“Stay away from negative people. They have a problem for every solution."
Good afternoon and welcome to the newest issue of A to Z Recipes Newsletters. Its been raining cats and dogs here most of the night and all day today. Seemed like a good day to do laundry so I did. Of course, its always a good day for sharing recipes so here we go!
I still have scores of recipes from the late Treva Key, of North Carolina, who was a long-time devoted reader. I will continue to post her recipes here until such time I have enough from YOU to begin posting those again. I am including a section from another faithful reader, too. Marilyn M. from Ohio has sent in recipes on a regular basis for years, even during the more recent times when no newsletters were being posted! I have added a few of my own in this issue as well. Why not take a few minutes and send us a recipe?
Why not take a few minutes and send us a recipe?
For recipes use this link.
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ALL OF THE RECIPES IN THIS SECTION WERE SENT IN TO SHARE WITH YOU FROM TREVA KEY IN NORTH CAROLINA.
No Bake Peanut Butter Bars
1 cup butter melted
2 cups graham cracker crumbs (use the boxed kind, or grind them in a food processor)
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 cup + 4 tablespoons peanut butter
1 & 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips
In a medium bowl, mix together the melted butter, graham cracker crumbs, confectioners’ sugar, and 1 cup peanut butter until well blended. Press evenly into the bottom of an ungreased 9×13 inch pan. In the microwave, melt the chocolate chips with the peanut butter, stirring every 30 seconds until melted until smooth. Spread over the peanut butter layer. Refrigerate for at least one hour before cutting into squares.
Source: Susan's Daily Dose
Fresh Fruit Kruchen
DOUGH
1/4 cup water (70º to 80ºF)
1/4 cup milk
1 large egg
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons Fleischmann's® Bread Machine Yeast
TOPPING
3 cups sliced (1-inch) fresh fruit such as apples pears, plums, peaches, or nectarines, peeled if desired
Crumb Topping (recipe follows)
Sieved apricot jam or melted jelly
Almond Icing (recipe follows)
CRUMB TOPPING
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
ALMOND ICING
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
4 teaspoons milk (4 to 5 teaspoons)
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1. Measure dough ingredients into bread machine pan in the order suggested by the manufacturer. Process in dough/manual cycle. When cycle is complete, remove dough from machine to lightly floured surface. If necessary, knead in enough flour to make dough easy to handle.
2. Roll dough to 10 × 15-inch rectangle. Place on large, greased baking sheet. Arrange fruit, in lengthwise rows, 1/2 inch apart, on dough. Sprinkle Crumb Topping between rows of fruit. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 20 to 40 minutes.
3. Bake at 375ºF for 20 minutes or until done. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack. Brush fruit with jam and drizzle Almond Icing over cake.
Crumb Topping: Combine 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg. Cut in 3 tablespoons softened butter or margarine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Almond Icing: In small bowl, combine 1 cup sifted powdered sugar, 4 to 5 teaspoons milk and 1/4 teaspoon almond extract; stir until smooth.
Blueberry Muffin Cake
For the cake
1 cup (or 2 sticks) unsalted real butter, softened to room temp.
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tbsp. lemon extract*
2 & 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 & 1/4 cup whole buttermilk
1 pound fresh blueberries
For the crumble topping:
2 tbsp. real butter, slightly softened
2 tbsp. brown sugar
3 tbsp. flour
2 tbsp. oats (quick-cooking is fine)
For the glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. lemon extract
2 tbsp. milk
*Cook’s Notes: I like the concentrated lemon flavor in lemon extract but you can use lemon juice or lemon zest as well. We just want that hint of lemon flavor in this cake. Make sure when measuring flour that you do not pack your measuring cup. Just dip your cup into flour and scoop off the excess with your hand or a butter knife. Packing the cup will give you too much flour and make a dense, dry cake.
Preheat oven to 325F degrees.
Spray your bundt pan (REALLY WELL) with nonstick baking spray (the kind with flour added).
Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar. It should look nice and fluffy when combined. Then beat in eggs, vanilla extract and lemon extract into the sugar/butter mixture.
Next, in a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir together with a fork until combined.
At this point, you are going to alternately add in the flour mixture and buttermilk to the sugar/butter mixture. Add a little flour, then a little buttermilk, a little more flour and a little more buttermilk...until it's all incorporated. Don't overmix it. You want to stir just until it's all come together.
If you have a stand mixer, be sure to occasionally scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Gently stir in HALF of the blueberries. Be very careful when stirring so you don't bust open all the berries. Just gently fold them in. Now add the batter into the bundt pan.
Then add the rest of the blueberries on top.
Bake for about 65-75 minutes. Oven times do often vary for baked goods. So be sure to test for doneness by using a toothpick. It should come out clean when you insert it into the cake. Cake should be golden brown and shouldn't be jiggly. Don't turn off oven after you take out cake. Don't even think about releasing the cake yet. It has to cool COMPLETELY. This could take an hour and a half or more.
While the cake is cooling, make crumble topping. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl using a fork or your fingers. Mix until crumbly.
Then spread mixture into a small baking pan and bake in 325F degree oven for about 8 minutes. Then take it out of oven and allow it to cool completely. Now you can turn off the oven.
Once cake has been allowed to cool completely, you can release the cake from the bundt pan. This is the key to getting the cake to come out clean. The pan needs to be totally cooled, then it should release easily.
Start making the glaze. Combine powdered sugar, lemon extract and milk. Stir well. I like my glaze a little on the thicker side but if you need to thin it out, just add a tad more milk until you reach desired thickness. Whisk together until smooth.Drizzle glaze over cake. Immediately sprinkle on crumble topping so that it sticks to the glaze.
