Cinnamon Streusel Cake

As you can see from the picture, this has an interior of yummy, cinnamon goodness. We topped ours with whipped cream, which balanced out some of the sweetness.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat an 8x8 in baking pan or a 9 in spring form pan with cooking spray and set aside (I used the spring form).

1/2 cup butter, soft
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup milk
1 1/4 tsp vanilla

In a small bowl, mash the soft butter, 1/4 cup flour, brown sugar, sugar and cinnamon with a fork. It will be creamy.

In another small bowl combine 1 1/4 cups of flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.

In a large bowl beat the egg and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the melted butter, milk and vanilla. Add the flour mixture all at one time and stir together until just incorporated. Don't over mix.

Pour into prepared pan and dot surface with the brown sugar mixture. Bake for 40 -50 min or until moist crumbs cling to a toothpick inserted in the middle.

Honey Bun Baked French Toast

4 tbs butter
4 eggs
3 tbs honey
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup pecans, toasted
pinch of allspice
2/3 cups apple cider or orange juice
6 slices thick bread

Preheat oven to 400. Whisk cider, eggs, cinnamon, salt, and allspice together in a shallow bowl. Place butter and honey in a 13x9-inch glass baking pan. Heat in the oven until the butter is melted and the honey is bubbling. Do not allow the mixture to take on any color. Remove the pan from the oven, stir to mix the honey and butter. Meanwhile, toast the pecans in a skillet until fragrant. Sprinkle the pecans over the honey and butter mixture.

While the butter and honey are melting, dip one or two slices of bread at a time in the egg mixture, turning until thoroughly saturated but not falling apart. Arrange the soaked bread over the nuts in the baking pan. Bake until the top is golden brown and the bottom is bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

Notes - This is from the Joy of Cooking. The original calls for apple cider, but we rarely have cider and always have orange juice. Cider is bar far the best, but if you don't have any, juice is still tasty. I prefer orange over any other juice, because it seems to make the bread more tender. Be sure to let it soak for a bit, you don't want it to fall apart, but it needs to be pretty saturated. Be careful not to overcook this, the top doesn't brown as much as I expected it too. When it goes longer than 20 min, the syrup and pecans start to burn and the bread gets tough. This goes together really fast and is so yummy. Those who have a sweeter tooth will want a little extra syrup, but it's good without any extra. Enjoy!

Carrot Cake

I usually don't care for carrot cake, but this is yummy. The frosting really makes this cake. Chocolate improves everything!

Cake
4 eggs
1 1/3 cups vegetable oil
2 1/4 cups sugar
2 1/4 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg
20 oz carrots, shredded (about 3 1/4 cups)
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1 cup crushed pineapple, well-drained

White Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing
1 1/2 lbs cream cheese, room temperature
2 cups white chocolate chips, melted
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tsp lemon zest
chopped peacans, toasted

Preheat oven to 350. Spray bottom of three 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray and then line with parchment paper, spraying bottom again.

Combine eggs and oil in a large mixing bowl. Beat 2 minutes with a mixer on medium speed. Add 1 cup sugar and continue mixing 2 minutes. Add remaining sugar and mix 4 minutes.

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg; add to egg mixture, beating on low speed until blended (about 1 minute). Add carrots, nuts and pineapple; mix until well combined.

Divide batter evenly among pans.

Bake 60 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs.

Cool to room temperature on a wire rack. Run knife around edge of cakes and remove from pans. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

To prepare icing, place cream cheese in mixing bowl; beat with a mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add melted chocolate a little at a time, continuing to beat at medium speed. Add butter a little at a time. Scrape down sides of bowl; add lemon zest and beat until combined.
Remove cakes from refrigerator. Ice the top of one layer. Place second layer on top; ice top. Place third layer on top; ice top and sides of cake. Press chopped nuts into sides of cake.
Serves 20

Notes - The recipe said you could use 2 9-inch pans instead of the 8-inchers, increasing the time to 75 minutes. I did this and found the baking time to be too long. I took the cakes out with 12 minutes remaining and they were done. Next time I'll stick with the 60 min and add if necessary. Since I did two cakes instead of three, I split the cakes in half to make four layers. The ratio of cake to icing would have been too much for me (I don't like thick icing - this way it was more spread out). I also didn't press the nuts into the sides of the cake. I don't like a lot of nuts either. The original called for walnuts, but I swapped those for pecans. Toasting adds a lot of flavor, so don't skip this step (I just heat a skillet and toast them on the stove top). I've had two pieces of this cake now and I like it better after it's been in the refrigerator. The first time had soft icing, and the second time the chocolate and butter and gotten firm again. Enjoy!

