Spiced Rum Cake

Spiced Rum Cake

Cake:
1 package Duncan Hines Butter Recipe Yellow Cake mix
1 small package instant French Vanilla pudding mix
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
Dash nutmeg
4 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup melted butter, cooled
1/2 cup Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum
1 tsp sugar

Preheat oven to 325^F.

Place all ingredients in large mixer bowl and blend well (about 3 minutes on medium-high speed ought to do it).  Meanwhile, grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan.  Once your batter is well mixed, spoon it evenly into the prepared pan.  Sprinkle the sugar over the top of the batter and place the pan in the oven for about 60 minutes, or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.

About 55 minutes into your baking time, prepare the Rum Syrup:

Rum Syrup:
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 - 1/2 cup Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum

In a saucepan combine the butter, water and sugar.  Bring to a boil over medium heat and continue cooking, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in desired amount of rum.

When the cake is done, remove it from the oven, but leave it in the pan.  Using a wooden skewer, poke holes in the hot cake and brush on the glaze, making sure to let some dribble down the edges of the cake inside the pan.  Use about half the glaze and be patient!  Let it soak in before you add more glaze.  Let sit in pan for about 10 minutes.

Turn the cake out onto a serving plate and brush the rest of the glaze on the top of the cake, letting the syrup absorb into the cake between brushings.  Be patient!

Let the cake cool completely before serving.  This cake is awesome made the day before you serve it. Great with a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream!

Italian Chicken & Ditalini Soup

Smoky Italian Chicken and Ditalini Soup

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/3 cup chopped red, green and yellow bell peppers
2 Tbsp olive oil
32-oz carton chicken broth
28-oz can diced tomatoes
4-oz can V-8 vegetable juice
1 tsp minced roasted garlic
1 tbsp diced pickled jalapenos
Pinch sugar
Splash hot sauce
1/4 cup bbq sauce
10-oz carton frozen Fordhook lima beans
12-oz Ditalini, cooked al dente
1 cup heavy cream
3 Tbsp shredded Parmesan cheese
Chopped Parsley


Heat olive oil in a large stockpot and brown the chicken breasts, seasoned with salt and pepper, on both sides.  Remove chicken from pot and add the onion celery and bell peppers.  Cook, stirring often over medium heat until the vegetables soften.  Return the chicken to the pot and add chicken broth, diced tomatoes, V-8, garlic, jalapenos, sugar, hot sauce and bbq sauce and lima beans.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 20-30 minutes or until beans are done.  Stir in the Ditalini and cream and serve immediately, garnished with Parmesan and Parsley.

Delicious!  John loved it.  Great with Garlic Toast.

Grinch Cookies

I found this recipe on Pinterest and could not resist making them!  They were so cute....plump little crinkled green cookies glistening with powdered sugar with a red candy heart in the center!  Any Grinch fan would love these!

Grinch Cookies

1 box French Vanilla cake mix
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 drop green food coloring
Confectioner's sugar for dusting/sprinkling
Heart Shaped decorating candies/sprinkles

Preheat the oven to 350^F.

Cream together the cake mix, oil, eggs and food coloring until it's completely mixed and forms a ball of dough in the bowl of the mixer.  Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Drop by tablespoons into the confectioner's sugar and roll into balls.  Place on parchment lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart and press a heart into the center of each ball.  Bake for 8 minutes or until just set.  (Mine took closer to 10 minutes!)  Let cool on the cookie sheet for at least 2 minutes before attempting to transfer them to a wire rack.  They are very soft and will fall apart if you try to do this before they are cool enough!  Trust me, I mangled several before I realized what I was doing. They oozed between the wires and fell apart.  :-(

So...mine did not look like the pleasingly plump little morsels on Pinterest....mine spread and were much flatter and all the confectioner's sugar completely dissolved into the cookies.  I was a little disappointed, but they were still tolerably cute.  And they tasted pretty good, though they do not keep well at all.  They dry out really quick, but since they only make a couple dozen cookies, that shouldn't be a problem for anyone who has kids!