Source: The Country Cook
http://www.thecountrycook.net
Asparagus & Pecorino Salad
Serves 6
1 pound asparagus, tough bottom ends snapped off
2 to 3 ounces pecorino Romano
1/4 cup lemon vinaigrette (see below)
Kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper
Using a Benriner (Japanese mandoline), another vegetable slicer or a vegetable peeler, thinly shave the asparagus, making long diagonal shavings. Transfer to a medium bowl.
Shave or thinly slice the pecorino and add to the bowl. Drizzle with half the vinaigrette, season lightly with salt and pepper, and toss gently. Serve with the remaining vinaigrette on the side.
Lemon Vinaigrette
Makes 3/4 cup
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon marmellata (marmalade) or a generous pinch of grated lemon zest
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, preferably Tuscan
Whisk together the lemon juice, marmellata and olive oil together in a small bowl. (The vinaigrette can be refrigerated for up to three days.)
Source; Mario Batali
(Mario Batali is the award-winning chef behind twenty-five restaurants including Eataly, Del Posto, and his flagship Greenwich Village enoteca, Babbo.)
Pesto
Pine nuts in large quantity can be hard to find. I have seen in some restaurant menus that chefs have made pesto with walnuts, so I decided macadamia nuts must work, too. Now I can attest. They not only work, it tastes great! So you can use any of these nuts in your pesto.
3 cups basil leaves
1 cup pine nuts (or any other kind of nut!)
1 tsp salt
2 TBSP chopped garlic (jar garlic is fine)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 cups shredded Italian cheese (Parmesan, Asiago and/or Romano, your choice)
3/4 cup olive oil
Harvest the branches of the pesto. Pluck any flowers off the top if you’ve let them grow. Slide the green leaves off the branches. You don’t have to be delicate about this. I just yank and grab in bunches. If I get a few stray, narrow stems, that’s fine. Just don’t get the woody parts in your pesto. Wash the leaves in a water bath or use your salad spinner. When I’m in major pesto manufacturing mode, I have a lot more than three cups of basil leaves, so I just fill my sink with water and put them all in and slosh them around. Then I drain them on dishtowels while the nuts are roasting.
Speaking of roasting nuts: Pour them on a cookie sheet or any other metal pan that’s oven proof. Roast the nuts at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Watch at the end. Pine nuts are rather delicate. They can brown some, but don’t let them burn. Remove the nuts from the oven and let them cool down.
In your food processor, press in your three cups of basil leaves. Add the pine nuts, salt, garlic and cayenne (to taste). I like my pesto to have a little zip, but cayenne is optional. You can leave it out if you want to. Also add your cheese. Turn your processor on to chop up the basil, etc. Stop the processor to scrape down the sides if you didn’t get an even chop. Then add the oil through the top of the processor in a stream while it’s running. It’s like you are making salad dressing. When the whole smear is moving around the bottom, you’re ready to package your pesto.
You can put your pesto in jars like you would if you were canning jams, but for me that’s too much in one container. Pesto goes a long way and it doesn’t do well sitting in your refrigerator for weeks or months after opening, so I use small packages. I use the teeny Tupperware containers or I use small, sandwich-sized plastic freezer bags (regular sandwich bags will do in a pinch). The zip-top kind work best. Put three heaping tablespoons of pesto in the bottom of each bag. Place the bag on the counter. Press the pesto so it stays toward the bottom of the bag. Then, with the pesto at the bottom, roll up the bag like a cigar, squeezing out the air as you go, and then just zip the end shut. Visualize the little cigar shaped packages all in a row. Your pesto is ready to freeze. I keep it in the freezer until the day I want to use it and then thaw in the fridge or the microwave. Voila! A batch of pesto in just a few minutes.
Source: Zola
Fresh Southern Peach Cobbler
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 40 Minutes
Ready In: 1 Hour
Servings: 4
Sweet Georgia peaches are topped with homemade biscuits creating a bubbling Southern-style peach cobbler perfect for summer nights.
INGREDIENTS:
8 fresh peaches - peeled, pitted and sliced into thin wedges
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1/4 cup boiling water
MIX TOGETHER:
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, combine peaches, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Toss to coat evenly, and pour into a 2 quart baking dish. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine flour, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Blend in butter with your fingertips, or a pastry blender, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in water until just combined.
4. Remove peaches from oven, and drop spoonfuls of topping over them. Sprinkle entire cobbler with the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Bake until topping is golden, about 30 minutes.
Tomato Pie
This classic tomato pie makes a savory side dish or meatless main course.
4 tomatoes, peeled and sliced
10 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1 (9-inch) prebaked deep dish pie shell
1 cup grated mozzarella
1 cup grated cheddar
1 cup mayonnaise
Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the tomatoes in a colander in the sink in 1 layer. Sprinkle with salt and allow to drain for 10 minutes.
Layer the tomato slices, basil, and onion in pie shell. Season with salt and pepper. Combine the grated cheeses and mayonnaise together. Spread mixture on top of the tomatoes and bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned.
To serve, cut into slices and serve warm.
Source: Go Ask Alice
Spicy Peanut Butter and Chocolate Popcorn
2/3-cup light corn syrup
1/4-cup sugar
1/2-cup peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper, to taste
6 to 8 cups popped popcorn, unpopped kernels removed
2/3-cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 Tbsp. shortening or vegetable oil
1. In microwave, melt sugar and corn syrup, stirring every 30 seconds and watching carefully to prevent burning.
2. Stir in the peanut butter and microwave again, stirring every 30 seconds or until peanut butter melts and mixture can be blended evenly.
3. Remove from microwave; add vanilla and cayenne pepper to taste.
4. Drizzle mixture over popcorn, stirring to distribute evenly. Spread popcorn on a cookie sheet to cool.
5. Heat the milk chocolate chips and shortening or vegetable oil in microwave for 30 seconds, stirring and microwaving an additional 30 seconds if necessary, until melted.
