make it again...probably in the slow cooker since the original recipe calls for cooking it several hours.

Cumin Scented Pork Chops with Roasted Potatoes and Onions

3 Tbsp olive oil
4 pork chops
Garlic Salt & Pepper
Ground Roasted Cumin
3 Tbsp butter
1.5 lbs baby Yukon Gold potatoes, halved or quartered to bite sized chunks
2 onions, quartered

Preheat the oven to 375^F. Heat olive oil in a large iron skillet over medium high heat. Season the pork chops with garlic salt, pepper and cumin and brown on both sides in the oil. Remove to a plate and keep warm. Add the butter to the skillet until melted. Stir in the potatoes and onions until coated with the butter mixture and season them with garlic salt, pepper & cumin if desired. Place the pork chops on top of the potatoes and place the skillet into the hot oven. Roast for 35-40minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

I love the smell and taste of cumin....these were delicious! I didn't have a recipe - just threw it together and I'm very pleased with the results!!

Salisbury Steak with Mustard Sauce

Salisbury Steak with Mustard Sauce

1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Hot Sauce
10-12 crushed Ritz crackers
1 tbsp dehydrated onion flakes
Garlic salt and Pepper to taste
1 lb lean ground beef
2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 cups beef broth

In a small bowl combine the mushroom soup, mustard, worcestershire, and hot sauce. Blend well and set aside.

In another bowl, combine the ground beef, 1 heaping tablespoon of the mushroom soup mixture, the cracker crumbs, onion flakes, garlic salt and pepper until well mixed. Divide into 4 equal pieces and shape into oval patties.

In a heavy skillet, heat the olive oil and brown the patties on both sides. Remove patties to a plate and keep warm. Stir in the beef broth, stirring to loosed the browned bits. Whisk in remaining mushroom soup mixture until well combined. Return the patties to the skillet, cover and reduce heat to a simmer for about 20 minutes. Thicken sauce if desired.

This is EXCELLENT! Don't remember where I found this recipe and it's been a couple years since the last time I made it.

Apple Pie

John's been whimpering for an Apple Pie for a couple of months now, so I figured, being it's Father's Day, I'd make him one. He's currently hovering in the kitchen, sniffing the air like an old Bloodhound and drooling. (OK, he's not REALLY drooling...but this pie does smell awesome baking!)

Pies are not my forte, but this recipe has so many thousands of rave reviews on allrecipes.com I had to give it a try. Thankfully I didn't have to make the crust from scratch...I used the Pillsbury refrigerated ones instead.

Grandma Ople's Apple Pie

1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie
1/2 cup butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg
8 apples - peeled, cored and thinly sliced and tossed with 2 tsp lemon juice

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour. Add water, white sugar,brown sugar, and spices and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and let simmer.

Place the bottom crust in your pie pan. Pour all but about 1/4 cup of the sugar syrup over the apples and stir until they are well coated. Mound the apples in the pie crust. Cover with the second crust and cut a few slits in the top. Gently pour the remaining sugar syrup over the crust and spread around the top.

Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes, until apples are soft.

Please note that I made some changes in this recipe. The original calls for a lattice top (I Don't Do Lattice!) and no spices at all. I can't see the point in an apple pie without any cinnamon so I added that and some cloves and nutmeg just for the heck of it. The original also says to use Granny Smith apples, which I didn't have, so I added some lemon juice to my plain old whatever-kind-of-apples-these-are as they seemed a little sweet to me. I probably ate at least half of one of those 8 apples while I was cutting them up, so there's less in my pie than called for. And, last but not least, I was supposed to pour ALL of the sugar syrup over the top of the lattice covered pie, but that sounded like a mess waiting to happen!

This was good, but not as great as all the reviews led me to believe it would be.

German Pancake

German Pancake

5 tbsp butter
4 eggs
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat the oven to 425^F.

Melt the butter in 9x13" baking pan while you mix the batter. Combine eggs, salt, flour, milk, sugar and vanilla and whisk until blended. Pour into the hot pan and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the mixture is puffed up and golden brown. Serve immediately with syrup (or lemon juice and powdered sugar).

I liked the Dutch Babies a wee bit better than this recipe, but only because it looks more rustic in the iron skillet! There's not much difference in the taste and I like these a lot.

Butter Roast Chicken

Butter Roast Chicken

1 (2 to 3 pound) broiler/fryer chicken cut up
5 Tbsp butter or margarine
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Place chicken in an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in.x 2-in. baking pan. Combine remaining ingredients in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and pour over chicken. Bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees F for 1-1/2 hours or until juices run clear, basting occasionally.

Adapted from allrecipes.com

Tender, juicy and flavorful! Excellent chicken.