If I were to make them again, I would use a scant 1/2 cup of melted butter instead of the oil and use the Non-Melting Confectioner's Sugar from King Arthur Flour.

Cinnamon Baked Doughnuts

Cinnamon Baked Doughnuts

Spray doughnut pans (makes 12 doughnuts) with Baking spray with flour, such as Baker's Joy and set aside.  Preheat the oven to 350^F.

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten

1 1/4 cups whole milk

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Into a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, melted butter, and vanilla. Stir the wet mixture into the dry ingredients until just combined.

Spoon the batter into the baking pans, filling each one a little more than three-quarters full. Bake for 17 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then tap the doughnuts out onto a sheet pan.

For the topping:

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the topping, melt the 8 tablespoons of butter in an 8-inch saute pan. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Dip each doughnut first in the butter and then in the cinnamon sugar, either on one side or both sides.

This is an Ina Garten recipe...and I trust Ina!  These were good and easy and John loved them!  However, I personally think they were way too sweet, so if I ever made them again I would reduce the sugar by at least half.  The recipe also makes more than the 12 doughnuts indicated in the directions.  I filled my doughnut pans and had enough batter left over to make 8 muffins.  I would also decrease the nutmeg (or leave it out entirely) since it seemed to overpower the cinnamon.  

Honeycrisp Apple Sangria

Honeycrisp Apple Sangria

• 3 cinnamon sticks (plus more for garnish)
• 2 honeycrisp apples, chopped
• 1 orange, thinly sliced
• 1 (750 ml) bottle red wine (I suggest a light-bodied Spanish variety)
• 1 and 3/4 cups apple cider*
• 1/2 cup brandy
• 1/4 cup orange juice (or juice from 2 medium oranges)
• juice from 1 lemon
• club soda, to taste

Place the cinnamon sticks, apples, and orange slices in a large pitcher. Add wine, apple cider, brandy, orange juice, and lemon juice. Allow to sit in the refrigerator for 6 - 24 hours. Taste; if you'd like it to be sweeter, add 1-2 Tablespoons granulated sugar, honey, or agave.

If you'd like a cinnamon-sugar rim (highly recommended), simply moisten the rim of your glasses with water, turn the glass upside down and dip it into a mix of cinnamon and sugar. Pour in the sangria with fruit* and add a splash of club soda (this unsweetened fizz is wonderful with the sangria!). Garnish with a cinnamon stick, if desired.

I found this recipe on Pinterest and made it for Thanksgiving Day.  It's really good!!!  I used Fuji Apples and an Italian Red Wine and Calvados instead of plain old brandy and I think I'll be making this Sangria again and again! Oh, and since I definitely have a sweet tooth, I used a splash of Sprite instead of club soda.  Yumm-oh!

Applesauce Cake with Apple Cinnamon Buttercream

I was a little worried that this recipe (found on allrecipes.com) didn't have any eggs, but it turned out fine.  It's moist and spicy and delicious and I love that it's not a full-sized cake!  Only thing I'd change next time is to reduce the amount of salt to 1/2 teaspoon.  The original recipe called for raisins, which I omitted.

CAKE:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cloves

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

Preheat the oven to 350^F.  Grease and flour a 9-inch square pan.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, cloves and salt.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Dissolve baking soda into applesauce and mix into creamed butter.  Add flour mixture.  Mix until smooth.  

Pour into the prepared pan and bake at 350^F for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Cool completely.  Frost, if desired.  This cake would be fine without frosting....maybe a spinkle of powdered sugar.

FROSTING:

1/4 cup butter, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2-3 Tbsp apple juice or cider

Beat the butter, sugar, cinnamon and enough juice to make a spreadable frosting.  