Blueberry French Toast Bake

1 loaf French Bread, cubed (if you have an egg bread like challa, even better)
1 pound Cream Cheese, cubed
1 cup Blueberries
12 Eggs
1/3 cup Maple Syrup
2 cups Milk

1. Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish. A lighter color works best for this recipe. Cut the bread into 1 1/2-inch cubes. Cut the cream cheese into 1-inch cubes. Layer the bread cubes and cream cheese cubes in two layers in the bottom of the dish, with the bread on the bottom. Pour the blueberries over top.

2. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, add the maple syrup and milk. Pour over the bread mixture and cover loosely with foil. Place dish in refrigerator with weights.

3. Refrigerate overnight or at least 3 to 4 hours.

4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Reposition foil so that dish is tightly covered. Bake for 30 minutes covered, then uncover and bake for an additional 30 minutes, check at this time, it may take up to 40 minutes without the foil.

Blueberry Syrup
1 cup Sugar
2 tbs Cornstarch
1 cup Cold Water
1 tbs Unsalted Butter
1 cup Blueberries

Stir sugar, cornstarch and water over high heat in a saucepan. Add butter and blueberries and cook until the blueberries pop. Serve warm over French Toast Bake.

Notes
Cream cheese is normally sold in 8 oz blocks, so make sure that you get two. It will look like a lot of cream cheese when it is all in the pan. I’m too cheap to use maple syrup in this; regular pancake syrup works fine. To weight the dish, you can use another 9x13-inch dish placed on top, adding cans or whatever you can find to fit inside, just make sure it's even. If you don’t use another dish, just make sure that it is equally weighted. Be careful though, this easily overflows. Don’t skip this step, otherwise you will have some parts that don’t get any egg mix and will burn. Other parts will be too saturated with egg mix to cook thoroughly. With the syrup, be sure that the cornstarch and water are thoroughly mixed before heating, lumpy syrup is just as gross as lumpy gravy. This dish will serve 8-12.

Blueberry Pie

If you are making a lattice top, use the greater amount of cornstarch suggested to prevent a watery filling from bubbling over the strips. Taste the berries before beginning to determine how much sugar to use.

Pastry Dough (I used flaky cream cheese pastry dough, doubled)
5 cups blueberries, picked over
¾ to 1 cup sugar
3 ½-4 tbs quick-cooking tapioca or cornstarch (use cornstarch for lattice pie)
1 tbs lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
⅛ tsp salt
1-2 tbs unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Roll half the dough into a 13-inch round, fit it into a 9-inch pie pan, and trim the overhanging dough to ¾ inch all around. Refrigerate. Roll the other half of the dough into a 12-inch round for the top crust and refrigerate it. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 425. Combine the berries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, zest, and salt in a large bowl. Let stand for 15 minutes, occasionally stirring gently. Pour the mixture into the bottom crust and dot with butter. Brush the overhanging edge of the bottom crust with cold water. Cover with the top crust or lattice, then seal the edge, trim, and crimp or flute. If using a closed top crust, cut steam vents. Bake the pie for 30 minutes. Slip a baking sheet beneath it, reduce the oven temperature to 350, and bake until thick juices bubble through the vents, 25-35 minutes more. Let cool completely on a rack. The pie is best the day it is baked, but it can be stored at room temperature for up to one day.

If using frozen berries, be sure that they are individually frozen or dry-packed, meaning that they have been processed without sugar and come in loose pieces rather than a block. Before measuring, be sure to knock off any clinging ice, but do not thaw. Toss the still-frozen fruit with the other ingredients, using the maximum amount of thickening called for, and spoon the filling into the crust at once, without the usual 15-minute standing time. If the fruit is allowed to thaw, it will release a flood of juice and make the crust soggy. Do not glaze the top crust with sugar or egg. Bake the pie at 400 for 50 minutes; then slip a baking sheet beneath it and bake at 350 until thick juices bubble through the vents, 25 to 40 minutes more. The pie I brought hadn’t baked for long enough (hence the blueberry syrup instead of gel). I baked it for 30 minutes (after the initial 50 minutes). When I baked the second pie, I let it bake for the full 40 minutes (plus the initial 50 minutes), and the juices set much better.