Two-Sauce Lasagna Bowls

Two-Sauce Lasagna Bowls

Salt
1 pound Campanelle pasta (or Rotini - my Publix didn't have Campanelle!)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 pound pancetta (or bacon - Publix didn't have pancetta either!)2 slices, chopped
1/2 lb ground pork
1/2 lb ground sirloin
1/2 large carrot,finely chopped
1 small to medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, 2 chopped or grated, 1 peeled
1/2 teaspoon allspice, a couple of pinches
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp fennel seed
Small can tomato paste
1/2 cup dry red wine
2 cups beef stock
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
Nutmeg, to taste
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus some to pass at table
A handful fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped

Heat large pot of water to a boil, salt water and cook pasta to al dente.

While pasta water comes to a boil, heat olive oil in a medium sauce pot over medium-high heat, add bacon and render 2 to 3 minutes then add meat and break up as it browns. When the meat has begun to caramelize and develops a nice brown color, 4 to 5minutes, add carrot, onion, 2 cloves of garlic, allspice, salt and pepper, oregano, basil and fennel seed. Cook 3 to 4 minutes more to soften onions and carrots bits then stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, then stir in wine and cook out 1 minute then stir in stock and reduce heat to simmer.

While red sauce cooks, cut remaining whole clove of garlic and rub the inside of a medium sauce pot with it. Melt butter in pot over medium heat. Add in flour and whisk together a minute or so then whisk in milk and bring to a bubble, reduce heat then season sauce with salt, pepper and nutmeg, thicken 8 to 10 minutes.

Toss pasta with white sauce and 1/2 cup grated cheese. Serve pasta in individual bowls and top with a ladle of meat sauce in the middle of the bowl for mixing in. Garnish with parsley.

This was quite tasty, but next time I make it I'm going to have to spice it up a bit more. Maybe some hot Italian sausage instead of the ground pork, for instance. This has potential! Adapted from Rachael Ray's Food Network show.

Get Yo' Man Chicken

Get Yo' Man Chicken

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cut-up chicken (breast, thigh, leg & wing)
1 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoons pepper
1 medium onion, sliced
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine
1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed tomatoes in thick puree
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 tablespoon dried rosemary
1 tablespoon lemon-pepper
Hot buttered rice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.

Pat chicken dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Brown the chicken, meat-side down first, and turning once, about 4 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate to reserve.

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of oil from the pan. Add onion to the pan and saute until tender, roughly 3 minutes. Add the stock and wine and stir, scrapping any brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Turn heat to high and reduce by half, about 3 minutes. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and add the dried herbs and lemon pepper. Add the chicken thighs back in. Cover and cook on medium low for 40 minutes.

Remove chicken from liquid and serve on hot buttered rice. Ladle the sauce on top and garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

Adapted from Food TV's "Downhome With The Neely's". This was OK but that's about all I can say for it.

Brownies with Caramel Kahlua Frosting

Brownies with Caramel Kahula Frosting

1 pkg Duncan Hines Triple Chocolate Decadence Brownie mix
2 eggs
2 Tbsp water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/8 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp Kahlua
1 cup sifted confectioners's sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Prepare brownie mix as directed on package using eggs, water, and oil. Bake for 35 minutes at 350^ F. in an 8x8" square pan. Remove from oven and cool in pan.

Melt the butter, light and dark brown sugars and the cream over medium high heat until sugar dissolve. Boil 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and Kahlua will well combined. Beat in confectioners' sugar and cinnamon until smooth and spreadable. Immediately from the brownies.

Cut into squares to serve.

My recipe. I LOVED the frosting...but this particular flavor Brownie mix was a little too much for it. I have to find something else to frost with this though! Like, maybe, some Spicy Cupcakes!

Pork Chunks and Onion Gravy

Pork Chunks and Onion Gravy

1 lb pork tenderloin, cut into bite-sized chunks
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
Garlic Salt & Pepper
1 large sweet onion, halved and sliced
1 packet Brown gravy mix
1/2 cup white wine
2 cups water

Heat the oil and butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the pork chunks, seasoned with garlic salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium and add the onions. Cook, stirring occasionally until they begin to brown a bit. Stir in the gravy mix, wine and water and stir to scrape the browned bits loose from the bottom of the skillet. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until pork is completely cooked and tender. Serve with rice.

My recipe...quick, easy and delicious! John loves it.

Slow Cooker Chicken Creole

Slow Cooker Chicken Creole

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
Tony Chachere's Creole seasoning, to taste
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 tsp minced roasted garlic
1 red onion, diced
1 tbsp chopped pickled jalapeno
15-oz can stewed tomatoes

Season chicken liberally with creole seasoning and place in crock pot. Top with remaining ingredients and cook on high for 5-6 hours. Serve over hot, cooked rice.