Chicken Gloria

Chicken Gloria

6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
Salt & Pepper to taste
1/3 cup all purpose flour
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp butter
8-oz container sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup cream sherry
1 Tbsp chicken bouillon granules
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 can water
1/2 can half and half
6 slices Muenster or Swiss cheese
Chopped fresh parsley to garnish

Heat oven to 350^F.

Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.  Spoon flour into a shallow dish and coat both sides of chicken.  Shake off excess.

In a large skillet heat the vegetable oil over medium high heat.  Brown chicken on both sides.  You don't need to cook the chicken completely since it will finish in the oven.  Transfer the chicken to a 9x13" baking dish.

Melt the butter in the skillet.  Add the mushrooms and cook until golden brown.  Stir in the sherry and cook 1-2 minutes.  Add the chicken bouillon granules, mushroom soup, water and half and half; mix well.  Cook until thoroughly heated.

Pour mushroom sauce over chicken; top each chicken piece with a slice of cheese.  Fold the cheese in half if it's too wide for the chicken pieces.  Cover the dish with foil and bake for 35-40 minutes.  Remove pan from oven and turn on the broiler.  Remove foil and place the pan under the broiler for 1-2 minutes to brown the cheese a bit.  Remove from oven and set aside to cool for about 5 minutes.  Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

This is great over rice!  I found the recipe on Pinterest and added a couple things and it is really good!

Quick & Easy Blender Salsa

I found this on Pinterest and it is awesome!  Takes only about 5 minutes to make and tastes way better than anything bought at the supermarket!

Quick & Easy Blender Salsa

• 1- 14 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1- 10 oz can orginal Rotel
• 1/2 small onion, roughly chopped
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed
• 1 tsp diced pickled jalapenos
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• small to medium size handful of cilantro, washed
• juice of 1 lime
• 
  
• Put all the ingredients in the base of a food processor or good blender and pulse to combine for 30 seconds or so until all the ingredients are finely chopped and salsa is desired consistency. Taste for seasoning and adjust to taste. Serve with chips or over tacos.

White Chicken Chili

White Chicken Chili

1 lb chicken, cooked and cubed

1 onion, chopped fine

2 Tbsp canola oil

1 clove garlic, minced

2 can(s) great northern beans, rinsed and drained

32-oz carton chicken broth

1 can green chilies, chopped

Salt & Pepper, to taste

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp cumin

1-2 tsp chipotle chile powder

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 c sour cream

1/2 c whole milk

1. In Dutch Oven, cook onions and garlic in oil until translucent--about 4 minutes.

2. Add cooked chicken, beans, chicken broth, green chilies, salt, pepper, oregano, cumin, chipotle chile powder, and cayenne pepper.

3. Heat on medium low heat for 10 minutes, or until completely heated through.

4. Turn to low and add sour cream and milk. Stir to combine. Do not let boil after cream and milk are added. Serve warm with Tortilla Chips and shredded cheese.

This was pretty good and really quick.

Adapted from a Justapinch.com recipe.

Croatian Sarma Soup

Croatian Sarma Soup

• 1 lb ground beef, browned
• 2 slices bacon, browned and crumbled
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 cup tomato juice (I used V-8)
• 4 cups beef broth
• 2 teaspoons low-sodium beef bouillon cubes
• 14 ounces reduced-sodium diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
• 2 -3 cups cabbage, sliced thin
• 2 cups cooked rice

1. Cook bacon in frying pan until crisped, remove from pan to drain on paper towels. Crumble and set aside.
2. Add ground beef to pan and brown in turkey bacon drippings until almost cooked through.
3. Add diced onion and cook 4-5 minutes until onions are transparent.
4. Add garlic and cook an additional 1-2 minutes.
5. Drain meat mixture.
6. Place all ingredients except rice, including meat mixture and turkey bacon, in a large pot and cook over medium heat until it boils. Turn heat down and cook for at least 15-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is cooked. Add a little water if it gets too thick for your liking. Stir in the hot cooked rice just before serving.  

