butterscotch muffins

My dad and I share one love (besides my mother)...butterscotch.  When I was a kid, we would always buy pudding cups to take on picnics, and Dad always made sure that butterscotch was one of our options.  My mom and sister would chow down on the chocolate pudding, but - for possibly the only time in my life - I would choose butterscotch.  I just love the stuff!

It occurred to me the other day that I haven't ever seen a recipe for butterscotch muffins.  In fact, I've never seen a butterscotch muffin.  What a travesty!  I mean, what could be better with that giant mug of hot chocolate or mocha than a delicious butterscotch muffin?

I began experimenting in the kitchen and came up with what I think is a real winner.  These muffins have a delicious hint of brown sugar and are simply studded with butterscotch chips.  If you are a butterscotch lover, you will absolutely love these.

 Butterscotch Muffins

• 3 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 t. salt
• 4 t. baking powder
• 2/3 cup canola oil
• 2/3 cup milk
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 11 oz. bag butterscotch chips

Combine flour, sugars, salt, and baking powder.  Add oil, milk, and eggs; mix well.  Stir in butterscotch chips.  Prepare muffin tin with liners.  Fill liners about 2/3 full with batter.  Bake at 375 for 14-16 minutes, or until lightly browned.  Makes 20-22 muffins.

hearty oat loaf

If there's one thing I love, it's bread. :)

Bread has the ability to turn a meager meal into a big one, freshen up your whole home, and add an air of warmth and love to any mealtime.  

This particular bread has been a favorite of mine for several years.  I first discovered it in Taste of Home's Light and Tasty magazines.  The heartiness and beauty of the bread caught my eye, and then I noticed just how healthy it was!  I've been making it...and loving it...ever since.  If Cookie Bandit comes home to a loaf, he does a jig and a cheer.  We're kinda food nerds like that. :)

This bread is an easy fix and perfect alongside soup, salad, or any main dish.  You simply must try it...the sooner the better!

Hearty Oat Loaf
from Taste of Home's Light and Tasty 2003

• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup plus 2 T. oats, divided
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 t. baking powder
• 3/4 t. salt
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cups fat-free milk
• 3 T. canola oil

In a large bowl, combine the flours, 1/2 cup oats, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  In another bowl, combine the egg, milk, and oil; stir into dry ingredients until just moistened.  Spread batter into an 8 or 9-inch round baking pan coated with nonstick cooking spray.  Sprinkle with remaining oats.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.  Serve warm.  Makes 10 servings.

cheese tidbits

These cheese tidbits are a recipe I got from my college roommate, Lauren.  I remember that she would get packages of these and never share!  I finally wheedled one out of her - I had to find out what all the fuss was about.  They are buttery, cheesy, and peppery - a great and addictive combo.


Cheese Tidbits

• 2 sticks margarine or butter (1 cup)
• 2 cups flour
• 8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 cups rice crispies
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/2 t. cayenne pepper

Soften butter and mix with softened grated cheese.  Add flour, salt, and cayenne.  When well-mixed, fold in rice crispies.  Roll into balls.  Place on greased cookie sheet and press down with a fork.  Bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes.

homemade butter

 As you may have noticed, I just love making homemade bread!  And nothing goes better with bread than plain old butter.  

Making your own butter is easy to do and so much fun.  The flavor is pure and wonderful, and it's easy to mix in honey, herbs, or other extras to give it that special kick.  I'm sure you already know how to do it thanks to Pinterest, but I thought I'd post my own tutorial just in case.

Here's the step-by-step for how I make fresh butter at home...

First, grab a container with a tight sealing lid.  I like to use a freezer canning container.  You could also use a protein drink shaker, a Mason jar, or even just plain old Tupperware.  Anything will work, just make sure the lid fits on tight.

Next, find a small (clean) object to put into your container.  Marbles work well, but I like using a corn-on-the-cob holder.  It's small, and I know it's already clean.

 

Fill your container up with cream.  I recommend only filling it 1/2 to 3/4 of the way full.

Start shaking!  The best way to do it is to hold it at one end and flick your wrist down.  Not only does it help agitate it better, but it also is easier on your arm muscles.

After a few minutes of shaking, your cream should be incredibly thick.  You may have even stopped hearing your little object hit the sides of your container.  If you open it up, it will look rich and creamy, almost like melted ice cream.

Keep shaking!  After a few more minutes, it will begin feeling a bit different.  It will probably sound a bit like you are shaking a slushy.  If you open the lid, you'll notice that it has started to separate.