6. Drizzle chocolate over the peanut butter popcorn with a spoon. Allow chocolate to harden. Then break up the larger chunks of popcorn and store in an airtight container until ready to serve.
Makes 6 to 8 cups
Source: http://www.hallmark.com
Blueberry and Lemon French Toast Casserole
A scrumptious overnight French toast casserole with a custardy blueberry filling. We made this with cream cheese and lemon for additional creaminess and brightness. The perfect no-stress dish for feeding a crowd and impressing the masses.
Ingredients
Butter, for greasing
6 large eggs
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
One 16-ounce loaf challah bread, torn or cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
2 1/2 cups blueberries
Powdered sugar and maple syrup, for serving
Directions
Butter a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, milk, cream, cream cheese, sugar, lemon zest, vanilla and salt. The batter will be slightly lumpy from the cream cheese. Add bread to the buttered baking dish and pour egg mixture over the top. Press the bread down to make sure it’s fully absorbing the liquid. Stir in the blueberries. Cover with foil. Refrigerate at least two hours or overnight. Remove the casserole from the fridge and sit at room temperature for 25 minutes before baking. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake, covered with foil, for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 20 minutes more. Serve sprinkled with powdered sugar and serve with lots of maple syrup.
Source: Cooking.com Recipes
Spaghetti Frittata (Frittata di spaghetti)
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
5 eggs
1/2 cup (2 ounces/50 grams) grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 pound (350 grams) cooked spaghetti (or other pasta), in any sauce, or even without
In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs lightly with a fork or a whisk until homogenous. Add the grated Parmigiano Reggiano, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the cooked pasta and distribute it evenly in the pan. Lower the heat to low and let the pasta cook (without stirring) for 1-2 minutes. Pour the egg mixture over the pasta in the skillet, shaking the skillet gently to distribute the egg mixture evenly throughout the pasta. Cover the skillet and let cook for about 10 minutes over low heat, or until the eggs are firm and the bottom is slightly golden brown. Then flip the frittata (using whichever frittata-flipping method you prefer) and let it cook for another 5 minutes, uncovered, until it is lightly browned on the other side as well. Slide the cooked frittata onto a serving platter. Slice it into wedges and then you can either serve it immediately, while still hot, or let it cool and serve cold.
Source: Danette St. Onge, Italian Food Expert
Lemon Cheesecake Ricotta Pie
1 cup zwieback crumbs, finely ground
1/4 sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
2 pounds ricotta cheese
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 grated lemon rind
4 extra large eggs, slightly beaten
2/3 cup sugar
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees
To make the crust: In a medium bowl, combine zwieback crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar and melted butter.
Mix well and press into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan.
To make the filling: In a mixer, food processor, or by hand, combine the remaining ingredients until smooth and pour into pan. Bake at until firm, about an hour. Turn oven off and allow pie to cool in oven.
Bittersweet Chocolate Pudding
Serves 6 to 8
3 cups (750 mL) milk
1/2 cup (125 mL) sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
4 tablespoons cornstarch
6 ounces (185 g) bittersweet chocolate chips
1 ounce (30 g) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly whipped cream, for serving
Pitted fresh cherries or good-quality maraschino cherries, for serving
Pour the milk into a heavy metal saucepan. Stir in half of the sugar using a wire whisk. Put the pan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring frequently. Remove the pan from the heat. Put the remaining sugar, cocoa powder and cornstarch into a medium-sized bowl. Use a clean, dry whisk to stir them together until thoroughly combined. While whisking the hot milk mixture continuously, gradually pour in the sugar-cocoa-cornstarch mixture in a slow, steady stream. Return the saucepan to medium heat and clip a thermometer to the side of the pan, with its tip immersed in the mixture. Continue cooking, stirring continuously with the whisk and taking care to scrape the bottom and sides of the pan until the mixture has thickened to a consistency resembling molten jelly and reached a temperature of about 200 F. (93 C), about 4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Immediately whisk in the chocolate chips, butter, vanilla and salt, until the chocolate and butter have completely melted and are fully, incorporated. Pour the hot mixture into individual serving glasses or bowls. Cover each with a piece of plastic wrap, gently pressing the plastic directly onto the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming as it cools. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least two hours. Serve within three days, removing the plastic wrap and topping each serving with whipped cream and cherries.
Source: Wolfgang Puck
Cucumber Salad with Tangy Sour Cream Dressing
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
This easy cucumber salad is made with a tangy sour cream dressing. Add dill to the dressing for extra flavor. This is an excellent summer salad to make with fresh-from-the-garden cucumbers. It's wonderful with fish, too.
5 to 6 medium cucumbers
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 & 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons grated onion
2 tablespoons lemon juice or white vinegar
1 teaspoon dill seeds, optional
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Peel the cucumbers and slice thinly. Put the sliced cucumbers in a serving bowl.
In another bowl, combine the sugar, salt, sour cream, onion, lemon juice or vinegar, and dill seeds, if using. Blend well and toss with the sliced cucumbers.
Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper.
For best flavor, chill for at least 2 hours before serving.
Serves 10 to 12.
Source: Diana Rattray, Southern Food Expert
Cornbread Pan Sandwiches
2- 8 ounce packages corn muffin mix (the size that makes 6 muffins), plus ingredients called for on package to make batter
5-6 slices American Cheese
5-6 slices ham lunch meat (or other lunch meat of your choice)
1 small onion, chopped
2 Tablespoons Spicy Brown Mustard
1. Preheat oven to 400º F. Prepare corn muffin mix batter according to package directions.
2. Add chopped onion and spicy brown mustard to batter, stir until well mixed.
3. Spread half of batter into a greased 8 x 8 or 9 x 9 baking dish. Top with ham slices followed by cheese slices, cutting them to fit if needed.
