Saturday, January 31, 2009

Buttermilk Waffles

Buttermilk Waffles
Martha Stewart

Prep: 10 minutes Total: 30 minutes

If the waffles are getting dark brown, turn down the heat on the iron. If they're pale, increase the heat, or let them cook a bit longer.

Ingredients

Serves 4.

* 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
* 2 tablespoons sugar
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 2 cups low-fat buttermilk
* 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
* 2 large eggs
* Vegetable oil, for waffle iron
* Maple-Walnut Sauce
* Blueberry Sauce
* Banana-Caramel Sauce
* Berries-and-Cream Topping


Directions

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees; set a rack on a baking sheet, and place in oven. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, butter, and eggs; add flour mixture, and mix just until batter is combined.
2. Heat waffle iron according to manufacturer's instructions; brush with oil. Pour batter onto iron (amount depends on iron size), leaving a 1/2-inch border on all sides (spread batter if necessary). Close iron; cook until waffles are golden brown and crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to rack in oven to keep warm; repeat with remaining batter.

Maple-Walnut Sauce

Maple-Walnut Sauce
Martha Stewart

Prep: 5 minutes Total: 7 minutes

This sauce tastes great on Buttermilk Waffles.

Ingredients

* 1 cup pure maple syrup
* 1/2 cup chopped walnuts


Directions

1. In a small saucepan, combine pure maple syrup and chopped walnuts. Heat over medium, about 2 minutes.

Berries-and-Cream Topping

Berries-and-Cream Topping
Martha Stewart

Prep: 5 minutes Total: 25 minutes

This topping tastes great on Buttermilk Waffles.

Ingredients

* 1/2 pound strawberries
* 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
* 1/2 cup heavy cream


Directions

1. Toss strawberries (hulled and quartered) with 1/4 cup sugar. Let sit until juicy, 20 minutes.
2. Whip heavy cream with remaining sugar.

Down to Earth Granola

Granola: Down to Earth Granola
By :Better Homes & Gardens, April 2002 
-Bethany Weathersby


4 cups old-fashioned oats 

1 1/2 cups sliced almonds 

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 

1/2 t. salt 
1/2 t. cinnamon 

1/4 cup canola oil 

1/4 cup honey 

1 t. vanilla 

1 1/2 cups raisins and/or dried cranberries



Preheat oven to 300 degrees. 

In a large bowl mix the oats, almonds, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon. 

In a small saucepan warm the oil and honey. Carefully stir in the vanilla (be careful because it bubbles up). 
Pour liquid over oat mixture. Stir gently with a wooden spoon; finish mixing by hand if needed. Spread granola in a 15x10x1 inch baking pan. Bake 40 minutes stirring carefully every 10 minutes. Cool on pan on a rack. Stir in raisins or cranberries. Store in airtight container. Will keep 1 week at room temp. or 3 months in freezer. 

Makes 9 cups (24 servings) 

Per serving: 186 calories, 8 g. fat, 3 g. fiber


Tip: Measure the oil before the honey, and your honey will slide right out.

Country Biscuits and Gravy

Country Biscuits and Gravy

8 oz pork sausage, crumbled, jimmy dean
1 can (10.5 oz) white sauce
¾ cup whole milk
salt and pepper
1 container (10.2oz) prepared buttermilk biscuit dough, Pillsbury grands

In a small skillet over medium heat, sauté sausage until thoroughly cooked, about 4 minutes. Add white sauce and milk. Bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer 2 minutes to blend flavors. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, bake biscuits according to package instructions. Cut baked biscuits in half and place two halves on each plate. Spoon sausage gravy generously over tops of biscuits and serve.

Basic Pancakes

Basic Pancakes
Martha Stewart

Nothing says "weekend" like pancakes for breakfast. When you see how simple it is to whip them up from scratch, you'll wonder why you never did it before.

Ingredients

* 1 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
* 2 tablespoons sugar
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup milk
* 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, or vegetable oil
* 1 large egg
* 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
* Assorted toppings, such as butter, maple syrup, confectioners' sugar, honey, jams, preserves, sweetened whipped cream, or chocolate syrup


Directions

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees; have a baking sheet or heatproof platter ready to keep cooked pancakes warm in the oven. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, butter (or oil), and egg. Add dry ingredients to milk mixture; whisk until just moistened (do not overmix; a few small lumps are fine).
3. Heat a large skillet (nonstick or cast-iron) or griddle over medium. Fold a sheet of paper towel in half, and moisten with oil; carefully rub skillet with oiled paper towel.
4. For each pancake, spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of batter onto skillet, using the back of the spoon to spread batter into a round (you should be able to fit 2 to 3 in a large skillet).
5. Cook until surface of pancakes have some bubbles and a few have burst, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip carefully with a thin spatula, and cook until browned on the underside, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to a baking sheet or platter; cover loosely with aluminum foil, and keep warm in oven. Continue with more oil and remaining batter. (You'll have 12 to 15 pancakes.) Serve warm, with desired toppings.

Friday, January 30, 2009

Blueberry Pancakes

Blueberry Pancakes

1 3/4c. flour
2TBSP sugar
1 TBSP baking powder
Salt
1 1/2c. milk
2 large eggs
3 TBSP oil
Blueberries

Preheat electric griddle to 325F. Into a large bowl, sift flour, sugar, baking powder, and 1/2tsp salt. In a medium bowl, whisk milk, eggs, and oil; our into bowl that contains flour mixture. Whisk until well combined.

Grease griddle. When hot, pour on 1/3c. batter for each pancake. Add a handful of blueberries. Flip when small holes appear, about 1 ½ minutes. Cook second side until golden. Makes 10 regular pancakes. (Cole loves them as Mickey Mouse shape)

Breakfast Casserole

Breakfast Casserole

1 lb shredded potatoes
1/2 lb diced ham
1/2 c. chopped onion
3/4 c 2% shredded cheddar cheese
2 eggs
1 c. egg beaters
1/2 c skim milk

1. Spray crockpot with cooking spray.
2. Layer ingredients in order 1/3 at a time (potatoes, ham, onion, cheese)
3. In a bowl beat eggs, egg beaters, and milk
4. Pour egg mixture over layers in crockpot
5. Cook on low 8-10 hours

Maple Syrup

Maple Syrup
Louann Snowley

1c. water
1c. white sugar
1c. brown sugar
1tsp. maple flavor
1 tsp. vanilla flavor

Bring water to boil, then add sugar and flavor and stir.

Banana Crumb Muffins

Banana Crumb Muffins

* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 3 bananas, mashed
* 3/4 cup white sugar
* 1 egg, lightly beaten
* 1/3 cup butter, melted
* 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
* 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1 tablespoon butter

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease 10 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers.
2. In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
3. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

Apple Strudel Muffins

Apple Strudel Muffins

* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup butter
* 1 cup white sugar
* 2 eggs
* 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla
* 1 1/2 cups chopped apples
* 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
* 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
* 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1 tablespoon butter

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 12 cup muffin pan.
2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. In a large bowl, beat together butter, sugar and eggs until smooth. Mix in vanilla. Stir in apples, and gradually blend in the flour mixture. Spoon the mixture into the prepared muffin pan.
4. In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture is like coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over tops of mixture in muffin pan.
5. Bake 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Allow to sit 5 minutes before removing muffins from pan. Cool on a wire rack.