Keep shaking!  After just a few more minutes (or less!) you will hear that unmistakable sound of "thud" against the sides of your container.  When it feels like there's just one solid block of matter moving around in there, you are through!  Open up the lid, and you'll see that a blog of butter has collected around your little object.  You'll also find a thinner liquid surrounding your butter.  I've heard mixed reports on this thinner liquid - some say it's skim milk, some say it's whey, some say it's buttermilk.  Either way, it's also edible, so feel free to use it in recipes.

Pour out the thinner liquid and move the butter to its own dish.  Add seasonings or sweeteners, or just leave it plain - it will taste delicious!

niles coffee cake

Let me tell you a story about coffee cake.

About five years ago, I turned in what I hope is the final draft of my dissertation.  I had been working on that sucker for about 5 years in order to get my Ph.D. in America history.  The topic of my dissertation is political newspapers in early America.  It's pretty fascinating (trust me).  I talk about the role that newspaper editors played in the formation of America's first political parties.  It took me years of research, but I had finally submitted 246 pages of history to my dissertation committee. 

Oh yeah...so what does that have to do with coffee cake?

Well, one of the more prominent and memorable historical characters in my dissertation is a guy named Hezekiah Niles.  Few people today have heard of him, but he was really quite famous in his day.  He edited the most popular national news magazine of his time - the Weekly Register.  It was probably about as well known as the Wall Street Journal or New York Times is today.  Niles was so...shall we say, beloved...that he even had a few towns named after him!

So I'm flipping through my Gooseberry Patch cookbooks at the same time I was finishing up my dissertation, and I come across a recipe in Farmhouse Kitchen - it was called Niles Coffee Cake!  I thought, "no way!"  But sure enough, it's a recipe that originated at a church in Niles, Michigan - a town named for Hezekiah Niles!  Coincidence?  I think not!

I made this recipe to celebrate the completion of my dissertation.  It's an awful lot like monkey bread, so I know you are going to love it.  Join me in raising a glass of coffee - and a fork of coffee cake - to Hezekiah Niles!

Niles Coffee Cake
from Gooseberry Patch Farmhouse Kitchen

• 1 loaf frozen bread dough
• 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
• 1/2 cup cook & serve butterscotch pudding mix (3.5 oz. box)
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

The night before, let frozen bread dough stand at room temperature for one hour.  Cut dough into 16 pieces and roll into balls.  Spray Bundt pan with cooking spray; sprinkle nuts into bottom of pa.  Arrange dough balls in pan; sprinkle with pudding mix and set aside.  In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, melt butter and brown sugar together.  Pour hot mixture over dough balls.  Cover pan; let rise overnight at room temperature.  In the morning, bake at 325 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, until rolls are light golden.  Turn out onto a decorative plate; serve warm.  Serves 6 to 8.

spinach casserole

This is one of those dishes that I grew up loving...I mean, I couldn't get enough of it!  Then I found out what was in it and was thoroughly confused.  It's got such an odd ingredient list, but it's so good!

I remember whipping up this dish when I lived in the dorms in college.  My friends saw me put spinach, cottage cheese, and cornbread mix into a bowl and thought I'd gone nuts.  A few vowed that they'd never try it.  And then they smelled it baking... :)

They tried it.  They loved it.  Just like I knew they would.

Spinach Casserole

• 1/2 cup butter
• 10 oz. box frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed
• 8.5 oz. box corn muffin mix
• 6 oz. cottage cheese
• 1/2 T. salt
• 4 eggs
• 1 small onion, chopped

Melt butter in a 2-quart casserole dish.  Mix all other ingredients in a separate bowl.  Pour melted butter into batter; mix and pour back into casserole dish.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes or until brown and inserted toothpick comes out clean.

blueberry tossed salad

I am usually pretty horrible at making salads.  Salads just haven't been my thing.  It seems so silly that I could make something so simple go so wrong, but I do it.  I think it may be my hidden super power.


A few years ago, though, I found one that I finally could make...and it was a HUGE success!  This is seriously the best salad that we have ever had.  It's simple, but it's amazing.  I tend to make it for company or potlucks, and I almost always get asked for the recipe. 