4. Top with remaining batter and gently spread to cover.
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until cornbread is golden. Allow to cool 5 minutes before cutting.
6. Serve hot and enjoy!
Note: You could cut this recipe in two and make it in a mini loaf pan for just two people!
Source: http://www.southernplate.com
Fuzzy Navel Cake
1 (16 oz.) can peaches
3/4 c. Dekuyper Peachtree Schnapps
1 c. sugar
A Day ahead: Combine peaches, Schnapps and sugar in a glass container for 24 hours, covered.
Then drain juice from peaches and save both.
1 pkg. deluxe yellow cake mix
1 pkg. vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
2/3 c. oil
1 c. chopped peaches (from mixture)
1/2 c. liquid (from mixture)
1 c. chopped pecans
Mix these ingredients. Place in bundt cake pan and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
GLAZE TOPPING (optional) :
1/4 c. liquid (from mixture)
1 & 1/2 c. powdered sugar
Sauteed Mushroom Salad
Preparation Time: 25 min
Cook Time: 25 min
Serves: 6
Here we make a warm sherry-mushroom dressing to toss over bitter greens. The dressing wilts the greens until they are just tender.
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 small onion, halved and sliced
1 pound white or cremini mushrooms, quartered
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
3 tablespoons dry sherry
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
8 cups bitter salad greens, such as frisee, arugula or baby dandelion greens
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Preparation:
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, until they release their juices, 10 to 12 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add sherry and cook until mostly evaporated, about 3 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and continue cooking for 1 minute more. Pour over greens in a large bowl and toss to coat. Sprinkle with Parmesan.
Nutritional Information Per serving:
Calories 82 cal; Carbohydrates 6 g; Dietary Fiber 1 g;Fat 6 g; Saturated Fat 1 g; Protein 3 g; Potassium 339 mg; Sodium 133 mg; Cholesterol 1 mg
Nutritional Bonus: Per serving Vitamin A & Vitamin C (15% daily value)
Makes 6 servings, about 1 & 1/3 cups each.
Source: EatingWell
Vichyssoise
8 green onions, chopped
6 stalks celery, sliced
One quarter cup butter
8 potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups milk or light cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh parsley for garnish
Saute onions and celery in butter until tender. Add potatoes and chicken broth and cook until tender. Place mixture in food processor and puree. Add milk, salt and pepper to taste. Chill and serve with fresh parsley garnish.
The Skinny: Use fat free chicken broth and low fat milk or fat free Half and Half.
Cinnamon French Toast Sticks
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 6 to 8 Servings
These easy French toast sticks make a tasty breakfast, and kids love them! Double or triple the batch and freeze for easy breakfasts all week long. Serve these French toast sticks with maple syrup or a fruit syrup, along with cooked bacon strips, ham, or sausage. Or serve them with orange wedges or berries.
8 thick slices of bread, such as Texas toast or a similar bread
4 large eggs
1 cup milk or half-and-half
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 to 6 tablespoons butter, for cooking, more or less
Stack 3 or 4 slices of bread and carefully slice into sticks, about 4 or 5 for each slice, depending on how thick you want them. In a bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk or half-and-half, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. Dip the bread into the mixture briefly, turning to coat with the egg mixture. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When the butter is foamy, cook the French toast sticks in batches until golden brown, turning to brown both sides. Move them to a plate and keep warm. Repeat with the remaining bread, adding more butter to the skillet, as needed. Serve them hot with maple syrup.
Source: Diana Rattray, Southern Food Expert
ALL OF THE RECIPES IN THIS SECTION WERE SENT IN TO SHARE WITH YOU FROM MARILYN M. IN OHIO.
Apple Hand Pies (Turnover)
1 package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed
2 medium Fuji or Gala apples - peeled and diced
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
1 egg white
1 Tbsp. water
course sugar for topping (optional)
Line baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat oven to 400 degrees. Melt butter in a large skillet and add diced apples. Cook for about 3 minutes. Next add brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, cornstarch, and nutmeg. Continue cooking until apples are tender and sauce has begun to thicken. Stir apples occasionally while cooking. Remove apple mixture from heat and add the vanilla. Set aside to cool!
Unfold pastry sheet on a lightly floured work surface. Smooth or roll out seams to make sure they do not separate. With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut each sheet into four squares. Mix the egg white and water together to make an egg wash. Brush egg wash all along the edges of the pastry squares. Next spoon about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of the mixture into the center of the 1 pastry square leave about an inch on all sides. Fold pastry in half diagonally and pinch the edges with a fork to seal. Prick with fork for steam vents. Sprinkle a little course sugar on top if desired. Repeat with remaining squares. Transfer to an baking sheet. Leave at least an inch between pies. Bake at 400 degrees for 14-16 minutes until the top is puffed and nicely browned. Remove turnovers from pan to a wire rack and cool 10 minutes.
Vanilla Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
Combine powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. Mix to a smooth, thick consistency. Add more milk to thin, if necessary. Drizzle glaze over warm turnovers and serve.
Tortellini-Italian Sausage Bake
1 lb bulk Italian sausage
8 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 jar (or 3 cups) spaghetti sauce
2 (9 ounce) bags frozen cheese tortellini
1 cup mushrooms, bell pepper or onions, chopped, optional (or add them all!)
Preheat your oven to 350°. Cook tortellini according to the package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, brown the sausage and drain off the grease. If you are adding vegetables to your dish, remove the sausage from the pan (reserving a tablespoon of the grease) and sauté the veggies in the reserved grease for a few minutes to soften them. Place the cooked tortellini in a 9 x 13 baking dish and top with the sausage, the veggies, the sauce, then the shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the cheese starts to turn golden and bubbly.