Flaky Cream Cheese Pastry Dough

Cream cheese pastry is rich and tangy, and it seems to turn out tender and flaky no matter what. This recipe can be doubled and used to make a covered or lattice-top pie.

1 cup plus 2 tbs all-purpose flour
1 tbs white sugar or 2 tbs powdered sugar
¼ tsp salt
6 tbs cold unsalted butter
3 oz cold cream cheese
2-3 tbs cold heavy cream

Whisk flour, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl. Cut butter and cream cheese into ¼-inch pieces and add to flour mix. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut the butter and cream cheese into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces. Drizzle the cream over the top. Cut with blade side of a rubber spatula or stir with a fork until the dough begins to gather into moist clumps. Press the dough into a flat disk, wrap rightly in plastic, and refrigerate for at least one hour or up to two days.

Deluxe Butter Pastry Dough

This dough is richer in fat than ordinary flaky pastry and so, is softer and more difficult to handle, but it yields a tender, flaky crust with great butter flavor. While it is possible to make this dough with butter only, a small amount of shortening makes it flakier without interfering with the buttery taste. When you’re working with the butter, work quickly or the dough will become greasy. If you notice the butter starting to melt, chill the dough until the butter becomes firm again. Since this dough tends to puff out of shape during baking, you should not use it to make a crust with a tightly fluted or braided edge or a lattice top (I do a simple finger crimped edge). If you need only a single pie or tart crust, decrease all ingredients by half or freeze half the dough for another pie.

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
½ pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter
¼ cup solid vegetable shortening
⅓ cup plus 3 tablespoon ice water; divided

In a large bowl, thoroughly mix the flour sugar and salt with a rubber spatula. Working quickly to prevent softening, cut butter into ¼-inch pieces. Add the butter to the dry ingredients. Using a pastry blender or two knives, chop the butter into pea-sized pieces. With a few quick swipes of the pastry blender, cut the shortening into large chunks and distribute throughout the bowl. Continue to chop with the pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces. Do not let the mixture soften and begin to clump; it must remain dry and powdery. Drizzle ⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon of the ice water over the flour and fat mixture. Cut with the blade side of the rubber spatula until the mixture looks evenly moistened and begins to form small balls. Press down on the dough with the flat side of the spatula. If the balls of dough stick together, you have added enough water; if they do not, drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons of ice water over the top. Cut in the water, then press with your hands until the dough coheres. The dough should look rough, not smooth. Divide the dough in half, press each half into a round flat disk, and wrap tightly in plastic. Refrigerate for at least one hour, preferably for several hours, or for up to 2 days before rolling. The dough can also be wrapped airtight and frozen for up to 6 months; thaw completely before rolling.

Ridiculously Easy Cheesy Ravioli Bake

1 26 oz jar spaghetti sauce
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes (if you don’t like chunks, use crushed)
½ c water
2 lbs frozen ravioli
2 cups shredded Italian cheese blend, or mozzarella
2 tbs grated parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 400 degrees
Mix sauce, tomatoes, and water. Spoon 1 cup into the bottom of a 9x13 dish.
Layer ½ ravioli and 1 cup shredded cheese over the sauce in the bottom of the pan. Top with remaining ravioli and sauce mix, then sprinkle with the remaining cheese and cover.
Bake 30 minutes then uncover. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bake for additional 15-20 minutes. Turn broiler on and broil for an additional 2-5 minutes to brown. Watch carefully, this will burn easily. When browned, remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes.

Apple Pie With Streusel topping

Golden Delicious apples work well in this pie because they retain their texture and do not flood the pie with juice. I like the flavor of Gala and Fuji better though. If you have access to fresh apples, they usually make the very best pie. The apples need to be sliced about ¼ inch thick, measured at the thicker end. If the slices are thinner, the filling is apt to turn mushy; if thicker, the pie will not hold together when cut. Resist the temptation to add other spices or flavorings. A hint of cinnamon is all that is needed.