The salad is quite simple - a beautiful collection of greens, nuts, cheese, and blueberries tossed in a homemade sweet poppy seed dressing.  Trust me...you will love it. :)

Blueberry Tossed Salad
from The Taste of Home Entertaining Cookbook

• 8 cups torn mixed salad greens
• 2 cups fresh blueberries
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
• 1/2 cup sunflower kernels, toasted
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 3 T. red wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 t. ground mustard
• 1 1/2 t. poppy seeds

Layer the first five ingredients in a salad bowl.  Combine the remaining ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid; shake to mix well.  Pour dressing over salad and toss.  Serves 8-12.

whoopie pies

Okay, is that not just about the most beautiful thing you've ever seen?!  

These are from Taste of Home's "Best-Loved Cookies and Candies" magazine.  Although it does take some effort, this recipe is neither difficult nor time-consuming.  I will say, though, that you'll need more than your elbow and a whisk.  This requires the biggest mixing bowl you've got and an electric mixer.  I used my small hand-held mixer, and I sure was wishing I had used my Kitchen-Aid by the time I was through!

But oh my word, are these worth every bit of effort.  Sooooooo good!  I make them about once a year.  They were the dessert for my daughter's first birthday party, and every year around that time I get a craving.  Fortunately, they freeze very well when individually wrapped, so I have no excuse not to make them!

Whoopie Pies
from Taste of Home's "Best-Loved Cookies and Candies"

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 t. vanilla extract
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup baking cocoa
• 2 t. baking soda
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup buttermilk

FILLING:

• 2 cups confectioner's sugar
• 2 cups marshmallow creme
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 t. vanilla extract

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.  Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with water and buttermilk, beating well after each addition.

Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets.  Bake at 375 degrees for 5-7 minutes or until set.  Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

In a small bowl, beat filling ingredients until fluffy.  Spread on the bottoms of half of the cookies; top with remaining cookies.

creamy corn pudding

We first tried this recipe when reviewing Gooseberry Patch's Slow Cooking All Year Round.  It has four chapters - one for every season!  You'll find breakfasts, mains, sides, desserts, and even a snack mix.  And of course, there's always those amazing Gooseberry Patch tips at the bottom of each page.  Since many of the tips are slow cooker related, you are bound to learn something new.  I sure did.  For instance, did you know that if there's too much liquid in your slow cooker after you're done cooking your meal, all you need to do is tilt the lid and turn it on to the high setting.  Soon, the liquid will evaporate!  Awesome tip, compliments of page 200. :)

My family really loves cornbread, so it was no surprise that we loved this corn pudding.  However, I couldn't get over just how good it was.  The ingredient list includes cream cheese and nutmeg, both of which added a delightful complexity to the flavor.  This would make the perfect accompaniment to just about any meal - I'm sure we'll be having it pretty often around here.

Creamy Corn Pudding
from Gooseberry Patch's Slow Cooking All Year Round

• 8oz. package cream cheese, softened
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 8 1/2 oz. package corn muffin mix
• 2 1/2 cups frozen corn
• 16 oz. can creamed corn
• 1 cup milk
• 2 T. butter, melted
• 1 t. seasoned salt
• 1/4 t. nutmeg

Lightly grease a slow cooker.  In a bowl, blend cream cheese, eggs, and sugar.  Stir in dry muffin mix and remaining ingredients; mix well.  Transfer mixture to a slow cooker.  Cover and cook on high setting for 3 to 4 hours.  Serves 8.

buttermilk syrup

I discovered this recipe when reviewing Gooseberry Patch's Quick and Easy Christmas. It is such a wonderful cookbook!  All of the recipes are extremely simple to make, require ordinary ingredients, and generally take 30 minutes or less.  They are all special enough to serve for the holidays and yet practical enough to make any time of the year.  I love that!  There's no need to pack this cookbook away with your Christmas decorations.

The buttermilk syrup was so easy to whip up that I managed to do it in between putting one batch of pancakes on the griddle and taking them off to serve.  I think the total time was less than 3 minutes!  And oh the taste...we loved it!  I have a feeling that we're going to be opting for this homemade syrup over store-bought syrup from here on out.  It was absolutely delicious, incredibly easy, and just an all-around great recipe.

Buttermilk Syrup

from Gooseberry Patch's Quick and Easy Christmas

• 2 T. butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 t. light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 t. baking soda
• 1 t. vanilla extract

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, boil all ingredients except vanilla for one minute.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.  Cover and store in refrigerator.  Makes about one cup.

cornbread hamburger casserole

This casserole was inspired by a similar dish I tried at a friend's house many, many moons ago.  I was in high school, and my mom and I were traveling together for a conference I had to attend on the other side of the state.  My friend Heather and her family graciously opened their home to us, not only letting us stay with them, but serving us a tremendous home-cooked meal.  The star of the show was this casserole...we couldn't get enough!  My mom talked Heather's mom out of the recipe (the women in my family tend to have that skill), and we've made it our own over the years. 