Adapted from allrecipes.com.

Good and easy.

Bacon Swiss Salad

3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp minced roasted garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 pkg mixed salad greens
1 large ripe tomato, chopped
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 cup Fresh Gourmet Crispy Onions (french fried onions)

Combine the frist 5 ingredients in a salad cruet, shake until well combined and refrigerate until ready to serve. Combine the greens, tomato, bacon, swiss and crispy onions. Shake the dressing and serve with the salad. Adapted from allrecipe.com's "That Good Salad".

OK...the dressing was some of the NASTIEST stuff I've ever tried on a salad. Thankfully, I tried it before I ruined my salad with it. I was going to use bottled dressing, but John said he could "fix it". He added apple cider vinegar, honey and some Blackberry Brandy which definitely improved the flavor.

The actual salad was very good, but I'll use another dressing next time. I really loved those Crispy Onions in it!

Marinated Strip Steaks

Marinated Strip Steaks

2 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
2 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1 3/4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
3/4 tbsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tbsp dried basil
3/4 tbsp dried parsley flakes
1 dash Tabasco sauce
2 New York Strip steaks, about 1-inch thick

Combine first 8 ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until well mixed. Pour over steaks in a ziploc bag, seal and refrigerate for 4-8 hours. Grill steaks until of desired doneness and serve hot. Adapted from allrecipe.com's "Best Steak Marinade in Existence".

When will I stop ruining a perfectly good steak with marinades? I didn't like this AT ALL. And the steaks were beautiful. If I'd only grilled them with a little salt and pepper dinner would have been perfect....but NO! I fell for another raved about recipe and ruined my steaks! Blech.

Wagonwheel Skillet

Wagonwheel Skillet

1.5 lb ground chuck
Garlic salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup water
3 tbsp onion flakes
2 1/2 tbsp Mexene chili powder
1 heaping tsp Chipotle chili powder
2 tsp roasted ground cumin
15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
15-oz can tomato sauce
8-oz thick & chunky taco sauce
1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn
16 oz hot, cooked wagonwheel pasta

Crumble the ground chuck in a large skillet with the garlic salt, pepper, water and onion flakes until the meat is nearly cooked through. Stir in the chili powders and cumin and continue to cook until done. Add the black beans, tomato sauce, taco sauce and corn and simmer while you cook the pasta. Drain pasta and stir into skillet. Serve hot.

This is also very good topped with shredded Mexican blend cheese and crushed corn chips and baked in a casserole dish until the cheese melts. Serve with a dab of sour cream.

My recipe...been making it for years and years.

Rich and Simple French Onion Soup

Rich and Simple French Onion Soup

1/2 cup butter
2 tbsp olive oil
4 cups sliced onions (I used half Vidalia and half Yellow onions)
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/4 cup white wine (I didn't have sherry)
48-oz carton beef broth
1 tsp dried thyme
Large-Cut Croutons (the kind for salads)
Handful shredded Swiss cheese
Handful shredded Butterkase cheese

Melt the butter with the olive oil in a stock pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions, salt and pepper and cook for about 45 minutes or until onions are lightly caramelized. Add the white wine and cook about 15 minutes, stirring often to deglaze the pot. Stir in the beef broth and thyme and simmer for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the broiler. When soup is done, ladle it into oven-proof serving bowls and top each with a handful of croutons. Sprinkle with Swiss and Butterkase. Place the bowls on a cookie sheet and broil until cheese bubbles and begins to brown slightly.

Yummy! However, next time I make this I'll only use 1/2 the butter.

Adapted from recipe by the same name at allrecipes.com

Creamy Caesar Pasta Primavera

Creamy Caesar Pasta Primavera

4 tbsp butter
1 tbsp minced roasted garlic
4 oz cream cheese
4 oz chive and onion flavored cream cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/3 cup Caesar salad dressing
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp chicken bouillon granules
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, corn, broccoli, cauliflower, etc)
Water, if needed
Hot, cooked fettuccine

Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the garlic, and cream cheese and stir until cheese begins to melt. Add parmesan, lemon juice, salad dressing, cream and chicken bouillon and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally until sauce is well combined. Stir in the vegetables and continue to cook on low heat for about 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Add water if needed to thin the sauce. Stir cooked fettuccine into sauce and serve immediately.

The original recipe called for plain cream cheese, but I didn't have a whole package of plain tonight....the chive and onion version is quite tasty though! I don't remember where I got this recipe...and I've modified so often I don't really remember what I've added and what was in the original.

