Tonia Cooks

I've Moved

2010-07-28T13:03:00.000-07:00

Tonia Cooks has moved to a new location. Please visit my new blog...

I can't wait to see you there. Be sure to become a follower for our latest contest.

And you can also follow The Hillbilly Chicks on Facebook & Twitter.

Festive Rice Krispie Treats

2010-06-30T19:35:00.000-07:00

It's been so hot here the past few weeks & our air conditioner isn't working properly. From what I hear, lots of people are having A/C problems right now - maybe because we're overworking the units? Anyway, the last thing I want to do is turn on our oven. So I'm doing easy stove-top recipes that don't really heat up the kitchen.

Rice Krispie treats are so simple to make & they go fast. I wanted to dress them up for the 4th of July, so I decided to do a red, white & blue icing drizzle. They turned out so pretty. I was planning on cutting these into star shapes, but couldn't find my cookie cutter. I'll post a new picture if I find it between now & Saturday.

Find the recipe for Rice Krispie treats here.

Icing
1 cup confectioner's sugar
2 teaspoons milk
2 teaspoons corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
Red & Blue food coloring

Stir sugar and milk together in a bowl until icing mixture is smooth; beat in corn syrup and vanilla until icing mixture is smooth and glossy in appearance. Divide into 3 equal amounts, add red & blue food coloring to desired shades. Drizzle alternately over prepared treats.

Coming up on Friday - I'll share the recipe for a delicious cinnamon walnut coffee cake. It's perfect for breakfast or dessert.

And on Saturday - oh my goodness, wait until you see this perfect warm-weather dessert. I can't wait to share this recipe.

S'mores Truffles

2010-06-28T18:06:00.000-07:00

S'mores - what's not to love? A gooey, caught-on-fire marshmallow sandwiched between chocolate & graham crackers...it just tastes like summer. I came across this recipe for S'mores Truffles some time ago & decided to save it for the 4th of July weekend. I love doing something new & surprising with a regular dessert & these truffles don't disappoint. They are just amazing. A mini marshmallow tucked inside chocolate ganache and rolled in graham cracker crumbs. It's as easy as it is delicious. I made a test batch yesterday afternoon while Landon was napping & I'll make another batch for our family cookout on Saturday, maybe adding a little Kaluha to the ganache.

If you love S'mores, be sure to check out this recipe for S'mores Cupcakes.

And coming on Wednesday - easy Red, White & Blue Rice Krispie Treats. Another festive recipe that doesn't require heating up the kitchen.

S'Mores Truffles

Recipe courtesy Sugar Plum
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 cups milk chocolate chips (12 oz.)
24 mini-marshmallows
1 cup finely crushed graham crackers

Directions:
Melt butter in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat; whisk in cream and bring to a boil. Remove pan from heat and stir in chocolate chips until melted and smooth. Chill saucepan in refrigerator for 1 hour, or until chocolate is solid and rollable; roll into 24 balls, stuffing a mini marshmallow into the center of each. Chill truffles a few minutes before rolling in graham cracker crumbs; chill for a few minutes again so they solidify a little more.

Makes 24 truffles

happy father's day

2010-06-20T22:01:00.000-07:00

What a great day...a wonderful church service & a relaxing dinner with the family. And the best part of the day - just watching my husband be a dad. Seeing Landon's face light up with joy at the sight of his daddy; just the sound of Mike's voice gets his head turning. It's so much fun watching the two of them together. And they are inseparable. God is good & we are blessed, indeed.

Pan Fried Onion Dip - Again

2010-06-11T16:05:00.000-07:00

Once Landon goes to bed on Friday nights, Mike & I try to catch up on the shows we've recorded - Pawn Stars for him; The Next Food Network Star for me. I decided to make pan-fried onion dip again tonight for a snack. It's so good you'll forget they sell french onion dip in the dairy case. It's really that good - I promise. You can find the recipe here.

The Best Birthday Ever

2010-04-23T13:13:00.000-07:00

Today is my 37th birthday. My birthdays have always been great because I've been blessed with a wonderful family. But up until this year, I've spent all of my married birthdays with one thought constantly in the back of my mind...another year older & I'm still not a mom. This year I don't have to think that though. Because on this birthday, I woke up to the most precious face in the world, the sweetest little face that I wake up to every day now. And he's the most amazing gift. Thank you God for our perfect son. And thank you Landon, for completing my life. Mommy loves you!

Red Velvet Cake Balls

2010-02-14T11:46:00.000-08:00

For me, Valentine's Day just screams Red Velvet Cake. And it happens to be one of Mike's favorite desserts. I made him Red Velvet Cupcakes last year so I wanted to do something a little different & more unique today. The answer? Red Velvet Cake Balls...little balls of red velvet cake & cream cheese icing dipped in chocolate. OH MY GOODNESS, they are deliciously decadent. They are also easy to make, as you can do one step and then not come back to them for a few hours. This is especially helpful when you have a 5 mo. old that's teething.

Red Velvet Cake Balls
courtesy http://www.bakerella.com/

1 box red velvet cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13 X 9 cake)
1 can cream cheese frosting (16 oz.)
1 two-pound bag chocolate wafers (I melted in Wilton Chocolate Melter)
wax paper

1. After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.
2. Mix thoroughly with 1 can cream cheese frosting. (Use your hands, but be warned it will get messy)
3. Roll mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet. (I used a mini ice cream scooper)
4. Chill for several hours. (I chilled overnight)
5. Melt chocolate.
6. Roll balls in chocolate and lay on wax paper until firm. (Use a spoon to dip and roll in chocolate and then tap off extra.)

Happy Valentine's Day...

I love you, Mama

2010-02-06T07:27:00.000-08:00

I usually don't repost recipes I've done before unless I've changed it or made an improvement. But this is a dish that cannot be improved upon, made perfect by the woman I think is absolutely perfect, who I love so much!

So here you go...Mama's Biscuits & Gravy.

Butterscotch Crumble Apple Pie

2009-12-07T10:49:00.000-08:00

Mike loves apple pie. So when I saw this recipe in our local newspaper's food section on Wednesday, I knew I had to try it. Sweet & tart Granny Smith apples topped with a butterscotch crumble... yum! I put this together Sunday morning while Landon was being such a good baby (he knows Santa is watching). Once I got the pie in the oven, the house will filled that wonderful apple pie aroma. And once I got the crumble on top it smelled even better.

I served the pie warm later that evening with a bit of vanilla ice cream. Mike thought it was one of the best apple pies he's ever had, but it was a bit too sweet for me. If I make this again, I'll reduce the crumble by half to see if that makes a difference.

Butterscotch Crumble Apple Pie
4 cups peeled, sliced Granny Smith apples
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 unbaked 9-inch pastry shell
Topping (recipe follows)
Whipped cream (optional)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine apple slices and lemon juice in a medium bowl; toss well
Combine sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt; stir well.

Add sugar mixture to apple mixture, stirring gently to combine.
Spoon apple mixture into pastry shell. Cover edges of pastry with strips of aluminum foil or pie shield to prevent excessive browning.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Remove foil and sprinkle topping over apple mixture.
Bake an additional 25 minutes.
Serve with whipped cream, if desired.

Topping
1 6-ounce package butterscotch morsels
1/4 cup butter or margarine
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt.
Combine butterscotch morsels and butter in top of a double boiler; bring water to a boil.
Reduce heat to low; cook until morsels and butter melt, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat; add flour and salt, stirring well. Let stand 10 min. until crumbly.

***I skipped the double-boiler method & melted my butter in the microwave and then adding the butterscotch morsels. After stirring, I put back in microwave for 10 seconds.

Cranberry Upside Down Cake

2009-11-25T20:25:00.000-08:00

We're having Thanksgiving dinner at mom's tomorrow. For dessert I wanted to do something different & festive. I love pineapple upside down cake & thought a cranberry upside down cake sounded like a pretty good idea. I did take a shortcut with a boxed cake mix, but sometimes that's OK. I popped this in the oven just a little bit ago after putting Landon to sleep. Oh my goodness, that baby boy is such a blessing. I am so unbelievably in love with him and so, so thankful.

Cranberry Upside Down Cake
10 tablespoons butter
1 package fresh cranberries (12 ounces)
1 1/3 cup brown sugar
1 box yellow cake mix

Pan - 9x13, buttered or sprayed with non-stick spray.

Preheat oven to 350.

Place the butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan and stir over medium heat until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Continue cooking for a few more minutes until the sugar starts to caramelize. Then remove from heat, and pour into your prepared cake pan. Sprinkle evenly with the fresh cranberries.

Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Pour batter into cake pan over cranberries. Bake for 25 - 35 minutes, or until the top of the cake has browned and starts to pull away from the sides of the pan. Remove from oven and cool for about 15 minutes.

Blessed & Thankful,

Thanksgiving

2009-11-23T16:04:00.000-08:00

Oh my goodness, I can't believe it's almost Thanksgiving. Time is flying by & I'm busier than ever. We have so much to be thankful for this year; we've been blessed with the most amazing little boy. Landon is growing fast & will soon be 3 months old. I'm loving every moment of being a mommy - it's the most amazing feeling. I haven't been spending much time in the kitchen, but I'm going to be making a few things for Thanksgiving. In the meantime, take a look at my recipes for a foolproof turkey and delicious stuffing. I'll be back tomorrow with a great recipe for cranberry upside down cake.

Be thankful,

Pumpkin Pancakes

2009-10-17T10:55:00.000-07:00

My sister and I both love the pumpkin pancakes that show up on IHOP's menu in the fall. She spent the night with us last night and I wanted to do something special for breakfast this morning. I found the perfect recipe for pumpkin pancakes over at For the Love of Cooking . The pancakes are light, fluffy and taste wonderful topped with a bit of whipped cream. I did add 1/3 cup of sugar and about a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice to add a little more flavor.

And it makes sense to eat breakfast at home instead of going out. After tax and tip, we would have spent close to $30 for breakfast for three. Instead we had a great breakfast at home, avoided going out in the cold and saved a lot of money. Perfect!

Cranberry Coconut Squares

2009-10-16T11:12:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things about fall is cooking with cranberries and pumpkin. That's why I was excited when I came across this recipe for Cranberry Coconut Squares. Basically a lemon bar with a cranberry and coconut topping, they are the perfect combination of tart and sweet. My mom and I enjoyed them for breakfast. If they are a little too tart for you, a dusting of powdered sugar adds a little more sweetness.

Haunted House Birthday Cake

2009-10-11T19:35:00.001-07:00

My favorite girl turned 10 years old yesterday. Where does the time go? It seems like yesterday that Mike and I were celebrating our one year anniversary and had to hurry to the hospital to wait for our niece to be born. I know, what an amazing anniversary gift. Ally is the most special girl I know and I'm fortunate that we have such a close relationship. She's got the biggest heart you could imagine - I tell Amy all the time that she's an "old soul". I'm not exactly sure what I mean when I say that, but it just fits. And in her, I have my own mini-me. She's just like me in so many ways - her love of all things spooky, the gleam of mischief in her eyes...I could go on and on.

But I won't. I'm too anxious to show off her birthday cake. She wanted a haunted house theme and I think I pulled it off pretty well here. The look on her face when she saw it actually brought tears to my eyes.

For the cake I used an 11x15 pan with two boxes of cake mix. After covering the entire cake with a milk chocolate frosting, I got to work on the decorating. Here's how I did it...

