Easy Karo Pecan Pie

My dad always requests a pecan pie for his Birthday. I have used this recipe several times and it makes a perfect pecan pie. My dad loves it and he is the expert!

Ingredients:

3 Eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup Karo light or dark corn syrup
1 cup Sugar
2 tablespoons Margarine, melted
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 1/2 cup Pecan halves
1 (9") unbaked pie shell

Directions:

In a large bowl, stir first 5 ingredients until well blended. Stir in pecans. Pour into pie shell. Bake in 350 degree oven 50 to 55 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between center and edge comes out clean. Cool.

www.cdkitchen.com

Creamed Cauliflower

I am always looking for new ways to cook vegetables. This was quite good and very easy. We don't have cauliflower often, but I think we will try this again soon.

Ingredients:

1 medium head cauliflower, broken into florets (about 7 cups)
1-1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs, divided
1 cup half-and-half cream
1 tablespoon butter
Minced fresh parsley, optional

Directions:

Place cauliflower in a saucepan; add 1 in of water and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 6-7 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain.
Grease the bottom and sides of a 2-qt. baking dish; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons bread crumbs. Add cauliflower. Pour cream over top. Dot with butter; sprinkle with remaining salt and bread crumbs.

Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until cauliflower is tender. Garnish with parsley if desired. Yield: 6-8 servings.


Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 cup) equals 97 calories, 5 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 19 mg cholesterol, 552 mg sodium, 10 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 3 g protein.

www.tasteofhome.com

Chocolate Pecan Caramels

All I can say is YUM!!!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon plus 1 cup butter, softened, divided
1-1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans, toasted
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

Line a 13-in. x 9-in. pan with foil; butter the foil with 1 tablespoon butter. Sprinkle with pecans and chocolate chips; set aside.

In a heavy saucepan, melt remaining butter over medium heat. Add the brown sugar, corn syrup and water. Cook and stir until mixture comes to a boil. Stir in milk.

Cook, stirring constantly, until a candy thermometer reads 248° (firm-ball stage).

Remove from heat and add vanilla. Pour into prepared pan (do not scrape saucepan). Cool completely before cutting. Yield: about 2-1/2 pounds (about 6-3/4 dozen).


Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (2 each) equals 190 calories, 10 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 16 mg cholesterol, 76 mg sodium, 26 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 1 g protein.

www.tasteofhome.com

Chocolate Surprise Cookies

If you like Reese's Peanut Butter cups, you will love these cookies. The surprise is the peanut butter in the middle.

Ingredients

3/4 cup Jif® Peanut Butter
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

CHOCOLATE DOUGH:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup Jif® Peanut Butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg white
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

ICING:

2 tablespoons shortening
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 to 2 tablespoons milk

Directions:

In a large bowl, beat peanut butter and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Roll into thirty 3/4-in. balls. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in another bowl, cream butter, peanut butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg white and vanilla. Combine flour, cocoa and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture until blended. Roll into thirty 1-1/2-in. balls.
Using floured hands, flatten chocolate balls and shape one around each peanut butter ball, sealing edges. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets.

Flatten with a glass dipped in sugar. Bake at 375° for 7-9 minutes or until cookies are set and tops are cracked. Cool for 1 minute. Before removing to wire racks.

For icing, in a small bowl, beat shortening and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Beat in vanilla and enough milk to reach spreading consistency. Spoon into a resealable plastic bag or pastry bag; cut a small hole in corner of bag. Pipe icing over cookies in a zigzag pattern. Yield: 2-1/2 dozen.


Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (2 each) equals 333 calories, 17 g fat (6 g saturated fat), 16 mg cholesterol, 191 mg sodium, 42 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 6 g protein.

www.tasteofhome.com

Amish Brown Sugar Ham Steak and Scalloped Potato Skillet

We were given a ham for Christmas and though I don't like ham very much, I really enjoyed this recipe.

Ingredients:

1 lb slice of ready-to-eat ham
1 tablespoon margarine (we used to call it oleo!)
1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 (10 1/2 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
2/3 cup evaporated milk (small can)
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3 cups thinly sliced potatoes
1 cup sliced raw carrot

Directions:

In 10" skillet brown ham in oleo and brown sugar. Remove ham, pour off fat (usually not necessary).

Mix in same skillet, the soup, milk, water, onion, salt & pepper. Stir in 3 c thinly sliced potatoes and carrots.

Cover, cook over low heat stirring now and then, until veggies are tender, about 35 minutes. Lift veggies from the bottom so they don't stick.

Place whole ham slice or cut in serving size pieces and place on top of veggies. Cover and cook about 10 minutes more.

Servings: 5

www.recipezaar.com

Popcorn Caramel Crunch

I ran out of caramel corn, so I was looking for a quick recipe and found this one. Wow, was it good, our party guests couldn't stop eating it. I threw in some of my left over Captain Crunch, peanuts, cashews, and pecans along with the popcorn. My father doesn't like raisins, so I left those out, but I am sure they would tasted great as well.


Ingredients:

4 cups popped popcorn
1 cup dry roasted peanuts
1 cup chow mein noodles
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter, cubed
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

In a large greased bowl, combine the popcorn, peanuts, noodles and raisins; set aside.

In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, butter, corn syrup and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture reaches soft-crack stage (270°-290°) with a candy thermometer.

Remove from the heat. Stir in cinnamon.

Pour over popcorn mixture; stir until evenly coated. Immediately pour onto a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. pan.

When cool enough to handle, break into pieces. Store in airtight containers.

Yield: about 8 cups.


Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 cup) equals 496 calories, 29 g fat (12 g saturated fat), 46 mg cholesterol, 419 mg sodium, 58 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 6 g protein.

www.tasteofhome.com

Hot Crab & Shrimp Fondue

We had an appetizer at Uno's restaurant the other night and loved it, so I searched the web to see if I could find a similar recipe. This one was very good. We served it for a Christmas party. We made a bread bowl out of a round loaf of bread and I just cut up the inside of the bowl and toasted it with butter for the bread to dip. I baked the fondue for 20 minutes in a dish, then transferred it to the bread bowl for the final 10. I then turned on the broiler to brown it up at the end. Very easy and delicious, a real hit!