Caesar Pork Chops

Caesar Pork Chops

1/4 cup flour
1/1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1/2 cup Caesar salad dressing
4 boneless pork chops, about 3/4 inch thick
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Heat oven to 375^ F. Line a baking dish with foil and spray with Pam. Combine the flour and Italian seasoning in a shallow bowl and mix well. Pour the salad dressing into another shallow bowl. Dip both sides of the pork chops in the flour mixture, coating well. Dip in salad dressing, coating well. Place in the baking dish, sprinkle with parmesan and bake 35-40 minutes or until pork is completely cooked.

These are always good, tender and juicy! I don't remember where I got this one either, but I've been making it for several years and always get compliments when I serve it!

Chicago Style Hot Dogs

Chicago Style Hot Dogs

Hot Dog Buns
Yellow Mustard
Hot Dogs
Wickles Sweet Relish
Chopped Tomatoes
Celery Seeds
Minced Red Onion

Toast the hot dog buns. Grill or Broil the hot dogs. Put the hot dog on the bun and top with mustard, relish, tomatoes, celery seeds and minced onion. Eat. Yum!

Fresh Strawberry Upside Down Cake

Fresh Strawberry Upside Down Cake

2 cups fresh strawberries, crushed
6-oz pkg strawberry Jello
3 cups miniature marshmallows
1 pkg yellow cake mix, prepared as directed on package
Whipped Cream

Preheat the oven to 350^F. Spray a 9x13" pan with cooking spray and spread the crushed strawberrie over the bottom. Evenly sprinkle the berries with the Jello and top it off with the mini marshmallows. Pour the prepared cake mix over the marshmallows and bake in the preheated oven for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the pan to loosen the sides and turn the cake out onto a serving tray. Serve with whipped cream. Store cake in the refrigerator. From allrecipes.com

This smells incredible! And tastes WONDERRRRFULL! Way better than any "Strawberry Shortcake" I've ever made....this is definitely a keeper!!

Slow Cooked Pot Roast

Slow Cooked Pot Roast

1 lb red potatoes, cut into chunks
6-8 oz baby carrots
3 lb Beef Eye of Round Roast
1 packet onion soup mix
Garlic Salt & Pepper
3/4 cup water

Place the potatoes and carrots in the crockpot. Put the roast on top of the veggies, sprinkle with onion soup mix, garlic salt & pepper and pour the water over all. Cook on low for about 8 hours. Recipe adapted from one of the back of a box of Lipton Onion Soup.

The beef was juicy and tender, but the vegetables were a little overcooked. If I make this again I'll add the potatoes and carrots after the meat has been cooking for 2 hours and then limit the cooking time to 6 hours after that point. Nicely flavored though.

Chicken with Pepper Cheese Sauce

Chicken with Pepper Cheese Sauce

1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips
1 onion, halved and sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp minced jalapeno pepper
1 tsp dried cilantro
1 cup chicken broth
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar-Jack cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1 lb hot, cooked linguine

Combine the flour, black pepper and cayenne in a shallow bowl. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Dredge the chicken cutlets in flour mixture and cook until browned on both sides and no longer pink inside. Remove to a plate and keep warm. Add the bell pepper, onion, garlic and jalapeno to the skillet and cook about 5 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the chicken broth, Worcestershire, and cream. Bring to a simmer. Stir in the shredded cheese and continue cooking over low heat until the cheese has melted and the sauce has thickened. Stir in sour cream just before serving. (If sauce is too thick add chicken broth until the desired consistency is achieved.) Serve chicken and sauce over the linguine.

Pretty good...could have been a bit spicier. Adapted from allrecipes.com

Smothered Pork Chops

Smothered Pork Chops

4 pork chops, about 1/2" thick
Seasoned Salt & Black Pepper
3/4 cup flour
6 thick slices bacon
2 onions, halved and sliced
12-oz can evaporated milk
1 cup chicken broth
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Fry the bacon in a large skillet until done. Remove to 9x13" baking dish. Add the sliced onions to the bacon drippings and cook until they begin to brown a bit. Remove them to the 9x13" pan. Season the pork chops with seasoned salt and pepper, dredge in flour and fry in the bacon drippings until browned on both sides. Remove them to the 9x13" pan. Stir about 3 tbsp flour into the remaining drippings until the flour begins to brown. Whisk in the evaporated milk and chicken broth and cook until smooth. Stir in the mushroom soup until well blended. Pour over the pork chops, seal with foil and bake at 350^F for 1 1/2 hours.

Very good! I'd leave the bacon out next time though. Inspired by a recipe in Maya Angelou's cookbook.