Deluxe Butter Pastry Dough (or another of your choosing)
2 ½ pounds apples (5 to 6 medium-large, measuring 6 cups)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
¾ cup sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Streusel Topping
⅔cup all-purpose flour
⅔cup packed light brown sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt

1. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 425˚F.
2. Roll the dough into a 13-inch round, fit it into a 9-inch pie pan, trim the edges and crimp. Refrigerate.
3. Peel, core, and slice apples a little thicker than ¼ inch. Combine the apples with the sugar, flour, lemon juice, cinnamon, and salt. Let stand for 15 minutes, stirring several times, so that the apples soften slightly and will better fit into the crust.
4. Pour the mixture into the crust and gently level with the back of a spoon. Dot the top with the butter pieces.
5. Blend the streusel ingredients with a fork or pulse in a food processor until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Spread topping over apples, making sure to cover all.
6. Bake the pie for 30 minutes. Slip a baking sheet beneath it; reduce the oven temperature to 350˚F, and bake until the fruit feels just tender when a knife or skewer is poked through, 25 to 35 minutes more.
For the filling to thicken properly, the pie must cool completely on a rack, 3 to 4 hours. If you wish to serve the pie warm, place it in a 350˚F oven for about 15 minutes. The pie is best the day it is baked, but it can be kept for 2 to 3 days on the counter.

Mary Morris's Apricot Pie

2 Pie crusts (1 top, 1 bottom)
2 cans apricots
apricot preserves and sugar to make 1 cup
3 tbs cornstarch
1 tbs tapioca
1 1/2 tbs butter
1 tbs lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Drain apricots, reserving 3/4 cup of juice.
3. Combine apricot juice, sugar, preserves, cornstarch, and tapioca over medium heat. Cook until thick. Remove from heat. Stir in butter and lemon juice, add apricots and cool.
4. Place bottom crust into 8-inch pie plate. Pour filling into crust and add top crust (either whole or a lattice top). If not using lattice top, pierce top crust to create vents. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.
5. Bake for 10 min, reduce heat to 375 and bake for 20-25 min more, or until top is golden and juices are bubbling through vents or lattice.
6. Cool on a wire rack for 3 to 4 hours and serve.

Cherry O'Cream Cheese Pie

9" Graham Cracker Crust
8 oz. pkg. of cream cheese, softened
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 c. lemon juice
1 t. vanilla
1 can of cherry pie filling

Beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Gradually add milk and beat until well blended. Stir in lemon juice and vanilla. Pour into crust. Chill for at least 3 hours. Top with cherry pie filling. (I always let everyone put however much topping they want on it, rather than putting the entire can on top of the pie.)

Broccoli Bacon Quiche

Crust:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
6 tbs chilled butter
1/4 tsp salt
3-4 tbs cold water

Filling:
16 oz chopped broccoli
1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup scallions, diced
6 eggs
1 1/3 cup milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
8 slices bacon, crumbled

Preheat oven to 425. Combine the flours, salt, and butter in a bowl. Mix with pastry blender or fork until the consistency of cornmeal. Add just enough water to make the dough come together. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into a 12 inch circle. Place in a 10 inch pie plate. Crimp edges with fingers and prick crust all over with a fork. Bake until light brown about 10 minutes.

Beat eggs, milk, and salt in a bowl. Add onion, broccoli, bacon, cheese, and pepper. Pour into crust. Bake 50-60 minutes until puffed, light brown, with the center set. Let cool 10 minutes before slicing.

Notes: Most pie plates are 9-inch, so be sure of your size. If you don't have a 10-inch plate, decrease the eggs to 4, the milk to 1 cup, the scallions to 1/3 cup, and the broccoli to 10 oz. This crust is very crumbly. If you have a mat to roll on, this works the best. You could also use parchment paper or wax paper, but these usually are too narrow. It can be done just on a floured counter top. Keep some water handy to patch any tears when it comes time to transfer to the plate. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time, this takes about 1 1/2 hour to make.

Susie's Potato Bacon Soup

½ onion, chopped
8 oz bacon, cooked and crumbled
4 potatoes, cubed
2 cups water
1 can evaporated milk
3 tbs Butter Buds
¼ tsp salt
1 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded

1. Cook potatoes and onion in water until tender. Don’t drain the water.

2. Slightly mash the potatoes with a potato masher. Add evaporated milk, Butter Buds,
bacon, and salt. Add milk to thin it if needed.

3. After it has cooled slightly, stir in cheese. Garnish the soup with grated cheese on top.

I love this soup. I always double it, because it is never enough. Here are some tweaks that I've made. Be sure that the potatoes are Russets. I've tried other varieties, and none do the job like a plain Jane Russet potato. I cook the bacon in the same pot as I make the soup in. I use pepper bacon (Daleys from Costco is the best ever). It adds a lot more flavor than regular bacon. Even after draining the grease from the pot, you're still left with some bacon flavored pepper flakes. I have also added a couple of cups of frozen broccoli, peas, and cauliflower, (just to make me feel better about all of that cheese and bacon). Broccoli is by far my favorite addition. Thanks for the recipe Susie!