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened

1 small can artichoke hearts, coarsley chopped (optional)

1/4 pound shrimp, cut in bite-size pieces

1/4 pound crab meat, drained

1 small onion, finely diced

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/8 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon prepared horseradish

1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning salt

Ground white pepper, to taste

Mix all ingredients together and pour into a casserole dish. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees until bubbly, about 20-30 minutes. Serve hot with toasted French bread.

http://www.recipelink.com/mf/14/17420

Christmas Cookies

Tis the season for holiday baking. Here are some great recipes to try. Most of them make plenty to save some for your family and to make cute cookie trays for friends (see above) with the rest. There is no better way to get in the holiday spirit than to bake cookies with your family, as far as I am concerned!

Cinnamon Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 cup finely chopped pecans, optional
colored sugar

Directions:

In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugars and oil. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. Add flour, salt, baking soda, cream of tartar and cinnamon. Stir in the pecans if desired. Cover and refrigerated for 3 hours or until easy to handle.

Roll into 1-in. balls. Place on greased baking sheets; flatten with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar. Sprinkle with colored sugar if desired.

Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes or until set.

Yield: about 8 dozen.


Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (2 each) equals 144 calories, 9 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 19 mg cholesterol, 117 mg sodium, 15 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 1 g protein.

www.tasteofhome.com

Peanut Butter Blossoms:

Combine together:
1 cup butter
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar

Combine & mix with above:
1/4 cup milk
2 eggs

Add to rest of ingredients:
2 tsp. vanilla
3 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda

Chill for 1 hour.

Roll into 1 inch balls then roll in a bowl of sugar. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 350*-375* for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and press a Hershey Kiss into the center. Return to oven and bake for 3 more min.

Recipe by Nancy George


Bark Cookies

2 1/2 lbs. white bark
3 cups rice Krispies
3 cups Captain Crunch Peanut Butter cereal
2 - 3 cups miniature marshmallows
2 cups salted nuts

Melt bark in the microwave. Pour over dry mixture. Mix well. Drop on waxed paper. Let harden. Break apart into pieces.

Recipe by Judy Greig


Chewy Caramel Bars

32 Kraft caramels
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 cup flour
3/4 cup quick oats
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. soda
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup butter
1 6 oz. package semi-sweet chocolate chips

Melt caramels with milk in heavy saucepan over low heat (or in microwave for 3 minutes stirring every minute) until smooth.

Combine dry ingredients. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve 1 cup. Press remaining crumb mixture into the bottom of a greased 13x9 inch pan. Bake at 350* for 12 minutes.

Remove pan and sprinkle chocolate chips over baked crust. Spread caramel mixture evenly over chocolate chips. Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture. Return to oven and bake for 20 more minutes. Cool.

Recipe by Pat Salvan


Butterscotch Cashew Bars

Ingredients:

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, softened
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-3/4 teaspoons salt

TOPPING:

1 package (10 to 11 ounces) butterscotch chips
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
3 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons water
2-1/2 cups salted cashew halves

Directions:

In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Combine flour and salt; add to creamed mixture just until combined.

Press into a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the butterscotch chips, corn syrup, butter and water. Cook and stir over medium heat until chips are butter are melted.
Spread over crust. Sprinkle with cashews; press down lightly. Bake for 11-13 minutes or until topping is bubbly and lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

Yield: 3-1/2 dozen.


Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 each) equals 199 calories, 13 g fat (6 g saturated fat), 16 mg cholesterol, 228 mg sodium, 20 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 3 g protein.

www.tasteofhome.com

Carmel Corn

I needed to bring snacks for a couple of Christmas events that are coming up. Since I knew most people would be bringing cookies, I decided to make Christmas bags of Carmel Corn. I picked up the bags at the Dollar Store and filled them with the corn. They turned out really cute.

Ingredients:

4 bags of popped corn, make sure to remove any unpopped kernels.

3 cups brown sugar

3 sticks of butter

3/4 cup Kero syrup

dash of salt

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

Directions:

Bring sugar, Kero, butter, and salt to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Add baking soda and stir well.

Pour mixture over popcorn. Mix to cover all the popcorn. Use a large baking pan or roaster.

Bake about 1 1/2 hour at 200* stirring every 15 minutes.

Cool and break apart large pieces. Store in a covered container.

Gail Matthews' recipe

General Tso's Chicken

We love take out General Tso's and have always wondered if we could make it at home, so last night we tried this recipe. It was actually quite good. We did not add the hot peppers because we do not like ours spicy. We also added broccoli and some cashews. If you like Chinese, give this recipe a try.

Ingredients:

Sauce:

1/2 cup cornstarch (corn flour)

1/4 cup water

1+1/2 tsp minced garlic

1+1/2 tsp minced ginger root

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup cooking wine

1+1/2 cup hot chicken broth

1 tsp monosodium glutamate (optional)

Meat:

3 lbs deboned dark chicken meat, cut into large chunks

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 tsp white pepper

1 egg

1 cup cornstarch (corn flour)

Vegetable oil for deep-frying

2 cups sliced green onions

16 small dried hot peppers

Directions:

Mix 1/2 cup cornstarch with water. Add garlic, ginger, sugar, 1/2 cup soy sauce, vinegar, wine, chicken broth and MSG (if desired). Stir until sugar dissolves. Refrigerate until needed. In separate bowl, mix chicken, 1/4 cup soy sauce and white pepper. Stir in egg. Add 1 cup cornstarch and mix until chicken pieces are coated evenly. Add cup of vegetable oil to help separate chicken pieces. Divide chicken into small quantities and deep-fry at 350 degrees until crispy. Drain on paper towels. Place a small amount of oil in wok and heat until wok is hot. Add onions and peppers and stir-fry briefly. Stir sauce and add to wok. Place chicken in sauce and cook until sauce thickens.

www.chinesefooddiy.com

Homemade Brownies

Have you ever felt like brownies, but didn't have a package in your cupboard to take out and make? I used to think you needed a package to make just about anything, but boy was I wrong. This brownie recipe is easy and delicious, probably better than any mix I've tried. I added caramel chips for a twist. These were really gooey and needed about 40 minutes, not 25, to cook. They may not look perfect, but they tasted great!