James Beard's Burgers My Way

James Beard's Burgers My Way

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp minced roasted garlic
1 large, ripe Beefsteak tomato, sliced
1 thin slice red onion, finely minced
3 tbsp Red Wine Vinaigrette
2 lbs ground sirloin
3 tbsp grated onion
1 tbsp heavy cream
Salt and Pepper to taste
Sliced Swiss or Cheddar (I prefer Swiss, John the Cheddar)
Wickles pickles
Onion rolls, toasted

Mix the mayonnaise and roasted garlic in a small bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Marinate the sliced tomates and minced red onion in the Red Wine Vinaigrette about 30minutes before ready to serve.

Combine the ground sirloin, grated onion and cream and mix lightly. Shape into 6 patties and grill until done. Serve on toasted onion rolls with garlic mayo, marinated tomatoes and Wickles.

Delicious, juicy burgers! And for the record, Wickles are the BEST pickles I've ever eaten in my life! John heard about them on the radio (some DJ was raving about them) so he bought a jar. Awesome pickles!

Chocolate Kahlua Cake

Chocolate Kahlua Cake

2 cups sour cream
2 large eggs
1 pkg. Duncan Hines Butter Recipe Fudge Cake
1/2 cup Kahlua
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Chips
1/2 cup crushed almond toffee bits

Stir together the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; blend well. Stir in chocolate chips and toffee bits. Pour batter into a greased and floured 10-inch Bundt pan. Bake at 350^ F. for 50-55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes; remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack.

Chocolate Kahlua Glaze

1 cup Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Chips
3 tbsp heavy cream
1-2 tbsp Kahlua

Combine the chocolate and cream in a small bowl and microwave for 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Add Kahlua and stir until well blended and glossy. Spoon over top of cake so some of the glaze oozes down the sides. Sprinkle with almond toffee bits if desired.

Delicious cake. Frankly, the Glaze is a waste...this cake doesn't need it at all. It's very chocolatey and rich but the glaze is overkill.

Rio Grande Soup

Rio Grande Soup

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Water
Salt to taste
1 tsp Poultry Seasoning
10-oz can Rotel tomatoes & chiles
8-oz Salsa
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
15-oz can chili beans in medium sauce
12-oz pkg frozen mixed vegetables
3/4 cup Minute rice

Cover the chicken with water. Season with salt & poulty seasoning, bring to a boil, and simmer until chicken is completely cooked. Remove chicken and let cool. Strain the liquid and return to the pot. Stir in Rotel, salsa, chili powder, cumin and chili beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Chop the chicken and add to soup with the mixed veggies. Continue cooking about 15 mintues or until veggies are done. Stir in the rice and cook 1-5 minutes until tender. Serve hot.

Yummy! Adapted from e-mealz "recipe" by the same name.

Spaghetti

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

2lb pkg meatloaf mix (ground beef and pork)
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp minced dried onions
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Garlic Salt & Black Pepper
1 tsp minced roasted garlic
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp fennel seed
1/4 tsp allspice
3 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
24-oz jar Bertolli Fire Roasted Pasta sauce with Cabernet Sauvignon
14.5 oz can Del Monte diced tomatoes with Basil, Garlic & Oregano
Hot, al dente Thin Spaghetti

In a large iron skillet, saute the meat loaf mix, water, onions, worcestershire sauce, and garlic salt & pepper to taste until the meat is about half cooked and finely crumbled. Add the roasted garlic, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, fennel and allspice and continue to cook until browned. Stir in the parmesan, Pasta sauce and diced tomatoes and let simmer for about 45 minutes. Serve over thin spaghetti.

DEE-licious!

BBQ Chicken Quesadillas

BBQ Chicken Quesadillas

2 cups shredded cooked chicken
2 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp sour cream
1/4 cup bbq sauce
1 tbsp minced pickled jalapenos
1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
1/4 tsp cumin
Shredded Mexican Blend cheese
4 large flour tortillas
Butter

Combine the chicken, mayo, sour cream, bbq suace, jalapenos, chili powder and cumin until well mixed. Spread 1/4 of the chicken mixture on half of 1 tortilla. Sprinkle with cheese and fold the tortilla in half, Heat a griddle until hot and spread a little butter on it until it sizzles. Grill folded tortillas until browned on one side, then carefully flip and brown the other side. Cut into wedges to serve.

This was OK...the problem was that when I looked at it my taste buds said "Yum! Spicy! Mexican!" but when I bit into it I tasted BBQ and it just did not work for me. I love Chicken Quesadillas but I've decided that they HAVE to taste Mexican and nothing else will do!

Adapted from e-mealz menu.