Heather's mom (Miss Cindy) has since gone to be with the Lord, but every time I make this dish, I'm reminded of how blessed I am to have met such a godly woman.  Her life was a testimony of faith and love.  We miss you, Miss Cindy!

Cornbread Hamburger Casserole

• 2 lb. ground beef
• 1 can Ranch Style beans
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes with chilies
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 4 t. chili powder (if desired)
• 1/2 t. garlic salt
• cornbread batter

Brown meat, onion, and pepper.  Add diced and Ro-Tel tomatoes; cook 15 minutes.  Add all seasonings and beans; cook 10 minutes.  Pour in a large casserole dish and cover with cornmeal batter (spreading evenly to achieve a thin layer).  Bake at 400 degrees until the cornbread is done.  Serves 8-10.

country creamed corn

I just love corn.  It's one of my favorite side dishes in the world...I wouldn't put it past me to eat it for breakfast!  Usually I just grab a can of corn...generally creamed corn...from the grocery store every time I go.  This time I decided to up the nutritional value and just make it myself.  The results were so amazing that I'm never going back to canned corn again!

What I love most about this recipe is that it's convenient (you can use frozen corn if you don't have fresh) and it only takes 10 minutes.  It was so easy that I'm not sure that I can really call it cooking!

Country Creamed Corn

• 1/4 cup chopped green onion (or finely chopped regular onion)
• 2 T. butter
• 16 oz. frozen (or fresh) corn
• 1 T. cornstarch
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4-1/2 t. each salt and pepper

Saute onions in butter about 2-3 minutes, or until tender.  Stir in corn; cover and cook about 5 minutes until heated.  In a small bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients.  Stir into corn, and bring to a boil.  Cook, uncovered, for about 2 minutes or until thickened.  Serves 6.

bacon cheeseburger chowder

This, my friends, is some serious comfort food.  It's so easy to make...so hearty...so cheesy...so perfect!  I just love it, especially when the weather gets cold.  Even if it's a balmy 90 degrees where you are living, just turn up the AC and have some of this. It's that good.

Bacon Cheeseburger Chowder

• 1 lb. hamburger
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 3 cubes beef bullion
• 1/2 t. salt
• 2-1/2 cup milk, divided
• 3 T. flour
• 12 oz. Velveeta cheese, cubed
• crisply cooked bacon to garnish

Brown hamburger meat with onion in large stockpot.  Add bell pepper, potatoes, corn, garlic, water, bullion, and salt; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.  Add 2 cups milk.  Mix flour into the remaining milk and stir into the soup; bring to a boil and cook until slightly thickened.  Add cheese and cook on low, stirring until melted.  Top with crisply cooked bacon crumbles just before serving.

mississippi mud cake

I've been attempting to lose weight, therefore I've decided to share with you a recipe for one of the richest, chocolatiest cakes ever.

Yeah...never said my goal was to make any sense.

Anyway, this cake is fabulous.  Seriously, it's so good you'll want to cry.  Or giggle.  Or whatever it is that you do when you eat fabulous cake.  Personally, I do a happy dance.

I got this recipe from my mother-in-law who got it from her mother.  It's something that's been served at family gatherings on multiple occasions, and I've known for a while that it's one of my husband's favorites.  So when I was trying to figure out what special dessert to make him on his birthday, I instantly thought of this!

This cake is a delicious combination of three things - fudgy, nutty, dense chocolate cake...creamy marshmallow...and rich and thick chocolate icing.  Oh, be still my heart!

Mississippi Mud Cake
Cake:

• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1 1/2 cup four
• 2 T. cocoa
• 1 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 4 oz. shredded coconut
• 7 oz. marshmallow creme

Icing:

• 1 lb. powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk
• 1/3 cup cocoa
• 1 t. vanilla

Cream butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add vanilla, flour, and cocoa to creamed mixture; blend well.  Fold in pecans and coconut on low speed.  Pour into a greased 9x13" pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.
Spread marshmallow creme over warm cake.  Cool.

To make icing, combine all ingredients and mix with blender until smooth.  Spread over marshmallow creme.

cornbread

This is the best cornbread in the world.  It's slightly sweet and perfect with a big dab of butter!  I make it in the cast iron, as squares, or even as muffins...it never fails to disappoint.