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

3 c pumpkin seeds
2 tbsp. butter, melted
1/2-1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce to taste
1/2 tsp. garlic powder or to taste
1/2 tsp. onion powder or to taste
Little salt

Take seeds out of pumpkin and wash thoroughly. Lay on towel to dry (overnight is best). Mix butter, Worcestershire, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt together. Stir together with seeds until all seeds are well covered. Lay out single layer on a cookie sheet. Bake at 250 degrees for 2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes. Taste after 1 hour 15 minutes, it doesn’t take long for the seeds to burn.

It's probably a little late in the year to post these, but they are so yummy, so remember them for next year!

White Chicken Chili

Sarah’s disclaimer: I’m not really one to follow recipes. I just throw a little of ‘this’ or ‘that’ in. I combine different recipes, and use what I happen to have in the kitchen. So last night I made white chicken chili—a combination of two recipes, minus whatever I didn’t have, plus a few things I thought would be good. It was SO GOOD, that I decided to sit down and try to remember my recipe. I kind of just throw spices in, so I guessed on measurements. I hope they are accurate enough!

1-2 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves minced garlic (or to taste)

2 lbs chicken breast—boneless, skinless

1 ½ Tbsp cumin

½ tsp red pepper flakes

1-2 tsp basil

2 tsp dried cilantro (or 2 Tbsp fresh cilantro)

3 cans white beans—do not drain (white kidney, navy, etc…) (OR use dried white beans—2-3 cups, soak overnight)

1 can green chilies

1-2 cups chicken broth

In a large pot, sauté garlic and onion in olive oil. Cut chicken into strips or thin slices (If you want it shredded—strips work well). Add chicken to pan and sauté until cooked through. Use two forks to shred the chicken. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, then let simmer for 30 minutes.

Serve with sour cream, tortilla chips, cheese, etc.

Spaghetti with Tomato Garlic Cream Sauce

4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups milk
4 tbs butter
salt & pepper to taste
3 cups diced tomatoes*
18 oz pasta**

1. In a medium sauce pan, sauté garlic in butter over medium heat until very lightly browned. Watch carefully, this will burn fast.

2. Add flour and cook for 5 minutes. The roux should be a light golden brown.

3. Add tomatoes, milk, salt, and pepper. Simmer until thickened, stirring frequently. Serve over pasta.

*If you don’t have fresh tomatoes, this takes 2 of the 14.5 oz cans of diced tomatoes. I like to use Italian style (with basil, oregano, etc.)

**I have used quite a few varieties of pasta. If you use a tube or curly shaped pasta,
you’ll only need a pound of pasta.

Edible Skeleton

I saw this on a friend's blog and thought is was cute. The head is a head of lettuce filled with dip, olive eyes and nose with a green pepper smile. The joints are mushrooms, the bones are celery and carrots, the ribs are slices of green pepper, the heart is a tomato, and tips of fingers and toes are olives.

Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

2 c sugar
½ c softened butter
½ c shortening
1 c sour cream
3 eggs
5 ½ c flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond extract
¼ tsp salt

In a large mixing bowl cream sugar, butter and shortening until light and fluffy. Add sour cream, and eggs one at a time, mixing until each is incorporated.

Add remaining ingredients and beat at low speed until soft dough forms. Cover with plastic wrap and chill 1-2 hours or until firm.

Heat oven to 350. On a well floured surface, roll dough to ¼ - inch thickness. Cut out cookies with cutters. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Remove cookies from cookie sheet after 2 minutes and place on cooling rack. Allow cookies to cool, then frost. Let frosting set before storing.

Notes: For best results, keep extra dough in fridge while rolling. If you have a silicone mat, no flour is needed when rolling. Parchment paper or silicone mat placed on cookie sheet produces best results. The frosting below is some of the best cream cheese frosting ever. It goes great with these cookies.


Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

11 oz softened cream cheese
⅓ c softened butter
4 ½ c sifted powdered sugar
2 tsp orange juice
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp orange zest

Beat cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl; gradually beat in sugar. Beat in juice, vanilla, and zest until fluffy.