Grilled HCT's

Grilled HCT's

1 tbsp softened butter
1 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp yellow mustard
4 slices Arnold's Honey Whole Wheat bread
4-6 oz shaved honey ham
2 slices swiss cheese
2 slices american cheese
1 large ripe beefsteak tomato, very thinly sliced

Combine the mayonnaise and mustard and spread on bread. Top one slice bread with a slice of swiss, half the honey ham, half the sliced tomatoes, and a slice of american. Place the remaining bread slices, mayo-side down on top of the american cheese. Spread the outside of each sandwich with softened butter and grill each side on a griddle until toasty and light brown. Cut each in half diagonally and serve with pickles.

Yum!

Cheater's Chicken & Dumplings

Cheater's Chicken & Dumplings

1 lb chicken tenderloins
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
Water
Salt to taste
1 tsp Poultry Seasoning
32 oz carton chicken broth
1 can cream of celery soup
8-oz pkg flour tortillas

Combine the chicken, onion, celery and enough water to just cover the chicken in a large pot. Season with salt and poultry seasoning and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is completely cooked. Remove the chicken and let cool while you whisk the chicken broth and celery soup into the liquid remaining in the pot. When well combined and smooth, cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and return to the pot. Bring to a simmer. Cut flour tortillas into 1-inch wide strips and add to the pot one at a time. Simmer 10 minutes and serve.

John loved this. I'm not a big fan of dumplings, but these were better than some I've tried and much easier to make! Inspired by a "recipe" on my e-mealz.com plan for this week.

Easy Lemon Pie

Easy Lemon Pie

3-oz pkg lemon jello
1 cup boiling water
8-oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioners sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lemon
8-oz carton Cool Whip, thawed
1 graham cracker crust

Stir lemon jello and boiling water until jello is dissolved. Set aside to cool. Combine cooled jello, cream cheese, sugar, lemon zest and juice in a mixer bowl on medium speed until smooth. Pour into graham crust and refrigerate until filling is firm. Spread Cool Whip over top of pie and refrigerate until serving time.

Good and easy!

Oriental Slow Cooked Pot Roast

Oriental Slow Cooked Pot Roast

1 large onion, chopped
3-4 lb sirloin tip roast
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup water
1 tsp ginger
2 Tbsp corn starch

Place onions and roast in crock pot. Combine soy sauce, water and ginger and pour over the meat. Cook on low 8 hours. Dissolve cornstarch in 2 Tbsp water and stir into meat juices to thicken.

Slice meat and serve over hot, cooked Rice with Steamed Broccoli. Delicious!

Brown Sugar Bacon & Dutch Babies

Brown Sugar Bacon

1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp black pepper
6 sliced thick-cut bacon

Preheat the oven to 375^F. Mix the brown sugar, cayenne and black pepper in a shallow bowl. Add bacon and toss to coat each slice. Live a baking sheet with a wire rack and lay bacon on the rack. Pat any remaining spice mixture on the bacon. Put the baking sheet on the top rack of the oven and bake until crisp, 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven to a serving dish and let cool slightly before serving.
Adapted from Food Network's "Down Home with the Neelys". This was very tasty, but not crisp enough in the middle for my taste.


Dutch Babies

2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1 pinch nutmeg
1 pinch salt
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp confectioners' sugar for dusting

Place a 10-inch cast iron skillet inside oven and preheat oven to 475^F. In a medium bowl, beat eggs with a whisk until light. Stir in milk. Gradually whisk in flour, nutmeg and salt. Remove skillet from oven and reduce heat to 425^F. Melt butter in hot skillet so that inside of skillet is completely coated with butter. Pour all the batter into the skillet and return to oven. Bake until puffed and lightly browned, about 12 minutes. Remove promptly and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve with warm maple syrup and wedges of lemon, if desired. From allrecipes.com - I LOVED these! I can definitely see this becoming one of my favorite Sunday breakfasts!

Shrimp 'n' Black Bean Chili

SHRIMP 'N' BLACK BEAN CHILI

1 small onion, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp minced garlic
15 oz can diced tomatoes with green pepper and onion
1 can Rotel Original diced tomatoes and green chiles
24 oz chicken broth
1 tsp cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 pound cooked, peeled and deveined cocktail shrimp
Hot, cooked Rice

Saute the onion in olive oil in a large saucepan until translucent. Stir in garlic, both cans of tomatoes, broth, cumin, chili powder and black beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer about 15-20 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook just until heated through. Serve over rice. Adapted from recipe of the same name in Taste of Home's (Special Issue) Recipe Card Collection, Winter 2010.

John really liked this. I'm not a big fan of anything that smells "fishy" so I'm not qualified to judge this one.

Slow Cooker Ham and Double Cheesy au Gratin Potatoes

SLOW COOKER HAM

2 cups packed brown sugar
1 (8 pound) cured, bone-in picnic ham

Spread about 1 1/2 cups of brown sugar on the bottom of the slow cooker crock. Place the ham flat side down into the slow cooker - you might have to trim it a little to make it fit. Use your hands to rub the remaining brown sugar onto the ham. Cover, and cook on Low for 8 hours. (From allrecipes.com) Very good and very easy!