Carrot Casserole
2 lb carrots (sliced)
1/2 cup butter or margarine (divided in half)
12 oz process American cheese (cubed)
1/4 tsp. dill weed
1/2 cup crushed saltines (about 15 crackers)
Place carrots in saucepan and cover with water; bring to boil.
Reduce heat; cover and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes.
Drain; place in a greased 1-1/2 quart baking dish.
In a small saucepan, melt 1/4 cup butter and cheese, stirring often. Stir in dill. Pour over carrots.
Toss the saltines with remaining butter; sprinkle over carrots.
Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly. Quick Tip: Allow the top of the casserole to brown and crisp under your oven’s broiler for a few minutes. Enjoy!
Note: can sub some broccoli for some carrots and sub cheddar for some American cheese (although more cheddar makes it less creamy and harder to mix in)
My Cobbler Topping
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 pkg. instant coconut pudding mix
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 F. Pour 2 cans of any pie filling into bottom of greased 9x13 pan; spread out evenly. Mix cobbler topping ingredients together; spoon on top. Bake at 350 F for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown. Enjoy!
Creamy Pasta Florentine with Mushrooms
8-10 oz. penne pasta
3 cups medium mushrooms (shitake or porcini), stems removed, sliced
3 cups spinach
1 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to boil. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pan or skillet over medium heat and sauté mushrooms, seasoned with salt and covered, for 15-20 minutes, or until softened. Stir occasionally and reduce heat if mushrooms start to burn. Add spinach to mushrooms and pour in lemon juice. Cook until wilted, then add walnuts. Cook pasta according to packaging directions, or until al dente. Drain (reserving 1/2 cup pasta water) and set aside. Add heavy cream to the spinach and mushrooms, stirring well, and mix in Parmesan cheese. If sauce is too thick, add pasta water one tablespoon at a time. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if necessary. Pour drained pasta into the sauce and toss well to coat thoroughly. Cook on low heat for 5 minutes, or until sauce thickens and sticks to pasta. Transfer to serving plates, garnish with more Parmesan and serve hot. Enjoy ~ Serves 4-6 Rigatoni pasta with four cheese sauce, mushrooms and spinach
Source: Adapted from Julie's Album
Garlic Parmesan Zucchini Tomato Bake
2 large or 2.5 lbs zucchini*, cut into quarters
10 oz grape tomatoes, cut in halves or 2 large tomatoes, diced
7 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, shredded
1 tsp. basil/thyme/oregano, dried
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/3 cup parsley or basil, finely chopped
Cooking spray
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and spray 8 x 8 or 9 x 11 baking dish with cooking spray; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, add all ingredients, except parsley/basil, and stir to combine. Transfer to a prepared baking dish and bake uncovered for 25 minutes for crunchy zucchini or 35 minutes if you like well cooked vegetables. I recommend checking for doneness with a fork or knife after 25 minutes. Remove from the oven, garnish with basil or parsley and serve hot/warm. Storage Instructions: Refrigerate covered for up to 3 days.
*You can use green/yellow zucchini or a squash type. Heirloom tomatoes would be delicious instead of grape tomatoes.
Throw in some cooked diced chicken or any other cooked protein, like ground turkey for a complete meal.
I like zucchini cooked but still crunchy, and that’s what this bake is.
For well cooked vegetables, cook 10 minutes longer. This dish was amazing, even cold.
Lemon-Pecan Cake
1 lemon cake mix
4 eggs
1 pkg. instant lemon pudding mix (1 oz.)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
7/8 cup water (see below)*
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans, divided
1 lemon (for zest)
Preheat oven to 350°. Grate lemon peel (zest), set aside.
*Squeeze juice from lemon, then add water until you have 7/8th of a cup.
Mix eggs, then beat in oil, water and lemon juice mixture, lemon zest, instant lemon pudding mix and cake mix.
Stir in 1 cup pecans. Pour into a greased 9 inch x 13 inch pan.
Bake for an hour or until a knife inserted in the cake comes out clean. Cool completely. Top with cream cheese frosting.
*For a moist cake, place pan of water in the lowest rack in your oven during baking.
Lemon-Pecan Cream Cheese Frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. lemon extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans (from above)
1 lemon (for zest)
Grate lemon peel (zest), set aside.
Mix cream cheese and butter until smooth. Slowly mix in the powdered sugar, and then stir in pecans, lemon extract, and lemon zest.
OPTION: If you want the frosting yellow, add a couple of drops of yellow food coloring.
Mix thoroughly, frost cake. Keep refrigerated.
Enjoy!
Crockpot Philly Cheese Steak Casserole
Perfect for low carb diets, this is a double bonus, as it cooks in the crock pot all day so you can come home to a great meal.
2 lb chip steak or 2 lb cube steaks, cut into strips
1 green pepper, cut into strips
1 red pepper, cut into strips
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 lb mushroom, sliced more to taste
1 Tbsp. olive oil
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/4 lb pepperoni, thinly sliced (optional)
8 ounces provolone cheese, thinly sliced
Sauté mushrooms in olive oil until softened and light brown, about 5 minutes. Add to crock pot along with the rest of the ingredients, except the provolone. Cook on low for 6 hours. Stir well, add to 6 bowls. Cover with provolone and add some cooking juices to each bowl to melt the cheese.
Servings: 6
Cherry-Almond Coffee Cake
This recipe is not only pretty, but would be wonderful for company of all ages. Picky-picky hubby loves cherry, so I made this with cherry pie filling, but ANY pie filling would work well.