Southwestern Chicken Stew

Southwestern Chicken Stew

1 (16 oz) can Pinto Beans, rinsed and drained
12 oz (approx. 2 cups) diced cooked chicken breast
1 ½ cup frozen whole-kernel corn
1 (16 oz) can chicken broth
1 ½ cups chunky salsa
¾ tbsp chili powder
1 tsp dried parsley flakes

Spray your pot with cooking spray. Thaw corn by running it under hot water in a colander. Dump pinto beans, chicken, and corn into pot. Add chicken broth, and salsa. Mix well. Stir in chili powder and parsley flakes. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.

STEAK AND BARLEY STEW WITH SPINACH

STEAK AND BARLEY STEW WITH SPINACH

Makes about 4 servings

1 lb. beef tenderloin or other tender steak
3 TBS. whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 tsp. salt
freshly cracked pepper
1-2 TBS. extra virgin olive oil
1 med. onion, chopped (1 1/2 cups)
1 med. carrot, chopped
3 TBS. tomato paste
1/2 cup pearled or hulled barley (soak the hulled barley overnight)
5 cups low-sodium beef stock
1 TBS. chopped fresh thyme
4 cups coarsely chopped fresh spinach

Cut the beef into 1-inch, bite sized pieces. Combine the flour, salt and cracked pepper on a plate. Roll only half of the beef in the seasoned flour; set aside. In a large dutch oven or soup pot, heat the olive oil. Add the unfloured beef and cook over medium-high heat until the beef is brown but still rare in the center. Scrape the beef into a bowl, drain any fat back into the pan, and cook the floured beef. Transfer that beef into the bowl also.

Add the onion and carrot to the hot pan and scrape up the brown bits. Saute until the is golden, then add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes, until the paste is a shade darker. Add the barley, stock and thyme and bring to a boil. Cover, lower the heat to simmer, and cook for 30-40 minutes.

When the barley is tender, add the beef to the pan and reheat. Stir in the spinach. Serve as soon as the spinach is just wilted and the beef is hot.

PER SERVING:
calories: 378 (30% from fat); protein: 33.1 grams; total fat: 12.8 grams; sat. fat: 0.8 grams; cholesterol: 84 mg; sodium: 263 mg; carbohydrate: 33.3 grams; dietary fiber: 7.4 grams

Mrs. Milman's Chocolate Frosting

Mrs. Milman's Chocolate Frosting

This recipe for Mrs. Milman's Chocolate Frosting is from Martha Stewart Living, February 2006.

Ingredients

Makes 6 cups.

* 24 ounces semisweet chocolate morsels
* 4 cups heavy cream
* 1 teaspoon light corn syrup


Directions

1. Put chocolate and cream into a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat; stirring constantly with a heatproof rubber spatula, until thick, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in corn syrup. Transfer to a large, wide metal bowl. Refrigerate until frosting is cool enough to spread, about 2 hours, checking and stirring every 15 minutes. Use immediately.

NOTES::: This is one of my favorites and I always get complements on this frosting.

Fudge

Fudge

Rachael Ray



1 bag semisweet chocolate morsels (12 ounces)

9 ounces butterscotch morsels (3/4 of a 12 ounce bag)

1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 ounces)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 can or package of walnut halves (8 ounces)

1/2 cup currants (a couple handfuls)

8-inch cake pan, lightly greased with softened butter

Candied red and green cherries, for garnish (optional)



Place a heavy pot on the stove and pre-heat it over low heat. Add chocolate and butterscotch morsels and milk and stir until morsels are melted and milk is combined. Stir in the vanilla and remove the fudge from heat. Add the nuts and currants and stir in immediately.

Spoon fudge into pan. The fudge will set up almost immediately. Garnish can only be added in the first minute or two that the fudge is in the pan, so work quickly. Chill covered in the refrigerator

Cobb Pasta Toss

Cobb Pasta Toss
Rachael Ray

* 3 pints grape or cherry tomatoes
* 4 tablespoons EVOO - Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
* Salt and ground black pepper
* 6 slices bacon
* 1 pound whole wheat penne pasta
* 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
* 2 avocados, pitted and diced
* 1 lemon
* 2 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
* A few dashes hot sauce
* 4 to 5 scallions, thinly sliced on a bias
* 1 cup blue cheese crumbles
* 1/4 cup (about a handful) fresh basil, chopped
* 1/4 cup (about a handful) flat-leaf parsley, chopped


Preheat an oven to 400ºF. Place a large pot of salted water over high heat to boil.
Step

Scatter the tomatoes onto a baking sheet and drizzle with about 2 tablespoons EVOO and some salt and pepper. Toss lightly to coat and roast them in the hot oven until they burst open and are tender, 12-15 minutes.
Step

Place the bacon on a broiler pan and transfer to the oven as well. Cook until crispy, about 15 minutes.

While the tomatoes and bacon are in the oven, drop the pasta in the boiling water and cook to al dente according to package directions. When the pasta is ready, reserve a large mug of the starchy cooking water and then drain the pasta and return it to the pot it was cooked in.
Step

While the pasta is cooking, season chicken pieces with salt and ground black pepper. Heat a large skillet with one turn of the pan of EVOO, add the chicken and sauté until golden brown and cooked through, about 6 minutes.

While the chicken is cooking, scoop the avocado flesh into a small bowl and squeeze the juice of the lemon over it, tossing to coat.
Step

When the chicken is finished cooking, add garlic to the pan, cook for 1 minute, then sprinkle in a few dashes of hot sauce and toss to coat.
Step

In a large serving bowl, mash cooked tomatoes together with scallions, add the pasta water and pasta.
Step

Top with chicken, crumble the cooked bacon over it, and toss with the avocado, blue cheese, basil and parsley.

Patsy’s Chicken Salad

Patsy’s Chicken Salad
Pioneer Woman

Combine the following:
1 roasted chicken, deboned and cut or pulled into small bite-size chunks
1 – 1 1⁄2 cups dried cranberries
1⁄2 - 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
2 tablespoons poppy seeds

Mix:
1⁄2 cup plain yogurt
1⁄2 cup sour cream
1⁄2 cup mayonnaise

Combine with chicken mixture, place in storage container and refrigerate.

No Bake Cookies

No Bake Cookies
Louann Snowley

2 cups white sugar
4 TBSP cocoa powder
½ cup butter
½ cup milk

Boil 1-2 minutes –Stir

Remove and add
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup peanut butter
3 cups oatmeal

Mix and drop on wax paper.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

BAKED OATMEAL

BAKED OATMEAL
~ Michaela/eandgmom – Sonlight Forums

1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/3 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 t. vanilla
milk
2 c. old fashioned oats
1/4 t. salt
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. cinnamon
1 coarsely chopped, tart apple with skin (Rome, Granny Smith, Gala, or Empire)
1/2 c. dried fruit (raisins, cherries, cranberries)
1/2 c. coarsely chopped, unsalted nuts (pecans or walnuts, not peanuts)

In a 2-cup measuring cup, mix oil, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla. Whip until well blended. Then fill measuring cup to the top (a full two cups) with milk and set aside.