DOUBLE CHEESY AU GRATIN POTATOES

4 large baking potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
1 quart heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 2 quart baking dish.
Layer potato slices in prepared baking dish. Pour cream over potatoes; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Season potatoes with salt and pepper.
Bake in preheated oven until potatoes are soft, about 1 hour. Remove from oven; gently stir potatoes. Sprinkle with the Cheddar cheese; cover and let rest until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. (also from allrecipes.com) This was delicious but too runny. I used 5 potatoes (about 4-5" long) but I think one more would have made the difference. Either that or only use half the cream!

Baja Chicken Salad with Taco Vinaigrette

Baja Chicken Salad with Taco Vinaigrette

1-oz pkg Old El Paso taco seasoning mix
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup cider vinegar
8-12 frozen chicken breast tenderloins
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1 pkg mixed salad greens
2 ripe tomatoes, diced
3 Tbsp sliced ripe olives
1x3" chunk pepperjack cheese, diced
1/2 cup shredded cheddar-jack cheese
1/3 cup sour cream
Tortilla chips

In a cruet (or a small bowl) combine the taco seasoning, brown sugar, 1/2 cup olive oil and cider vinegar. Shake (or stir) until well mixed. Pour 1/2 cup dressing over the frozen chicken and allow to thaw and marinate overnight. Reserve remaining dressing.

Heat 1-2 tbsp olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. With slotted spoon, remove chicken from marinade (discard marinade)and cook in the hot skillet about 5 minutes or until chicken is completely cooked. Remove from skillet and drain on paper towels until cool.

In a large bowl, combine greens, tomatoes, olives, chicken and cheeses. Add reserved dressing and sour cream and toss to coat. Serve with chips.

Really good salad! I'll be making this again!! Adapted from Pat Harmon's recipe from the Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest #40, 2002.

Banana Bread

Banana Bread

1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
3-4 ripe bananas, mashed
1 tbsp Praline Liqueur
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt

Cream the butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs, bananas and Praline Liqueur until well blended. Add the remaining ingredients and stir just to moisten. Pour batter into a greased 9x5" loaf pan and bake in a preheated 350^F oven for 60 to 65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan 10 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack.

Good, but not as moist as my favorite banana bread recipes.

Baked Pork Chops

Baked Pork Chops

2 pork chops
Garlic salt and Pepper
1/4 cup flour
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup Italian style seasoned bread crumbs
4 tbsp olive oil
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup white wine

Preheat the oven to 350^ F. Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Rinse pork chops and pat dry. Season with garlic salt and pepper. Dredge in flour, then in the beaten egg and then coat liberally with bread crumbs. Fry the chops in the hot skillet until well browned on both sides (about 5 minutes per side). Transfer the chops to a 9x9" baking pan and cover with foil. Bake for 1 hour. Drain the oil out of the skillet. About 15 minutes before the hour is up, combine the mushroom soup, milk and wine in the skillet and heat until bubbly. Pour over the pork chops, replace the foil and bake for another 30 minutes. From allrecipes.com

These were delicious and incredibly tender.

Slow Cooked Corned Beef & Fried Cabbage

Slow Cooked Corned Beef

1 (3 lb) corned beef brisket
1 (12 oz) bottle beer
32 oz carton beef broth
1/4 cup peppercorns
1 bulb garlic, separated into cloves and peeled

Place the brisket into the crockpot and add all remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Carefully remove the meat from the pot and set on a cutting board for about 10 minutes before slicing. From allrecipes.com

Every 2 or 3 years I think I should cook corned beef and cabbage for St. Patrick's Day, even though I never liked it when I was growing up. This is the last year I'll be doing that because I can now honestly and truthfully say that I do NOT like corned beef AT ALL and I never will! (My apologies to my Irish ancestors.) I've tried several different ways of cooking the stuff over the years and I just plain don't care for it! John didn't like it either and this recipe got all kinds of rave reviews at allrecipes.


Fried Cabbage

3 slices bacon, chopped
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 pkg finely shredded cabbage
2 tablespoons water
1 pinch white sugar
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon cider vinegar

Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Remove bacon, and set aside. Cook onion in the hot bacon grease until tender. Add cabbage, and stir in water, sugar, salt, and pepper. Cook until cabbage wilts, about 15 minutes. Stir in bacon. Splash with vinegar before serving. Also from allrecipes.com

Verdict: I do not like cooked cabbage so I only tasted a tiny bit to see if maybe my opinion might have changed since the last time I tried it. It hasn't. The stuff tastes awful to me. John, on the other hand, says he loved it and gave it 5 stars! He's already planning when he's going to cook it again.