Ingredients:

3/4 c. flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

2 c. sugar

1/2 c. cocoa (level)

1 c. oil

2 tsp. vanilla

4 eggs

1 c. nuts, chopped

Directions:

Mix dry ingredients together. Add oil, eggs and vanilla. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Best when on the chewy side.

http://www.cooks.com/

Sweet and Sour Pork Loin

There is nothing quite like a crockpot meal. This was delicious. I cooked the pork long enough that it fell apart and was like pulled pork. I was nervous about the vinegar, but it mixed beautifully with the other ingredients. You could add any vegetables you wanted, water chestnuts would be good and I threw in some cashews. Very easy to make and yummy!


This is a slow cooker recipe.

Ingredients:

1 lb pork loin
1 can crushed pineapple
1 cup water
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 tsp soy

To Thicken:

2 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup water

Directions:

In a crockpot or slow cooker, mix pineapple, water, salt, sugar, vinegar, ketchup, and soy. Place pork loin in cooker and cover with mixture. Cook on high for 4 hours. Add 2 tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup water, stir. Cook another hour. In the meantime, saute fresh broccoli with onions and garlic in olive oil. Prepare rice.

When ready to serve, mix in broccoli and serve over a bed of rice.

Cheesy Tuna Noodle Casserole

I have always liked a good tuna noodle casserole. This one is totally different from any I have tried. This was the second time I made it, but the first time I made some alterations that we really liked. Instead of the cheddar cheese soup, I used cream of chicken and 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese. Instead of bread crumbs on top, I used crushed potato chips and then sprinkled shredded cheese over the top. Either way, this is a great tuna casserole.

Ingredients:

1 (12 ounce) package egg noodles
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1 (11 ounce) can condensed cream of Cheddar cheese soup
1 (6 ounce) can tuna, drained
1/4 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil; place noodles in water and bring to boil again. Cook until al dente; drain well.

3. While noodles are cooking saute in a medium size saucepan vegetable oil, onion, green and red bell peppers. Saute until tender.

4. Pour soup, tuna, milk, salt and black pepper into the saucepan. Mix well over medium-low heat.

5. Fold the noodles into the saucepan.

6. Pour entire mixture into a 2 quart casserole. Sprinkle bread crumbs over the mixture. Bake 20 to 30 minutes or until the top is crisp and golden brown.

Nutrition Information:
Servings Per Recipe: 6
Calories: 381

Amount Per Serving:
Total Fat: 12g
Cholesterol: 68mg
Sodium: 604mg
Total Carbs: 49.4g
Dietary Fiber: 2.9g
Protein: 18.5g


ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2009 Allrecipes.com Printed from Allrecipes.com 12/2/2009

Gravy Baked Pork Chops

I always struggle to find ways to cook pork chops. This was a great recipe that kept the chops moist and was just plain comfort food. I sauteed the pork chops with onions and a little garlic to add flavor. There was plenty of gravy left over to put on mashed potatoes. Scott said it tasted like a meal you would get at Cracker Barrel.

Ingredients:

4 (1 1/4 inch thick) pork chops
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon butter
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup water
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Season pork chops with salt and pepper to taste. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Saute the pork chops in the butter for about 5 minutes per side.

3. In a separate medium bowl, combine the milk, water and soup. Place the pork chops in a 9x13 inch baking dish and pour the soup mixture over the chops.

4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes.

Nutrition Information:

Servings Per Recipe: 4
Calories: 260
Amount Per Serving:
Total Fat: 14.9g
Cholesterol: 71mg
Sodium: 628mg
Total Carbs: 7.8g
Dietary Fiber: 0.2g
Protein: 22.6g

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2009 Allrecipes.com Printed from Allrecipes.com 12/2/2009

Frozen Pumpkin Mousse Pie

I decided I wanted to try something a little different for Thanksgiving this year, so instead of the traditional pumpkin pie, I made this frozen mousse. I thought it would be too sweet, but it wasn't. It was quite light. Very easy to make, especially if you use a ready made graham cracker crust. I don't know if I would replace the traditional pumpkin pie for it, however, but it was good if you like pumpkin.

Crust:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
6 tbsp butter, melted

Directions:

In a bowl, combine cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and butter. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of a greased 9 inch pie plate. Bake at 350* for 7-9 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely on wire rack.

Filling:

1 can (15 ounces) solid pack pumpkin
1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow creme
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 carton (12 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided

Directions:

For filling, in a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin, marshmallow creme, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice. Fold in 3 1/2 cups whipped topping. Spoon into prepared crust. Cover and freeze for at least 4 hours or until firm. Garnish with remaining whipped topping.

Servings: 8-10


Taste of Home: Halloween Party Favorites

Savory Crescent Chicken Squares & Orange-Glazed Carrots

This was a fun and easy dinner to make. The Chicken Squares looked great and tasted wonderful. Though the carrots were naughty, they were delicious and a great way to get a picky eater to eat vegetables. It probably could have used another side like rice or potatoes, to improve the plate appeal. I will definitely make this again.

Savory Crescent Chicken Squares:

Ingredients:

1 package (3 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon butter, softened
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives or onion
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon chopped pimientos, if desired
1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls or 1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations® refrigerated seamless dough sheet
1 tablespoon butter, melted
3/4 cup seasoned croutons, crushed

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. In medium bowl, mix cream cheese and 1 tablespoon softened butter; beat until smooth. Add chicken, chives, salt, pepper, milk and pimientos; mix well.

2. Separate or cut dough into 4 rectangles. If using crescent dough, firmly press perforations to seal. Spoon 1/2 cup chicken mixture onto center of each rectangle. Pull 4 corners of dough to center of chicken mixture; twist firmly. Pinch edges to seal. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Brush tops of sandwiches with 1 tablespoon melted butter; sprinkle with crushed croutons.

3. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Servings: 4

www.pillsbury.com


Orange-Glazed Carrots

Ingredients:

16 oz. package baby carrots
1/2 cup orange juice
5 tbsp. brown sugar, packed
2 tbsp. butter
1/8 tsp. salt

Directions:

Place carrots in a medium saucepan. Cover with water and boil until tender. Drain and return to saucepan. Add orange juice to saucepan; simmer until juice is nearly evaporated. Stir in remaining ingredients; heat until butter is melted and mixture is well blended.

Servings: 4-6

Gooseberry Patch: Almost Homemade

Technical Difficulties

I apologize for the absence of recipes the last couple of weeks. My computer has been on the fritz. I will add photos to the recently posted recipes as soon as I am able. Thank you for your patience!

Quick Tomato-Basil Pasta with Fresh Mozzarella

The other night my kitchen was barren and I really didn't feel like take out, so I used the recipe finder here on my blog and typed in pasta. I added the ingredients tomatoes, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese and here is the recipe I found. Though I had to make some modifications due to my depleted kitchen, this was amazing. Scott kept telling me over and over how good it was. The major modifications I made were to use bowtie pasta and grated mozzarella cheese. I would definitely recommend this!

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes
5 tablespoons fresh basil, roughly chopped
1/4 teaspoon sugar
table salt
1 lb fusilli
8 ounces fresh mozzarella balls, mini, drained and cut in half
1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:

1. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot.

2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil, garlic, and pepper flakes in medium saucepan over medium heat until fragrant but not brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in crushed and diced tomatoes, bring to simmer, and cook until slightly thickened, 15-20 minutes. Stir in 3 tablespoons basil, sugar and 1/2 teaspoons salt.

3. Add 1 tablespoons salt and pasta to boiling water. Cook until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking water, drain pasta, and transfer back to pot. Stir in sauce and remaining tablespoons oil, and cook over medium heat until heated through (adding reserved water if pasta seems dry), about 1 minute. Stir in mozzarella and season with salt. Serve, sprinkling with remaining 2 tablespoons basil and Parmesan.

Servings: 4

Serving Size 1 (494g)

Recipe makes 4 servings

Nutrition Information:

Calories 802
Calories from Fat 246 (30%)
Amount Per Serving %DV
Total Fat 27.4g 42%
Saturated Fat 10.7g 53%
Monounsaturated Fat 12.1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2.5g
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 52mg 17%
Sodium 1137mg 47%
Potassium 1017mg 29%
Total Carbohydrate 107.0g 35%
Dietary Fiber 8.1g 32%
Sugars 14.1g
Protein 33.3g 66%

www.recipezaar.com

Pumpkin Patch Torte

This is a lovely cake for fall. It is light and the frosting is not too sweet. I could not imagine being able to cut the cake widthwise into thirds, so I cut it in half and made four layers. I also didn't bother with the green frosting for vines, I just used candy pumpkins to decorate.


Ingredients:

1 can (15 ounces solid-pack pumpkin
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
4 eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt

Frosting:

1 cup maple syrup
2 egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
3 drops green food coloring
1 drop yellow food coloring

Candy pumpkins

Directions:

1. Line a greased 15x10x1 inch baking pan with waxed paper; grease the paper. In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin, sugars, eggs, and oil until well blended. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt; gradually add to pumpkin mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan.

2. Bake at 350* for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely. Carefully remove waxed paper.

3. For frosting, in a large heavy saucepan over low heat, combine the syrup, egg whites, and cream of tartar. With a portable mixer, beat on low speed for 1 minute. Continue beating until the frosting reaches 160#, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Beat on high speed until frosting forms stiff peaks, about 7 minutes. Remove 1/4 cup frosting to a small bowl; tint with green and yellow food coloring and set aside.

4. Cut cake widthwise into thirds. Place one layer on cake plate. Spread with 1/3 of the frosting. Repeat layers. Arrange pumpkins on cake; add vines with reserved green frosting.


Taste of Home: Halloween

Recipes for Adults and Children with Cystic Fibrosis

Individuals with Cystic Fibrosis require a high fat, high calorie diet. Unlike most people who are worried about losing weight, those of us with CF need to worry about maintaining and often gaining weight. Here is a site with some good high calorie/fat recipes to try.

http://kidshealth.org/kid/recipes/cf_recipes/about_cf_recipes.html

These high-calorie recipes are especially for kids with cystic fibrosis (CF). Kids with CF may need additional calories to meet their nutritional needs. Check out these delicious recipes:

Alfredo Pesto Pasta
Bacon and Cheddar Cheese Quiche
Bacon Cheeseburger
Bacon Mushroom Chicken
Baked Beans
Baked Creamy Chicken
Beef Stroganoff
Broccoli Salad
Cheesecake Squares
Cheesy Mashed Potatoes
Coleslaw
Creamy Chicken Fettuccine
Dirt Pudding
Enchilada Casserole
Italian Burgers
Macaroni and Cheese
Mashed Potatoes
Mighty Milk
Milkshake
PB&J French Toast
Powerful Oatmeal
Sausage Meatballs
Scalloped Potatoes
Shepherd's Pie
Southern-Style Beef Pie
Strawberry Banana Smoothie
Sweet Potato Casserole
Tex-Mex Sausage and Scrambled Eggs
Trail Mix
Yummy Chicken

Black Halloween Punch

I was looking for a fun punch for Hannah's Halloween Birthday Party and found this at allrecipes.com. It turned out great and the kids really liked it! I used orange and grape sweetened Kool-Aid, so I didn't add sugar. I also put orange Kool-Aid into the glove and added gummy worms before freezing, that made it look spookier. It was very easy, but creepy and fun!

Ingredients:

1 (.13 ounce) envelope unsweetened grape soft drink mix
1 (.13 ounce) envelope unsweetened orange soft drink mix
2 cups white sugar
3 quarts cold water
1 liter ginger ale

Directions:

1.To make a frozen hand, wash a disposable glove, fill with water, seal with a rubber band and freeze until hard.