In a large bowl mix oats, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon. Stir with fork, then add apple, dried fruit and nuts. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Stir, then pour entire mixture into greased baking dish. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours or overnight.

In the morning, bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. May be doubled and baked for 40 minutes.

Notes by Bethany : We use Granny Smith apples, raisins, and pecans that are crushed to almost a powder. We use a 9x13 pan, whether making a single or double batch.

Enchilada Crock-pot Bake

Enchilada Crock-pot Bake
Shanna Browning

The enchilada crock pot bake I made the other night turned out really
good-here is the recipe if anyone is interested. Super easy (minus cooking
the chicken) and Tim said I should never make regular enchiladas again. :)
The only thing I did different was leave out the corn (it gets too soggy in
the crock pot-yuck),shred the chicken instead of dicing it, add a little
more cheese and add jalapenos.

INGREDIENTS:
9 corn tortillas, 6-inch
1 can (12 to 16 ounces) whole kernel corn with peppers, drained
2 to 3 cups cooked diced chicken
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chile peppers, mild
2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese or mild Cheddar cheese
2 cans (10 ounces each) enchilada sauce
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
guacamole and sour cream

PREPARATION:
Spray slow cooker with cooking spray. Place 3 tortillas in bottom of slow
cooker. Top tortillas with the corn, half of the chicken, about half of the
seasonings, and half of the chile peppers. Sprinkle with half of the
shredded cheese and pour about 3/4 cup of enchilada sauce over the cheese.
Repeat with 3 more tortillas, the black beans, remaining chicken,
seasonings, chile peppers, and cheese. Top with remaining tortillas and
enchilada sauce. Cover and cook on LOW setting for 5 to 6 hours. Serve with
guacamole and sour cream.
Serves 6 to 8.

Applesauce Muffins

Applesauce Muffins
Holly Hobbie

2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 t baking powder
1 t ground cinnamon
1/4 t salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup unsweetened applesauce (I only had some of my pear sauce and it was great)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 375. Grease or line with cupcake liners a 12 cup muffin pan (ours made 14).
2. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk to blend.
3. Add the egg, applesauce and melted butter. Stir until just blended. Spoon into the prepared pan. Bake until puffed and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean; 18-20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool 5 minutes.

Curried Spanish Lentil Soup

Curried Spanish Lentil Soup (from Nanou’s package of Lentils)

11/2 Tbs Curry Powder
½ Tsp grated lemon rind
1 diced Carrot
½ cup diced Onion
½ cup tart diced Apples
2 diced Celery Ribs
2 Tbs Butter
1 Tbs Vegetable Oil
¼ Tsp Pepper
1 chopped Tomato
4 cups Chicken Broth
1 medium Bay Leaf
11/2 Tbs Flour
½ cup Cream or coconut Milk
Other Seasonings: Fennel Seeds, Thyme, Paprika, peas

Cooking Instructions:

Wash Lentils then soak for 2 hours. Sauté lightly (do not brown), onion, carrot, and celery Ribs. Stir in butter, Vegetable Oil, Flour and Curry. Cook for 3 minutes.

Add soaked Lentils, Chicken Broth, Bay Leaf, and other seasonings. Simmer for 15 minutes.

Add Apples, Pepper, Tomato and Lemon Rind. Simmer for 15 minutes.

Stir in cream or Coconut milk immediately before serving.

Serve over steamed Basmati Rice.

Christmas Bark

Christmas Bark

1 sleeve saltine crackers
1 cup butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar
12 oz. semisweet chocolate morsels
1 cup chopped pecans (or any nut)

1) Preheat oven to 350
2) Place crackers in one layer on parchment-lined backing sheet (with sides)
3) Melt butter and brown sugar in medium saucepan. Cook for 3 minutes,
stirring constantly
4) Pour butter-sugar mixture over the crackers. Spread evenly
5) Bake for 15 minutes
6) Remove from oven and sprinkle with chocolate morsels. When they
start to melt, spread evenly over entire layer of crackers
7) Sprinkle chopped pecans on top.
8) Refrigerate 1 hour (With the weather - I just threw this in our
garage last night and it chilled right up!)
9) Remove from refrigerator and crack into pieces.

Granola

Granola
(not sure who gave me this, but the notes are from her)

Ingredients:

6 cups rolled oats

1 cup untoasted wheat germ

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp grated nutmeg (ground works just fine)

1⁄2 cup soy flour (regular flour I think is ok too-that’s what I used so we will see!)

3 Tbsp sesame seeds

3 Tbsp sunflower seeds

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

1⁄4 cup safflower oil

1⁄4 cup mild flavored honey or malt syrup

1⁄2 cup raisins

(I also added just a little sprinkling of brown sugar and a little more honey to the top before I put it in the oven)



Directions:

Mix oats, wheat germ, spices, flour, seed and vanilla in large bowl. In separate bowl, combine oil and honey. Stir and pour over grain mixture. Toss thoroughly; spread on cookie sheet to bake for 2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes. Add raisins during the last 20 minutes



When I added the honey and the oil it didn’t seem to coat the grain mixture all that well at all, which is why I added more honey. Maybe one of you experts can chime in and let me know if that’s normal when making granola? I am an amateur. J

Herb Butter

Herb Butter
Martha Stewart

This compound butter is wonderful spread over grilled bread or melted on your favorite pasta.

Ingredients

Makes 1 cup.

* 1 cup loosely packed fresh herbs, such as parsley, oregano, thyme, or marjoram, finely chopped
* 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature


Directions

1. Combine herbs and butter in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until ingredients are combined. Store in an airtight container, refrigerated, for up to 2 weeks.

BRAN MUFFINS

BRAN MUFFINS

1 egg, slightly beaten
1 c. milk
2 T. butter, melted
1 c. bran
1 c. white flour
1 T. baking powder
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 t. salt

Preheat oven to 375. Line or butter muffin tins. Put
the egg, milk, butter and bran in a mixing bowl and
let stand for 10 minutes. Add the flour, baking
powder, sugar, and salt and stir just enough to
dampen. Fill muffin pans about 2/3 full. Bake for
about 20 minutes.

APPLE BUTTERMILK BRAN MUFFINS

APPLE BUTTERMILK BRAN MUFFINS
Bethany Weathersby

1 c. margarine
2 c. sugar
1/2 t. salt
4 eggs
5 t. baking soda
1 qt. buttermilk
5 c. flour
3 c. all-bran or bran buds
chopped apple

Preheat oven to 400. Butter muffin tins. Cream
together margarine, sugar, salt and eggs. Add baking
soda to buttermilk in a large bowl. Alternating in
thirds, add flour, bran and buttermilk to creamed
mixture. Read note to determine how much apple to add
in. Pour into muffin cups. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Notes by Bethany : This makes about one gallon of batter and can
be saved in the fridge for up to 6 weeks (non-metal,
tightly sealed container). When ready to bake, for
every 3 cups of batter, add 1 cup finely chopped
apple.