Cornbread

• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 cup flour
• 4 t. baking powder
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup oil

Combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add milk, egg, and oil. Beat until fairly smooth. Bake in a greased 8" square or round pan in preheated hot oven (425 degrees) for 20-25 minutes. Makes 8 servings.

fall hominy stew

I think I may have just found my new favorite soup.

I can't begin to tell you how good this is!  It's got so many colors and flavors and textures that it's a pureed soup lover's nightmare.  Maybe that's why I like it so much...I'm not really into pureed soup.  I believe all soups should have character.

My friends...this soup has character.

With delicious chunks of squash, savory sausage, the bright color of peas and green pepper, and the added surprise of hominy, this soup is a winner!

Fall Hominy Stew

• 2 lbs. ground turkey sausage
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped (optional)
• 1 large butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled and cubed
• 1 T. chili powder
• 1 t. each oregano and cumin
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 3 cans hominy, drained
• 1 cup frozen peas
• salt and pepper to taste

Brown meat in a large stockpot.  Add green pepper and onion and cook for about 5 minutes, or until tender.  Add broth, spices, and squash, and bring to a boil; simmer for about 15 minutes, or until squash is tender when pierced.  Add hominy and peas and simmer until heated through.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Serves 12.

cajun drumsticks

If you are needing an easy dinner option, this is it.  These Cajun drumsticks are easy to prepare, and they go great with just about any side.

Cajun Drumsticks 

• 4-6 chicken drumsticks
• 2 T. oil
• cajun or creole seasoning

Place drumsticks into a large bowl.  Toss with oil; season to taste.  Place in a single layer on a cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees, turning every 20 minutes until cooked through, about an hour.

asian pasta salad

This pasta salad feeds a crowd!  Keep in the chicken, and it's a main dish.  Leave the chicken out, and it becomes a side.  Either way, it's something just a little different from the normal pasta salad.

Asian Pasta Salad

• 1 lb. pasta, cooked
• 1 whole roasted deli chicken, shredded with skin and bones removed
• 2 bunches scallions, sliced
• 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
• 1 cup grated carrots
• 1 bag coleslaw mix

Dressing:

• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup sesame oil
• 1 T. honey
• 1 t. fresh ginger, grated
• 1 t. garlic, minced
• 1 T. lime juice
• 1/4 t. crushed red pepper

In a large saucepan, cook veggies in a small amount of sesame oil until crisp-tender.  Combine veggies, pasta, and chicken in a large bowl and toss to mix.  In a blender, combine all dressing ingredients until smooth.  Add dressing to salad and toss to mix.

easy microwave butter toffee

My husband is a HUGE fan of toffee.

For years, I have surprised him with homemade toffee from various sources - craft fairs, produce stands, fudge shops - but it's always so expensive that I have to keep those gifts few and far between.  On many occasions, I've wondered about the possibility of making it myself, but I tend to ruin any recipe that calls for a candy thermometer.  One of these days I'll figure it out...but this isn't the day.

So, you can imagine my utter glee when I found this recipe for a toffee that was both easy and made in the microwave!  I was thrilled, but I didn't tell anyone about it, still fully confident that I would manage to destroy it.

Well, looky here!

I DID IT!  This toffee is delicious, looks beautiful, and actually is easy!  \No more buying toffee for us!

Easy Microwave Butter Toffee
from Gooseberry Patch Christmas 10th Anniversary

• 1 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 2 T. water
• 1 T. dark corn syrup
• 1 t. vanilla
• 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2/3 cup chopped walnuts

Line a 13"x9" baking pan with ungreased aluminum foil; set aside.

Place sugar, butter, water, and corn syrup in a large microwave-safe bowl.  Microwave on high setting for 4 minutes; stir.  Heat an additional 6 to 8 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes, until thickened and golden.  Add vanilla; stir well.  Pour into prepared baking pan.  Sprinkle chocolate chips over top; spread melted chocolate.  Sprinkle with walnuts.  Let cool completely; break into pieces.  Makes about one pound.

fresh apple cake

I am a lover of all things delicious.  And this fresh apple cake is oh my goodness delicious!  I keep trying to think of reasons to have people over for tea, just so that I can serve this cake.  This cake is single-handedly sabotaging my weight loss efforts.

The best part about it has to be the warm cinnamon glaze that oozes into the pores of the cake and infuses every bit with that perfect pinch of sweetness and moisture.  Oh...and then there's the delicious apple flavor.  It's kind of like having apple cider in cake form.