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup sour cream
1 (14 oz) can cherry pie filling* (see note)
Grease a 9" spring form bundt pan. Beat butter till creamy, add sugar and beat until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, add extracts and sour cream, mix well. Add dry ingredients and beat until smooth. Spread half of batter into prepared pan. Top with half of pie filling (see important note below) and half of the almonds. Spoon remaining batter into pan and spread out. Top with the remaining pie filling and almonds. Bake at 350° preheated oven for 45-60 minutes (my oven takes 52 minutes). Test with toothpick to make sure its done. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or drizzle with a vanilla glaze.
*NOTE: Recipe says to use a whole can of pie filling, but I use the whole cherries in the pie filling and only about 3/4 of the "goo".
Crisp Cucumber Salsa
This is such a great recipe!
2 cups finely chopped seeded peeled cucumber
1/2 cup finely chopped seeded tomato
1/4 cup chopped red onion
2 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
4-1/2 tsp. minced fresh cilantro
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream or yogurt whatever you prefer but add calories if you change the ingredients
1-1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1-1/2 tsp. lime juice
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. seasoned salt
Tortilla chips
In a small bowl, combine the first seven ingredients.
In another bowl, combine the sour cream, lemon juice, lime juice, cumin and seasoned salt.
Pour over cucumber mixture and toss gently to coat. Serve immediately.
Note: 1/4 cup is only 16 calories!
Chocolate Chip Fluff Pie
1 graham cracker crust
1/2 cup milk
30 mini-marshmallows
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (or mint)
1/2 cup chocolate chips, plus more for garnish
Combine milk and marshmallows in a microwave safe bowl and melt, at medium power, for 30 seconds or until melted. Stir until mixture is smooth. Set aside and allow mixture to cool. Beat 1 cup heavy cream on medium-high speed for 4 to 5 minutes, or until cream becomes thick and soft peaks form. Fold marshmallow mixture, vanilla, and chocolate chips gently into the cream. Spoon into crust, and chill several hours prior to serving. Top with additional chocolate chips, if desired.
Cherry Cream Pie
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
Filling:
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped
1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling
In a small bowl, combine flour, walnuts, butter and brown sugar. Transfer to a 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 375° for 15 minutes, stirring once. Set aside 1 cup of crumbs. While warm, press the remaining crumbs into a greased 9-in. pie plate, firmly pressing onto the bottom and up the sides. Chill for 30 minutes while making the filling.. In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and almond extract until smooth. Spread over bottom of crust. Gently fold whipped cream into the pie filling; spread over cream cheese layer. Sprinkle with reserved crumbs. Chill for at least 4 hours before serving. Yield: 6-8 servings.
Cheesy Baked Dip
8 oz. sour cream
8 oz. cream cheese
16 oz. cheddar cheese, grated (sharp or mild)
4 oz. chopped green chilies Green onion (suit your own taste)
1 cup chopped ham
1/2 pound chopped bacon
1 round bread loaf, hollowed out
Mix first seven ingredients together and put into hollowed out bread loaf. Bake at 350 degrees uncovered for one hour. Serve with leftover bread cubes or chips. Enjoy!
ALL OF THE RECIPES IN THIS SECTION ARE FROM ME TO YOU.
Lemon Cheesecake Bars
Note from Maggie: Do you use Pinterest? Facebook? For years I didn't and finally took the big step (not! it's so easy!) and tried it. I am totally hooked. Look me up on Pinterest or Facebook if you do. Otherwise, try it... you'll like it! I got this from my Facebook and Pinterest pal, Judy Gaik. Look her up. She shares great stuff!!
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, at room temperature
2 large eggs
2/3 cup (5 fl.-oz. can) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon yellow food coloring (optional)
1 cup whipped cream or cool whip for top
PREHEAT oven to 350° F.
COMBINE flour and powdered sugar in medium bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or two knives until crumbly. Press onto bottom and 1-inch up sides of ungreased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. BAKE for 25 minutes.
PLACE cream cheese, eggs, evaporated milk, granulated sugar, flour, lemon juice, lemon peel and food coloring in blender container; cover. Blend until smooth. Pour into partially baked crust.
BAKE for additional 15 minutes or until set. Cool in pan on wire rack. Spread whipped cream over top; refrigerate. Cut into bars. Garnish as desired.
Heavenly Oreo Dessert
Ingredients
1 (15.5 oz.) package of Oreo cookies
1/2 c. butter, melted
2 pkg. (3.9 oz each) Chocolate Instant Pudding
3 1/4 c. cold milk
2 containers (8 oz. each) Cool Whip
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 c. powdered sugar
Directions
Crush all Oreo cookies in a food processor until crushed. You could also put the cookies in a large resealable bag and crush using a rolling pin. That’s what I did. I don’t have a food processor and a blender definitely does not work for this job. Nope, it sure doesn’t. Save 1/2 c. of the crumbs for the topping. Pour the remaining crumbs into a 9×13 dish and add the melted butter. Stir and press into the bottom of the dish to make a crust. In a bowl, whisk together the pudding mix and milk. Set in the fridge for now. Blend cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar. Mix and fold in one container of Cool Whip. Spread over the crust. Add pudding and spread over the cream cheese mixture. Top with the other Cool Whip. Sprinkle the 1/2 c. Oreo crumbs over top. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Refrigerate leftovers.
Egg Nog Coffee Cake
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup eggnog
1 container (8 ounces) sour cream
1 teaspoon rum extract
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Streusel Topping
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon butter or margarine, softened
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Egg Nog Glaze
1/2 C. powdered sugar
1 to 2 Tbsp. Egg Nog
Directions
Grease bottom only of a 9×13 pan. In small bowl, mix all Streusel Topping ingredients with fork until crumbly; set aside. In large bowl, beat 1 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup butter with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Beat in 1 cup eggnog, the sour cream, rum extract and eggs until blended. Stir in 2 1/2 cups flour, the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Spread in pan. Sprinkle Streusel Topping over batter. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours. Heat oven to 350°F. Uncover pan; bake 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes. In small bowl, mix all Eggnog Glaze ingredients until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle over coffee cake.