CHERRY OATMEAL MUFFINS

CHERRY OATMEAL MUFFINS
Bethany Weathersby

1 c. old-fashioned oats
3/4 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. whole wheat flour
1/3 c. toasted wheat germ
1/3 c. plus 1 T. sugar
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 1/3 c. buttermilk
3 T. olive oil
1 large egg
1 T. grated orange zest
3/4 c. dried cherries

Heat oven to 375. Toast oats for 10 miniutes; stir
often. Put in bowl. Cool. Add flours, germ, 1/3 c.
sugar, baking powder and soda, and salt to oats. In a
separate bowl, mix next 4 items. Pour buttermilk
mixture in center of dry ingredients and stir just
until combined. Add cherries. Pour into muffin cups.
Top with remaining sugar. Bake 30 minutes.

Notes by Bethany : I often toast extra oats and save the rest in a
tupperware for the next time I want to make these. I
use regular (not toasted) wheat germ. I never sprinkle
the extra sugar on top.

HONEY WHEAT MUFFINS

HONEY WHEAT MUFFINS
Better Homes & Gardens New Cook Book

1 c. all purpose flour
1/2 c. whole wheat flour
2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1 egg, beaten
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. honey
1/4 c. oil
1/2 t. finely shredded lemon peel

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a mixing bowl stir
together both flours, baking powder and salt. Make a
well in the center.

In another bowl combine beaten egg, milk, honey, oil,
and lemon peel. Add egg mixture all at once to dry
mixture. Stir just till moistened (batter should be
lumpy). Grease muffin cups or line with paper bake
cups; fill 2/3 full. Bake 18-20 minutes or until
golden. Remove from pans; serve warm. Makes 12.

BRIGHT DAY BANANA MUFFINS

BRIGHT DAY BANANA MUFFINS
Pillsbury Cook Book
muffins
1 c. all purpose flour
3/4 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. sugar
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. nutmeg
1/2 c. mashed ripe banana
1/2 c. milk
1/3 c. oil
1 egg, slightly beaten

topping
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 t. cinnamon
2 T. butter, melted

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease bottoms only of
muffin cups or line with paper baking cups. In large
bowl, combine all dry ingredients for muffins; stir in
remaining muffin ingredients just until dry particles
are moistened. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake 18-22
minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove
from pan. In small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon
for topping. Brush muffin tops with butter and dip in
cinnamon/sugar mixture. Serve warm. Makes 12.

Buttermilk Biscuits

Buttermilk Biscuits
Martha Stewart Living, Feb 2007
Prep time: 5 min Total time: 35 min.
Makes 8

2 cups flour (I usually do about 1/3 all purpose and the rest whole wheat)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teas salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 c buttermilk, plus extra for brushing
1/2 c heavy cream

1. Preheat oven to 375*. Whisk together, flour, baking powder and soda, and salt. Cut in butter. Might need to use hands until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add liquids; stir to combine.
2. Turn out dough into a lightly floured surface, pat into 6 1/2-inch round (about 1 inch high.) I just tear sections out, about 2 1/2 inch rounds (she calls to use a cutter- but I don't have one.) Transfer to baking sheet lined w/ parchment paper, spacing about 1 inch apart. (I use stonewear and don't use any paper). Brush tops with buttermilk. Bake until tops are golden brown, 22 to 24 minutes. Transfer biscuits to a wire rack and cool. (If you use stonewear it will take a bit longer than the suggested time.)

Sour cream coffee Cake

Sour cream coffee Cake

Cream:
1/2c. shortening
3/4c. sugar

Beat and add 3 eggs

Add:
2c. flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
½ pint sour cream

Beat well

Topping:
(mix well)
6 TBSP soft butter
1c. brown sugar
3 TBSP flour
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
1/2c. nuts (optional)

Grease 10” bundt pan
Bake 350F-40 min
Cool 10 min-remove from pan

To Die For Blueberry Muffins

To Die For Blueberry Muffins

* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 3/4 cup white sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/3 cup vegetable oil
* 1 egg
* 1/3 cup milk
* 1 cup fresh blueberries
* 1/2 cup white sugar
* 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/4 cup butter, cubed
* 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners.
2. Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and baking powder. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups right to the top, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.
3. To Make Crumb Topping: Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking.
4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done.

Banana Crumb Muffins

Banana Crumb Muffins

* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 3 bananas, mashed
* 3/4 cup white sugar
* 1 egg, lightly beaten
* 1/3 cup butter, melted
* 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
* 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1 tablespoon butter

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease 10 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers.
2. In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
3. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

Quick Pizza Dough

Quick Pizza Dough
Recipe courtesy of Gourmet Magazine

2 to 2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4-ounce package fast acting yeast
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a large bowl whisk together 3/4 cup of flour, yeast, sugar, and 2/3 cup hot water (130 dgrees F). Stir in the oil, 1 1/4 cups of the remaining flour, and the salt and blend the mixture until it forms a dough. Knead the dough on a floured surface, incorporating as much of the remaining 1/4 cup flour as necessary to prevent the dough from sticking, for 5 to 10 minutes, or until it is smooth and elastic.
Alternatively, the dough may be made in a food processor. In a food processor combine 3/4 cup of the flour, yeast, and sugar. With the motor running, add 2/3 cup hot water (130 degrees F), and turn the motor off. Add the oil, 1 1/4 cups of the remaining flour, and the salt and process the mixture until it forms a ball, adding more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, if it is too dry, or more flour, 1 tablespoon at time, if it is too wet. Knead the dough by processing it for 15 seconds.
The dough, prepared by either method, may be used immediately, but for better flavor it is best to let it rise once. Put the dough in an oiled bowl and turn it to coat it with the oil. Let the dough rise, covered with plastic wrap, in a warm place for 30 minutes, or until it is double in bulk, and punch it down. This dough may be used instead of the basic pizza dough.


Recipe Summary
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Yield: Makes enough dough for one 14-

Sugar-Free Blueberry-Sour cream corn muffins

Sugar-Free Blueberry-Sour cream corn muffins

1c. all-purpose flour
3/4c cornmeal
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
1c sour cream
1/3c. thawed frozen unsweetened apple juice concentrate
1 1/2c fresh or frozen (not thawed) blueberries

Preheat oven to 400F. Grease 12 medium sized muffin cups or line with paper liners; set aside. Combine dry ingredients in medium bowl. Add combined egg, sour cream and apple juice concentrate; mix just until dry ingredients are moistened. Gently stir in blueberries. Spoon batter into prepared cups, filling each cup ¾ full. Bake 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand in pan on wire rack 5 minutes. Remove from pan; cool slightly.

Garlic Bread-baquette style

Garlic Bread


* 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
* 2 garlic cloves, very finely minced
* 1/4 cup freshly grated fresh flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
* 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt, or to taste
* 1 baguette, preferably sourdough


Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small saucepan, melt butter over a low heat until foamy. Add garlic, and simmer, 1 minute. Remove from heat, and let steep for 1 minute. Add parsley and salt; stir to combine.
2. Slice bread lengthwise almost all the way though, leaving one side uncut. Open baguette like a book, and evenly brush or spoon the butter mixture over the bread.
3. Close baguette, and slice bread diagonally into 2-inch pieces, leaving the bread still intact at the back of the loaf.
4. Transfer bread to a baking sheet. Bake until heated through and crisp on the outside, about 10 minutes. Serve hot.

No-Knead Bread

No-Knead Bread

This recipe for No-Knead Bread is courtesy of Jim Lahey of New York City's Sullivan Street Bakery and the New York Times.

Ingredients

Makes one 1 1/2-pound loaf .