Adapted from a recipe found at Food.com.  The original stated to cook the soup for 2-3 hours, but since I detest overcooked vegetables I reduced the time to suit my personal preferances.  This was quite good and my husband loved it!  I think it needed a little something extra, so next time I'll throw in some diced bell pepper and see how that works.  

Pork Goulash

Pork Goulash in the Pressure Cooker

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried dill
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 can (10 ounces) condensed beef broth, divided
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

1. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat and add pork, onions, and garlic. Saute until pork is browned on the outside.  Transfer pork to pressure cooker and stir in paprika, dill, salt, pepper, and all but 2 tablespoons of beef broth.
2. Put the lid on your pressure cooker and cook for about 26 minutes under pressure.  I have the Cook's Essentials 6-Qt Digital Pressure Cooker and used the Beef/Meat setting.  Allow the pressure to release before you open the thing (takes about 15 minutes or so).
3. In a small bowl, whisk together remaining beef broth and cornstarch; pour into pressure cooker and stir until sauce has thickened.  
4. Slowly add cream and stir until warmed through.

I served this with cooked egg noodles and green beans and it was delicious!  The pork was so tender and juicy and the sauce was delicious!  Awesome! 

Adapted from a Mr. Food recipe.  

Indian Tacos

Indian Tacos

For the Frybread:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup milk
• ½ cup water
• Additional ¼ cup flour for shaping
• 2 cups oil for frying

For the Indian Tacos:

• 4 cooked frybreads
• Cooked pinto beans  (I just added a can of chili beans to my taco meat)
• Taco meat (I used 1 lb of ground chuck with a packet of Taco Seasoning)
• shredded cheese
• lettuce, tomato, onion
• hot sauce, pickled jalapenos, sour cream

1. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together. Combine milk and water in a separate cup.
2. Add wet ingredients to flour mixture and stir with a fork to mix well. You will have a soft dough.
3. Flour your countertop well with the remaining ¼ cup flour and coat your hands, too.
4. Shape the dough into a cylinder and cut into 4 pieces.
5. Pat each piece out into a circle about ⅓" thick (1 cm) and 6" across.
6. Heat the oil to 350 degrees F and fry breads one at a time, for about 2 minutes on each side.
7. Drain upright.
8. Serve topped with beans, meat, cheese, and vegetables of your choice.

Recipe from http://hilahcooking.com/indian-taco-recipe/

I was a little worried about making the Frybread since I usually don't have much luck with biscuit/pie doughs.  I'm too heavy handed I guess, but this recipe was easy and they turned out great!  I highly recommend Hilah's Video (see page link above)...she made me feel very comfortable with the dough and frying it!  

Bottom Line....these are great and I will be making them again!  

Norwegian Meatballs

Norwegian Meatballs

MEATBALLS:
1 heaping tablespoon mayonnaise
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
2 lbs ground beef (95% lean)
1 lb ground pork

GRAVY:
2 Tbsp finely chopped onion
3 Tbsp butter
4 Tbsp flour
4 cups beef broth
1/2 cup sour cream
1 pkt brown gravy mix

In a large bowl, combine the mayo, milk, bread crumbs, onion and seasonings.  Let stand until crumbs absorb the milk.  Add the beef and pork and stir until well blended.  Shape into 1-inch meatballs.  Place on a greased rack in a shallow baking pan.  Bake at 400^F until browned, about 18 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160^; drain.  Set aside.

For the gravy, in a large skillet, saute the onion in butter until tender.  Stir in flour and brown gravy mix and brown lightly.  Slowly add the broth; cook and stir until smooth and thickened.  Whisk in the sour cream until mixture is smooth and the sour cream is well incorporated.  Gently stir in the meatballs; heat through but do not boil.

Serve over hot, cooked egg noodles, rice or mashed potatoes.

This was adapted from a Taste of Home recipe.  It was good, but next time I will increase the ginger, nutmeg and allspice to 1/2 tsp each and maybe add a pinch of dillweed.  I'll only use 3 Tbsp flour in the gravy.  And, I think I'll probably use heavy cream instead of the sour cream.