Note:You can wait until right before baking to make the streusel topping and sprinkle it on the batter and then bake if you want a more crunchy-type topping.
Cafe Rio Chicken
Ingredients
2 lbs chicken breasts
1 C. Zesty Italian dressing
1/2 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 packet ranch dressing mix (mixed with 1/2 cup of water)*
1/2 Tbsp. chili powder
1/2 Tbsp. ground cumin
Directions
Place all ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on High 5-6 hours OR on Low 8 hours. Shred with fork and serve in salads, burritos, tacos…etc. You can also double or triple this to make extras for freezing. Then simply thaw and reheat for a lickity split meal.
*Or you could use 3 Tbsp. of the bulk Ranch dressing mix from Costco or Sam’s Club.
Copy Cat Chick-Fil-A Nuggets
Ingredients
2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts
1 cup milk
1 egg
1 1/4 cups flour
2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
peanut oil (is best) or canola oil
Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons yellow mustard
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 Tablespoons Honey
1/2 Tablespoon lemon juice
Directions
In a medium bowl whisk the egg and stir in the milk. Trim any fat away from chicken and cut chicken into bite size pieces. Place chicken in milk mixture and cover; let it marinate for 2-4 hours in the fridge. This will make the chicken very nice and tender. In a gallon size resealable baggie combine flour, powdered sugar, salt and pepper. Seal and shake to combine. Place about 2 inches of oil in a medium deep pot. Over medium high heat (more towards the high side) heat oil until hot. If using a thermometer let the temperature reach 375°. If you don’t have a thermometer, test the oil by dropping a few drops of water into it. You want it to sizzle and not pop too much. Adjust your heat if necessary. Using a fork or tongs, remove cut chicken from milk mixture and place in the flour mixture. Seal and shake until nuggets are completely coated. Place about a 6-8 nuggets into hot oil and let them cook until golden brown, turning half way through once the edge of your chicken starts to turn white, about 1 minute each side. Always double check to see if any chicken you make is cooked through. Just make a tiny cut to see if it’s pink. Remove and drain on a paper towel. Repeat until all nuggets are cooked. For the sauce, combine all ingredients; mix till smooth.
Busy Day Lasagna Toss
Ingredients
1 lb. ground beef
1 C. green pepper, chopped
1/2 C. onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
26 oz. jar spaghetti sauce
1 2/3 C. water
1/4 C. Italian salad dressing (prepared, not dry)
1/4 C. brown sugar (I used 1 Tbsp. and it was plenty sweet)
12 no boil lasagna noodles, uncooked (or use regular noodles and just break them up, then cook them in a pot of water and add to
the beef mixture)
1/2 C. ricotta or cottage cheese
1 C. shredded mozzarella cheese
Directions
Brown beef in a large deep skillet over medium heat; drain. Add pepper, onion, and garlic; saute until tender. Stir in sauce, water, salad dressing and brown sugar. If using regular noodles, leave out the water. Bring to a boil. Break each noodle into 4 pieces; stir into mixture. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook, stirring occasionally until noodles are tender, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in ricotta or cottage cheese. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese; cover. Let stand for about 5 minutes, until cheese is melted. Serves 6.
Pumpkin Cake with Cider Caramel Sauce
1 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 c. oil
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
2 eggs
Cider Caramel Sauce
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
2/3 c. apple cider
2 Tbsp. heavy cream
1 Tbsp. butter
salt to taste
Directions
For the cake, combine the sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add oil, pumpkin, and eggs. Whisk until blended. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. For the sauce, in a saucepan, whisk brown sugar and cornstarch. Add cider and stir in the cream, butter and salt. Cook over med-hi heat, whisking constantly, until large bubbles form around the edge of the saucepan, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low and allow to thicken, about 2 minutes. Top with vanilla ice cream if you want and drizzle sauce over it.
Orange Chicken For Dummies
Ingredients
1 envelope (1 oz.) onion soup mix
1 c. apricot preserves
1c. Catalina salad dressing
2-3 lbs Chicken tenders
Directions
Place all in a slow cooker and stir to coat the chicken. Cook on low 6-8 hours or high 4-5 hours. You can also put it in a 9×13 baking dish and bake it in the oven at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes. Serve over rice.
Applebee's Oriental Chicken Salad
Oriental Dressing
3 Tbsp. honey
1 1/2 Tbsp. Rice Vinegar (the white one)
1/4 c. Mayonnaise
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/8 tsp. Sesame oil
Blend together all ingredients in a small bowl with a whisk or mixer. Refrigerate while you work on the salad.
Salad
2 pieces of Tyson’s Crispy Chicken Strips
bagged salad with romaine lettuce, carrots, and cabbage
bagged coleslaw cabbage
1 Tbsp. sliced almonds
1/4 c. Chow Mein noodles
Bake the chicken strips according to the package directions. At the last few minutes, add the almonds on the pan that the chicken is on so they can get toasted. Remove and cool. Cut up the chicken.
Mix together some of each of the lettuce and coleslaw. Top with cut up chicken, almonds & noodles. Drizzle the dressing on top.
Easy Cheesy Chicken Casserole
Ingredients
3-4 chicken breasts, chopped and cooked or 1 (14 oz.) can chicken
16 oz. egg noodles, cooked
24 oz. sour cream
2 cans cream of chicken soup
8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed
1/4 c. butter, melted
2 Tbsp. Poppy seeds (optional)
Directions
Combine chicken, sour cream, soup & cheeses in a large bowl; stir to combine. Add the noodles and gently stir till coated. Pour into a greased 9×13 baking dish. Mix crackers and butter; sprinkle over the top. Sprinkle with Poppy seeds. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or till crackers are crispy and golden brown and cheese is melted.