* 3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, plus more for work surface
* 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
* 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
* Olive oil, as needed
* Cornmeal or wheat bran, as needed (optional)


Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, yeast, and salt. Add 1 1/2 cups water and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Coat a second large bowl with olive oil. Transfer dough to oiled bowl and cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, but preferably up to 18, in a room about 70 degrees in temperature. When surface is dotted with bubbles, dough is ready.
2. Lightly flour work surface. Place dough on work surface and sprinkle with more flour. Fold the dough over on itself once or twice. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.
3. Sprinkle just enough flour over work surface and your fingers to keep dough from sticking; quickly and gently shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour, cornmeal, or wheat bran; place dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, cornmeal, or wheat bran. Cover with a second cotton towel and let rise until it has more than doubled in size and does not readily spring back when poked with a finger, about 2 hours.
4. After about 1 1/2 hours, preheat oven to 500 degrees. Place a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot, such as cast-iron or Pyrex, in oven as it heats. When dough has fully risen, carefully remove pot from oven. Remove top towel from dough and slide your hand under the bottom towel; turn dough over into pot, seam side up. Shake pan once or twice if dough looks unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover, and bake 30 minutes. Uncover, and continue baking until browned, 15 to 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Garlic Bread-Martha Stewart

Garlic Bread
Martha Stewart

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, very finely minced
1/4 cup freshly grated fresh flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt, or to taste
1 baguette, preferably sourdough

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small saucepan, melt butter over a low heat until foamy. Add garlic, and simmer, 1 minute. Remove from heat, and let steep for 1 minute. Add parsley and salt; stir to combine.

Slice bread lengthwise almost all the way though, leaving one side uncut. Open baguette like a book, and evenly brush or spoon the butter mixture over the bread.

Close baguette, and slice bread diagonally into 2-inch pieces, leaving the bread still intact at the back of the loaf.

Transfer bread to a baking sheet. Bake until heated through and crisp on the outside, about 10 minutes. Serve hot.

Donna Davis Cinnamon Rolls

Donna Davis Cinnamon Rolls

2 c. lukewarm milk (scalded first then allowed to cool)
½ c. of sugar
2 TBSP salt
Mix above together. Dissolve 2 yeasts packets in mixture.
Stir in:
2 eggs
½ c. shortening. Stir until shortening is mixed in.
add: 7-7 ½ cups flour. Only knead lightly. If they are kneaded too long, they will turn out chewy like bread
Roll dough into oblong 9x18”. Spread with 2 TBSP butter and sprinkle with ½ c. of sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Bake at 350F

Corn Bread

Corn Bread
Laura Bodine

1 box Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
1 box Jiffy Yellow Cake Mix or 1/2 box any larger size yellow cake mix
Prepare both separately as directed on box. Fold batters together. Bake in greased 13x9" pan per instructions on cake box.
So easy, sweet and yummy. Very close to Marie Calendar's.

Buttermilk Cinnamon Bread

Buttermilk Cinnamon Bread
Submitted by: Aloma Robinson

'Cinnamon swirled through the batter gives this bread its pretty pattern', informs Aloma Robinson from Clarkston, Michigan. 'It looks so fancy yet is very simple. It freezes well, too.'

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 55 Minutes
Ready In: 1 Hour 10 Minutes
Yields: 32 servings

INGREDIENTS:
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 1/2 cups sugar, divided
2 cups buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon finely chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a small bowl, combine oil and 1-1/2 cups sugar. Add buttermilk and eggs; mix well. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fill two greased 8-in. x 4-in. x 2-in. or five 5-in. x 2-1/2-in. loaf pans about one-third full. Combine cinnamon and remaining sugar; sprinkle half over the batter. Top with remaining batter and cinnamon-sugar. Swirl batter with a knife. Sprinkle with nuts. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

MORNING GLORY MUFFINS

MORNING GLORY MUFFINS
Jayelgee – Sonlight Forums

2 c. flour
1 ¼ c. sugar
2 t. baking soda
2 t. cinnamon
½ t. salt
2 c. grated carrot
½ c. raisins
½ c. coconut
½ c. chopped pecans
1 apple, peeled and grated (I don't always peel the
apple)
3 eggs
1 – 1 ½ c. oil (I just use 1 c.)
2 t. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine dry ingredients.
Mix egg, oil and vanilla together. Combine with dry
ingredients. Fold in remaining ingredients. Bake
15-20 minutes.

Cream Cheese Pumpkin Muffins

Cream Cheese Pumpkin Muffins

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cloves
4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 pinch cardamom (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 cups pumpkin
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
8 ounces cream cheese - I found honey nut in a tub and highly recommend it. Regular cream cheese doesn't work as well as flavored. If you can find cheesecake flavored that would be good too.
chopped pumpkin seeds (optional) or walnuts (optional) or pecans (optional)


1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Put the entire brick of cream cheese on a piece of wax paper or parchment paper and shape it into a long log.
3. Put it in the freezer while you mix and fill the pans, up to an hour.
4. Unwrap and cut with a sharp knife so each cream cheese disk equals 1-2 teaspoons. If the cream cheese disks are too big around, cut thick slices and then cut them in half. This lets you push it down into the batter easier.
5. Mix all ingredients together (except cream cheese and nuts).
6. Fill muffin tins (greased or paper cups) half full.
7. Put cream cheese disc in the middle, pressing down.
8. Sprinkle with 1 tsp chopped nuts.
9. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean from the muffin part (do not touch the cream cheese!).
10. Let cool in pans for 5 minutes, then remove to racks to cool completely. Do not touch the cream cheese until it cools.

Turkey-Tail Rolls

Turkey-Tail Rolls
(Martha Stewart)

Makes 12
14 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, plus more for bowl and tin
1 1/4 cups warm (about 110 degrees) milk
1 envelope (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
3 tablespoons sugar
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
3 large eggs, lightly beaten

Butter a large bowl and a 12-cup standard muffin tin; set aside. Stir together 1/2 cup milk and the yeast in a bowl. Let stand until foamy, 5 minutes.

Bring remaining 3/4 cup milk to a simmer in a medium pan. Remove from heat. Add 6 tablespoons butter, the sugar, and salt; stir until butter melts. Set aside.

Put 4 1/2 cups flour into the bowl of an electric mixer. Make a well in the center, and pour in yeast mixture, butter mixture, and the eggs. Attach bowl to mixer fitted with the dough hook; mix on low speed until dough just comes together, about 2 minutes. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and no longer sticky, about 5 minutes, adding remaining cup flour as needed. Transfer to buttered bowl, turning to coat. Cover with a clean kitchen towel. Let rise in a warm, draft-free place until almost doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Punch down dough; let rest 10 minutes.

Divide dough in half; cover half with a towel. On a lightly floured surface, roll out remaining half to 1/4 inch thick. Cut to 12 by 9 1/2 inches, discarding scraps. Position short side of dough parallel to counter's edge. Cut crosswise into six 2-inch strips. Cut strips crosswise into 3 1/2-inch, 3 1/4-inch, and 2 3/4-inch pieces.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Melt remaining 8 tablespoons butter in a skillet. Brush all pieces of dough with melted butter; reserve some for brushing tops. Center and stack pieces from each strip, largest to smallest (you will have 6 stacks). Fold each stack in half lengthwise; fit, folded edge down, into a prepared muffin cup, making a V. Cover with a towel; let rise in a warm, draft-free place 30 minutes. Repeat process with remaining dough.
Brush melted butter over top of each roll. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Brush with more melted butter; serve hot or at room temperature.