Zuppa Toscana

1 lb Italian Sausage
3/4 - 1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper (see note)
1 Large White Onion, diced
1/2 lb Bacon Pieces
1 Large Clove Garlic, minced
10 cups Water
5 Cubes of Chicken Bouillon
1 cup Heavy Cream
1 lb Russet Potatoes, sliced thin (about 3 large potatoes)
1/4 of a Bunch of Kale

1. In a large pot, cook bacon until nearly crisp, add sausage and red pepper. Reserve 1 tbs of fat and drain excess, refrigerate while you prepare other ingredients.
2. In the same pan with reserved fat, saute onion and garlic until the onions are soft.
3. Mix together the bouillon and water then add to the onion mix. Cook until boiling.
4. Add potatoes and cook until soft, about half an hour.
5. Add heavy cream and cook until thoroughly heated.
6. Stir in sausage and bacon.
7. Add kale just before serving.

This soup is so yummy. It serves 6-8. The original recipe calls for 1 1/2 tsp red pepper. I like spicy, but that was even a little too much for me. Next we tried 1/2 tsp and it wasn't enough, so 3/4 - 1 tsp is just right for us. We also sprinkled a little Parmesan on ours, which added a nice nutty flavor. A little plug for Great Harvest, their Asiago Sourdough Bread is great with this soup (I'm sure just about any loaf of their bread would be wonderful).

Waffles and Frittata

This is one of my favorite breakfasts. The waffles are so light and have just the right egg flavor. The frittata never lasts long if I take it for potluck breakfasts.



Waffles
3 large eggs, separated
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tbs sugar
1/2 tsp salt

1. Preheat your waffle iron.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks, milk, oil, and vanilla with an electric mixer until thoroughly mixed.
3. Add the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Beat until just smooth.
4. In a small bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer on high until stiff peaks form.
With a rubber spatula, gently fold the beaten egg whites into the mixture. Do not over mix. Pour batter onto hot, waffle iron. Serve immediately or keep warm in a 200 degree oven.

Notes
Be sure to stir the batter between waffles. It will separate easily. If you make more than one batch, only make two batches at a time. When there is more than two batches, it is hard to mix the egg whites throughout. If you have to grease your waffle iron, try not to use nonstick spray. It burns too easily and creates a sticky film that is hard to get off. If your iron sticks, put some oil on a paper towel and rub it on the iron. To reheat, just toast in the toaster. These will only keep for a day or two. They do freeze well.

Frittata
12 large eggs
3 tbs half-and-half
salt and ground black pepper
8 oz bacon (about 8 slices), cut crosswise into 1/4 inch pieces
1 lb yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
4 oz cheddar cheese, cut into 1/4 inch cubes (about 3/4 cup)
3 scallions, sliced thin on the bias (about 1/3 cup)

1. Adjust oven rack to the upper-middle position, about 5 inches from the heating element; heat the broiler. Whisk the eggs, half-and-half, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper in a medium bowl until well combined. Set the eggs aside.
2. Fry the bacon in a 12-in oven safe nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, pour off all but 1 tbs of bacon fat. Add the potatoes to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and tender, 15 to 20 min. Stir the cheddar, scallions, and bacon into the eggs; add the egg mixture to the skillet and cook, using a rubber spatula to stir and scrape the bottom of the skillet, until large curds form and the spatula begins to leave a wake but the eggs are still very wet, about 2 min. Shake the skillet to distribute the eggs evenly; cook without stirring for 30 seconds to let the bottom set.
3. Slide the skillet under the broiler and broil until the frittata has risen and the surface is puffed and spotty brown, 3 to 4 min. When cut into with a paring knife, the eggs should be slightly wet and runny. Remove the skillet from the oven and let stand 5 minutes to finish cooking; using the spatula, loosen the frittata from the skillet and slide onto a platter or cutting board. Cut into wedges and serve.

Notes
You have to have the skillet for this, it won't work any other way. I use thick cut pepper bacon (Daileys sp? is the best). If you don't have half-and-half, I've used milk and cream without too much of a variation. I usually don't have scallions on hand and make it with shallots, the scallions are better though. A regular onion is a little too harsh.

Rice Krispie Carmel Bars

My mother-in-law makes rock star Rice Krispie treats! (Karen Rice, Central Ward) They are a huge hit wherever I have taken them---super easy and great to take along on fall activities!