Grass - coconut with green food coloring
Walkway - candy corn path filled with Halloween sprinkles
Graveyard - PF Milano cookies with a pretzel fence
Pumpkin Patch - candy corn pumpkins
Ghosts - Peep Ghosts
Jack-O-Lanterns - Candy from the baking aisle
Haunted House - a perfect find from the greeting card aisle

For the pumpkin patch in front of the cake, I spread a bit of leftover frosting to make the "grass" stick and added a few pumpkins. For the pumpkins lying down, I cut the candies in half.

Mike and I had so much fun doing the decorating after Landon went to sleep last night and the cake was a huge hit today. Give this idea a try for Halloween, adding your own special touches. You'll be surprised at how well it turns out.

Cauliflower Mac & Cheese

2009-09-27T14:11:00.001-07:00

Now that I'm a mom (I'll never get tired of saying that!), one of my fears is that Landon will grow up to be a picky eater. I hope that's not the case & plan on introducing him to all sorts of interesting dishes. Of course, when it comes to vegetables, I already have one picky eater. The only green vegetable Mike likes is green beans. Forget spinach, brussels sprouts, broccoli, etc. But I do try to sneak these in on him when I can...remember the time I added spinach to my chicken parmesan? Anyway, I was watching TV the other day & saw the Sneaky Chef (Country Crock) adding cauliflower to macaroni & cheese. At once I knew that would be the way to get Mike eating this vegetable that I love. I went searching for a recipe and came across this one by Rachael Ray. And he really liked it - enough to eat two helpings. Try this out & let me know what you think.

Cauliflower Mac & Cheese
recipe courtesy Rachael Ray

Salt
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 pound whole wheat pasta
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Pepper

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the cauliflower and cook until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer the florets with a slotted spoon to a large bowl. In the same boiling water, cook the pasta until al dente then drain in a colander. Add the pasta to the cauliflower.

While the pasta is working, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Have Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, then whisk in the milk and chicken broth and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cheese. Whisk in the mustard and season with pepper. Stir the cheese sauce into the pasta and cauliflower. Yum-o!

One Pot Sausage & Peppers

2009-09-17T08:38:00.000-07:00

With a new baby in the house, I am really appreciating the ease of one pot and slow cooker meals. I don't want to spend hours in the kitchen, but I still want a hearty meal. This sausage & peppers recipe couldn't be simpler. It's a stove-top version of a slow cooker recipe I found at the McCormick website. I served mine mixed with cheese tortellini, but any type of pasta would work well. Or you could put the pot on the table with a basket of rolls to enjoy hoagie-style.

Sausage & Peppers
1 lb. Sweet Italian Sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 Tbs. EVOO
2 bags frozen pepper & onion medley, thawed*
1 can tomato puree
6 oz. tomato paste
3/4 cup water
One half package McCormick Slow Cooker Italian Herb Chicken Seasoning
Red pepper flakes

Heat EVOO in dutch oven. Add sausage, cooking until browned. Remove from pot & drain on paper towels. Drain grease from pot. Add sausage & pepper/onions back to pot, along with tomato puree, tomato paste, water & seasoning mix. Add red pepper flakes if desired. Stir well & cook over med. heat for about 15 minutes.

*I like to use fresh peppers, but they are ridiculously expensive here right now. I thawed my frozen peppers & onions in a colander lined with paper towels to absorb the moisture.

Grilled Raspberry & Nutella Sandwich

2009-09-07T06:06:00.000-07:00

I found this wonderfully delicious sandwich over at Doughmesstic. It's absolutely delicious & so very easy. Slather some bread with Nutella, add some fresh raspberries & prepare just like you would a grilled cheese. Mom & I had these for breakfast yesterday & I fell in love...it's like a little bite of Heaven. If you love Nutella, you will love this sandwich.

Pasta Salad

2009-09-06T13:17:00.000-07:00

It's such an amazing feeling having a new baby in the house. Our lives have changed completely and we're loving every minute.

My mom is spending a few days with us to help out with Landon. I knew Mike's parents would be dropping by yesterday too, and I wanted something quick and easy for lunch, something that would allow everyone to help themselves. We got a sliced ham, all the makings for sandwiches and I made pasta salad early yesterday morning. It's easy to make and very economical - I had everything I needed on hand.

Pasta Salad
1 lb. box elbow macaroni, cooked according to package directions & rinsed in cold water
1 tomato, roughly chopped
1 English cucumber, large dice
1 green pepper, large dice
1 red pepper, large dice
1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
1 bottle Zesty Italian dressing
1 teaspoon sugar

Combine pasta & vegetables, mixing well. Add packet of HVR dressing mix, Italian dressing & sugar, mix well. Allow to chill 2-4 hours before serving.

*Good add-ins would be sliced black olives, diced pepperoni, maybe some cheese.

Coming tomorrow...
Nutella-Raspberry Paninis

And Baby Makes Three (part 2)

2009-08-30T16:54:00.000-07:00

Baby Landon is here. He was born on Thursday, August 27th at 5:50pm. He weighs 6 lbs., 3 oz., and is 18 3/4 inches long. We are so, so happy.

And Baby Makes Three

2009-08-13T17:34:00.001-07:00

The Dempsey house is full of activity as we prepare for the arrival of our son. We're adopting a baby boy. Baby Landon is due September 20th, so we have lots to do and could not be more excited! My baby shower is next Saturday, so I'll be posting some pictures on Sunday.

Then I'll be back soon with lots of baby pictures, updates on our wonderful little blessing, and lots of great recipes.

Happy Summer!

2009-07-22T09:25:00.000-07:00

I will be back in September with a great new blog design & lots of hearty recipes for fall.

Enjoy your summer!
Tonia

Yes, more bread pudding...

2009-06-24T18:08:00.001-07:00

I need a t-shirt that says "I Heart Bread Pudding". Seriously, I would wear it. OK, not really, but I do love bread pudding. I was trying to decide what to make to take to our book club meeting tomorrow evening and remembered that I had a loaf of french bread in the freezer & plenty of fresh blueberries. I decided to try a blueberry bread pudding. I just took it out of the oven and couldn't resist having a taste...so good. And it will be even better with a little bit of whipped cream.

Do you have a favorite recipe for bread pudding?

Blueberry Bread Pudding
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup cream
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 pound Italian or sturdy white bread, 1" cubes
2 cups fresh blueberries

Butter a 3-quart baking dish and set aside. In a large bowl, beat the eggs slightly with whisk. Add milk, cream, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon & nutmeg. Fold in bread and berries. Pour into baking dish - cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Heat oven to 350. Bake pudding uncovered until golden and puffy (start checking after one hour). Don't overbake - center will be custardy. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

2009-06-23T15:39:00.001-07:00

We're having our 10th annual Cookout on the Roof at work tomorrow. And the 5th annual dessert contest. Everyone fills their plates with hamburgers, hotdogs, baked beans, potato salad...and dessert. It's a festive day that we look forward to all year.

Last year I won a blue ribbon with my Smores Cupcakes, which are perfect for summer. I knew I wanted to do cupcakes again for this year's contest and found what I was looking for in Martha Stewart's Cupcakes...Snickerdoodle Cupcakes (thanks for the book Mike). I skipped the 7 minute frosting and went with a cinnamon cream cheese frosting instead. It's the perfect compliment to these cupcakes. A light dusting of cinnamon sugar on top adds a little shimmer.

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

Ingredients
Makes 28
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups cake flour (not self- rising), sifted
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, plus 1/2 teaspoon for dusting
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 3/4 cups sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for dusting
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups milk

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Sift together both flours, baking powder, salt, and 1 tablespoon cinnamon.
With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of milk, and beating until combined after each.
Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored up to 2 days at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
5 3/4-6 1/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 cup butter, softened, not margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions
Beat together cream cheese, butter, cinnamon and vanilla on medium speed until light and fluffy.
Add about half the powdered sugar and beat until mixed well. Then gradually add the remaining powdered sugar until you reach a spreading consistency. Transfer to pastry bag and pipe onto cupcakes! (You can also cut the corner off a Ziploc bag and use that instead.)

To finish, combine remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 2 tablespoons sugar. Dust each cupcake lightly with cinnamon-sugar.

Iced Tea

2009-05-31T17:49:00.001-07:00

I love sitting on the porch with a good book & a large glass of iced tea. And just enough wind to stir the windchimes makes it even better. I think everyone has their preferred method for making iced tea & I make it just like my mom does - in the coffee pot. And if you have a Bunn coffee pot, it's ready in no time at all.

Iced Tea
6 family size tea bags (I use Kroger decaf)
1 1/2 cups sugar
water

Place all 6 teabags in coffee filter holder. Add enough water to brew 10 cups. While tea is brewing, add sugar to your serving pitcher. Once tea has brewed, pour into pitcher & stir to disolve sugar. Add enough water to brew 10 more cups, using same teabags. Add to pitcher & give final stir. Pour into ice-filled glasses. Enjoy!

Waffle Pancakes

2009-05-31T07:19:00.000-07:00

It was the pefect morning to try out my new Nordic Ware Waffled Pancake Pan from Williams Sonoma. The pan goes right on top of the stove & you get seven little waffled pancakes at a time. I used my usual pancake recipe today, but next time I think I'll try adding some blueberries or chocolate chips. Mini chocolate waffles would be perfect for ice cream sandwiches.

Yummy Banana S'mores

2009-05-26T16:55:00.001-07:00

My sister & I were in her kitchen Saturday evening getting everything ready to make S'mores while my husband & brother-in-law got the fire going. I was on my way out the door when the bananas caught my eye. You know where this is leading, right? If you love S'mores, YOU HAVE GOT TO TRY THIS! Just place a few thin slices of banana on the graham cracker right under the chocolate. It is so good. Let me know what you think!

Raspberry Bread Pudding

2009-05-11T16:36:00.000-07:00

My mom loves bread pudding, especially the cranberry bread pudding I make in the fall. I decided to use that same basic recipe for a Mother's Day treat, using raspberries instead of cranberries & changing the spices. It is so good served warm with a bit of whipped cream.

Raspberry Bread Pudding
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup cream
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 pound Italian or sturdy white bread, 1" cubes
1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries

Butter a 3-quart baking dish and set aside. In a large bowl, beat the eggs slightly with whisk. Add milk, cream, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon & nutmeg. Fold in bread and berries. Pour into baking dish - cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Heat oven to 350. Bake pudding uncovered until golden and puffy (start checking after one hour). Don't overbake - center will be custardy. Serve warm or at room temperature.

New Recipes Coming Soon

2009-05-06T04:15:00.000-07:00

We were on vacation last week. I came down with a sinus infection on Tuesday, which turned into bronchitis & a double ear infection. Some vacation, right?! I did get plenty of rest though. I started a new medicine on Monday & am finally starting to feel better. I'll have some new recipes coming up this weekend.

Sunshine Day & a Breakfast Skillet

2009-04-25T11:04:00.000-07:00

Mike & I always take a week off in the spring. We go away for a few days & then spend the rest of the week working in the yard, planting flowers & our vegetable/herb garden. Evenings are spent on the porch with a tall glass of iced tea & a good book. Ahhh, the good life...

I wanted to make a nice breakfast this morning to celebrate our week off. Pam at For the Love of Cooking was once again my inspiration with this recipe. Potatoes, cheese, bacon, over-easy eggs...what more could you want for breakfast?