Grandmother’s Buttermilk Cornbread

Grandmother’s Buttermilk Cornbread
(by Bethany Weathersby)

¼ lb butter
2/3 c. white sugar
2 eggs
1c. buttermilk
½ tsp baking soda
1c. cornmeal
1c. all-purpose flour
½ tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees, grease an 8” square pan.
2. Melt butter in large skillet. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Quickly add eggs and beat until well blended. Combine buttermilk with baking soda and stir into mixture in pan. Stir in cornmeal, flour, and salt until well blended and few lumps remain. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Garlic Bread

Garlic Bread
Matt Gault

3c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 3/4c. water
¼ tsp quick rise yeast
2 large cloves garlic sliced more if you like

Mix it all together and let sit for 18-24 hours. Heavily flour plastic wrap or some surface to let rise. Fold dough over on itself a few times to make a ball, let rise 2-3 hours. Dump whole mess in covered baking dish pre heated to 450f. Bake for 25 minutes, uncover baker5 minutes to brown.

Crock Pot Pizza

Crock Pot Pizza
Taste of Home
Cook time 3-4 hours

1 package (16oz) wide egg noodles
1-1/2 lb ground beef or turkey
¼ c. chopped onion
1 jar (26oz) spaghetti sauce
1 jar (4-1/2 oz) sliced mushrooms, drained
1-1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 package (3-1/2oz) sliced pepperoni, halved
3 cups (12 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese
3 cups (12oz) shredded cheddar cheese

Cook noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium hear until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce, mushrooms and Italian seasoning. Drain noodles.

In a slow cooker coated with nonstick cooking spray, spread a third of the meat sauce. Cover with a third of the noodles and pepperoni. Sprinkle with a third of the cheeses. Repeat layers twice. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours.

(I cooked for 4 hours and I thought it was too well done and a little dry. I think you could probably cook for 2 hours)

Chili Mac

Chili Mac
Taste of Home

1lb ground beef, cooked and drained
2 cans (15oz each) hot chili beans, undrained
2 large green peppers, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
4 celery ribs, chopped
1 can (8oz) tomato sauce
1 envelope chili seasoning
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 package (7oz) elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
salt and pepper to taste

In a slow cooker, combine the first eight ingredients; mix well. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or until heated through. Stir in macaroni; mix well. Season with salt and pepper.

BISCUIT-Y BELL PEPPER MUFFINS

BISCUIT-Y BELL PEPPER MUFFINS
~ Taste of Home – December 2008 & January 2009

1/2 c. butter
1/3 c. finely chopped green onions
1/3 c. finely chopped red bell pepper
1/4 c. finely chopped yellow bell pepper
2 eggs
2/3 c. sour cream
1 1/2 c. flour
2 T. sugar
1 1/2 t. baking powder
3/4 t. salt
1/2 t. dried basil
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. dried tarragon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small skillet, melt butter. Add onions and peppers; sauté until tender. Remove from heat; cool for five minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk eggs and sour cream. Stir in onion mixture until blended. In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Stir in sour cream mixture just until moistened.

Fill greased or paper-lined muffin tins two-thirds full. Bake 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Serve warm.

Notes by Bethany : Oh my! These are so delicious!! I didn’t use two separate bowls for mixing. I just added the dry ingredients on top of the wet ones, stirred a little with a fork, then mixed them with the wet ingredients. Perfect to serve with vegetable soup or Mexican dishes.

Clam Chowder

Clam Chowder
Bethany Weathersby
Here's the recipe that we love:

I use a cast iron dutch oven for this. I don't think this recipe would work in a crock pot, but you could probably make it and keep it warm for serving with a crock pot.

(We double this for our family of 6)

4 slices of bacon or salt pork. (I add extra)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced.
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cans (6 oz each) minced clams with liquid
1 cup bottled clam juice
1 cup half and half
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup whipping cream (optional, but we use it)
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley (I dont bother with this)

In a large heavy saucepan or skillet, saute bacon or pork until brown and crisp. Remove, drain and crumble. (I take grease out of pan if there is much)
In same skillet, saute chopped onion and potatoes for a couple of minutes. Sprinkle with flour.

Add clam juice from bottle and cans. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil. Simmer, stirring from time to time, until potatoes are soft, about 15 minutes.

Add half and half and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add minced clams and heat until simmering. Do NOT boil. Add whipping cream, if used. Sprinkle with parsley and bacon. Serve immediately.

(If I make this ahead of time, I add the clams and whipping cream right before serving, otherwise the clams get chewy and the cream separates.)

The notes on the recipe say that this can be made in the microwave, in 12 minutes. Be sure to stir a few times otherwise flour will stick. Add the clams at the last minute.

APPLE CINNAMON CARAMEL CRUMBLE

APPLE CINNAMON CARAMEL CRUMBLE
~ Shanna Browning

1 c. brown sugar
2 T. flour
1/2 t. cinnamon
4 c. (about 1 1/2 lb) peeled and thinly sliced apples

TOPPING
1 1/4 c. quick cooking oats
1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. butter, melted
1/2 c. brown sugar
caramel sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 8x8 pan. Combine first three ingredients. Add apples and toss to coat. Set aside.

Mix topping ingredients until crumbly. Spoon apple mix into pan and spread topping over the top. Bake 45 minutes or until apples are bubbly and top is golden brown. Drizzle with caramel sauce before serving.

Notes: This is excellent with vanilla ice cream! I also use whole wheat flour and it has so much sugar that it doesn't taste "healthy".

Pampered Chef Bean Dip

Pampered Chef Bean Dip

1 9 oz can bean dip (or just a can of regular refried beans)
4 oz cream cheese1
1/2 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp. taco seasoning
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup shredded cheese
1/2 med tomato
2 green onions
1/4 cup sliced olives
1 tbsp. fresh cilantro
additional sour cream

Preheat oven to 350. Place bean dip in bottom of dish, combine cream cheese, sour cream, and taco seasoning together. Spread over beans. Press garlic over cream cheese mixture. Grate cheese over top and bake for 15-10 mins. Add tomato, green onion, and olives on top. (Optional: You can add an additional layer of sour cream before the tomatoes if wanted). Serve with chips.

Baked Pita Chips

Baked Pita Chips
Pampered Chef

6 whole pita pocket bread rounds

Preheat oven to 400F. Split each pita pocket in half horizontally; cut each round into eight wedges. Arrange half of the pita wedges in a single layer on large round stone.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until chips are lightly browned and crisp. Remove from baking stone; cool completely. Repeat with reaming pita remaining pita wedges.

Hot Artichoke & Spinach Dip

Hot Artichoke & Spinach Dip
Pampered Chef

35 min | 10 min prep

SERVES 16

* 6 ounces marinated artichoke hearts, drained
* 9-11 ounces frozen creamed spinach, thawed
* 1/4 cup mayonnaise
* 1/4 cup sour cream
* 1 garlic clove, minced
* 1/2 cup fresh parmesan cheese, grated
* red bell pepper (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Coursely chop artichoke hearts and place into bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients except for the red bell pepper and mix well.
3. Spoon mixture into the small oval baker.
4. Bake 20-25 minutes until heated through. Garnish with diced red pepper if desired.