Traditional German Schnitzel

This recipe is awesome! I'll be making it over and over again...everyone loved it!


Traditional German Schnitzel

• 4 boneless pork chops
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup all-purpose flour combined with 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• ¾ cup plain breadcrumbs

• Place the pork chops between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound them until just ¼ inch thick with the flat side of a meat tenderizer. Lightly season both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Place the flour mixture, egg, and breadcrumbs in 3 separate shallow bowls. Dip the chops in the flour, the egg, and the breadcrumbs, coating both sides and all edges at each stage. Be careful not to press the breadcrumbs into the meat. Gently shake off the excess crumbs. Don't let the schnitzel sit in the coating or they will not be as crispy once fried - fry immediately.
• Make sure the cooking oil is hot enough at this point (about 330 degrees F) as you don't want the Schnitzel to sit around in the coating before frying. Use enough oil so that the Schnitzels "swim" in it.
• Fry the Schnitzel for about 2-3 minutes on both sides until a deep golden brown. Transfer briefly to a plate lined with paper towels.

Recipe from http://www.daringgourmet.com/2014/03/12/traditional-german-pork-schnitzel/

Creamy Garlic Meatballs

Creamy Garlic Meatballs

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted

1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted

3-1/2 cups water

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 package (32 ounces) frozen fully cooked homestyle meatballs, thawed

Hot mashed potatoes

In a large saucepan, combine flour and soups. Stir in the water and

seasonings until blended. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cook and

stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add meatballs; return to a

boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until

heated through. Serve over mashed potatoes. Yield: 8 servings.

OK...a bit bland in my opinion.  5/27/06

From Taste of Home's Quick Cooking Magazine, May/June issue

Vegetable Cheese Soup

Vegetable Cheese Soup

2 tablespoons chopped onion

1/4 cup butter, cubed

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

3 cups milk

1-1/2 cups chicken broth

1 package (16 ounces) frozen California-blend vegetables, thawed

1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

3/4 cup process cheese sauce

In a large saucepan, saute onion in butter until tender. Stir in the

flour until blended. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and

stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

Stir in broth and vegetables. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20

minutes until vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir in cheddar cheese

and cheese sauce; cook until heated through and cheese is melted.

Yield: 7 servings.

Pretty good!  5/31/07

From Taste of Home's Quick Cooking Magazine, May/June issue

Tuna Shell Salad

Tuna Shell Salad

1 package (7 ounces) small pasta shells

1 can (6 ounces) light water-packed tuna, drained and flaked

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1 large carrot, shredded

3/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise

1/4 cup fat-free milk

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 teaspoons prepared mustard

1 teaspoon dill weed

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold

water. In a salad bowl, combine the pasta, tuna, onion and carrot.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Pour over salad

and toss to coat. Cover and chill until serving. Yield: 5 servings.

This was OK...but I'm really not a huge fan or tuna or pasta salads, so who am I to judge?  John liked it! 6/20/05

From Taste of Home's Quick Cooking Magazine, May/June 2005 issue

Peach Coffee Cake

Peach Coffee Cake

1 cup butter, softened

1-3/4 cups sugar

4 eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 can (21 ounces) peach pie filling

ICING:

1-1/4 cups confectioners' sugar

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

3 to 4 tablespoons milk

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add

eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the

flour, salt and baking powder; add to creamed mixture and beat just

until combined.

Spread 3-3/4 cups batter into a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in.

baking pan. Carefully spoon pie filling to within 1 in. of edges.

Spoon remaining batter over filling.

Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near

the center comes out clean (cover loosely with foil if edges brown

too quickly). Cool on a wire rack.

In a small bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, extract and enough 

milk to achieve desired consistency. Drizzle over warm coffee cake.

Yield: 16-20 servings.

