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.