2.Stir together grape soft drink mix, orange soft drink mix, sugar and water until solids are dissolved. Combine with chilled ginger ale just before serving. Dip the frozen hand briefly in warm water, then peel off the glove. Float the prepared hand in the punch bowl for a ghastly effect.

www.allrecipes.com

Kitty Litter Cake

This was the most disgusting, yet yummy, cake I have ever made. It was a huge hit at my daughter's Halloween party, but even the kids had a hard time taking that first bite. What an easy cake to make and it definitely looked like a litter box. If you have kids, they will love this!!!

Ingredients:

1 (18.25 ounce) package German chocolate
cake mix
1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix
2 (3.5 ounce) packages instant vanilla (I think one would probably be enough)
pudding mix 1 (12 ounce) package vanilla sandwich
cookies
3 drops green food coloring
1 (12 ounce) package tootsie rolls (I used the long thin tootsie rolls)

Directions:

1. Prepare cake mixes and bake according to package directions (any size pan).

2. Prepare pudding according to package directions and chill until ready to assemble.

3. Crumble sandwich cookies in small batches in a food processor, scraping often. Set aside all but 1/4 cup. To the 1/4 cup add a few drops of green food coloring and mix.

4. When cakes are cooled to room temperature, crumble them into a large bowl. Toss with 1/2 of the remaining cookie crumbs, and the chilled pudding. You probably won't need all of the pudding, you want the cake to be just moist, not soggy.

5. Line kitty litter box with the kitty litter liner. Put cake mixture into box. (I couldn't find an actual litter box that was small enough, so I used a plastic container that looked like a litter box. We chose not to use a liner.)

6. Put half of the unwrapped tootsie rolls in a microwave safe dish and heat until softened. Shape the ends so that they are no longer blunt, and curve the tootsie rolls slightly. Bury tootsie rolls randomly in the cake and sprinkle with half of the remaining cookie crumbs. Sprinkle a small amount of the green colored cookie crumbs lightly over the top.

7. Heat 3 or 4 of the tootsie rolls in the microwave until almost melted. Scrape them on top of the cake and sprinkle lightly with some of the green cookie crumbs. Heat the remaining tootsie rolls until pliable and shape as before. Spread all but one randomly over top of cake mixture. Sprinkle with any remaining cookie crumbs. Hang the remaining tootsie roll over side of litter box and sprinkle with a few green cookie crumbs. Serve with the pooper scooper for a gross Halloween dessert.


Nutrition Information:

Servings Per Recipe: 20
Calories: 357
Amount Per Serving
Total Fat: 8.3g
Cholesterol: < 1mg
Sodium: 541mg
Total Carbs: 76.7g
Dietary Fiber: 1.4g
Protein: 3.5g


www.allrecipes.com

Tip of the Day

If it looks impossible, it probably is!

Hannah thought she wanted this cake for her Birthday, so I decided to do a trial run to see if I could do it. After 5 plus hours in the kitchen, this is as close as I could come. Luckily, she decided on a litter box cake instead (I will share that recipe when we make it.) I am not going to share this recipe, I don't want to cause any of you the stress it caused me!

Autumn Torte Rustica

I saw this recipe in my Taste of Home magazine and it looked so delicious, I couldn't wait to try it. It took a lot of time to make and just didn't taste as good as I expected. If you like Ricotta cheese, you would probably love this, it was just a little too ricotta-ey for our taste buds.

Ingredients:

1 small butternut squash (1 1/2 lbs), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/4 inch slices
3 eggs
3 cups ricotta cheese
1 cup grated Romano cheese (I couldn't find Romano alone, so I got a mixture of Asiago, Romano, and Parmesan)
t tsp. rubbed sage
1 tsp. water
1 small onion chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry (I used fresh)
2 garlic cloves minced
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 package (17.3 ounces) frozen puff pastry, thawed (I could not find, so I used 2 8 ounce packages of crescent rolls)

Directions:

Place squash slices on baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Lightly spritz with cooking spray. Bake at 400* for 15 minutes or until tender.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine 2 eggs, cheeses, and sage. In a small bowl, whisk the water and remaining egg, set aside.

In a large skillet, saute onion in oil until tender. Stir in the spinach, garlic, and nutmeg. Cook and stir for 2 minutes, set aside.

Unfold on pastry sheet onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out into a 14 inch square. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of a greased 9 in. springform pan, allowing the excess pastry to drape over the edges. Brush with reserved egg mixture. (I made my pastry like a pie crust, circular, it seemed easier than a square.)

Layer with half the squash, cheese mixture, and spinach. Repeat layers. Roll out the remaining pastry into a 10 inch square; place over filling. Trim edges; fold the bottom pastry over the top and press edges to seal. Brush pastry with egg mixture.

Place pan on baking sheet. Back at 400* for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. (Check on it periodically. I baked mine for 40 minutes and it was dark brown, not golden when I removed it.)Remove to wire rack to cool for 45 min. Serve warm or at room temperature. Refrigerate leftovers.

Servings: 12


Taste of Home: Halloween Party Favorites

Caramel-Pecan Apple Pie

I don't think you can ever go wrong with an apple pie. This was a delicious twist on an ordinary apple pie. Though it took a little longer to make, it was well worth the effort!

Ingredients:

7 cups sliced peeled tart apples
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons sugar
4-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup caramel ice cream topping, room temperature
1 unbaked pastry shell (9 inches)
3 tablespoons butter, melted

STREUSEL TOPPING:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons cold butter
1/4 cup caramel ice cream topping, room temperature

Directions:

In a large bowl, toss apples with lemon juice and vanilla. Combine the pecans, sugars, cinnamon and cornstarch; add to apple mixture and toss to coat. Pour caramel topping over bottom of pastry shell; top with apple mixture (shell will be full). Drizzle with butter.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, pecans and sugar. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over filling.

Bake at 350° for 55-65 minutes or until filling is bubbly and topping is browned. Immediately drizzle with caramel topping. Cool on a wire rack.

Yield: 8 servings.


Nutrition Facts: 1 piece equals 608 calories, 35 g fat (12 g saturated fat), 39 mg cholesterol, 267 mg sodium, 74 g carbohydrate, 6 g fiber, 5 g protein.