Breakfast Skillet
4 slices of bacon
10-12 red baby potatoes, diced into bite size pieces
1/2 sweet yellow onion, diced
1/2 red, orange or yellow pepper, diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 eggs
2 green onions, diced*
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated
Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper

Slice the potatoes into bite sized pieces and place in a pot of boiling water to par cook. Boil over high heat for 7 minutes, remove from heat and drain. While the potatoes are boiling, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the bacon is cooked, remove from pan and drain on a paper towel then crumble into pieces and set aside. Remove all but 2 teaspoons of bacon grease from skillet then add the potatoes.

Cook the potatoes over medium heat, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes. Add the onion and bell pepper to the potatoes and continue cooking for an additional 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly for 60 seconds then turn the heat to low.

Coat a small skillet with cooking spray and place over medium heat. Crack the egg into the warm pan and season with salt and pepper. Once the white of the egg is no longer transparent, add 1 tablespoon of water to the pan and cover with a lid. Cook for about 1 minute or until the yolk is clouded over. Don't over cook or the yolk will be hard.

Layer the potatoes on a plate, sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese, next add some bacon crumbles and green onions then top with an over easy egg. Serve with hot sauce if desired. Enjoy!

*I forgot to buy green onions, so my dish was minus this ingredient.

Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips & Toasted Walnuts

2009-04-20T15:07:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't love banana bread? And banana bread with mini chocolate chips & coconut is even better. I found this wonderfully delicious recipe over at For the Love of Cooking and it is absolutely fantastic. I baked it Saturday afternoon & ended up baking a second loaf for my mom & sister. The unusual addition of cloves & the toasting of the walnuts all add to the flavor.

Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips & Toasted Walnuts
1 cup of flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 ripe bananas
1 egg
1/4 cup of white sugar
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup toasted walnut pieces
1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips
1/3-1/2 cup coconut*

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a loaf pan. Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat. Stir frequently for 3-4 minutes, remove from heat and let cool.

Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large bowl and mix thoroughly, set aside.
In another bowl mash bananas, egg, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, butter and vanilla together then mix thoroughly. Slowly add dry ingredients into wet ingredients and mix well. Once the batter is well combined add the chocolate chips, toasted walnuts & coconut then stir. Pour ingredients into prepared loaf pan. Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven & let cool for a few minutes before cutting. Serve while it's warm with butter. Enjoy!

*Coconut - I decided to add coconut when I saw it in my baking drawer next to the walnuts. It is not a part of the original recipe.

Cheddar Garlic Biscuits

2009-04-19T16:45:00.000-07:00

My mom & I had lunch at Red Lobster a few weeks ago. I love, love, love the biscuits they serve. As we sat there sipping iced tea & nibbling (OK, devouring) the biscuits, we both agreed we could make a meal of them alone. This recipe comes pretty close to duplicating the original. I decided to add a bit of Old Bay seasoning & it works really well. They paired perfectly with the pasta I served for dinner today.

Cheddar Garlic Biscuits
2 cups Bisquick biscuit mix
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

Preheat oven to 450. Combine biscuit mix, milk, and cheddar cheese & Old Bay until soft dough forms. Drop dough by spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

Mix melted butter & garlic powder; brush generously over warm biscuits before removing from cookie sheet. Serve warm. Make 10-12 biscuits.

Pigs in a Blanket (or Posh Piggies)

2009-04-19T04:16:00.000-07:00

Oh, how Mike loves pigs in a blanket. When I came across this recipe on Sweetnicks a few weeks ago, I knew it would be a hit here. And it was. Mike and his brother devoured a plateful in no time & Mike took what remained for his lunch today. I did stray from the original recipe though. Instead of doing appetizer size pigs (hence Posh Piggies), I cut the sausage links in half & wrapped each one in a pastry square. A sprinkle of red pepper flakes on the top adds just a bit of heat, which combines nicely with the dipping sauce.

Pigs in a Blanket
adapted from Ladies Home Journal

Cut 5 links sweet Italian sausage in half. Lightly roll out a sheet of thawed frozen puff pastry. Cut into 10 squares. Wrap each sausage half in a square of puff pastry, securing with toothpick. Place seam/secured side down on baking sheet. Brush tops lightly with egg wash. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes. Bake in a 400 degree oven until pastry is golden, 18 to 20 minutes.

Serve with Raspberry Mustard Dip: stir together 1/3 - 1/2 cup Raspberry preserves* and 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard. Add more mustard to taste.
*microwave the preserves about 15 seconds for easier mixing

Chicken Parmesan with Penne & Spinach

2009-04-06T17:02:00.000-07:00

I got home later than expected tonight, which changed my dinner plans. I needed something that wouldn't take too long, so I decided to try a new idea for chicken parmesan. This recipe is so quick & easy & the Italian seasoning really kicks up the flavor. Mike didn't even mind the spinach I snuck in. The secret to having this on the table quickly - Tyson frozen breaded chicken breast fillets.

Chicken Parmesan with Penne & Spinach
4 breaded chicken breast fillets, frozen
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
2-3 tablespoons parmesan cheese
8 ounces penne pasta, cooked & drained
1 jar marinara sauce
1 can spinach, well-drained

Preheat oven to 425. Place frozen chicken on a foil-lined baking sheet lightly coated with non-stick spray. Sprinkle each with 1/2 tsp of Italian seasoning. Bake 15 minutes. Remove chicken from oven & sprinkle with parmesan cheese, return to oven 3-4 minutes until cheese is melted. Combine penne & marinara sauce, stir in spinach. Place pasta mixture on plate & top with chicken breast fillet.

Chocolate Chip Toffee Crunch Cookies

2009-04-05T17:55:00.000-07:00

Saturday was a day that just called for cookies. You know you've had those days. But I wanted something different than the usual chocolate chip cookies & I had some Heath bits that I'd been wanting to use up. I came across this recipe & knew it would be a winner. The cookies are so good & have a wonderful chewy texture. The perfect snack for canasta time!

Chocolate Chip Toffee Crunch Cookies
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups of semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup of toffee pieces
1/2 cup of slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 375° F. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl and mix thoroughly. Beat butter, white sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually stir in the flour mixture then stir in the chocolate chips, toffee chips and almond slivers. Drop small spoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks.

Recipe courtesy of: For the Love of Cooking

Cracked Potatoes

2009-03-31T15:32:00.000-07:00

I picked up some beautiful, organic baby dutch yellow potatoes on Saturday. I had two recipes in mind - either a potato salad or the pan-fried smashed potatoes in the March issue of Gourmet magazine. I went with the pan-fried, actually taking the idea from Gourmet & the method from Amy Finley (remember the short-lived Gourmet Next Door on the Food Network?) They are absolutely delicious - crisp on the outside & soft on the inside. Yum!

Cracked Potatoes
15 baby yellow potatoes
1/3 cup EVOO
salt/pepper
parmesan cheese

Crack potatoes slightly with rolling pin. Over low heat, add the olive oil to a medium-sized heavy-bottomed saucepan, then add the potatoes and season generously with salt and pepper. Place the lid on the pan and allow to cook, undisturbed, shaking the pan every 5 minutes or so, until the bottoms of the potatoes are browned, about 8-10 minutes. (Check occasionally to make sure the potatoes aren't browning too quickly.) Turn the potatoes to their second side, replace the lid, and continue cooking undisturbed a further 5 to 6 minutes.

Remove the lid and cook a further 2 to 3 minutes, for the condensation to evaporate. Place potatoes in serving bowl, top with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

*Over medium heat, my potatoes browned very quickly, so don't walk away from these.

Classic Lasagna

2009-03-29T10:35:00.000-07:00

Lasagna - another comfort food, perfect for a damp & dreary day Sunday. I love both zucchini & spinach in lasagna, but yesterday I was in the mood for my favorite classic recipe, four layers of goodness with plenty of leftovers for lunch the next day.

Please don't use the no boil noodles or add water to the sauce in this recipe. The noodles really need to be boiled & it takes no time at all - just 9 - 11 minutes in the boiling water.

Classic Lasagna

1 box lasagna noodles
3 jars marinara sauce
1 1/2 pounds ground beef, cooked and drained
1 1/2 containers (22.5 ounces) whole milk ricotta cheese
5 cups (16 ounces) mozzarella cheese, shredded
3/4 cup (2 ounces) Parmesan cheese, grated
3 eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cook 12 noodles according to package instructions, drain and separate.
Combine ground beef and 2 jars sauce in a large saucepan.
Mix eggs, ricotta, 4-1/2 cups mozzarella, and parmesan cheeses in a large bowl.
Spray a 13x9 baking dish* with cooking spray. Spread 1 cup sauce (not meat sauce) over the bottom of the baking dish.
Place 3 lasagna noodles over the bottom, slightly overlapping.
Spread 1/3 of the cheese mixture over noodles and cover with 1/3 of the meat sauce. Repeat layers. Cover last layer with remaining noodles and 1 cup of remaining sauce. sauce. You'll have 4 layers of noodles. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese.
Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

*A disposable lasagna pan works great.

There is no picture because my almost new Samsung camera won't power on for some reason. Ugh...

A Day with Ally (and Chocolate Chip Cookies)

2009-03-17T16:41:00.000-07:00

Ally is on spring break this week. She loves to bake, so we decided to make chocolate chip cookies today. As I watched her measure out the ingredients, carefully leveling off the flour in the measuring cup, I got caught up in memories of her as a 2 year old sitting barefoot on the kitchen table, happily adding a cup of raisins to the applesauce cake we were making. Each year she took on a new duty & now, at nine years old, she can practically make cakes & cookies all by herself. She's growing up fast, much faster than I want to admit, & soon she won't want to be in the kitchen with me. So I'm treasuring every moment.

Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks, 1/2 pound) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups (12-ounce package) NESTLE TOLL HOUSE Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1 cup chopped nuts*

COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in large mixer bowl. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE in preheated 375-degree oven for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

*I added 1/2 cup of nuts to the remaining cookie dough after baking 2 dozen cookies. Neither Ally nor Mike like nuts in their cookies, so this was an easy solution.

CONGRATULATIONS!

2009-03-16T09:50:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Aly & Megan, the winning entries for Laura's Lean Beef coupons. Be sure to keep checking in for my spring contest - a great new bag that's perfect for the farmer's market.

Pan Fried Onion Dip

2009-03-07T04:40:00.000-08:00

It's CANASTA night & that means munchies. And what better munchies than chips & dip? But we're not talking about the onion dip you buy from the dairy case (which I still enjoy sometimes). This recipe is a step above that & so easy to make. It's a thick dip, so you'll need to serve it with chips that can stand up to it - I usually go with kettle chips.

PAN FRIED ONION DIP
Ina Garten/Barefoot Contessa

2 Large Yellow Onions
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter*
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil*
1 Teaspoon salt
½ Teaspoon pepper
½ Teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 oz. Cream Cheese (room temperature)
½ cup Sour Cream
½ cup Mayonnaise

Heat butter & vegetable oil over medium heat in large skillet. Cut onions into half rings (you will have about 3 cups of onion). Add to skillet, add salt & pepper. Sauté 10 minutes; reduce to low heat & cook 20 minutes, stirring often, until onions are caramelized. Once caramelized, drain on paper towels. Mix cream cheese, mayo & sour cream until smooth. Add onions. Add more salt & black pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

*The original recipe calls for 4 Tablespoons of both butter & oil but 3 Tablespoons of each works just fine.