Excellent!  6/19/2005

From Taste of Home's Quick Cooking Magazine, May/June 2005 issue

Pea Salad

1-1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons finely chopped onion

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1-1/2 teaspoons prepared mustard

In a large bowl, combine the peas, cheese and onion. Stir in the

mayonnaise and mustard. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Yield:

2 servings.

Very good...but I'd add some sweet relish next time!  6/12/2006

From Taste of Home's Quick Cooking Magazine, May/June 2005 issue.

Bacon Chili Cheeseburger

Bacon Chili Cheeseburger

2 strips bacon, cooked crisp and chopped fine
4 Tbsp Thousand Island Dressing
1 lb lean ground sirloin (I used chuck...it tastes better!)
1/2 cup Heinz chili sauce
1/2 Tbsp chili powder
Garlic Salt and Pepper to taste
Munster Cheese slices
Hamburger Buns, toasted
Shredded Lettuce
Chopped Tomato
Extra chili powder for garnish

Combine the chopped bacon and Thousand Island Dressing in a small bowl.  Refrigerate while preparing the burgers.

Heat the grill to medium high.  Mix beef with chili sauce and chili powder.  Shape the mixture into 4 burgers and cook to desired degree of doneness.  When the burgers are almost done, top each with cheese.

Place burgers on toasted buns and top with Bacon Dressing, lettuce and tomato.  Sprinkle tomatoes with a bit of chili powder and serve.

These were OK.  They had a sweeter taste than I like and not nearly enough "chili" flavor.

From laurasleanbeef.com

Rib Rub

Rib Rub

3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup Hungarian paprika
1/4 cup garlic powder
2 Tbsp black pepper
1 Tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp thyme
2 tsp rosemary

Combine all ingredients until well mixed.  Use about 3 tablespoons for each rack of ribs.  (Rub them well with the mixture, wrap and refrigerate for 2-24 hours.)

Store remaining mixture in a jar with a tight fitting lid or a zip-lock bag in a cool, dry environment.

Ham & Egg Salad

Ham & Egg Salad

5-oz can Hormel Premium Smoked Ham
2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped fine
2 tsp yellow mustard
2 tsp honey
2-3 Tbsp mayonnaise
2 Tbsp minced celery

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and stir until well mixed.  Use to make sandwiches or as a spread for Ritz Crackers.  Yum!

Chicken Spiedie

Chicken Spiedie

Marinade:

1/2 cup olive oil

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

2 tsps dried basil

1/2 tsp dried oregano

grated zest of a small lemon

1 TBS lemon juice, or to taste**

Salt and Pepper to taste

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Sauce:

3-4 TBS mayonnaise

1 TBS red wine vinegar

2 TBS of reserved marinade( from above)

1 tsp sugar

Meat:

1.5 lbs (or 4) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Bread:

sub rolls, slit and toasted on the inside

Make the Marinade:

In a large bowl, combine oil, garlic, basil, oregano, lemon juice( or omit if using it in the spiedie sauce instead), lemon zest, salt, pepper, and pepper flakes. Whisk to fully combine. Transfer 2 tablespoons oil mixture to separate smaller bowl.

Make the Spiedie Sauce:

To the 2 tablespoons of reserved marinade, add the mayonnaise, vinegar and sugar. Whisk until fully combined and refrigerate until ready to use.

Marinate the Chicken:

Prick chicken breasts all over with fork, cut into 1 and 1/2 inch chunks, and transfer to bowl with remaining oil marinade mixture. Refrigerate for 30 minutes... or up to 3 hours.

Grill the Chicken: Remove chicken from marinade and thread onto wooden or metal skewers. 

Grill chicken over a hot fire or in a grill pan. Grill on one side, turning every so often until lightly charred and cooked through...this should take about 10- 15 minutes. Try not to overcook the chicken. You can grill the sub rolls for a a minute or so... just to toast the inside and get a few grill marks. Transfer chicken to sub rolls, remove skewers, and drizzle with mayonnaise mixture.

