Category: MISC

ROCKY ROAD BLACK FOREST BROWNIES


ROCKY ROAD MEETS THE BLACK FOREST BROWNIES
1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
2 squares Baker’s semi-sweet chocolate
3/4 cup marshmallow cream
2 teaspoons PURE vanilla
1-2 teaspoons cherry extract
1 1/4 cup sugar
3 JUMBO eggs
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips, chopped
1/3 cup chopped maraschino cherries
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Grease (really well) a 9×9 baking pan. I like to use my stoneware for nice even baking.
  • Melt butter and chopped unsweetened chocolate in a double boiler until smooth and consistent. Set aside to cool.
  • Sift together the flours, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
  • Toss chocolate chip pieces and walnuts with a bit of the flour mixture and set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl beat the eggs and vanilla until smooth and consistent.
  • Add cooled chocolate mixture into the eggs and blend well.
  • By hand stir in the flour mixture just until well blended – DO NOT over mix!
  • Fold in the chocolate pieces, cherry pieces and walnuts just until well blended.
  • Warm the marshmallow cream for 15-20 seconds in the microwave (just enough to make it spreadable) and spread it over the chocolate batter in the mixing bowl.
  • With a knife gently and slightly swirl it lightly into the chocolate batter. If you swirl too much it will just become part of the batter instead of clumps of marshmallow.
  • Gently pour the batter into the prepared ban and bake 40-45 minutes or until edges pull away from the sides of the pan.
  • Cool the cake in the pan until completely cooled.

OREO CHEESECAKE BALLS – YUM YUM GOOD!

OREO CHEESECAKE BALLS – YUM YUM GOOD!
1 regular package Oreos
12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
Almond Bark
Candy Decorations

  • Crush Oreos in food processors
  • With hand mixer, mix together the Oreo crumbs and cream cheese
  • Roll into small balls.
  • Put balls into freezer for 5 minutes.
  • Melt Almond bark in small batches.
  • Coat each ball in almond bark.
  • Immediately decorate.
  • Let harden.

BANANA NUT MUFFINS or BANANA BLUEBERRY NUT MUFFINS


BANANA NUT MUFFINS or BANANA BLUEBERRY NUT MUFFINS
1 cup packed golden brown sugar
2 sticks of butter, softened
2 jumbo eggs
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 VERY ripe bananas*
1 3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup crushed walnuts

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • In a medium saucepan melt one stick of butter.
  • Puree bananas.
  • Add brown sugar, raisins and pureed banana. Stir until well blended and remove from heat.
  • In a large mixing bowl cream together 1 stick of butter, eggs and sugar.
  • Sift together the flour, baking soda and baking powder.
  • Gradually add flour mixture into creamed mixture until well blended.
  • Add in the brown sugar mixture until smooth and consistent.
  • If making the Banana Blueberry version, fold in the blueberries last.
  • Fill muffin tins 2/3 full.
  • Bake for 12-15 minutes.

*to make Banana Blueberry Nut use one less banana and add 1+ cup blueberries.

SALTED CHOCOLATE

SALTED CHOCOLATE
16 ounces milk chocolate, chopped
Sea Salt
1/2 cup crushed walnuts
PURE

  • Spray a jelly roll pan with an even coat of PURE.
  • Microwave chocolate in 20 second intervals until melted.
  • Spread chocolate out evenly.
  • Sprinkle sea salt across the entire layer of chocolate.
  • Sprinkle top with crushed walnuts.
  • Gently press nuts into the chocolate.
  • Cool in refrigerator uncovered for 30 minutes until hardened.
  • Break up into pieces and store in cool dark dry place.

Raspberry Pineapple Cheese Bars

Raspberry Pineapple Cheese Bars
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup crushed vanilla wafer crumbs
1/2 cup finely minced walnuts
1-8 ounce crushed pineapple
1-8 ounce raspberry cream cheese spread, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 JUMBO egg
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup +/- shredded coconut

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Beat butter and brown sugar until well blended.
  • Add flour, vanilla cookie crumbs and walnuts and mix until well blended.
  • Spray the bottom of 9×9 baking dish with PURE.
  • Press cookie crumb mixture into the bottom.
  • Bake 10 minutes. Cool.
  • Drain pineapple reserving the juice.
  • Beat cream cheese and pineapple juice together until smooth. Add sugar and egg and beat again until smooth.
  • Fold in the pineapple.
  • Pour over the crust.
  • Sprinkle with the coconut.
  • Bake 20-22 minutes.
  • Cool completely.
  • Cut into bars.