Panini-Style Reubens

2009-03-04T14:59:00.000-08:00

I am usually not a fan of canned meat products, but canned corned beef makes a delicious Reuben sandwich. We had these for dinner tonight, fixed panini-style on my double burner grill pan. The inside has a velvety texture that plays wonderfully against the crispy, toasted outside. The secret to this is combining the corned beef & sauerkraut before assembling the sandwiches. Mike likes his with Thousand Island dressing, but I prefer mine without.

Panini-Style Reubens
2 tablespoons butter
8 slices rye bread
1 can corned beef (Hormel)
8 slices Swiss cheese
1 cup sauerkraut, drained
2 tablespoons Thousand Island dressing

In a small saucepan, combine corned beef & sauerkraut. Break corned beef apart with a fork as it heats. Heat through.

Heat a grill pan over medium heat while lightly buttering one side of bread slices. Spread non-buttered sides with Thousand Island dressing. Top 4 pieces with 1 slice swiss cheese, 1/4 corned beef mixture & second slice of cheese. Top with remaining bread slices, buttered side out. Grill sandwiches until both sides are golden brown, about 5-7 minutes per side, pressing down firmly with spatula. Serve hot.

Easy Sticky Buns

2009-03-01T06:11:00.000-08:00

When you're in the mood for sticky buns & don't really have the time to make a yeast dough from scratch, crescent dough works pretty well. I wanted to make a quick treat for Mike to have when he got home from work yesterday & he loved these. He didn't even mind the raisins I snuck in.

Easy Sticky Buns
Inspired by 2008, Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics

The Topping
1 stick butter at room temperature
1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/3 to 1/2 cup pecans, broken into medium size pieces

The Rest of the Story...
2 cans "one sheet" crescent dough*
2 tablespoons butter, melted & cooled
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350. Place muffin tin on foil lined baking sheet.

With a fork, mash butter and brown sugar together until smooth. Divide evenly among 12 cup muffin tin. Top with pecan pieces.

Roll out 1st sheet of crescent dough, pressing together any seams. Spread with 1 tablespoon of melted butter. Sprinkle with half the brown sugar, cinnamon & raisins. Roll up jelly-roll style. Trim ends and cut into 6 equal pieces. Place in muffin tins. Repeat with other sheet of crescent dough to make 12 sticky buns. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until baked completely through in center. Remove from oven & let cool for 5 minutes. Invert on parchment paper.

*If the "one sheet" crescent dough is more expensive, pass on it & buy the regular dough. Both of my one sheet rolls still had 2 or 3 seams each.

Don't forget to enter my giveaway.

Captain Crunch French Toast

2009-02-22T08:10:00.001-08:00

Mike & I caught an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives a few weeks ago that featured The Blue Moon Cafe in Baltimore, MD. Once we saw the french toast they were serving up, we were ready for a road trip. Of course, we couldn't really just pack up & go, so I did a little searching and found a similar recipe on Recipezaar.com. We had it this morning with sausage links & orange juice and our overnight guests really enjoyed it. Crispy & crunchy on the outside with a soft & chewy center, it's a delicious & indulgent Sunday morning breakfast.

***I cut this recipe in half, allowing 1 1/2 pieces for each of us.***

Captain Crunch French Toast
6 large eggs
5 tablespoon sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Butter
1 (16 ounce) box Captain Crunch cereal
1 loaf French bread, sliced 1" thick

Pour cereal into a gallon-size ziplock bag and crush to a course meal -- make sure there are a few good size pieces in the mix. Pour into a 9x13 pan in order to dredge properly. Combine eggs, sugar, cream, vanilla, and spices in a large bowl. It will have the consistency of custard. Soak each slice of bread in wet ingredients, 30 seconds each side. Be sure the edges are moist, too. Dredge in Cap'n Crunch, lightly press onto each side, and around the crust. Place on parchment paper until all slices are coated. Heat 1 tbs. butter in large skillet, then gently place slices in pan; two at a time. Cook three minutes per side. Place on parchment covered baking pan in a warm oven. Serve plain or with maple syrup.

Laura's Lean Beef Giveaway

2009-02-21T09:45:00.000-08:00

My friends at Laura's Lean Beef are offering two of my readers a chance to win $20 each worth of coupons for their products. It's beef you can feel good about eating because the cattle are raised without the use of growth hormones or antibiotics & fed a diet of natural grains and grasses, which goes along with their belief that healthier beef is leaner beef.

To enter, leave a comment on this entry, along with a valid email address. Want a 2nd chance to win? Post about this contest on your blog, including a link back to this entry, then send me an email at Toniacooks@verizon.net. You'll then be entered twice! Winners will be chosen at random. The contest ends Sunday, March 15th.

To receive an instant e-coupon, become a preferred customer.

Healthier Meatloaf

2009-02-18T15:49:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite comfort dinners is meatloaf & mashed potatoes. Not exactly a healthy meal, but I still love it. To make my meatloaf healthier, I've started using Laura's Lean Beef - 96% lean ground round. I still use my tried & true Martha Stewart recipe and the meatloaf turns out perfectly. And the most appealing thing for me is there is practically no grease to drain off. Meatloaf can be a quick weeknight meal too. I mixed today's meatloaf up last night & Mike popped it in the oven when he got home from work this afternoon. And we have plenty of leftovers for lunch tomorrow. For my recipe, click here.

Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts

2009-02-16T14:27:00.000-08:00

I absolutely love roasted brussels sprouts. Admittedly not as much as I love them soft, mushy & coated with butter, but they are still incredibly delicious from the oven. And much healthier. Which is what we're all trying to be, right? This recipe uses balsamic vinegar, which gives the sprouts a nice caramelized finish with a sweet & nutty flavor. Delicious! My sister came in this evening as I was taking them from the oven & we stood there eating them right off the baking sheet. I'm kind of glad Mike doesn't like them...more for me.

Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts

1 pound fresh brussels sprouts, cut in half lengthwise
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Salt & Pepper

Preheat oven to 450 F. Put sprouts in mixing bowl and toss with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, season with salt & pepper. Cover roasting pan with foil and spray with non-stick spray. Arrange sprouts in a single layer on roasting pan,cut side up and roast 10-12 minutes. Flip with a spatula, then roast anouther 10 minutes until golden brown.

Pan Roasted Chicken

2009-02-15T07:36:00.000-08:00

A simple meal like roasted chicken is so comforting on a cold and dreary Sunday. Just the smell of the chicken roasting makes you feel warm and cozy inside. It must have made Shiloh feel warm, cozy and hungry because he stayed in the kitchen the entire time the chicken was roasting, snoring contentedly on the rug in front of the oven.

I adapted this recipe from one I saw at Boston Chef. It starts off with a good pan sear on the stove top and then goes into a preheated oven to finish up. You end up with really flavorful meat and a nice, crispy skin. And perfect drippings for a quick pan gravy. Add mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli and you've got the perfect Sunday dinner.

Pan Roasted Chicken
1 small broiler chicken
1/2 stick butter (room temperature)
salt/pepper
poultry seasoning
1 Tablespoon EVOO

Remove backbone from chicken so it lays flat. If you don't have quality kitchen scissors, ask your butcher to remove it. Loosen the skin covering the breast and run your finger under the skin to separate from the meat. Take 2 tablespoon of butter and put under the skin, 1 tablespoon on each side. Sprinkle with salt, pepper & poultry seasoning. Place breast side down in pre-heated olive-oil coated skillet for 6-8 minutes. Move to oven for 15 minutes. After 15 mintues,remove from oven and turn chicken over, coating with remaining butter. Return to oven for about 20 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 175 (thigh/leg).

Red Velvet Cupcakes

2009-02-11T09:35:00.000-08:00

What is better for Valentine's Day than Red Velvet Cupcakes? I've had this recipe set aside as a Valentine's treat since I saw Red Velvet Cupcakes decorated like this in a Christmas catalog at a ridiculously expensive price. For the crumbs on top, I set aside two cupcakes and grated them using a microplane. Delicious and beautiful, these cupcakes are the perfect treat for family, friends & co-workers. I'm actually taking a dozen into the office in the morning and saving the rest for Saturday.

Cupcakes
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 tablespoons red food coloring
1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 pound cream cheese, softened
2 sticks butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 (12-cup) muffin pans with cupcake papers.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In a large bowl gently beat together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla with a handheld electric mixer. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet and mix until smooth and thoroughly combined.

Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake tins about 2/3 filled. Bake in oven for about 20 to 22 minutes, turning the pans once, half way through. Test the cupcakes with a toothpick for doneness. Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting. After frosting, lightly sprinkle with cupcake crumbs.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth. Add the sugar and on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy.

Strawberry Freezer Jam

2009-01-20T09:20:00.000-08:00

We have come to know & love the Strawberry Lady, a produce carrier from Florida who stops by my workplace weekly, allowing us to have deliciously ripe strawberries in the middle of January. And at only $24 a flat, you can't beat the price.

We devoured the first few pints, dipping some in melted chocolate & adding sliced berries to our breakfast cereal. But then we slowed down...way down. Not wanting to let the berries go to waste, I decided to try making freezer jam on Saturday. It is incredibly easy & tasty and there is something so satisfying about knowing you made it yourself.

If you try this, be sure to check out Ball's new plastic freezer jars.

STRAWBERRY FREEZER JAM

INGREDIENTS
2 cups crushed fresh strawberries
4 cups sugar
1 (1.75 ounce) package dry pectin
3/4 cup water

DIRECTIONS
1. Mix crushed strawberries with sugar, and let stand for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, stir the pectin into the water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and boil for 1 minute. Stir the boiling water into the strawberries. Allow to stand for 3 minutes before pouring into jars or other storage containers.

2. Place tops on the containers, and leave for 24 hours. Place into freezer, and store frozen until ready to use.

When Customer Service Goes Bad...

2008-11-25T09:15:00.000-08:00

When you work in customer service, which I do, you know that the customer is always right. At least that's how it's supposed to be. That wasn't the case when I went to pick up the fresh turkey breast I had ordered for Thanksgiving dinner from our local meat market. Not only did I call the order in 9 days in advance, I even called a few days later to confirm it. I went to pick up my order on my lunch hour today, only to be told that I had ordered a whole, partially frozen turkey. Um, excuse me, but I think I know very well the difference between a turkey breast & a whole turkey. The manager, who happens to be the owner's daughter, offered no apologies, simply telling me that my order had been written on the wrong page of their very professional order system, a spiral-bound notebook. When I inquired as to who had taken the order, I was told that they had 6 different people handling phone orders, so she couldn't be quite sure who was responsible for my order landing on the wrong page. Finding it hard to believe there were no more turkey breasts available, I was told that they were all "spoken for" (by people whose order landed on the "right" page I suppose) and again offered the frozen turkey. No apologies, no discounts, no simple courtesy...nothing. I guess they would prefer having me tell people how lacking their customer service is, rather than how they turned a bad situation into a good one.

THANKSGIVING - ONE WEEK AWAY!

2008-11-20T05:16:00.000-08:00

Are you ready for Thanksgiving? My favorite holiday is only a week away. My mom is hosting the family dinner this year & I'm responsible for the turkey, stuffing & a dessert. I'm fixing a fresh turkey breast using my tried & true recipe from Martha Stewart. It's a recipe I've used for several years and it does not disappoint. I'll serve it along with my mother-in-law's holiday stuffing. As for the dessert, I'm still trying to decide between my cranberry bread pudding & an apple butter pumpkin pie.