Found on Pinterest.  This was good...not great, but good.  Probably wouldn't make it again though.

Fruit Salad

Fruit Salad

1/2 pint blueberries
1 pint strawberries, diced
1 large ripe peach, peeled and diced
2 or 3 fresh pineapple rings, diced
2 Tbsp instant vanilla or cheesecake flavored pudding mix (dry)

Dice all the fruit about the size of the blueberries.  Sprinkle with dry pudding mix and stir well.  Serve immediately or cover and chill for an hour.

Yum!

Caramel Pecan Upside Down Muffins

Caramel Pecan Upside Down Muffins

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons butter, softened

pecan halves, 3 to 4 per muffin cup

1 cup flour

1 cup quick-cooking oats

1/4 cup sugar

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup butter

1 egg

1 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Blend brown sugar with 2 tablespoons butter. Evenly pat brown

sugar-butter mixture into muffin cups. Arrange pecan halves on top of

mixture.

In a large bowl, mix flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, salt and

baking soda. Cut butter into mixture.

Blend egg with buttermilk and stir into flour mixture until just

dampened. Spoon batter into muffin cups, on top of pecan halves. Bake

for 15 to 20 minutes.

Makes 12 muffins.

I found this online somewhere but I can't remember where.  They were OK.  I wouldn't waste my pecans on it again though.  

Orange Pancakes with Sunshine Orange Sauce

Orange Pancakes with Sunshine Orange Sauce

2 cups biscuit mix
3 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup sugar, divided
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups orange juice, divided
3/4 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

Combine biscuit mix and 3 Tbsp sugar in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. 

Combine eggs, 3/4 cup orange juice, and milk in a small bowl, stirring well; pour into well of biscuit mix mixture, stirring just until moistened.

Pour 1/4 cup batter for each pancake onto a hot, lightly greased griddle. Cook pancakes until tops are covered with bubbles and edges appear cooked; turn and cook other side.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, mix the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, cornstarch, and remaining 3/4 cup orange juice; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly; boil 1 minute.

Serve pancakes with warm orange sauce.

Seriously, these may be the BEST pancakes I've ever eaten in my life!  I loved them!!  From Mr. Food.

Browned Butter Mashed Potatoes

Browned Butter Mashed Potatoes

1/2 cup butter
4 large Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
Salt, to taste
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 tsp minced fresh parsley

Cook butter in a 2-qt. heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, 6 to 8 minutes or just until butter begins to turn golden brown. Immediately remove pan from heat, and pour butter into a small bowl. (Butter will continue to darken if left in saucepan.) Remove and reserve 1 to 2 Tbsp. browned butter.

Bring potatoes, salt, and enough water to cover the potatoes to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat; boil until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain. Reduce heat to low. Return potatoes to Dutch oven, and cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes or until potatoes are dry.

Mash potatoes with a potato masher to desired consistency. Stir in remaining browned butter, buttermilk, pepper, and more salt, if needed, stirring just until blended.

Transfer to a serving dish. Drizzle with reserved 1 to 2 Tbsp. browned butter. Garnish, if desired.

Note: To make ahead, prepare recipe as directed through Step 3. Place in a lightly greased 2 1/2-qt. ovenproof serving dish; cover and chill up to 2 days. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 35 to 40 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Drizzle with reserved brown butter, and garnish, if desired.

This is a Southern Living recipe and it's very tasty!  The recipe also called for regular milk, but I omitted it, because I like my mashed potatoes thick and kind of lumpy.  

Herb Fried Chicken with Black Pepper Gravy

Herb Fried Chicken with Black Pepper Gravy

FOR THE CHICKEN COMBINE:

1 cup all purpose flour

2 tsp minced fresh parsley

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp kosher salt

3/4 cup buttermilk

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cutlets

Canola oil

FOR THE PEPPER GRAVY COOK:

1 tsp minced garlic

2 Tbsp all purpose flour

1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

1 cup milk

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1 1/2 tsp chicken bouillon granules

For the chicken, combine flour, parsley, thyme, pepper, and salt in a shallow dish.  Place buttermilk in a second shallow dish.  Dredge chicken in flour mixture, dip in buttermilk, then dredge again in flour mixture.  Chill coated breasts on a rack placed over a baking sheet at least 5 minutes. 