Taste of Home: Halloween Party Favorites

Classic Turkey Tetrazzini

This is a huge recipe, so I cut it in half. I did use turkey, but I think it would have been just as good with chicken. I also used fettuccine noodles instead of spaghetti noodles. I can't say this was our favorite recipe, but it was okay.

Ingredients:

1 package (16 ounces) spaghetti
2 medium onions, chopped
9 tablespoons butter, divided
1 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
1 large sweet red pepper, chopped
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
6 cups 2% milk
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon granules
6 cups cubed cooked turkey breast
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1-1/2 cups dry bread crumbs
4 teaspoons minced fresh parsley

Directions:

Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, saute onions in 6 tablespoons butter until tender. Add mushrooms and red pepper; saute 4-5 minutes longer.

Stir in flour and salt until blended. Gradually whisk in milk and bouillon. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in turkey and Parmesan cheese; heat through. Remove from the heat.

Drain spaghetti; add to turkey mixture and mix well. Transfer to one greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish and one greased 11-in. x 7-in. baking dish.

Melt remaining butter; toss with bread crumbs. Sprinkle over casseroles. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with parsley.

Yield: 16 servings.


Taste of Home: Halloween Party Favorites

Hawaiian Pizza

I have always found pizza to be very difficult to make because of the crust. I discovered that Pillsbury makes a pizza crust that is very easy to use. You don't need to let it rise and it is not rubbery like normal dough. The key to getting it right, however, is making sure it has cooked long enough. This is a very easy recipe to make. Substitute any toppings you like.

Ingredients:

1 roll Pillsbury Pizza Dough
1 cup pizza sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
8 pieces cooked bacon chopped into pieces
1/2 can diced pineapple

Directions:

Press dough into a round pizza pan or a rectangular cookie sheet, building up the edges slightly.

Pre-bake dough in 425* oven for 8 minutes.

Remove from oven and spread with sauce, sprinkle with cheeses, top with pineapple and bacon.

Cook at 425* for 10 - 15 minutes more.

Servings: 4

Three Meat Chili

I do not like Chili, but my husband has been requesting that I try to find a good chili recipe. I came across this one in my Halloween Taste of Home magazine and decided to try it. Wow, it was delicious! I ate two bowls. It had a really nice flavor with a touch of sweetness from the baked beans. This is a definite keeper!

Ingredients:

1-1/2 pounds pork tenderloin, cubed (I used 1 lb. ground pork instead)
1 large onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound ground turkey
1 pound ground beef (ground pork)
2 cans (15 ounces each) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (28 ounces) baked beans
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup chili powder
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 to 3 teaspoons ground cumin (I only used 1 1/2 tsp)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

In a Dutch oven or soup kettle, cook the pork, onion and green pepper in oil over medium heat until meat is no longer pink.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook turkey and beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Drain pork mixture; add turkey and beef.

Stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour or until flavors are blended.

I decided to use my crockpot, so I mixed all the ingredients in it and cooked them for 4 hours.

Yield: 12 servings (3 quarts).

Nutrition Facts:

One serving:(1 cup)
Calories: 359
Fat: 16 g
Saturated Fat: 5 g
Cholesterol: 80 mg
Sodium: 675 mg
Carbohydrate: 25 g
Fiber: 7 g
Protein: 30 g

Taste of Home: Halloween Party Favorites

Honey-Dijon Pork Tenderloin

I have to admit, as I was making this dish I thought I was going to hate it. The smell of garlic and onions was almost unbearable and I don't like mustard. To my surprise, it was actually really good. My husband had three helpings and finished it off the next day for lunch. Sometimes you just have to try something, even if it looks like something you would dislike, you may surprise yourself.

Ingredients:

1 pound pork tenderloin, cut into 1-inch slices (I used 4 boneless porkchops)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 tablespoon butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup evaporated milk
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
Hot cooked pasta (I used egg noodles)

Directions:

Flatten pork slices to 1/2-in. thickness; sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook pork in oil in batches until meat is no longer pink. Remove and keep warm.

In the same skillet, saute onion and mushrooms in butter until tender. Add garlic; saute 1 minute longer. Stir in the milk, mustard, soy sauce and honey. Return pork to the pan; heat through. Serve with noodles.

Yield: 4 servings.


Taste of Home: Halloween Party Favorites

Applesauce

This is the time of year to use apples. We got several bags full of apples, so I decided to make some apple sauce. There is nothing like warm applesauce to end a good meal. It can also be frozen or just saved in the frig if you plan to eat it now.

Ingredients:

10 apples, peeled, cored, and cut into small chunks.
1 cup water
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
raisins (if you would like)

Directions:

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until apples are tender, add more water if necessary.

Remove from heat. We like ours chunky, but if you prefer smooth than mash with a potato masher to desired consistency. Serve warm or cold.

Servings: 8

Fiesta Taco Bake

We enjoy tacos, so this recipe sounded like something we would like. It looked great and tasted every bit as good. I did not use sour cream (we don't like it) and I added fresh chopped tomatoes and cheese when it came out of the oven.

Ingredients:

8 oz tube refrigerated crescent rolls
1 cup nacho cheese tortilla chips, crushed and divided
1 lb. ground beef (or pork)
1 onion, chopped
8 oz can tomato sauce
1 1/4 oz pkg. taco seasoning mix
3 tbsp. sour cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Separate crescent rolls and line an ungreased 9" pie plate with them; press together to form a pie crust. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup crushed tortilla chips and set aside. Brown ground beef and onion in a skillet, drain. Add tomato sauce and taco seasoning; simmer for 5 minutes. Pour into pie plate. Spread sour cream over top; sprinkle with cheese and remaining chips. Bake at 350* for 20 minutes.

Servings: 6-8

Gooseberry Patch: Almost Homemade

Macaroni and Cheese

This recipe intrigued me because, again, it did not call for cooking the noodles. Macaroni is my favorite food and I would give this recipe a two thumbs up! It was too easy to taste so good. I made it with the meatloaf and cooked them at the same time.

Ingredients:

2-3 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
4 cups milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt butter in microwave.

Pour macaroni in 2-3 quart casserole dish. Pour butter over macaroni. Stir well to coat.