What's on your menu?

Chunky Monkey Muffins

2008-11-17T05:21:00.000-08:00

Who doesn't love Ben & Jerry's Chunky Monkey ice cream? Bananas, walnuts & dark chocolate...yum! And that combination works just as well in muffins. I took my favorite banana nut muffin recipe from Tyler Florence & changed it just a bit, using walnuts instead of pecans & adding dark chocolate. They made a perfect Sunday morning breakfast.

CHUNKY MONKEY MUFFINS
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 overripe bananas
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1/3 cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and lightly butter 12 muffin tins or use paper liners.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Mash 2 of the bananas with a fork in a small bowl so they still have a bit of texture. With an electric mixer fitted with a wire whisk, whip the remaining bananas and sugar together like you mean it, for a good 3 minutes. Add the melted butter, eggs, and vanilla and beat well, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice. Mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Fold in the nuts and the mashed bananas with a rubber spatula. Spoon the batter into the muffin tins to fill them about halfway. Give them a rap on the counter to get any air bubbles out.

Bake until a toothpick stuck in the muffins comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes before turning the muffins out. Serve warm or at room temperature.

CARROT RAISIN CUPCAKES

2008-11-03T14:57:00.000-08:00

Purist bakers out there may not want to read any further. Because for these cupcakes I used *gasp* a boxed cake mix. I saw an ad in Better Homes & Gardens magazine for Duncan Hines new Decadent Carrot Cake and decided to give it a try. This new mix differs from other boxed mixes as it contains a package of raisins & shredded carrots that you soak in hot water for at least 5 minutes before adding to the cake batter. That must be where the decadence comes in because it really does give the cupcakes that homemade taste & texture. I picked up the mix when I did our weekly grocery shopping on Saturday & whipped up these cupcakes yesterday, using the recipe listed on the side of the box. Lightly frosted with a homemade cream cheese icing, they made a pretty tasty breakfast this morning. And even though I love my homemade carrot cake, this mix is definitely worth a try.

CARROT RAISIN CUPCAKES
recipe courtesy Duncan Hines

• 1 box Duncan Hines® Moist Deluxe® Decadent Carrot Cake
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup water (add carrot/raisin pouch and allow to stand 5 minutes)
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• ½ cup drained crushed pineapple (see below for other options)
• 1 16oz container Duncan Hines® Creamy Home-Style Cream Cheese Frosting

For Cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare 12-cup* cupcake pans lined with paper baking cups. Add carrot/raisin pouch to the 1 cup of water and allow to stand for a minimum of 5 minutes. In a mixing bowl, add cake mix, flour, baking powder, eggs, oil, drained pineapple, and carrot/raisin/water mixture. Mix by hand until completely blended, approximately 50 strokes. Pour batter into paper-lined cupcake pans 2/3 full. Bake cupcakes for 20 - 22 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool in pans for 15 minute on wire rack, then remove from pans and cool completely on rack before frosting.

Variations:
For a different flavor, replace pineapple with white chocolate chips or semi-sweet chocolate chips.

*Note from Tonia - this recipe actually makes 18 cupcakes.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

2008-10-26T12:20:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin cinnamon rolls are another perfect fall treat. I came across this recipe & could not resist it. If you have a stand mixer, the dough hook really does most of the work for you. I hadn't planned on making these today, but I'm so glad I did.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
Recipe Courtesy "Taste of Home"

Ingredients:
2-3/4 to 3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
1/2 cup solid-pack pumpkin
2/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
CARAMEL FROSTING:
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dash salt
1/4 to 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions:
In a mixing bowl, combine 1-1/2 cups flour and yeast; set aside. In a saucepan, heat and stir pumpkin, milk, sugar, 2 tablespoons butter and salt until warm (120°-130°) and butter is almost melted. Add to flour/yeast mixture along with egg. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Stir in enough remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough. Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Roll into a 12-in. x 10-in. rectangle. Melt remaining butter; brush on dough. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over dough. Roll dough, jelly roll style, starting with the longer side. Cut into 12 slices, 1 in. each. Place rolls, cut side down, in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

For frosting, melt butter in a saucepan; stir in brown sugar and milk. Cook and stir over medium-low heat for 1 minute. Stir in vanilla, salt and 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar; beat until well blended. Add more sugar, if necessary, to achieve desired consistency. Drizzle over rolls. Yield: 1 dozen.

Sister Prints/Poems

2008-10-20T15:45:00.000-07:00

Do your Christmas shopping early! My sister prints are the perfect gift to share with your sister. Each design is $15. Payment is accepted through Paypal & you receive your selection(s) via email. If interested, just send me an email. Businesses: Licensing options are available. Email me for details with licensing in the subject line.

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

2008-10-19T14:01:00.000-07:00

My friend Megan brought in some peanut butter cookies on Thursday. They were absolutely delicious & put me in the mood for my peanut butter cup cookies. I love the combination of salty & sweet. I sent a dozen to both my mom & my brother-in-law so I wouldn't be tempted to eat them all up. Yes, they are that good.

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter (I use Jiff)
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
36 miniature Reese Cups, unwrapped

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
In a medium bowl, cream together the brown sugar, white sugar and butter. Stir in the peanut butter, then the egg and vanilla. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt, stir into the peanut butter mixture until the dough comes together. Shape into 1 inch balls and press them into the cups of an ungreased mini muffin pan.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Do not overbake. As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, press a mini chocolate covered peanut butter cup down into the center of each cookie until only the top is showing. Allow the cookies to cool completely before removing from their pans.

My mom's recipe for apple dumplings is coming soon. When she stopped by to pick up her cookies, she brought along a plateful of them, along with a homemade caramel syrup. Delicious & perfect for fall!

Contest Winner

2008-10-14T05:43:00.001-07:00

My contest winner is Marilyn. Congratulations! Thanks so much to all who entered. Be sure to come back often. I'll be posting about how you can win a Christmas apron in just a few weeks.

Retailers: Leave Our Holidays Alone!

2008-10-02T15:25:00.000-07:00

Check out this article over at Sarah's Cucina Bella. What do you think?

Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Spread

2008-10-02T15:10:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin Bread Pudding, Pumpkin Cheesecake, Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Spread... Yes, it's definitely fall & time for all things pumpkin! I could not resist trying this recipe that I found over at Pinch My Salt. I decided to take it into the office today along with some bagels as a Friday morning treat for my co-workers. This dip would also be delicious on gingersnaps or apple slices.

Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Spread
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. In a small bowl, beat softened cream cheese, sugar, and syrup til creamy.
2. Add pumpkin, spices and vanilla and beat til smooth.
3. Refrigerate for at least an hour.
4. Enjoy!

There's just one more week left to enter my "Taste of West Virginia" fall contest. Click here for details.

Wordless Wednesday

2008-10-01T05:35:00.000-07:00

Check out other Wordless Wednesday participants too.

Wordless Wednesday

2008-09-24T08:53:00.000-07:00

Check out other Wordless Wednesday participants too.

Brussels Sprouts

2008-09-22T19:10:00.000-07:00

Brussels Sprouts - you either love them or you hate them. In our house it's both; I love them, Mike hates them. But it wasn't always that way. As a child, I'd watch my mom & sister eat them, but I wanted no part of the little cabbage-like vegetable. But one day, for some unknown reason, I decided to give them another try. Delicious!

Tonight I just boiled some frozen brussels sprouts until tender & added tiny bit of butter. I boiled them just long enough so that they were tender but not mushy. My sister prepares brussels sprouts recipe that features pancetta & walnuts, which is wonderful.

How do you like your sprouts?

Pumpkin Cheesecake

2008-09-21T05:04:00.000-07:00

Cooking with pumpkin is a sure sign that fall is here. I had some pumpkin puree left over from my Pumpkin Bread Pudding & decided to put it to good use by making a pumpkin cheesecake yesterday. It turned out wonderfully - creamy, moist & so delicious. It's a big hit with Mike, so I know I'll be making it again. I might try a gingersnap crust next time.

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE
Courtesy Martha Stewart
FOR THE CRUST
1 1/4 cups graham-cracker crumbs (from 10 whole crackers)
1/4 cup sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
FOR THE FILLING
4 packages (8 ounces each) bar cream cheese , very soft
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons pumpkin-pie spice
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, room temperature
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with rack in center. Assemble a 9-inch nonstick springform pan, with the raised side of the bottom part facing up.
Make the crust: In a medium bowl, mix cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter until moistened; press firmly into bottom of pan. Bake until golden around edges, 10 to 12 minutes.
Make the filling: With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar on low speed until smooth; mix in flour (do not overmix). Add pumpkin puree, pie spice, vanilla, and salt; mix just until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, mixing until each is incorporated before adding the next.
Place springform pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour filling into springform, and gently smooth top. Transfer to oven; reduce oven heat to 300 degrees. Bake 45 minutes. Turn off oven; let cheesecake stay in oven 2 hours more (without opening).
Remove from oven; cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours. Unmold before serving.

There's just one more week left to enter my "Taste of West Virginia" fall contest. Click here for details.

Bean & Tomato Stoup

2008-09-21T04:38:00.000-07:00

Nothing is better on a crisp fall day than a warm bowl of soup. My mother-in-law is a wonderful soup maker. When Mike & I first got married, we usually dropped by for dinner once a week & during the fall & winter months, she often had a delicious soup or stew simmering away.

I saw this recipe on an episode of Rachael Ray I was watching a few weeks ago & knew I wanted to try it. It comes together really quickly & is so satisfying, even without meat. I served it today with cornbread left over from yesterday's dinner of corned beef & cabbage, but it would be equally good with crusty bread or grilled cheese sandwiches. I'm so glad there's enough left over for lunch tomorrow.

Bean & Tomato Soup
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 small zucchini, sliced
2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomato
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (15-ounce) can small white beans or cannellini beans
1 (10 ounces) box, cut frozen green beans
Salt and pepper
1 cup fresh basil, torn or shredded
Grated Parmigiano or Romano, to pass at table

Add extra-virgin olive oil to the pot, 2 turns of the pan. Add garlic and crushed red pepper flakes, stir then stir in the onions, carrots, celery and zucchini. Cook 10 minutes, then add in the stock, tomatoes and beans. Bring soup up to a bubble and season with salt and pepper, to your taste. Simmer 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and wilt the basil into the soup. Ladle up the soup and serve with grated cheese and bread.

Notes: I used vegetable stock & skipped the cheese.

Wordless Wednesday

2008-09-17T04:15:00.001-07:00

Check out other Wordless Wednesday participants too.

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

2008-09-16T16:29:00.000-07:00

Oh. My. Goodness. Seriously, you have to try this recipe...right now. Pumpkin Bread Pudding - what could be more perfect for fall? And just like my cranberry bread pudding, this is a perfect dish for dessert or a brunch buffet. We ate it warm tonight with whipped cream but it would be amazing with caramel or cinnamon ice cream.

Pumpkin Bread Pudding
Gourmet Magazine (October 2007)

1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup whole milk
3/4 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs plus 1 yolk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
Pinch of ground cloves
2 tablespoons bourbon*
5 cups cubed (1-inch) day-old baguette or crusty bread
3/4 stick unsalted butter, melted**

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.

Whisk together pumpkin, cream, milk, sugar, eggs, yolk, salt, spices and bourbon, if using, in a bowl.