Caramel Center

1/2 stick butter

1 bag caramels (unwrap)

6 oz can condensed milk

1 tsp. vanilla

Rice Krispies

1 stick of butter

2 pkgs mini marshmallows (reserve 1/2 package)

*after. the butter and marshmallows are melted, stir in 1 tsp. vanilla

9-12 cups Rice Krispies

Melt first 3 ingredients together, set aside. In another pan, melt 1 stick of butter and marshmallows; stir in cereal. Butter a cookie sheet. Pat down 1/2 of the Rice Krispie mixture---make sure it's a thick layer. (it helps to put water on your hands---it can be sticky) Sprinkle remaining 1/2 package mini marshmallows on the Rice Krispie layer. Cover with warm caramel mixture. Cover with remaining Rice Krispie mixture and pat down. Cool. Cut into squares.

I like to wrap them individually in plastic wrap, then freeze.
This makes it easier to save and disperse whenever anyone wants a yummy treat!

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

**I double this recipe**

Meatballs
1 lb lean ground beef or turkey
1 egg
½ cup dried breadcrumbs
¼ cup finely chopped onion or 1-2 Tbsp dried onion
¼ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp seasoning salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp granulated sugar

Sauce
1 (20 ounce) can of pineapple chunks, drained with juice reserved
1/3 cup water
3 Tbsp distilled white vinegar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
½ cup packed brown sugar
3 Tbsp cornstarch
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp seasoning salt
1-3 carrots, sliced
1 large green bell pepper, cut into ½ inch pieces

Preheat oven to 400°
Lightly grease a large, shallow baking sheet

In a large bowl, thoroughly mix the ground beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, and onion. Sprinkle with ginger, seasoning salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and sugar. Shape into one-inch balls.

Place meatballs in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 10-15 minutes. Set aside.

To make the sauce, mix enough water with the reserved pineapple juice to make one cup. In a large pot over medium heat, combine the juice mixture, 1/3 cup water, vinegar, soy sauce, and brown sugar. Stir in cornstarch, ginger, and seasoning until smooth. Cover and cook until thickened.

Stir pineapple chunks, carrots, green pepper, and meatballs into the sauce. Gently stir to coat the meatballs with the sauce. Simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are thoroughly cooked.

Serve with rice

Layered Enchilada Pie

1 lb. ground beef(or turkey)
1 onion, chopped
1 minced clove of garlic
2 T. butter
1 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
2/3 c. water
1/2 lb. grated cheddar cheese(reserve 1/2 c. cheese for top)
1 T. chili powder
1 (4 1/2 oz.) can chopped ripe olives
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
corn tortillas, lightly buttered

Brown meat, onion and garlic in butter. Add seasonings, olives and tomato sauce. In a round 2-quart casserole alternate layers of buttered tortillas, meat sauce and cheese. Top with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Add water, cover and bake in 400-degree oven for 30 minutes.
If you double the recipe, it fits well in a 9x13 pan.

Barbecue Sauce

1 c. ketchup
1/4 c. molasses
1/4 c. lemon juice
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1. t. dijon-style mustard(brown mustard)
1/4 t. pepper
1 clove garlic, minced

Combine ingredients in 4 c. glass measure, cover with plastic wrap. Cook on high 4 1/2 to 5 minutes, stirring once. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Spanish Rice - Really yummy!

1 T. cooking oil
1 c. white rice
2 c. chicken broth
2 tsp. Knorr Tomato Bouillon with Chicken Flavor(I have only been able to find this at the Albertsons in the Heights. Crazy, huh?)
1 onion, chopped
1 tomato, diced
1 tsp. cilantro(dried), or a hand-full of fresh
Dash of cumin
Salt and pepper to taste

Put oil in pan. Add rice and onion and brown slightly. Add rest of ingredients. Bring to a simmer and cook 20 minutes.

Here's a few recipes from the RS canning class last week:

Peach Salsa
14 - 15 peaches
1 big red onion
1 small white onion
4 large peppers, different colors
5 jalepenos, with seeds
1 bunch cilantro
6 cloves of garlic
4 tsp. cumin
1/2 c. vinegar
3 c. sugar
1 lime, juice and zest

Chop all the ingredients (the ones that need to be!). Stir together in a large pan. Bring to a boil and simmer for a while. (Long enough that it's the right consistency and that your house smells terrific!) Put in jars and water bath pints for 20 minutes.