Add salt and pepper. Stir well.

Add cheese. Sometimes I may use a mixture of monterey, colby and cheddar, depending on what I have at the time. Mix well.

Add milk. Do not stir.

Bake uncovered in oven for 60 minutes. I do think this tastes best when it is still hot from the oven.

Servings: 4

Nutrition Facts:
Serving Size 1 (378g)

Calories 704
Calories from Fat 335 (47%)
Total Fat 37.3g 57%
Saturated Fat 23.1g 115%
Monounsaturated Fat 10.2g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.6g
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 116mg 38%
Sodium 1116mg 46%
Potassium 534mg 15%
Total Carbohydrate 61.2g 20%
Dietary Fiber 2.1g 8%
Sugars 1.5g
Protein 30.7g 61%


www.recipezaar.com

Cheese-Stuffed Meatloaf

I love meatloaf, but not all meatloaf, so I was a bit hesitant to try this new recipe. I am happy to report, however, that we really enjoyed it! The only problem I had was that it needed to cook longer than an hour, I would cook for at least 90 minutes.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb. ground beef (or pork)
15 oz. can spaghetti sauce
2 eggs
1 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup onion chopped
1 1/2 tbsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

Directions:

Combine ground beef, one cup spaghetti sauce, and remaining ingredients, except cheese. Mix well. Divide meat mixture into thirds; spread 1/3 in bottom of an ungreased 9x5 loaf pan. Cover with 1/2 the cheese. Repeat layers, ending with meat. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Spread meatloaf with reserved sauce. Bake for an additional 30 minutes.

Servings: 4 to 6


Gooseberry Patch: Almost Homemade

Classic Chicken Pot Pie

This is one of our favorite winter/fall meals. It is super easy and is a great way to use up leftover chicken. I like to use a themed cookie cutter in the middle like the pumpkin above. Be sure you have sealed the crust well, or it will leak out. Just in case I always place a piece of aluminum foil below the pie to catch any drippings.

INGREDIENTS:

Crust:
1 box (15 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box

Filling:
1/3 cup butter or margarine
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 3/4 cups Progresso® chicken broth (from 32-oz carton)
1/2 cup milk
2 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken or turkey
2 cups Green Giant® Valley Fresh Steamers™ frozen mixed vegetables, thawed

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oven to 425°F. Make pie crusts as directed on box for Two-Crust Pie using 9-inch glass pie pan.

2. In 2-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until well blended. Gradually stir in broth and milk, cooking and stirring until bubbly and thickened.

3. Stir in chicken and mixed vegetables. Remove from heat. Spoon chicken mixture into crust-lined pan. Top with second crust; seal edge and flute. Cut slits in several places in top crust.

4. Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until crust is golden brown. During last 15 to 20 minutes of baking, cover crust edge with strips of foil to prevent excessive browning. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

www.pillsbury.com

Caramel Apple Pork Chops

I was looking for a recipe where I could use apples. This time of year in New York State, apples are in abundance and I love to cook with them, it gives a real fall theme to the meal. We really enjoyed these pork chops. They were very easy to make and looked very appealing on the plate.

Ingredients:

4 (3/4 inch) thick pork chops
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tart apples - peeled, cored and sliced
3 tablespoons pecans (optional)

Directions:

1.Preheat oven to 175 degrees. Place a medium dish in the oven to warm.

2.Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brush chops lightly with oil and place in hot pan. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, turning occasionally, or until done. Transfer to the warm dish, and keep warm in the preheated oven.

3.In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, salt and pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add butter to skillet, and stir in brown sugar mixture and apples. Cover and cook until apples are just tender. Remove apples with a slotted spoon and arrange on top of chops. Keep warm in the preheated oven.

4.Continue cooking sauce uncovered in skillet, until thickened slightly. Spoon sauce over apples and chops. Sprinkle with pecans.

Servings: 4

Nutritional Information:

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 262
Total Fat: 16.1g
Cholesterol: 48mg
Sodium: 28mg
Total Carbs: 17.1g
Dietary Fiber: 2.2g
Protein: 13.8g


http://allrecipes.com

Tip of the Day

If you have leftover ingredients, instead of throwing them away, do a search for other recipes you could make with them.

Mini Cherry Crescent Pies

Last night I was looking for an easy dessert recipe and came upon this. I had leftover cherry filling from my Brie, so this was a great way to use it up. I put in a tbsp. of cherry sauce, hence mine probably look sloppier than the actual recipe would look.

Ingredients:

8 oz. tube refrigerated crescent rolls
12 oz. can cherry pastry filling
2 tbsp. butter melted
2 to 4 tbsp. sugar
cinnamon to taste

Directions:

Separate dough into triangles; place on greased baking sheet. Top each triangle with 2 to 3 teaspoons cherry filling. Roll up each triangle, starting at short end; brush the top of each crescent with butter. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon to taste. Bake at 375 degrees for 11 to 13 minutes. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes.

Servings: 8 (or 4 if you're my family)

Gooseberry Patch: Almost Homemade

Lasagna

Okay, I said none of these recipes are mine, but this one is at least partially mine. This was a family recipe passed down from my grandmother, but I made a couple of my own alterations. I love lasagna and this is my favorite lasagna recipe. It is easy, no frills, but really yummy.

I have never tried making this without cooking the noodles first, but last night I did. To my surprise it actually worked. You do not need to cook the noodles in advance, they were done to perfection at the end of the hour in the oven.

Ingredients:

1 lb ground pork (or beef)

1 16 ounce jar spaghetti sauce (I use Ragu Homestyle Traditional)

1 cup Ricotta

1 cup cottage cheese

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

2 cups shredded mozzarella

10 oven ready lasagna noodles

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425*

In a skillet brown ground pork. When cooked through, add jar of spaghetti sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

In a bowl combine ricotta, cottage cheese, and Parmesan. Mix well.