CREAM OF BROCCOLI POTATO CHEESE SOUP & SOUR CREAM BISCUITS





CREAM OF BROCCOLI POTATO CHEESE SOUP
2 cups frozen hash browns
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery, minced
1 Vidalia Onion, chopped
1 large crown broccoli, chopped
3-4 cups boiling water (depending on desired consistency)
2 tablespoons Better Bouillon
4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated (about 2 cups)
salt & pepper to taste
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1/2 cup salted butter, softened
3 teaspoons minced garlic, jar
dash of white pepper
3/4 cup grated aged cheddar cheese

  • Whisk together the 1/2 cup salted butter, minced garlic and white pepper.
  • Fold in grated cheese
  • In a large skillet cook over low heat until it all melts together.
  • Add frozen hash browns and saute’ until golden brown.
  • Add onions and celery. Cook until translucent.
  • In a large saucepan whisk the bouillon into the hot water.
  • Add the carrots, potatoes, celery, broccoli pieces and onions.
  • Simmer on low 1 hour until all vegetables are soft and tender.
  • Mash vegetables.
  • Add cheese and blend well.
  • Salt and pepper to taste.

SOUR CREAM BISCUITS
2 3/4 cups self rising flour
1 cup butter, melted
1 cup sour cream

  • Preheat oven 450 degrees
  • Mix all ingredients together.
  • Drop evenly into muffin tins.
  • Bake for 15 minutes.
  • Makes 12 biscuits.

CHICKEN POSOLE

CHICKEN POSOLE*
1 can hominy, drained and chopped small
2 cans Rotel original tomatoes
10 ounce can Ortega green enchilada sauce
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
1 large Vidalia onion, diced
3 teaspoons minced garlic, jar
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken**
The recipe made with these ingredients makes a fairly thick stew. To make it as a soup add 2-3 cups of chicken broth.

  • Combine the hominy, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, carrots, onion and cumin in a stockpot over a very low heat and mix well. A crock pot works well too!
  • Add chicken.
  • Cover and cook on high 3+ hours until the chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender.
  • Remove chicken and shred.
  • Stir chicken back into soup.
  • Serve with fresh chopped cilamtro, lime wedges, tortilla chips, warm flour tortillas or fresh chile corn bread.
*POZOLE ~ Pozolepene (from Spanish pozole, from Nahuatl potzolli; variant spellings: posole, pozolé, pozolli) is a traditional pre-Columbian soup or stew from Mexico and New Mexico. It is made from hominy, with pork (or other meat), chili pepper, and other seasonings and garnish, such as cabbage, lettuce, oregano, cilantro, radish, avocado, lime juice, etc. There are a number of variations on pozole, including blanco (white or clear), verde (green), rojo (red), de frijol (with beans), and elopozole (sweet corn, squash, and chicken or pork meat).

**I like to substitute the shredded chicken pieces I have frozen from when I buy rotisserie chickens 2 for 1 at my local store and portion them for quick meals. That way I can make this recipe quickly on a week night too.

ITALIAN GARLIC SAUSAGE PINK ALFREDO PIZZA

ITALIAN GARLIC SAUSAGE PINK ALFREDO PIZZA
CRUST
1 cup of warm water (105F)
3 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 teaspoons of honey
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of yeast

  • Put warm water into a bowl. Add salt, sugar and honey and mix well. Add the yeast, mix and let it sit for about 10 minutes.
  • Gradually add the flour and olive oil until well blended.
  • When the mixture gets too heavy to mix, start kneading the dough with your hands.
  • Knead the dough until you have a smooth ball. If the dough cracks it is too dry. Add water bit by bit until if forms a nice smooth ball. If you need to add water or flour, do it by small amounts.
  • Coat the dough with olive oil, place it in a large bowl and cover it with kitchen wrap and a flour sack towel. Let the dough rise for about an hour at room temperature, then push it down again so it deflates. Let it sit for about another hour. Either bake it or refrigerate for later use.
  • Put the dough on a lightly floured surface, put a bit of flour on top and make it into the shape of a pie by stretching it out from the center outwards. Use a rolling pin until the dough is about 1/4″ thick. Punch some holes in the dough with a fork to let the air escape while the pizza is in the oven

PINK ALFREDO SAUCE
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon minced garlic, jar
1 tablespoon Classico sun-dried tomato paste
1 egg yolk, beaten
1/4 teaspoon thyme
salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

  • Melt butter in a saucepan.
  • Add garlic and saute until fragrant.
  • Gradually add heavy cream, stirring constantly. Stir in salt, pepper and grated Parmesan cheese and stir constantly until melted.
  • Whisk in egg quickly and heat through.