Toss bread cubes with butter in another bowl, then add pumpkin mixture and toss to coat. Transfer to an ungreased 8-inch square baking dish and bake until custard is set, 25 to 30 minutes.

Notes - I used cognac instead of bourbon. I also left out the butter & just tossed the bread cubes in the custard mixture.

Lipton Onion Soup Mix Dip

2008-09-06T13:22:00.000-07:00

Welcome to another edition of Retro Saturdays. We're watching the WVU game this afternoon - GO MOUNTAINEERS! Chicken wings with ranch dip are on the menu, along with celery & other veggies. And of course, potato chips. Mike likes onion dip with his potato chips. I didn't really have time to make my caramelized onion dip, so I went with the classic. And it is so easy. Seriously - all you do is mix one packet of Lipton Onion Soup mix with 16 ounces of sour cream & you're finished.

Fall Contest

2008-09-04T15:34:00.000-07:00

Celebrate fall with a basket full of goodies from West Virginia. The winner of my fall contest will receive a great prize including treats from Happiness Spreads, Blue Smoke Salsa, Holl's Chocolates, Evan Scent Candles & more.

To enter, leave a comment on this entry, along with a valid email address. Want a 2nd chance to win? Post about this contest on your blog, including a link back to this entry, then send me an email at Toniacooks@verizon.net. You'll then be entered twice!

The contest ends Sunday, October 12th.

To The Beach...

2008-08-15T08:39:00.000-07:00

We're leaving for Myrtle Beach tonight. I cannot wait to relax on the beach & enjoy some wonderful seafood meals. I'll be posting some pictures when we return.

By the time we get back, we'll be headed into September & the autumn season, which is my favorite time of year. I have an exciting contest coming up mid-September, which will feature some original West Virginia items, so be sure to check back here for your chance to win.

Chicken Nuggets

2008-08-02T17:52:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the first of Retro Saturdays. Check back the first Saturday of every month for retro-inspired dishes.

Remember Shake 'n Bake? It's definitely a retro food, first introduced in 1965. I don't recall mom fixing it while we were growing up, but I do remember Amy & I having Shake 'n Bake chicken at our babysitter's house one night. I decided to go with the Shake 'n Bake chicken for tonight's dinner, doing chicken nuggets instead of breast fillets. They are so easy to fix & there's no mess to clean up. I'm already thinking of trying a buffalo-seasoned version - it would be the perfect party appetizer served with a side of ranch dip.

Chicken Nuggets
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast cut into 1-1/2 to 2-inch pieces
1 Packet Shake -N- Bake Original Chicken Mix

Dump seasoning packet into a large Ziploc bag. Moisten chicken pieces with water. Put all chicken into seasoning bag, tossing until well-coated. Place chicken pieces on 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 - 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Oatmeal Scotchies

2008-07-31T18:02:00.000-07:00

I love anything butterscotch. My cousin Stacie & I used to grab all the butterscotch haystacks we could hold from the refreshment table at gospel sings. And Oatmeal Scotchies has been one of my favorite cookies since I was a teenager. Oatmeal & butterscotch seem to compliment each other so well. These cookies are just irresistible. I ate one (OK, two) warm from the oven - yummy! They'll stay nice and chewy for a couple of days when stored in an airtight container, not that they will last that long.

Oatmeal Scotchies
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or grated peel of 1 orange
3 cups quick or old-fashioned oats
1 2/3 cups (11-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Butterscotch Morsels

Directions:
PREHEAT oven to 375° F.

COMBINE flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in oats and morsels. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE for 7 to 8 minutes for chewy cookies or 9 to 10 minutes for crisp cookies. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

PAN COOKIE VARIATION:
Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan. Prepare dough as above. Spread into prepared pan. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until light brown. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Makes 4 dozen bars.

Recipe courtesy of Nestle

Raspberry White Chocolate Muffins

2008-07-28T04:27:00.000-07:00

With the cost of everything on the rise, everyone I know is looking for ways to cut back. An obvious cutback for me is to take breakfast from home, skipping my morning latte stop (which sometimes might include a muffin). This habit easily adds up to $15+ if I stop 3 times a week, which is almost half a tank of gas for me.

This recipe for Raspberry White Chocolate Muffins from Sarah's Cucina Bella is the perfect morning treat & you won't feel like you're missing anything by skipping the coffee shop. I don't know why I've waited so long to try these.

Raspberry White Chocolate Muffins
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup frozen raspberries, partially melted
1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.

In a large bowl, beat the egg. Beat in milk and butter until well combined. Stir in flour, sugar, baking powder and salt until just moistened. Gently fold in vanilla, raspberries and white chocolate.

Spoon evenly into the muffin cups. Bake for 22-26 minutes, until tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center pulls out clean.

Let muffins cool until they can be touched.

Topping:
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar

Place butter and sugar into separate bowls.

Dip each muffin top first in butter and then in sugar.

Easy Cheddar Bacon Potatoes

2008-07-20T14:09:00.000-07:00

I saw this recipe over at Sarah's Cucina Bella and decided to try it out today. It turned out to be the perfect side dish for Mike's barbecued country-style ribs. The potatoes cook up so quickly, which is nice when it's 95 degrees outside. A dollop of sour cream is the perfect topping.

Bacon Cheddar Potatoes
serves 4

4 medium potatoes
olive oil
salt and pepper
1/2 cup sharp cheddar
1-2 slices cooked bacon, crumbled

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Wash potatoes. Then cut into slices about 1/4 inch thick.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spray with cooking oil. Arrange potatoes in a single layer on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with a generous amount of salt and pepper.

Place the baking sheet in the oven and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with cheddar and bacon. Place back in the oven and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Serve hot.

Blueberry Pancakes

2008-07-13T08:50:00.001-07:00

I saw some beautiful blueberries at the grocery store yesterday. I bought them with the idea of making some fresh blueberry muffins and still had plenty on hand to make a great Sunday breakfast of blueberry pancakes. They turned out light, fluffy & delicious. I didn't use syrup on these, just a little bit of fresh whipped cream & a few fresh berries.

BLUEBERRY PANCAKES
1 1/4 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons oil
1 cup fresh blueberries

Mix together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder & baking soda.In a separate bowl, beat together eggs, buttermilk, and oil. Stir into flour mixture until combined/moistened. Batter will be lumpy. Fold in blueberries. Heat griddle over medium heat. Add batter by 1/3 cup (do not crowd griddle). Cook until bubbles & flip; cook until both sides browned. Serve with whipped cream & fresh blueberries.

4th of July

2008-07-13T08:30:00.000-07:00

Ally was really enjoying her S'mores on the 4th of July.

Chai Sweet Potato Pie

2008-06-29T11:04:00.000-07:00

I've become a big fan of Down Home with the Neelys on the Food Network. This recipe is an adapted version of their sweet potato pie. I decided to add chai instead of the usual spices & I'm so glad I did. It gives the pie a unique flavor - a bit different from the usual sweet potato or pumpkin pie. I used clean hands to mash the sweet potatoes - it allowed me to feel for any lumps or strings that I might have missed with a hand masher.

Chai Sweet Potato Pie
4 medium sweet potatoes
1/2 stick butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cups brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon powdered chai mix
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup chai concentrate
1 unbaked pie crust

Preheat oven to 350 degree F.
Bake sweet potatoes for 1 hour. When done, let cool. Peel the pulp out of the skin & place in bowl. Mash until smooth (I used my hands for this).

In a medium bowl, beat together butter, sugar and brown sugar until creamy. Add eggs, chai spice and salt. Add evaporated milk and chai concentrate. Stir into sweet potatoes. Beat together with mixer until smooth. Pour mixture in unbaked pie shell.

Bake on bottom rack of oven for 1 hour or until center of pie is firm. Serve warm. Add dollop of whipped cream if desired.

Biscuits & Gravy

2008-06-22T07:22:00.000-07:00

You can't grow up in West Virginia & not like biscuits & gravy (I think it's actually a law). It's definitely one of my favorite comfort breakfast foods. It always brings back memories of mama in the kitchen, all of us grandchildren gathered around the table watching while she worked her magic, waiting eagerly for a piece of biscuit dough. And if you were lucky, you got to be the one to carefully cut out the biscuits with a floured glass. When everything was finally ready to serve, we'd all tear piping-hot biscuits into bite-sized pieces & mama would cover our plates with a ladle-full of gravy. Delicious.

Mama definitely spoiled us with this meal. And it's so easy to prepare. There's nothing fancy about it - if you have bacon, flour, buttermilk & evaporated milk, you're ready to go. Give it a try - you won't be disappointed.

BISCUITS & GRAVY

Put one pound of bacon on to fry 5 to 10 minutes before you start making your biscuits.

Buttermilk Biscuits
2 cups self-rising flour
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup bacon grease

Preheat oven to 400. In a large bowl, stir together flour & buttermilk. Add bacon grease. Stir with a fork until dough holds together.

Turn dough onto a floured surface and form into a disk. Knead lightly just a few times until smooth. Form dough to a 3/4-inch thickness. Using a biscuit cutter or glass dipped in flour, cut out biscuits. Place biscuits on an ungreased baking sheet. Gather the trimmings and repeat. Bake about 12 to 15 minutes, until golden brown. This should make 12 biscuits with a little dough left over.

Bacon Gravy
Bacon grease/drippings
1/3 to 1/2 cup flour
Equal parts evaporated milk & water (combined)

Over medium low heat, whisk flour into grease until smooth & just starting to bubble. Reduce heat. Slowly stir in milk/water, whisking constantly, until desired thickness. Add salt & pepper to taste.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Cupcakes

2008-06-15T05:53:00.000-07:00

This recipe was in our newspaper on Wednesday, so I decided to give it a try. The cupcakes are nice & moist & the cream cheese filling sinks to the bottom, appearing almost like a cream cheese crust. The recipe called for a chocolate cream cheese frosting, but I thought that might be a bit too much for these already rich tasting cupcakes, so I just put a few chocolate chips on each one while they were still warm to give them a chocolate glaze.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Cupcakes
1 box devil's food cake mix
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 cup miniature chocolate chips

Prepare cake mix as package directs, placing batter in cupcake paper-lined muffin pans. In small bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth; beat in egg, fold in chocolate chips. Drop 1 tablespoon cream cheese mixture into the center of cupcakes. Bake at 350 18-22 minutes or until cupcakes are baked through. The cupcakes will come up over the cream cheese filling to cover. Cool & frost.

Baby Back Ribs

2008-06-02T15:05:00.000-07:00

Nothing says summer like grilling out. There is something so laid back & relaxing about cooking outdoors. We had some guests over for this meal Friday evening & everyone really enjoyed themselves. These ribs were definitely the star of the show.

Oh, you might have noticed the "My Grill Friday" logo at the top of this post. I'm participating in a Friday grilling event that Rachel is hosting over at Coconut & Lime. Look for more grilling recipes here every Friday.

BABY BACK RIBS
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon orange zest
2 tablespoons paprika
3 teaspoons dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 pounds baby back ribs*

*Our butcher cut the ribs for us*

Combine all ingredients for dry rub. Rub all over ribs. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Preheat the grill to medium heat.

Place ribs on grill for 40 to 45 minutes, turning occasionally until meat is tender and crisp on the outside.