Chili Sauce (from Robin Sears' Mom)
8 quarts peeled, ripe tomatoes
2 c. ground green pepper (or chopped fine)
4 cups chopped onion (fine)
1/2 c. salt
3 pints vinegar
3 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. ginger
2 tsp. allspice

Put all ingredients together in a pot. Simmer for about 2 1/2 hours. Add 5 c. sugar and boil for 30 minutes. Ladle into jars and waterbath for 20-25 minutes.




Carmel-Glazed Apple Cake - this is from Robin Sears - and it's yummy!

1 c. packed brown sugar
1 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. vegetable oil
3 eggs
3 c. flour
1 t. soda
2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/2 t. salt
5 apples, peeled and cut in 1/2-inch pieced
1 1/4 c. chopped pecans or walnuts
1 1/4 t. vanilla

CARMEL GLAZE
4 TBS butter
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. brown sugar
pinch of salt
1/2 c. heavy cream

Beat sugars and oil until well blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just blended. Stir in apples, pecans and vanilla. Pour into a greased & floured 9 x 13. Bake for 50- 75 minutes in a preheated 325 degree oven.

Glaze: Melt butter in saucepan over low heat. Stir in both sugars and salt. Cook over medium-low heat for 2 minutes. Add cream and boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

The recipe tells you to poke holes in the cake with a skewer and pour the glaze on the cake in the pan. I drizzled the glaze on individual servings. I also doubled the glaze recipe. You can top this with whip cream or ice cream if you'd like.

Zucchini Bread

Makes one 9-inch loaf

If using a large zucchini, cut in half length-wise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon before shredding. By wringing the zucchini, you’ll lose the gummy, sticky texture of most zucchini breads.

1 pound zucchini
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups sugar
¼ cup plain yogurt
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon lemon juice
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Generously coat 9
by 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

2. Shred zucchini using the coarse holes on a box grater. Place the grated zucchini in a
clean dish towel and wring out as much liquid as possible. Whisk flour, baking soda,
baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk sugar, yogurt,
eggs, lemon juice, and butter in a bowl until combined.

3. Gently fold yogurt mixture and zucchini into flour mixture using spatula until just
combined. Transfer batter to prepared pan.

4. Bake until golden brown and skewer inserted in center comes out with a few crumbs
attached, 45 to 55 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack to cool
at least 1 hour. (Bread can be wrapped in plastic and stored at room temperature for 3
days.)

Baked Ziti

Sorry, I don't have a picture of this dish, but this is so yummy!

1 tablespoons Olive Oil
6 cloves Garlic
¼ teaspoons Red Pepper Flakes
1 ½ teaspoons salt
28 ounces canned crushed tomatoes
3 cups water
3 ¼ cups ziti
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
¼ cup minced, fresh basil leaves
⅛ teaspoon black ground pepper
1 cup whole milk mozzarella cheese, shredded

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 475 degrees.

2. Combine the oil, garlic, pepper flakes, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large oven-safe nonstick skillet and saute over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes, water, ziti, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover and cook, stirring often and adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a vigorous simmer, until the ziti is almost tender, 15 to 18 minutes.

3. Stir in the cream, Parmesan, and basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the mozzarella evenly over the ziti. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the cheese has melted and browned, about 10 minutes. Serve.

Notes: To complete this recipe in 30 minutes, preheat your oven before assembling your ingredients. If your skillet is not oven-safe, transfer the pasta mixture into a shallow 2-quart casserole dish before sprinkling with the cheese and baking. Penne can be used in place of the ziti. Part skim mozzarella can be substituted for the the whole milk, but it won’t melt as well or be as creamy.

Brer Rabbit Cookies

2 c melted shortening
1/4 c canola oil
3 c sugar, plus extra
3/4 c dark molasses
3 eggs
6 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp cloves
1 tsp ginger
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
5 c flour
1 c whole wheat flour

Mix shortening, oil, sugar, and molasses until combined.
Add eggs, one at a time, mixing until each is incorporated.
Add soda, cloves, ginger, cinnamon, salt, and flours, mixing until just combined.
Chill dough for an hour or two.
Preheat oven to 350.
Roll into small balls and roll in sugar. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. For a crispy cookie, bake 10-12 minutes. This recipe makes a lot of cookies (the cookies fill more than 2 gallon sized zipper bags). The dough freezes well if you would like to only bake half of the batch. Although the title of the recipe is Brer Rabbit Cookies, I prefer Grandma's Molasses to Brer Rabbit Molasses.

Welcome!

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