Hot Pizza Dip

Hot Pizza Dip
Pampered Chef

1 8 oz. package cream cheese softened
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
3/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 8 oz. can pizza sauce
2 tablespoons green pepper chopped
2 tablespoons green onions sliced

Preheat oven to 350° F. Combine cream cheese and Italian seasonings , spread onto a 8" mini-baker.

In a small bowl, combine mozzarella and parmesan. Sprinkle 1/2 on top of the cream cheese. Spread pizza sauce over the cheese mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Top with bell pepper and green onions.

Bake for 15-18 minutes. Serve with French bread or fresh vegetable dippers.

Fantastic Focaccia Bread

Fantastic Focaccia Bread
Pampered Chef

1 pkg. (10 oz.) refrigerated pizza crust
2 garlic cloves, pressed
2 C. shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
2 oz. Romano cheese grated, divided
2 tsp. dried oregano leaves, divided
2 firm plum tomatoes, sliced

Preheat oven to 375*F.

Roll pizza crust into a 12-inch circle on 13-inch baking stone using lightly floured pizza roller. Prick dough thoroughly with a fork before adding toppings. Press garlic; spread evenly over crust. Grate half of Romano cheese (1/3 cup) over crust. Sprinkle with 1-cup mozzarella cheese and 1 teaspoon oregano. Thinly slice tomatoes; arrange in single layer over cheese.

Top with remaining mozzarella cheese and oregano. Grate remaining Romano cheese over top. Bake 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Cut into squares; serve hot.

Tip: add onions, peppers and olives

Tangy Bacon Roll-Ups

Tangy Bacon Roll-Ups
Pampered Chef

2 (8 oz) cans whole water chestnuts (30 water chestnuts), drained

1 Tbls cider vinegar

1 (2.1 oz) pkg fully cooked bacon slices (15 slices)

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 garlic cloves

1/2 cup ketchup

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line Medium Bar Pan with an 11-inch piece of Parchment Paper; set aside. Drain water chestnuts using small Colander; set aside. Cut bacon slices crosswise in half using Kitchen Shears. Wrap bacon slice around each water chestnut; secure with a wooden pick.

In Small (2-qt) Saucepan, combine brown sugar, ketchup, vinegar, mustard and garlic pressed with Garlic Press. Bring to a boil over medium heat; reduce heat to medium-low and cook 5 minutes, or until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Carefully dip each wrapped water chestnut into sauce; gently tap against edge of saucepan to remove excess sauce and place on pan.

Bake 18-20 minutes or until sauce is thick and darkened. Remove pan from oven to Stackable Cooling Rack. Carefully remove water chestnuts to serving platter. Serve warm.

Makes 30 appetizers

Harvest Spiced Nuts

Harvest Spiced Nuts
Pampered Chef

Harvest Spiced Nuts
1 egg, separated
8 oz. pecan halves
1⁄2 c brown sugar
1⁄2 tsp Pantry Cinnamon Plus Spice Blend (can substitute Pumpkin Pie Spice)

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line Stoneware Bar Pan with an 11-inch piece of Parchment Paper. Using egg separator, separate egg into Classic Batter Bowl. (Reserve yolk for another use) Whip egg white using egg separator until frothy.
2) Add pecans to batter bowl. Toss to coat evenly with egg white using Mix N Scraper. Sprinkle brown sugar & Spice Blend over pecans; toss to coat evenly. Pour pecans out onto Parchment Paper separating into a single layer.
3) Bake 18-20 minutes or until nuts begin to brown. Remove pan from oven. Carefully slide Parchment with pecans onto Non-Stick Cooling rack. Cool completely. Place in serving dish or package into a festive container to give as a gift. Yield 4 cups Store in tightly sealed container at room temperature. Delicious to nibble, garnish or have with ice cream!

Spicy-Sweet Pretzel Mix

Spicy-Sweet Pretzel Mix
Martha Stewart

Prep: 10 minutes Total: 30 minutes

This crunchy bar snack goes great with Pomegranate Soda.

Ingredients

Serves 8.

* 2 cups thin pretzel sticks
* 1 cup natural almonds
* 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 2 tablespoons dark-brown sugar
* 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper


Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, toss together pretzels and almonds.
2. In a small saucepan, bring butter, sugar, cayenne, and 1 tablespoon water to a boil, stirring constantly. Pour over pretzel mixture in bowl; gently toss to combine.
3. Spread pretzel mixture in a single layer on prepared sheet. Bake until almonds are crisp, about 20 minutes, tossing occasionally. Cool on sheet before serving. (To store, keep at room temperature, up to 5 days.)

Taco-Seasoned Chex® Mix

Taco-Seasoned Chex® Mix

Tex-Mex meets Chex® in this easy snackin’ mix made with taco seasoning mix – yum!

Prep Time:10 min
Start to Finish:25 min
Makes:20 servings (1/2 cup each)


6 cups corn chex cereal
2 cups bite size cheese crackers
2 cups bite size pretzel twists
1 cup salted peanuts
3 TBSP vegetable oil
2 TBSP water
1 package (1.25 oz) Old El Paso Taco seasoning mix

Oven Directions: Heat oven to 250°F. In ungreased large roasting pan, mix cereals, crackers, pretzels and peanuts. In small bowl, stir together oil, water and taco seasoning mix. Pour over cereal mixture, stirring until evenly coated. Bake uncovered 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread on waxed paper or foil to cool, about 15 minutes. Store in airtight container.

In large microwavable bowl, mix cereals, crackers, pretzels and peanuts.

In small bowl, stir together oil, water and taco seasoning mix. Pour over cereal mixture, stirring until evenly coated.

Microwave uncovered on High about 5 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes, until mixture begins to brown. Spread on waxed paper or foil to cool, about 15 minutes. Store in airtight container.

Spicy Fries

Spicy Fries
Recipe courtesy Sandra Lee

2 tablespoons taco seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1 (26-ounce) bag frozen crispy French fries

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Combine taco seasoning and salt; set aside.

On baking sheets make a single layer of French fries. Bake until golden brown, about 12 minutes and season with the spicy salt mixture. Serve with chili dogs.

Optional: When serving alongside chili dogs, scoop a spoonful of chili and a sprinkle of cheese on the fries for a delicious treat.


Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Yield: 8 servings

Peanut Butter Granola Balls

Peanut Butter Granola Balls
Martha Stewart

Ingredients

Makes 24.

* 1/3 cup honey
* 1/4 cup natural peanut butter
* 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 1 cup crisp rice cereal
* 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
* 1/4 cup dried fruit


Directions

1. In a small saucepan over medium, heat honey, peanut butter, and butter. Stir until loosened and smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in cereal, oats, and dried fruit.
2. Drop mixture by the tablespoon into mini paper cupcake or candy liners. Place on a rimmed baking sheet, and refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes. To store, refrigerate in an airtight container up to 1 week.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Blue Cheese and Walnut Spread

Blue Cheese and Walnut Spread
Martha Stewart

This spread is also delicious served on apple or pear wedges. Rub them first with lemon juice to prevent discoloration.