Coming This Friday - Grilled Flatbread Pizzas

Coconut Macadamia Biscotti with Key Lime Glaze

2008-06-02T04:24:00.000-07:00

I wanted to come up with an original recipe for the contest that Rachel is hosting over at Coconut & Lime. The idea for this recipe came to me while standing in line at Starbucks, waiting for my coffee. The biscotti container caught my eye & I thought "why not do a coconut lime biscotti?" So that's what I did. I had never made biscotti before & am not sure why - it's so easy.

The biscott itself is full of coconut & macadamia nuts & I used two different glazes - a basic key lime glaze & a white chocolate key lime glaze. This is the perfect summer biscotti to go along with your morning cup of tea or coffee.

Coconut Macadamia Biscotti with a Key Lime Glaze
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon coconut extract
2 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup flaked coconut, lightly toasted
1 cup chopped macadamia nuts

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Stir in the coconut extract and eggs. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt, stir into the creamed mixture. Fold in the coconut and macadamia nuts.
Divide dough into 2 pieces. Roll each piece out into a log about 10 inches long. Place them on an unprepared cookie sheet and flatten them until they are about 3 inches wide.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until firm. Cool on baking sheet for 10 to 15 minutes.
Slice the logs crosswise into 1/2 inch wide slices (I sliced one log the opposite way to have some smaller slices). Place slices cut side down onto the baking sheet.
Return to the oven for an additional 15 minutes, until crisp and light brown. Turn oven off & leave biscotti in until dry & toasty to the touch (about an hour for me). Dip tops into Key Lime glaze. Set on wax paper until glaze is set. Store in an airtight container.

Key Lime Glaze
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon fresh Key lime juice (about 2 limes)

Key Lime Wite Chocolate Glaze*
4 oz melted white Chocolate (I use Ghiradelli)
1 teaspoon key lime juice

*Note: If using the white chocolate glaze, you have to work quickly as the chocolate will turn grainy. It's best to use a spoon or knife to spread a thin coat onto each piece.

Grilling Fridays

2008-05-28T09:29:00.000-07:00

I'm excited to be partipating in My Grill Friday, a weekly event created by Rachel over at Coconut & Lime. Be sure to stop by every Friday for some great grilling recipes.

Moonblush Tomatoes

2008-05-26T12:43:00.000-07:00

Moonblush - isn't that a romantic word? I made these slow-roasted tomatoes to add to a pasta salad I prepared today. I put the tomatoes in the oven before I went to bed last night & took them out around 8am this morning. So simple. They are absolutely delicious right from the oven or mixed in a salad.

Moonblush Tomatoes
recipe courtesy Nigella Lawson

1 lb on-the-vine cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar

Preheat oven to 450. Cut the tomatoes in half and sit them cut side up in an ovenproof dish. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt & sugar. Put in oven and immediately turn it off. Leave the tomatoes in the oven overnight or for a day without opening.

S'mores Cupcakes

2008-05-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

I know I've talked about food nostalgia before, but I love it when something as simple as a cupcake starts a family conversation that begins with "Remember when..." And who doesn't have a campfire memory that involves S'mores?

I was so happy to find a recipe for S'mores cupcakes over at Sew Darn Cute. I loved making s'mores as a kid (and still do) & had been searching for a recipe that put a new twist on the campfire dessert. These cupcakes are absolutely delicious & make the perfect ending to a summer meal. Ally's face actually lit up when I carried them in to our family cookout yesterday. Give this recipe a try!

S'mores Cupcakes
24 Chocolate Cupcakes (your favorite recipe)
Marshmallow Fluff Icing (recipe below)
Graham Cracker Crumbs
2 Hershey Bars

Marshmallow Fluff Icing
1/2-3/4 lb. (2 or 3 sticks) butter, room temperature
1 lb. (2 cups) confectioner's sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
16 oz. tub of marshmallow cream

Cream the butter on high until it's light and fluffy. Add the confectioner's sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, and beat until fluffy each time. Add vanilla - mix until incorporated. Add Marshmallow Cream & mix until creamy. Transfer to pastry bag and pipe onto cupcakes! (You can also cut the corner off a Ziploc bag and use that instead.) Dust top with graham cracker crumbs & top with a square of Hershey's chocolate.

Champagne Honeydew Slush

2008-05-26T05:33:00.000-07:00

Nothing beats a slushy drink on a hot day. So when my boss told me about a honeydew drink she makes using champagne, I had to try it out. Saturday was the perfect day as it was so hot outside. This drink has a light, refreshing taste & makes you feel cool all over. And it's a beautiful color. It would be perfect garnished with skewered melon ball picks. I think I might try it out with watermelon next weekend.

Champagne Honeydew Slush
3 cups cubed ripe honeydew melon
1/3 cup sugar
10 ice cubes
1 bottle of champagne

Place honeydew, ice & sugar in blender. Process into slushy. Place about 2 Tablespoons full into glass. Top with champagne.

TIP: For a nonalcoholic version, substitute lemon-lime carbonated beverage for the champagne.

Carrot Cake Cookies

2008-05-18T14:26:00.000-07:00

I love carrot cake & I've been thinking about carrot cake cookies for a while. I was thinking of a carrot cake twist on an oatmeal cookie, which I still plan on trying. Then a friend told me about a cookie recipe using a roll of refrigerated sugar cookie dough, so I decided to give it a try. I made a few changes to the initial recipe & the cookies turned out really well; moist & cakey. They would be even more special with a light cream cheese frosting.

Carrot Cake Cookies
1 roll refrigerated sugar cookie dough
1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
2 cups peeled, shredded carrots
2 cups shredded coconut
1 teaspoon black walnut extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350. Spray cookie sheets with non-stick cooking spray. Break up cookie dough in mixing bowl. Let stand 10-15 minutes. Add cream cheese. Mix well with an electric mixer on medium speed until well combined. Add carrots, coconut, extract, cinnamon & walnuts. Drop teaspoon full onto prepared cookie sheets, two inches apart. Bake 10-13 minutes until just set or golden at edges. Cookies will be pale.

I'm Back

2008-03-10T09:09:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness! That's all I can say about the past few weeks. First I had a terrible case of the flu, along with sinusitis. Talk about miserable... I finally started feeling better only to develop a terrible rash from the new antibiotic I was on, which lead to yet another prescription plus hefty doses of Benadryl. I could hardly function. Seriously, just typing the word "Benadryl" makes me drowsy. And then, sadly, we had a death in the family last Friday. My cousin of only 46 was taken from us much to soon, may he rest in peace.

I will be back this week with some new recipes. I made some fantastic apple dumplings on Saturday & want to tell you all about them.

In the meantime, check out my new blog that is under construction - Toniadempseydesigns.blogspot.com. It features some wonderful poems my sister & I wrote.

See you later.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2008-02-17T10:25:00.000-08:00

Nothing beats a batch of freshly baked cookies, especially if you're needing something to help you feel better. Ally is sick with pneumonia & I knew some chocolate chip cookies would put a smile on her face. I love the original Nestle Toll House recipe (remember the Friends episode with Pheobe's grandmother's recipe?). These cookies are a snap to throw together & always bring a smile. Is anything better than that?

Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks, 1/2 pound) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups (12-ounce package) NESTLE TOLL HOUSE Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1 cup chopped nuts*

COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in large mixer bowl. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE in preheated 375-degree oven for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

*I added 1/2 cup of nuts to the remaining cookie dough after baking 2 dozen cookies. Neither Ally nor Mike like nuts in their cookies, so this was an easy solution.

Chef Boyardee Pizza

2008-02-16T13:01:00.000-08:00

Oh, another of my childhood comfort foods. There were no local pizza shops when my sister & I were kids, so a Chef Boyardee Pizza was a real treat. Maybe that's why I like it so much now, for sentimental reasons - memories of Saturday nights stretched out on the floor in front of the TV watching BJ and the Bear while eating. Luckily, it's my 8 year old niece's favorite pizza too, so we still enjoy it every now & then. Ally's actually gotten pretty good at fixing it herself.

I decided to fix one tonight while Mike & I catch up on last night's episodes of Monk & Psych. I always get the regular cheese kit & add my own pepperoni as I find the sauce in the pepperoni kit is a little too salty for me. You could add extra toppings if you prefer, but I like to keep it pretty simple.

If you want to enjoy a little Chef Boyardee nostalgia, check out this commercial.

Chicken Salad Contessa

2008-02-16T02:46:00.000-08:00

I decided to fix chicken salad yesterday & tried the recipe that Ina Garten made on her show last week, Chicken Salad Contessa. Just like her other recipes I've tried, this one did not disappoint. Roasting the chicken rather than poaching really does make a difference; the chicken stays so moist & flavorful. I also liked the combination of mayonnaise and sour cream - it made the salad creamy without an overwhelming mayonnaise flavor. It was delicious on endive leaves & made a pretty tasty sandwich too. This salad would also be good with craisins, pecans & celery.

Chicken Salad Contessa
2 split (1 whole) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on (1 1/2 pounds)
Good olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup walnuts halves
1/2 cup good mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves, divided
1 cup green grapes, cut in 1/2

Cherry Cheese Pie

2008-02-06T12:13:00.000-08:00

I was planning to fix Cherry Cheese Pie for our Valentine's Day dessert, but when Mike saw all the ingredients, he wanted me to fix it yesterday. I love this dessert & remember the 1st time my aunt made it; my sister & I were pretty young & would eat only the cherries, leaving the filling behind. How times have changed!!

I did make the mistake of using only 1/4 cup of lemon juice, which caused my filling to be a little less firm than it should have been. I didn't get picture-perfect slices, but the taste was still the same. pic to come tonight

Cherry Cheesepie
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk)
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Graham Cracker Pie Crust
1 (21-ounce) can cherry pie filling, chilled

In large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in Eagle Brand milk until smooth. Stir in lemon juice and vanilla. Pour into crust; chill 4 hours or until set. Top with desired amount of cherry pie filling before serving.

Coq Au Vin

2008-02-03T14:14:00.000-08:00

Sometimes a recipe can seem too intimidating to even try. That's how I felt about all the recipes I'd come across for Coq Au Vin until I saw Ina Garten preparing it yesterday. It looked so earthy for a cold winter day & it gave me another chance to use my new Rachael Ray dutch oven. Plus the recipe seemed to follow the same technique of her Beef Bourguignon which I've made quite a few times. It was easy to put together; after a little prep work I just put it in the oven & let it simmer. It smelled absolutely wonderful & the chicken just fell off the bone. Mike really enjoyed it & said the chicken was "so moist & flavorful". Served with Yukon Gold mashed potatoes, it was the perfect Sunday meal.

Coq Au Vin
2 tablespoons good olive oil
4 ounces good bacon or pancetta, diced
1 (3 to 4-pound) chicken, cut in 8ths
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound carrots, cut diagonally in 1-inch pieces*
1 yellow onion, sliced
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/4 cup Cognac or good brandy
1/2 bottle (375 ml) good dry red wine such as Burgundy**
1 cup good chicken stock, preferably homemade
10 fresh thyme sprigs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 pound frozen small whole onions
1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, stems removed and thickly sliced

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove the bacon to a plate with a slotted spoon.

Meanwhile, lay the chicken out on paper towels and pat dry. Liberally sprinkle the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. When the bacon is removed, brown the chicken pieces in batches in a single layer for about 5 minutes, turning to brown evenly. Remove the chicken to the plate with the bacon and continue to brown until all the chicken is done. Set aside.
Add the carrots, onions, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper to the pan and cook over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the Cognac and put the bacon, chicken, and any juices that collected on the plate into the pot. Add the wine, chicken stock, and thyme and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and place in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is just not pink. Remove from the oven and place on top of the stove.