Heat 1/4 inch oil in a saute pan over medium-high until shimmering.  Fry chicken until golden on one side, about 6 minutes.  Flip chicken and fry until brown and cooked through, 5-6 minutes more.  Transfer chicken to a plate and tent with foil.  

Pour off all but 1 Tbsp. oil.  For the pepper gravy cook garlic in same saute pan over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Whisk in flour, pepper and thyme; slowly whisk in milkand bouillon granules.  Boil gravy, whisking constantly, until thick, 2-3 minutes.  Serve gravy over chicken.

Adapted from a recipe found on Pinterest.  The chicken was delicious!  The gravy needed help so I added the chicken bouillon trying to give it some flavor.  Served with Browned Butter Mashed Potatoes and Corn Niblets.  I'll definitely make the chicken again!  

Sweet Iced Black Tea with Cream

Sweet Iced Black Tea with Cream

4 cups boiling water

8 tsp loose English Breakfast tea (or 8 tea bags)

1/2 cup sugar

Crushed ice, for serving

1/2 cup heavy cream

Pour water over tea and steep for 5-7 minutes.  Strain.  Bring tea and sugar to a boil in a saucepan.  Let cool.  To serve, pour 1/2 cup tea over crushed ice in 8 glasses and then top each with 1 Tbsp cream.

I have no clue where I found this recipe, but I'm glad I tried it!  This is delicious!  

Awesome French Toast

2 eggs
1 Tbsp heavy cream
1 tsp sugar
Pinch salt
1 drop vanilla extract
1 drop almond extract
Pinch cinnamon
4 slices Brioche, about 1-inch thick
Butter
Honey, if desired (preferably from a local source - I used Palmetto Honey today)

Combine the eggs, cream, sugar, salt, vanilla, almond extract and cinnamon in a shallow bowl.  Beat witha fork until very well mixed.

Heat a griddle over medium/medium-high heat.  Slice off a pat of butter and let it melt on the griddle until it sizzles.  Dip the bread slices in the egg mixture (both sides) and place them on the griddle.  Cook until browned on the bottom, flip and continue cooking until the other side is browned.  Only takes a couple of minutes.

Serve hot with butter and honey.

This is my absolute favorite French Toast!

Blueberry Lime Muffins

Blueberry Lime Muffins

2 cups Bisquick
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp grated lime peel
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup melted butter
1 egg
1 cup fresh (or frozen) blueberries
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
Additional grated lime peel, if desired

Heat the oven to 400^F.  Place paper baking cups in each of 12 regular sized muffin cups (or spray with Pam).

In a large bowl, stir Bisquick, brown sugar and 1 tsp lime peel.  In small bowl, stir milk, butter and egg with a fork or whisk until well blended.  Make a well in center of dry ingredients and stir in egg mixture just until all ingredients are moistened.  Stir in blueberries.  Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each three-fourths full.

Bake 16-18 minutes or until golden brown and a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool 5 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack.

Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix powdered sugar and lime juice (plus lime peel if desired) until well blended. Drizzle over muffins.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Nice lime flavor!  From bettycrocker.com

Southern Candied Sweet Potatoes

6 large sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced

1/2 cup butter

2 cups brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Pinch of Salt

1 Tbsp vanilla

Melt the butter in large, heavy iron skillet and stir in the potato slices.  Sprinkle the sugar, cinnamon and salt over the potatoes and stir well.  Cover the skillet, reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour or until potatoes are tender and "candied", stirring occasionally.  Stir in the vanilla just before serving.

Delicious!  Adapted from allrecipes.com