Fresh Apple Cake

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 t. salt
• 1 t. baking soda
• 1 t. nutmeg
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup oil
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 t. vanilla
• 3 apples, cored, peeled, and diced or shredded
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Mix flours, salt, baking soda, and nutmeg.  In a separate bowl, combine butter, eggs, and vanilla.  Add dry ingredients to butter mixture and stir until just moistened.  Fold in apples and pecans.  Pour into a greased and floured Bundt pan.  Bake at 300 degrees for 50-60 minutes.  Let cool for 5 minutes before inverting onto a cake stand.  Glaze while warm.

Cinnamon Glaze

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 t. to 1 T. cinnamon
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1/4 cup milk (add more to thin glaze, if needed)

Combine all ingredients and whisk until smooth.  Pour over warm apple cake.

barley quick bread

About 20 minutes in the oven is all it takes to get this delicious bread.  It's got a fun, almost nutty texture because of the barley.  And the flavor is out of this world.  I liken it to eating a nutty biscuit or even a soft biscotti.  It's  the perfect accompaniment for soup or salad, and I bet it would make amazing croutons as well (my batch didn't stick around long enough for me to find out).

Barley Quick Bread
from Gooseberry Patch's Merry Christmas

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup pearled barley, uncooked
• 1 t. salt
• 1 t. sugar
• 1 t. baking powder
• 1/2 t. baking soda
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup butter, melted

Mix together first 6 ingredients; stir in buttermilk.  Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface; knead.  Roll dough into an oval shape, 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick.  Score dough with a knife and prick with a fork; place on a lightly greased and floured baking sheet.  Bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 25 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack and brush with melted butter.  Serves 4 to 6.

bavarian beef

It's getting cold outside!  It's time to wear long sleeves and fuzzy socks and burn Christmas candles.  It's also time to start making warm and filling dishes.

 This Bavarian beef is one of those perfect cold weather meals.  I adapted the recipe from one that I got from a friend, and she had adapted it from the original.  So, it's been crafted with love and is sure to warm the hearts and tummies of your family.

Bavarian Beef

• 2 pounds stew meat or boneless chuck roast, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1/2 onion, cut into strips
• 2 T. vegetable oil
• 3 cups beef broth
• 1 t. minced garlic
• 1 t. caraway seed
• 1 t. salt
• 2 t. dill seed
• 2 t. paprika
• 1/4 t. pepper
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 3 T. all-purpose flour
• 6 T. sour cream
• hot cooked spatzle or gnocchi

 In a large skillet, brown beef, garlic, and onion in oil.  Place in a large slow cooker.  Add teh beef broth and seasonings.  Cook on high 4-5 hours or until beef is tender.  Combine water and flour until smooth; gradually stir into the beef mixture.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes.  Serve over spatzle or gnocchi with a dollup of sour cream on top.  Serves 6.

crock-pot chocolate covered peanuts

This recipe has become a yearly tradition at our house.  On the night we decorate the Christmas tree, we dump all of the ingredients in the crock pot and let cook during the festivities.  Once the evening is over, the chocolate is all melted and the mixture is ready to drop onto parchment paper.

This recipe makes a TON - it's enough to last us until January - and it's absolutely delicious!  It's the perfect homemade gift.

Crock-Pot Chocolate Covered Peanuts

• 16 oz. salted peanuts
• 16 oz. unsalted peanuts
• 1 bar German chocolate (you can find this on the baking aisle near the chocolate chips)
• 1-1/2 package chocolate almond bark, broken into chunks
• 16 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Layer all ingredients into a slow cooker; cover and cook on low for 2 hours.  Stir to ensure all of the chocolate has melted; cover and allow to cook longer until there are no more lumps.  Drop by tablespoons onto parchment paper and allow to dry overnight before storing.

honey thyme roasted carrots

I wrote a poem tonight.  Check it out...

Carrots are orange.
Carrots are yummy.
Don't you think
They should be covered in honey?

I'm notoriously horrible about fixing exciting main dishes with boring side dishes.  Side dishes just take so much effort!  At least that's what it seems like.

But these carrots are incredibly easy - less than 5 minutes prep.  And another thing I love...they are the perfect recipe to involve the kids in! 


Honey Thyme Roasted Carrots
adapted from "Taste of Home, December 2013"

• 2 cups baby carrots
• 1-2 t. dried thyme
• 2 T. olive oil
• 1 T. honey
• 1/2 t. salt

In a large bowl, mix together olive oil, honey, and seasonings.  Add carrots and toss to coat.  Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until tender.  Serves 2-4

pan fried okra

If I were asked what foods I couldn't live without, the list would probably go like this...chocolate, cookies, pie, and okra.  Okra is my absolutely favorite vegetable, and it appears on our dinner table at least once a week.  I can't get enough of it!  It just makes me happy.