Layered Macaroni Casserole

Layered Macaroni Casserole

1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
Garlic Salt and Pepper to taste
2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
16 ounces uncooked elbow macaroni
2 cups fat-free cottage cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese

TOPPING:
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon butter or stick margarine, melted

In a nonstick skillet, cook ground beef, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, cook macaroni according to package directions; drain. Add cottage cheese.

In a 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray, layer 1 cup meat sauce, half of the macaroni mixture and half of the cheddar cheese. Repeat layers ending with the meat sauce. Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle over sauce. Bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees F for 40-45 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Pretty good! Adapted from allrecipes.com

Caramel Pecan Pie

Caramel Pecan Pie

1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust
36 individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup milk
3/4 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup pecan halves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C.) In a saucepan over low heat, combine caramels, butter and milk. Cook, stirring frequently, until smooth. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine sugar, eggs, vanilla and salt. Gradually mix in the melted caramel mixture. Stir in pecans. Pour filling into unbaked pie crust.

Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown. Allow to cool until filling is firm.

From allrecipes.com. This is Really Good!

Cuban Style Roast Pork in the Crockpot

Cuban Style Roast Pork in the Crockpot

5-6 lb. Boston Butt
1 tsp Adobo seasoning with Pepper
2 packets Sazon with Cilantro and Tomato
1 tbsp minced roasted garlic
1 large red onion, halved and cut into thick slices
3 or 4 shakes Liquid Smoke
1/4 cup water

Rinse the pork butt and place in the crockpot. Sprinkle with Adobo and Sazon seasonings. Smear minced garlic over the top and add the sliced onions. Shake on the Liquid Smoke and pour the water into the bottom of the crockpot. Cover and cook on high for 6 hours.

Yummy!

Italian Sausage Nuggets in Spaghetti Sauce

Italian Sausage Spaghetti Sauce

1 pkg (5-6) Italian sausage links
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb ground chuck
1 medium onion, diced
Garlic salt and pepper
2 tsp minced roasted garlic
1 tsp Italian seasoning
15-oz can petite diced tomatoes with garlic and olive oil
26 oz jar spaghetti sauce
Water
Hot, cooked spaghetti
Grated parmesan

Remove the skins and cut the sausages into 1 inch chunks. Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet and brown the sausage chunks until completely cooked. Remove to a paper towel lined plate. Crumble the ground chuck into the same skillet. Add the onion, garlic salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring and smashing the meat until finely crumbled and beginning to brown. Add the garlic and italian seasoning and cook until meat is well browned. Drain. Stir in the diced tomatoes, the spaghetti sauce and enough water to thin the sauce down just a bit. Stir in the sausage chunks, cover and simmer about 1 hour. Serve over hot spaghetti with parmesan grated over the top.

Delicious!

Hamburger Steaks with Catsup Gravy

Hamburger Steaks with Catsup Gravy

1 lb ground chuck
1/2 cup catsup
1/3 cup bread crumbs
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp steak seasoning
Garlic salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, sliced
1 cup catsup
1/2 cup water, or as needed
2 tsp Better Than Bouillon Beef Base

Combine the ground chuck, catsup, bread crumbs, onion powder, steak seasoning, garlic salt and pepper until well mixed. Form into patties. Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over medium high heat. Place the patties in the skillet and cook until browned on both sides. Remove patties to a plate and drain off all the grease except 1 tbsp from the skillet. Add the sliced onions and cook until translucent. Stir in the 1 cup catsup, water and beef base until combined. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low. Return the patties to the pan, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir after 30 minutes and if the gravy is stil lthin, continue simmering with the lid off until gravy thickens.

This was quite tasty and reminded me a lot of my Mom's Meatloaf with Tomato Gravy. A nostalgic and comforting kind of meal! I served this with Mashed Potatoes and Green Beans. Adapted from allrecipes.com

Individual Baked Eggs

Individual Baked Eggs

6 slices Boars Head fully cooked bacon
6 tsp butter, melted
6 eggs
Shredded cheddar, if desired

Preheat oven to 350^F. Place 1 tsp melted butter in the bottom of each muffin pan (I used a 6 muffin pan). Wrap each bacon slice around the inside of a muffin cup. Break the eggs into the cups and bake until of desired doneness (10 to 20 minutes). Sprinkle a little shredded cheese over each egg if desired and cook another minute or so until melted. These were good and really cute! However, I think they were overcooked at 20 minutes so next time I'll aim for 15 minutes. I also think if these were made in a custard cup or something slightly wider than the muffin cups, they would be better and would fit nicely on an English Muffin. Adapted from allrecipes.com