Grease a 8x12 pan. Spread a fine layer of meat sauce on bottom. Cover with 5 lasagna noodles, layering as necessary. Cover the noodles with half of the cheese mixture. Spread half of the meat sauce over the cheese. Sprinkle 1 cup mozzarella over all. Repeat with a second layer of noodles, cheese, and meat sauce. Top with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Cover with two layers of tin foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Servings: 8

Tip of the Day

It is okay to let your family pamper you and thank you for a job well done!

Tip of the Day

Cooking should be fun, try to just relax and don't over think. What is the worst that can happen... you have to order a pizza?

Baked Sandwiches

This recipe is my husband Scott's creation. It is a very simple, easy meal, and we absolutely love it! This can be used for lunch or dinner with soup or a salad, though the "sandwiches" themselves are quite filling.

Ingredients:

Butter, mayonnaise, or Miracle Whip
1 lb thinly sliced turkey or ham (or any lunch meat you prefer)
16 slices provolone cheese (or any cheese you prefer)
2 large tomatoes (sliced into 8 circles)
8 pieces thickly cut French or Italian bread
Salt, pepper, Italian Seasoning

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350*.

On 2 baking sheets lay out the French bread. Spread on the condiment of your choice (butter, mayo, etc.). Fold and stack 4 or 5 pieces of thinly sliced meat onto bread. Place one tomato circle on top of meat. Salt and pepper to taste. Cover with 2 slices of provolone.

Bake in oven for 15 minutes. Remove and sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Return to oven and set to Broil. Cook until cheese is golden brown.

Tip of the Day

Plan ahead: Find the recipes you want to make for the week, then create your shopping list based on the ingredients of the recipes.

How to Prepare a Well Stocked Kitchen

If you are anything like me, then you have gone to make a recipe and realized you were missing some of the ingredients. I have often heard the term "well stocked kitchen" on cooking shows, but always wondered what a well stocked kitchen might have in it. I have done some searching and found a pretty comprehensive list at http://www.quakeranne.com/qapantry.html. I think it is a helpful start to figure out how to better stock your own kitchen.

REFRIGERATOR
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eggs
Butter (no margarine!)
Raw whole milk
Cream
Cream cheese
Sour cream
Parmesan cheese
Mozzarella
Mild cheese
Sharp cheese
Romano cheese
Mayonnaise
Dijon mustard
Yellow mustard
Ketchup
Worcestershire sauce
Steak sauce
Horseradish
Hot pepper pickles
Pickle relish
Assorted pickles
Green olives
Ripe olives
Salsa
Jellies or jams
Apple butter

FREEZER
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ice
Vegetables
Ground beef
Whole chicken
Pork chops
Pork roast
Link and/or bulk sausage
Bacon
Flour tortillas
Corn tortillas
Pierogies
Stuffed pasta
Beef stock
Chicken stock
Fish stock
Walnuts
Pecans
Almonds
Ice cream or frozen yogurt
Sherbert
Frozen fruits

PRODUCE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
White potatoes
Sweet potatoes
Onions
Garlic
Sweet peppers
Hot peppers
Fresh mushrooms
Dried mushrooms
Lettuce
Cucumbers
Tomatoes
Carrots
Celery
Apples
Oranges
Lemons
Limes
Parsley
Bananas

DRY GOODS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unbleached white flour
Whole wheat flour (store in freezer for longer shelf life)
Wheat germ
Bran Flakes
Spelt
Cornmeal
Granulated raw sugar
Confectioner's sugar
Brown sugar
Baking soda
Baking powder
Yeast (Keep in freezer for longer shelf life)
Cornstarch
Carob
Unsweetened cocoa
Unsweetened chocolate
Semi or bitter sweet chocolate
German chocolate
Tapioca
Vegetable shortening
Old Fashioned Oatmeal
Quick Oatmeal
Cream of Wheat
Wheet-a-bix
Wheateena
Maltex
Crackers

Whole grain Pastas:
Spaghetti
Linguini
Fettuccini
Elbows
Shells
Angel hair
Lasagna
Egg noodles

Long grain rice
Brown rice
Wild rice
Barley
Lentils
Great Northern beans
Whole peas
Split peas
Kidney beans
Onion soup mix

Dried corn CANNED / BOTTLED
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Whole tomatoes
Crushed tomatoes
Tomato sauce
Tomato puree
Tomato paste
Beef broth
Chicken broth
Condensed cream of mushroom soup
Canned fruits
Pie fillings
Worcestershire sauce
Soy sauce
Dijon mustard
Tuna
Salmon
Sardines
Anchovies
Anchovy paste
Green beans
Whole kernel corn
Creamed corn
Beets
Great northern beans
Chick peas
Kidney beans
Evaporated milk
Peanut butter
Assorted pickles
Olives
Salsa
Light corn syrup
Dark corn syrup
Pure maple syrup
Raw Honey
Pure vanilla
Almond flavoring
Bouillon
Hot sauce

Grated cheese VINEGAR / OIL
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Extra-Virgin olive oil
Corn oil
Canola oil
Coconut oil
Almond oil
Sesame oil
Red wine vinegar
Balsamic vinegar
White distilled vinegar
Cider vinegar

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SPIRITS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Beer - Ale & Stout
Vodka
Dry red wine
Dry white wine
Port wine
Vermouth
Brandy or Cognac
Dry sherry
Gin
Rum
Assorted liqueurs

DRIED HERBS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Parsley
Sage
Rosemary
Thyme
Oregano
Basil
Bay leaves
Marjoram
Cilantro Chives
Savory
Tarragon
Dill weed
Dill seed
Onion powder
Minced onions
Garlic powder
Minced garlic

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: However picturesque it might be, don't display spices on a sunny kitchen counter. Store herbs and spices in a dark area. This helps to preserve them longer. Though dried spices and herbs start to lose flavor after 6 months, they do not spoil. Rather than discard older spices, simply add a bit more to a recipe if needed.

SPICES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sea salt
Peppercorns
Coarse salt
Ground cinnamon
Cinnamon sticks
Whole cloves
Ground cloves
Nutmeg
Allspice
Turmeric
Dry mustard
Mustard seed
Cayenne pepper
Ground sweet paprika Ground mace
Pickling spice
Ground ginger
Ground cumin
Celery seed
Caraway seeds
Fennel seeds