Ingredients

* 4-ounce bar of cream cheese, room temperature
* 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
* Coarse salt and ground pepper
* 4 ounces (1 cup) cold crumbled blue cheese, such as Stilton
* Crackers or crostini, for serving


Directions

1. In a medium bowl, stir cream cheese with a wooden spoon until softened. Mix in walnuts; season with salt and pepper. Gently fold in blue cheese, breaking up as little as possible. Transfer mixture to a small bowl; smooth top. Serve with crackers or crostini. To store: Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate, up to 1 week.

Cheddar Carrot Balls

Cheddar Carrot Balls
Martha Stewart

These cheddar-carrot balls are perfect as an after-school snack that's fun for kids -- and a guilty pleasure for adults.

Ingredients

Serves 4.

* 4 ounces cold cream cheese (1/2 bar)
* 2 ounces yellow cheddar cheese, finely grated (1 cup loosely packed)
* 1 carrot, finely grated (1/2 cup)


Directions

1. In a medium bowl, with a wooden spoon, combine cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and carrot. With moistened hands, gently form 12 balls, each equal to 1 level tablespoon of mixture. Serve or refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap, up to 2 days.

Tomato & Basil Finger Sandwiches

Tomato & Basil Finger Sandwiches

4 slices whole-wheat bread
8 tsp reduced-fat mayonnaise, divided
4 thick slices tomato
4 tsp sliced fresh basil
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper

Cut bread into rounds slightly larger than your tomato-a biscuit cutter works well. Spread each slice with 2 tsp mayonnaise. Top with tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper.

Avocado Tea Sandwiches

Avocado Tea Sandwiches
(Makes 4 sandwiches)

1 ripe avocado, sliced
1 TBSP reduced-fat mayonnaise
½ tsp lemon juice
1/8 tsp cracked black pepper
8 very thin slices wheat bread
2oz thinly sliced smoked salmon
12 thin slices European cucumber

Combine mayonnaise, lemon juice and pepper in a small bowl. Thinly spread on bread and top with salmon, avocado and cucumber.

Cheese Fondue Recipe

Cheese Fondue Recipe

5 c. processed Swiss American cheese
2 c. water, 1 cup Sauterne (Chablis) wine
1 tsp. garlic powder, 1 Tbsp butter
¼ tsp. accent, dash white pepper, dash nutmeg
½ loaf Rye bread, ½ loaf French bread

Grate cheese. Bring water, wine, butter and seasoning to a boil. Then add cheese and set into double boiler. (use stainless steel or ceramic pot)

Stir thoroughly with wooden spoon until cheese melts into a smooth heavy sauce. (if fondue seems too thick add more wine, if too thin add more cheese)

Dice bread into 2 inch squares and brown lightly in oven.

Note: must use a double boiler or cheese will burn.

Scalloped Potatoes

Scalloped Potatoes
Taste of Home

3 tbsp butter, divided
1tbsp flour
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1-1/2 c. milk
4 cups thinly sliced peeled potatoes (about 2lbs)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 small green pepper, finely chopped
½ c. dry bread crumbs
¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese

In a small saucepan, melt 2 tbsp butter, stir in flour, salt and pepper. Gradually stir in milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

In a greased 1 -1/2qt baking dish, arrange half the potatoes, onion and green pepper in layers; cover with half of the sauce. Repeat layers. Cover and bake at 350F for 35 minutes.

Melt remaining butter; combine with bread crumbs and sprinkle over potatoes. Bake uncovered about 40 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Let stand about 5 minutes before serving.
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MY NOTES::::: I add 1 can of cream of mushroom to the milk mixture after it comes off the stove. I also tend to double this recipe. The last thing is that it took me about 1 hr 45 minutes to have the potatoes soft and I let it sit for about 20 minutes before serving. I took this to an event and everyone loved them.

Heather Sowa Bean Dip

Heather Sowa Bean Dip

Refried beans
Cream cheese
Velveta
Salsa

Due 1 part to 1 part
Melt velveta and cream cheese in microwave or crock pot. Put all together in crock pot and turn on

Li'l Smoky Cheese Ball

Li'l Smoky Cheese Ball

This recipe for a li'l smoky cheese ball is from "I Like You," by Amy Sedaris.

Ingredients

Makes one cheese ball.

* 2 cups shredded smoked Gouda cheese, room temperature
* 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, room temperature
* 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
* 2 tablespoons milk
* 2 teaspoons steak sauce
* 1 cup toasted chopped walnuts or pecans
* Crackers, for serving


Directions

1. Place Gouda, cream cheese, butter, milk, and steak sauce in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment; mix until well combined. Transfer mixture to refrigerator; let chill overnight. Roll cheese mixture into a ball. Place nuts in a shallow dish. Roll cheese ball in nuts to fully coat. Serve with crackers.

Martha's Cheddar Cheese Ball

Martha's Cheddar Cheese Ball
Martha Stewart

Martha's cheddar cheese ball makes an ideal appetizer for any party.

Ingredients

Makes 1 cheese ball.

* 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, room temperature
* 2 packages cream cheese (8 ounces each), room temperature
* 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
* 2 tablespoons milk
* 2 tablespoons mango chutney
* 1 cup toasted pecans
* Crackers, for serving


Directions

1. Place cheddar, cream cheese, butter, milk, and chutney in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment; mix until well combined. Transfer mixture to refrigerator; let chill overnight. Roll cheese mixture into a ball. Place pecans in a shallow dish. Roll cheese ball in pecans to fully coat. Serve with crackers.

Apple Brickle Dip

Apple Brickle Dip

1 pkg (8oz) cream cheese
1/2c packed brown sugar
1/4c powder sugar
1tsp vanilla
1 pkg almond brickle chips or English toffee bits
Apples

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugars, and vanilla. Fold in brickle chips. Serve with apples. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Guacamole

Guacamole

Ingredients

Serves 6.

* 3 ripe avocados, coarsely chopped
* 1/2 cup minced white onion
* 1 jalapeno chile, (seeds and ribs removed), minced
* 1 plum tomato, seeded and diced
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
* 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
* Coarse salt
* Tortilla Chips, for serving


Directions

1. Place onion in a small bowl. Add enough cold water to cover. Let soak 20 minutes; drain.
2. In a bowl, combine avocados, onion, jalapeno, tomato, cilantro, and lime juice. Season with salt, and mix to combine, mashing slightly. Serve with tortilla chips.

The original Chex Party Mix

The original Chex Party Mix

6TBSP butter
2 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
1 ½ tsp seasoned salt
¾ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
3 c. Corn chex cereal
3 c. Rice Chex cereal
3 c. Wheat chex cereal
1 c. mix nuts
1c. pretzels
1c. garlic-flavor bite size bagel chips or regular-size bagel chips

Heat oven to 250F. In ungreased large roasting pan, melt butter in oven. Stir in seasonings. Gradually stir in remaining ingredients until evenly coated.

Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Cheese ball

Cheese ball
Louann Snowley

2 8oz cream cheese
1 3oz cream cheese
1 jar old English
1 jar roqua cheese
1 Tbsp worchestire sauce
1 small onion grated

soften to room temp, blend, divide into 2 balls and roll in walnuts, finely chopped. Wrap in saran wrap. Store in refrigerator