Mash 1 tablespoon of butter and the flour together and stir into the stew. Add the frozen onions. In a medium saute pan, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and cook the mushrooms over medium-low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until browned. Add to the stew. Bring the stew to a simmer and cook for another 10 minutes. Season to taste. Serve hot.

*I used 3/4 to 1 pound of carrots & Pinot Noir**

Coming tomorrow...Sweet & Sour Meatballs

Carrot Cake Cream Cheese Muffins

2008-02-02T17:14:00.000-08:00

My mom's carrot cake recipe is both simple & delicious. I love to enjoy a slice along with a cup of hot tea. I decided to use the recipe today to make some muffins for next week's breakfast. I didn't want to ice them, but decided instead to sneak a surprise right in the middle - a tablespoon of sweetened cream cheese! They turned out wonderfully moist with just the right amount of sweetness. Perfect for a quick breakfast or mid-morning snack.

Carrot Cake Cream Cheese Muffins
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups self-rising flour
3 cups grated carrots
4 ounces black walnuts*

For the filling...
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 tsp vanilla
3 Tbs brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 24 muffin cups or use paper liners.

Filling: in a medium bowl beat cream cheese until smooth. Add egg, vanilla and
brown sugar. Beat until combined, then set aside.

Mix together sugar, eggs, oil & vanilla. Add cinnamon & flour. Mix in carrots & nuts.

Place carrot cake batter in muffin cups about 1/2 full. Then add one tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture right in the middle of the batter. Try to keep the cream cheese from touching the paper cup. Cover with about 1 tablespoon of cake batter.

Bake for 20-25 minutes.

*If you do not have black walnuts on hand, use regular walnuts & add 1 teaspoon of black walnut flavoring.

Banana Stuffed French Toast

2008-01-31T04:29:00.000-08:00

I was craving some comfort food for dinner last night, so we ended up having breakfast - Banana Stuffed French Toast. I've made stuffed french toast a few times, usually with raspberries, but since I had bananas in the house, they won out. I didn't have french bread to make pockets, so I just put the banana slices between two pieces of regular bread. The end result was pretty tasty, but a little bit sweeter than my usual french toast.

Banana Stuffed French Toast
8 slices bread
2 bananas, peeled and sliced
3 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/4 cup butter
confectioners' sugar for dusting

Place 5 or 6 banana slices on piece of bread; top with another piece, pressing firmly. Repeat until you have 4 "sandwiches". In a medium bowl, beat together eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla extract, orange juice and orange zest. Dip the bread slices in the mixture, allowing slices to become saturated.
Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Place a few slices at a time in the skillet, and cook, turning once, until both sides are golden brown. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Serve with warm syrup if desired.

Did You Know...
Bananas are one of the best sources of potassium, an essential mineral for maintaining normal blood pressure and heart function. The average banana contains about 450 mg, so a banana a day may help to prevent high blood pressure.

JELLO PARFAITS

2008-01-27T14:33:00.000-08:00

Today I decided to make a dessert that we had pretty often growing up - Jello parfaits. My mom used to make them all the time & my sister, cousins & I would eat them up & beg for more. I wanted to use lemon Jello today, but since Mike doesn't like it, I used strawberry instead. It's a great low carb dessert if you use sugar-free Jello & light ice cream. Oh, from the picture below, you can tell Shiloh gave his approval.

Jello Parfaits
3 boxes of Jello (4 serving size)
3 cups boiling water
1 cup cold water
1 cup vanilla ice cream

Empty Jello packets into a large bowl. Add 3 cups of boiling water; stir until dissolved. Reserve 1 cup in a separate bowl, cover with aluminum foil. Do not refrigerate (leave on counter). To remaining 2 cups, add 1 cup of cold water; cover & refrigerate until set.

Once refrigerated Jello is set, fluff with a fork.

Add slightly softened vanilla ice cream to reserved 1 cup of Jello, mix well.

Alternately layer Jello & Jello/ice cream mixture in small cups or parfait glasses.

Coming Soon...

2008-01-25T16:50:00.000-08:00

I know it's been a long time since I've posted anything, but I wanted to take the month of January off from the home computer - a little mini vacation. But I'll be back on Sunday with a new recipe. And I can't wait to start working on some Valentine's Day treats.

God Bless,
Tonia

Sugar-Coated Pecans

2007-12-24T07:22:00.000-08:00

My friend Lynn gave me the recipe for her sugar-coated pecans a few years ago & I've been in love with them ever since. They are so easy & make wonderful Christmas gifts.

SUGAR COATED PECANS
1 egg white
1 T water
1 lb pecan halves
1 c white sugar
3/4 t salt
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t nutmeg

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Grease one baking sheet. In mixing bowl whip together egg white & water til frothy. In a gallon baggie, mix together sugar, salt, cinnamon & nutmeg. Add pecans to egg white mixture stirring til evenly coated. Add nuts to baggie & toss pecans in sugar mixture til evenly coated. Spread nuts on baking sheet. Bake 1 hour stirring every 15 minutes.

A Coffee Can of Memories

2007-12-03T18:57:00.000-08:00

When I was younger, the Christmas season really didn't start for me until I had a fresh batch of mama's Chex mix, served up in a bright blue or red metal coffee can. I can remember sitting on the couch watching Christmas movies (usually "Smokey Mountain Christmas"), the can tucked securely in my arm. The can never stayed full long, but mama always had refills ready, along with a smile. Now the Chex mix tradition has fallen to me & I'm so glad. As soon as the smell of the first batch wafts through the house, I know it's Christmas time.

And now making Chex Mix couldn't be easier, thanks to the little seasoning packets that you combine with melted butter. A lot of people add different ingredients now, but I prefer to stick with a simple mix of Wheat Chex, Rice Chex, pretzels & peanuts.

Tonia's Chex Mix
1 packet Chex seasoning mix
6 Tablespoons Butter, melted
5 cups Rice Chex
4 cups Wheat Chex
2 handfuls Pretzel Sticks
1 cup of Peanuts

Preheat oven to 250. In small bowl, combine seasoning packet & melted butter, mix well. Combine cereal in large roasting pan. Pour butter/seasoning mix over cereal, stir to coat. Add pretzels. Place in oven for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes. After 45 minutes, add peanuts. Cool on cookie sheets lined with paper towels. Store in airtight container.

Cranberry Bread Pudding

2007-11-19T17:22:00.000-08:00

Bread pudding is a favorite comfort dessert. I can remember as a child stationing myself at the kitchen table every time mom started mixing up the custard mixture she would be soaking the bread in. I was happy to come across a bread pudding recipe that is perfect for fall, using cranberries in a new & unexpected way. The recipe is very simple and the end result is sooo good - the tartness of the cranberries explode in your mouth. With a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, it's the perfect dessert dish. It would also be a great addition to a holiday breakfast or brunch.

Cranberry Bread Pudding
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup cream
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 pound Italian or sturdy white bread, 1" cubes
1 cup cranberries

Butter a 3-quart baking dish and set aside. In a large bowl, beat the eggs slightly with whisk. Add milk, cream, sugar, vanilla and ginger. Fold in bread and cranberries. Pour into baking dish - cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Heat oven to 350. Bake pudding uncovered until golden and puffy (start checking after one hour). Don't overbake - center will be custardy. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Did You Know...
Bread pudding was born in the 13th century. Known as 'poor man's pudding' it was created as a means of salvaging stale bread. The bread was soaked in milk or water, then sugar, butter, fruit, and/or spices were added, and then it was baked. Sometimes the mixture was housed in a 'sop', a hollowed out loaf of bread.

Holiday Stuffing

2007-11-16T07:28:00.000-08:00

To me, the best part of the Thanksgiving meal is the stuffing. Everyone has their favorite - some prefer the stuffing remembered from holidays past & the memories it invokes, while some prefer a new & trendy stuffing recipe. I use a recipe that comes from my mother-in-law, which results in a delicious traditional turkey stuffing. The recipe makes plenty so you can enjoy leftovers all weekend.

Holiday Stuffing
3/4 cup butter
2 1/2 cups chopped onions
2 cups chopped celery
5 teaspoons dried sage
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
14 cups dried white bread, cubed & toasted
Chicken or Turkey Stock

Place toasted bread cubes in a very large bowl. In a large frying pan, melt butter over a medium heat. Saute onions and celery together with salt and pepper, stirring often, until vegetables are tender, about 10-15 minutes. Add about 1 cup of stock. Continue cooking over medium low heat until stock evaporates.

Add celery & onion mixture to bowl containing toasted bread; add sage & stock, mix well. Add more stock until stuffing is at desired consistency (mine is very moist).

Place in buttered casserole dish - bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes until heated through & slightly browned on top.

***Note*** I usually separate the stuffing into two casserole dishes as some of our family likes their stuffing a bit crunchier on top.

Let's Talk Turkey

2007-11-14T16:43:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. My sister & I have such wonderful memories built around this day & truly have so much to be thankful for. This year I'm anticipating the day even more. It's our first time hosting a holiday in our new home & we're expecting 12 guests. I'll be preparing the turkey using my tried & true recipe from Martha Stewart. The aroma that fills the house while the turkey is roasting is wonderful & the taste is absolutely amazing. I'm definitely thankful for this recipe.

***Note*** If you decide to use this recipe, be sure to purchase your cheesecloth in advance; you don't want to have to run to K-Mart on Wednesday evening or Thanksgiving morning. And $5.99 Chardonnay works just fine - I promise.

Perfect Roast Turkey
Serves 12 to 14
Salt/Pepper
1 whole turkey (18 to 20 pounds), rinsed and patted dry, giblets and neck reserved for gravy
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted, plus 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup dry white wine - Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc
1 package cheesecloth

Preheat oven to 425 degrees, with rack in lowest position. Stir together melted butter and wine in a medium bowl. Fold a very large piece of cheesecloth into quarters so that it is large enough to cover breast and halfway down sides of turkey. Immerse cloth in butter mixture; let soak.
Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack set in a roasting pan. Fold wing tips under turkey. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper inside turkey. Tie legs together with kitchen twine. Fold neck flap under; secure with toothpicks. Rub turkey all over with softened butter; season with salt and pepper.
Remove cheesecloth from butter mixture, squeezing gently into bowl. Reserve butter mixture for brushing. Lay cheesecloth over turkey. Place turkey, legs first, in oven. Roast 30 minutes. Brush cheesecloth and exposed turkey with butter mixture. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees. Roast, brushing every 30 minutes, 2 1/2 hours more; cover with foil if browning too quickly. If making gravy, add giblets and neck to pan 1 1/2 hours after reducing temperature; roast 30 minutes, and reserve.
Discard cheesecloth; rotate pan. Baste turkey with pan juices. Roast, rotating pan halfway through, until skin is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 180 degrees and stuffing reaches 165 degrees, about 1 hour. Transfer to a platter. Set pan with drippings aside for gravy. Let turkey stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes. Garnish, if desired.

Coming tomorrow - more Thanksgiving recipes...

I'm a Finalist - Vote Now

2007-11-10T13:31:00.000-08:00

I was pretty surprised to find out I am a finalist in the green tomato contest hosted by Apartment Therapy: The Kitchen. If you want to vote for me, click here. Voting ends on Monday at 5:00pm EST. See my recipe in this post.