While I've eaten okra in various formats, I would agree with most southerners that the best way to eat it is fried.  At home, I don't do a lot of deep frying - it takes too much oil and too much time (not to mention how it destroys my clothes with all that splattering).  So, when I make my okra, I pan fry.  Here's my simple method.

Pan Fried Okra

• 3 T. oil
• 1 1/2 cups frozen okra
• 3 T. buttermilk or milk
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup cornmeal
• 1 T. creole seasoning

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat; when the skillet gets hot, add oil and allow to heat.

Meanwhile, defrost okra in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, or until only partially frozen.  Add buttermilk or milk and toss to coat; drain any excess liquid.  Add remaining ingredients and toss to coat.  Pour into hot oil and cook and toss until breading is golden brown.

rich french onion soup

I've always enjoyed French Onion Soup, but I've never actually made it myself.  This recipe looked easy (it's made in the slow cooker) and yet rich and delicious...and I was right!  It didn't disappoint.  I did make a key change, however.

I had bought French bread to slice and toast on top of the soup, but by the time I made the soup, the bread had molded.  Gross. :(  So instead, I just threw in some elbow macaroni and cooked that in the soup.  When the macaroni was tender, I dished it out into bowls, tossed some cheese on top, and broiled it.  We all liked the macaroni in the soup way more than having a piece of bread toasted on top.  Necessity really is the mother of some awesome inventions! 

Rich French Onion Soup
adapted from this recipe on www.tasteofhome.com

• 6 large onions, chopped 
• 1/2 cup butter 
• 6 cans (10-1/2 ounces each) condensed beef broth, undiluted 
• 1-1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 
• 3 bay leaves 
• 1-2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked 
• Shredded Parmesan and shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese 

In a large skillet, saute onions in butter until crisp-tender. Transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker. Add the broth, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaves. Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours or until the onions are tender. Add macaroni; cook an additional 15 minutes or until macaroni is tender.  Discard bay leaves. Ladle soup into ovenproof bowls. Sprinkle with desired amount of cheese. Place bowls on a baking sheet. Broil for 2-3 minutes or until cheese is lightly golden. Yield: 10 servings.

grilled chicken marinade

This marinade was so simple and has turned out to be a new favorite of mine.  It took our grilled chicken to a whole new level.  Whether you bake your chicken, grill it outside, or just plop it on a counter top grill like I did, you will love the flavor this marinade imparts.

Grilled Chicken Marinade
from Gooseberry Patch's Grilling and Campfire Cooking

• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 T. olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 t. dried oregano
• 1/2 t. dry mustard
• salt to taste
• 1-1/2 to 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Mix together marinade ingredients.  Flatten chicken slightly and place in a shallow glass dish.  Pour marinade over chicken, turning to coat well.  Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 8 hours.  Drain, discarding marinade.  Grill chicken as desired.  Serves 4 to 6. 

hawaiian sweet bread

I've always wanted to go to Hawaii (doesn't everyone?).  My husband went when he was in high school, and he still talks about it.  The gorgeous beaches, the beautiful sunsets, the chocolate-covered macadamia nuts...sigh.  I'd love to be there right now instead of baking in the hot Texas summer.

Someday I'll go to Hawaii.  Until then, I'll just get a taste of it by baking up fresh loaves of the sweetest bread around.  This Hawaiian sweet bread is deliciously sweet and moist thanks to the secret ingredient - a baked potato!  It's perfect for chicken salad sandwiches, if you can get the loaf to last that long.  Most of the time, we just eat it fresh out of the oven.  SO good.

Hawaiian Sweet Bread

• 1 large baking potato
• 3 T. sugar
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 t. salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 4 cups bread flour

Boil potato until soft.  Save 1/3 cup of boiling water and cool to lukewarm.  Peel and mash potato; measure 1/2 cup.  Add 3 tablespoons sugar and yeast to lukewarm water.  Stir until dissolved.  Stir in potato and set aside to rise until doubled.  Scald milk and salt.  Add butter to milk mixture and stir until melted.  Add eggs and remaining sugar to milk mixture; stir to combine, and then add to potato mixture.  Gradually add flour until mixture is in dough form (dough will be soft and sticky).  Place dough mixture in a bowl sprayed with cooking spray and cover.  When dough has doubled in bulk, divide into two equal parts and place in two greased loaf pans.  Let dough rise again until double in bulk.  Cook in a 350 degree oven for about 30-40 minutes, or until tops have browned. 

skinny oven-fried chicken

Easy, healthy, oven fried chicken is just two Ziplock bags away...seriously!  I discovered a recipe in the June/July 2013 issue of Taste of Home for oven-fried drumsticks.  I love dark meat, but what I had in my freezer was boneless, skinless chicken breasts.  So...I made my chicken even skinnier than the original.  It turned out beautifully!