Homemade Slurpees
Ingredients
1 packet of Kool-Aid, any flavor
2 c. Club Soda
½ c. sugar
2½ c. crushed ice
Directions
Put the Kool-Aid powder, sugar, and 1 c. Club Soda in a blender. Process till smooth and dissolved. Add the ice and blend until smooth. Add the remaining cup of Club Soda and blend. It should be slushy, but put it in the freezer for about 30-45 minutes to thicken up.
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
1/3 c. peanut butter
1/3 c. nuts, chopped (I skipped these and used crunchy peanut butter, but you can use peanuts, walnuts, pecans, etc.)
3/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. kosher salt.
1/2 c. white sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar, packed
1/2 c. butter, room temp
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 c. old fashioned oats
1/4 c. quick oats (I just used 3/4 c. quick oats)
1 c. Peanut Butter Baking Chips
Directions
Combine peanut butter and chopped nuts. In a mixing bowl, beat together butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. Add peanut butter mixture and vanilla. Blend well. Beat in the egg. Add flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix well. Add oats and mix well. Beat another minute. Cover with plastic and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray. Drop by spoonful onto baking sheet and bake 11-13 minutes.
Note: If you want a soft cookie, slightly under bake them {10-11 minutes}. If you like a crisp cookie, bake them 13 minutes.
Cinnamon Sugar Pull-Apart Bread
Dough Ingredients:
2 3/4 c. plus 2 Tbsp. flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 envelope) active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 Tbsp. butter
1/3 cup whole milk
1/4 cup water
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Filling Ingredients:
1 c. sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
4 Tbsp. butter, melted until browned
Directions:
In a large mixing bowl (I used just the bowl of my stand mixer) whisk together 2 cups flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Set aside. Whisk together eggs and set aside. In a small saucepan, melt together milk and butter until butter has just melted; remove from the heat and add water and vanilla extract. Let mixture stand for a minute or two, or until the mixture registers 115 to 125 degrees F. Pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula; add the eggs and stir the mixture until the eggs are incorporated into the batter. The eggs will feel soupy and it’ll seem like the dough and the eggs are never going to come together. Keep stirring. Add the remaining 3/4 cup of flour and stir with the spatula for about 2 minutes. The mixture will be sticky. That’s just right. Place the dough in a large, greased bowl; cover with plastic wrap and a clean kitchen towel. Place in a warm space and allow to rest until doubled in size. *The dough can be risen until doubled in size, then refrigerated overnight for use in the morning. If you’re using this method, just let the dough rest on the counter for 30 minutes before following the roll-out directions below. While the dough rises, whisk together the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg for the filling; set aside. Melt 4 Tbsp. of butter until browned; set aside. Grease and flour a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Set that aside too. Deflate the risen dough and knead about 2 tablespoons of flour into the dough; cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 5 minutes. On a lightly floured work surface, use a rolling pin to roll the dough out. The dough should be 12-inches tall and about 20-inches long. If you can’t get the dough to 20-inches long… that’s okay. Just roll it as large as the dough will go. Use a pastry brush to spread melted butter across all of the dough; sprinkle with all of the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Slice the dough vertically, into six equal-sized strips; stack the strips on top of one another and slice the stack into six equal slices once again. You’ll have six stacks of six squares. Layer the dough squares in the loaf pan like a flip-book. Place a kitchen towel over the loaf pan and allow in a warm place for 30 to 45 minutes or until almost doubled in size. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Place loaf in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is very golden brown. The top may be lightly browned, but the center may still be doughy. A nice, dark, golden brown will ensure that the center is cooked as well. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 20 to 30 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the bread and invert onto a clean board. Place a cake stand or cake plate on top of the upside down loaf, and carefully invert so it’s right side up.
Mandarin Orange Jell-o Salad
Note from Maggie: Every time I see (or eat!) a dessert containing Jell-o I giggle as I think of my dear friend, Charlie J. in Mobile, AL. Charlie loudly exclaims: "There's only TWO things in this world I will NOT EAT. And BOTH of them are Jell-o!" Awwwww, Charlie. This one is GOOD!
Ingredients
1 large package (6 oz) orange Jell-o
3 C. water
1 large package (5.1 oz) Cook and Serve Vanilla pudding mix
2 small cans or 1 large can mandarin oranges, drained
1 pint whipping cream, whipped or 1 (8 oz.) Cool Whip
Directions
Stir together in a saucepan the pudding mix and water. Stir in the Jell-o and cook till slightly thickened. Place in a large bowl and refrigerate until thickened, but not set. Add whipped cream or Cool Whip. Fold in mandarin oranges. Refrigerate until set.
Warm Lemon Pudding Cake
Ingredients
1 pkg yellow cake mix (I used Betty Crocker, get the kind that makes a 9×13 size)
Ingredients called for on back of cake box
2 pkg (3.4oz each) instant lemon pudding
1/3 c. sugar
2 c. cold milk
1 1/4 c. water
2 Tbsp. powdered sugar (for dusting)
Directions
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cake as directed on package. Pour into a greased 9×13 pan. Beat dry pudding mixes, granulated sugar, milk and water with whisk 2 min.; pour over batter in dish. Don’t spread it. You’ll fail. Place baking dish on baking sheet. (Baking sheet will catch any sauce that might bubble over sides of dish as dessert bakes.) Bake 55 min. to 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 20 min. (Sauce will thicken slightly as it cools.) Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve warm. Refrigerate leftovers.
Tips:
For stronger lemon flavor, add the zest and juice from 1 lemon to pudding mixture before pouring over batter in baking dish.
Try serving this topped with fresh raspberries or blueberries. If you don’t like lemon, try vanilla flavor instant pudding.