TOPPINGS
Enough pepperoni to cover pizza
Enough crumbled cooked sausage to cover dough
Thinly sliced mushrooms
Thinly sliced green onions
1 tomato, diced small
2/3 cup grated mozzarella

  • Coat dough with a layer of sauce
  • Evenly sprinkle the crumbled sausage over the sauce
  • Follow with the mushrooms, green onions and tomatoes
  • Evenly sprinkle the cheese over it all
  • Top with the pepperoni
  • Bake the pizza at 400-450° F for about 20-25 minutes until the crust is golden.


Tropical YUM!

I found this awesome new jello salad recipe over at Mennonite Girls Can Cook called Special Salad. This will quickly become a new family favorite! We have even given it a new name and a few changes.

TROPICAL YUM!
1 box orange jello (next time we’re going to try wild strawberry)
1 box lemon jello (we used pineapple)

3 bananas, sliced (next time we’re going to use 2 and add a kiwi)
1 small can mandarin orange segments, well drained, reserving juice (we used a large can)
1 14 oz can crushed pineapple, *well drained but reserving the juice and adding enough of the mandarin orange juice to make 1 cup
1/2 bag mini marshmallows

1/2 pint whipping cream
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons flour
1 egg, well beaten
1 cup pineapple juice*
3/4 cup FINELY grated cheddar cheese (next time I’m going to try toasted coconut)
  • Mix the two boxes of jello powder together in a large glass mixing bowl and stir in 1 1/2 cups of boiling water. Mix well until jello has dissolved.
  • Add 2 cups of cold water.
  • Place mixture in the refrigerator until partially set.
  • Mix together the orange segments, pineapple and banana slices.
  • Fold into the partially set jello.
  • Top the jello-fruit mixture with 1/2 bag mini white marshmallows and then put jello back in fridge.
  • Whip together the whipping cream, 1 tablespoon sugar and vanilla until thick, cover and place in fridge.
  • Stir 1/2 cup sugar, *1 cup pineapple juice, egg and four together in a microwavable bowl and heat for 1 minute at a time, stirring between until mixture is thick (2-3 minutes) or you can also cook this on the stove top, stirring constantly.
  • Cool this mixture completely and then fold in the whipped cream mixture. Spread over the marshmallow mixture.
  • Layer the 3/4 cup of cheddar cheese on the top.
  • Return to the refrigerator and chill thoroughly.

EGGS ala ROOSEVELT I just call them DEPRESSION EGGS

EGGS ala ROOSEVELT I just call them DEPRESSION EGGS
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup milk*
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 jar dried beef, cut into small pieces*
salt and pepper to taste
PURE

  • Spray skillet with PURE.
  • Add milk and softened cream cheese to skillet and whisk together until smooth.
  • When cheese is bubbly, add eggs and beef.
  • Periodically whisk until eggs are firm.
  • Salt and pepper to taste.
  • Serve on buttered toast.

*The original recipe had no meat and called for using cream while allowing the eggs to just “firm” up. I changed it to reduce the fat a bit and add meat for hubby.

CHOCOLATE BLACKBERRY MUFFINS



CHOCOLATE BLACKBERRY MUFFINS
2 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup whole milk
1/4 cup safflower oil
1 cup blackberry jam (seedless)
3/4 cup milk chocolate chips, chopped or chipped smaller
PURE or muffin liners

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  • Line muffin tin with paper liners or spray with PURE.
  • Sift together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.
  • Make a well in the center of the flour mixture.
  • Whisk together the milk, egg and oil.
  • Pour into the well.
  • Mix together quickly with a wooden spoon. Do not beat! (The mixture will be slightly lumpy.
  • Fold in the jam and chocolate pieces.
  • Pour into muffin tins.
  • Bake 25 minutes.
  • Cool on wire rack.

Makes 18 muffins*
*Sometimes I will make Texas muffins instead and a couple of muffin tops only!

GRILLED ONION TOMATO BACON CHEESE SANDWICHES

GRILLED ONION TOMATO BACON CHEESE SANDWICHES

4 slices thick sourdough bread
6 slices bacon, cooked crisp
thin sliced red onions
sliced tomatoes
sharp cheddar cheese slices
2 tablespoons butter

  • Melt butter on skillet
  • Lay all four slices on skillet to brown.
  • On 2 slices arrange in the following order the cheese slices, tomatoes, bacon slices and onion rings.
  • Top with the other 2 bread slices and continue toasting, turning as necessary until brownness.