Skinny Oven-Fried Chicken
adapted from "Taste of Home June/July 2013"

• 1 cup fat-free plain Greek yogurt
• 1 T. Dijon mustard
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flower
• 2 t. paprika
• 1 t. baking powder
• 1 t. salt
• 1 t. pepper

In a large Ziplock bag, combine yogurt, mustard, and garlic.  Add chicken; seal bag and turn to coat.  Refrigerate overnight.  In another plastic bag, mix remaining ingredients.  Remove chicken from the marinade and shake it in the flour mixture, one piece at a time.  Place on a broiler pan that has been coated with cooking spray.  Bake at 375 for 45 minutes or until cooked through.

mom's meat loaf

This meat loaf is a quick fix - something Mom made on those evenings when she just really didn't have the time or inclination to do much else.  It's never the same because she never measures a thing!  It's not wrapped in bacon...it's not slathered in any special sauces...it would never win a cooking contest...but it's my mom's. :)

Mom's Meat Loaf

• 1 lb. hamburger meat
• 3/4 cup oatmeal or crushed crackers
• 1 egg
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 1/4 cup diced green bell pepper
• 8 oz. tomato sauce
• 1 T. Worchestershire sauce
• salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.  Place into a baking dish coated with cooking spray.  Shape into a loaf and bake at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes.  Drizzle with ketchup before serving. 

Note: All ingredients and measurements are just estimates...Mom throws in whatever sounds good in whatever amount looks good!

beef brisket

Beef Brisket
modified from Taste of Home online

• 2 t. chipotle chili powder, divided
• 1/2 t. paprika
• 1/2 t. garlic powder
• 1/2 t. ground mustard
• 1/2 t. steak seasoning
• 1 fresh beef brisket, trimmed (4 pounds)
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 2 T. brown sugar
• 2 t. Liquid Smoke

Sprinkle 1 t. of chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, ground mustard, and steak seasoning over top of brisket.  Place on a rack in a shallow roasting pan.  Bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees for 2 hours.  Let stand for 20 minutes.  Thinly slice meat across the grain.  Place in a foil-lined baking dish.  In a bowl, combine remaining ingredients; pour over meat.  Cover tightly with foil and bake an additional 3 hours, or until tender.  Serves 16.

christmas jam

Christmas Jam is easy to make if you know how to can, and because you can use either fresh or frozen fruit, you can make it any time of year!

Christmas Jam

• 40 oz. frozen whole strawberries or 2 ½ quarts fresh strawberries
• 1 pound fresh or frozen cranberries
• 5 pounds sugar
• 2 pouches (3 ounces each) liquid pectin

Grind strawberries and cranberries in a food processor or grinder; place in a large kettle. Add sugar. Bring to a full rolling boil; boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat; add pectin. Cool for 5 minutes; skim off foam. Pour hot into hot jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Adjust caps. Process for 15 minutes in a boiling water bath. Yield: about 14 half pints.

chicken and noodles

I was reminded of this recipe today when the cold wind whipped through my sweater - chicken and noodles is the thing to eat when it's cold outside!  It's economical, delicious, and the smell of it cooking will fill your whole house with warm fuzzies!

This is a recipe that I grew up with.  My Popie was famous for it - he would have all of the family over for chicken and noodles and oatmeal bread.  My mom carried on the tradition, and now I love to make it for my family.  :)

Chicken and Noodles

• Whole fryer chicken (3-4 lbs.)
• 1 egg (large or jumbo)
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 cup flour
• Pepper and thyme to taste

Cook a whole chicken in water; sprinkle with thyme, salt, and pepper.  When cooked, remove chicken meat from bones and save broth.

Combine thyme, 1/2 t. salt, 1 jumbo egg, and up to 1 cup flour; dough should be stiff.  Roll flat, roll up, and then cut into thin noodles.  Boil noodles in about 1 quart of broth for 10 minutes.  Add chicken and cook through.