Kit Kat Kake

Kit Kat Kake
Kit Kat Kake

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Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Sweet 'n' Spicy Chicken

Sweet 'n' Spicy Chicken

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 tablespoons taco seasoning mix
1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 (11 ounce) jar chunky salsa
1/2 cup peach preserves

Place the chicken in a large resealable plastic bag; add taco seasoning and toss to coat. In a skillet, cook chicken in oil. Combine salsa and preserves; stir into skillet. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Caesar Pork Chops

Caesar Pork Chops

Serves 4

1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon dried italian seasoning
1/2 cup purchased creamy Caesar salad dressing
4 (1/2 inch thick) center cut bone in pork chops
1 oz (1/4 cup) shredded fresh Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Spray a 12 x 8 (2 quart) glass baking dish with nonstick spray.
In pie pan or shallow dish, mix flour and Italian seasoning.
Pour salad dressing into another shallow dish.
Dip both sides of chops in flour mixture coating well.
Dip in salad dressing coating well.
Place in sprayed dish.
Sprinkle with cheese.
Discard any remaining flour or dressing.
Bake at 375 degrees for 35 - 40 minutes or until pork is no longer pink.

Cowboy Chicken

Cowboy Chicken
1 whole cut-up chicken (or your choice of pieces: breasts, legs, thighs, etc.)
1 jar salsa
2 heaping tbsp. To 1/4 c. Brown sugar (depending on taste)
Squirt of brown mustard

Preheat Oven: 350°
Place chicken in casserole dish or roasting pan, mix other ingredients and pour over chicken. Bake in oven until chicken is fully cooked (about an hour). Cover the dish for most of the cooking time and remove the lid or foil for the last 15-20 minutes or so to allow the sauce to thicken slightly.
The sauce will be DELICIOUS served over rice or scooped up with corn chips or tortillas.

Instant Strawberry Ice Cream

Instant Strawberry Ice Cream

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
24 ounces frozen sweetened strawberries -- chopped into large chunks
whole or sliced fresh strawberries -- for garnish (optional)

In a medium bowl, whisk the sugar into the heavy cream. Set aside.

Place the frozen strawberry chunks in a blender. With the blender
running, slowly add the cream mixture, stopping to stir 3 or 4 times,
until the mixture is smooth but still shows bits of strawberries.

Transfer to a shallow metal pan. Cover and freeze to a scoopable
texture, about 1 hour. Top with strawberries, if desired.

Makes 8 servings

Lemon Supreme Muffins

Lemon Supreme Muffins

1 box lemon cake mix
1 (4 serving) box instant lemon pudding
1/2 cup oil
1 cup buttermilk
4 eggs; beaten

Preheat oven to 375.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Mix well. Pour mixture into muffin pan with paper liners 3/4's full. Bake 15 to 20 minutes.

Cheddar Mushroom Pork Steaks

Cheddar Mushroom Pork Steaks

1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (11 ounce) can condensed cheese soup
2 (10.75 ounce) cans milk
8 thick cut pork steaks
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried basil
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the mushroom soup, Cheddar cheese soup and
the milk. Mix until well blended. Season the pork steaks with the
oregano, basil and salt and pepper to taste.

Pour about 2 cups of the sauce into a 9x13 inch baking dish and
place the pork steaks over the sauce. Top the steaks with the
remaining sauce.

Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees F for 1 hour, then turn steaks over,
making sure they're always covered with the sauce, and bake for
another 30 minutes.

Servings: 8

S'more Snack Treats

S'more Snack Treats

44 honey graham squares (2 sleeves)
3 tablespoons margarine or butter
1 (10 oz) pkg. marshmallows
3/4 c. semisweet choc. chips

Break graham squares into bite size pieces; set aside.

Heat butter in large saucepan over medium heat until melted. Add marshmallows, stirring constantly until melted.

Stir broken crackers into marshmallow mixture to coat evenly. Spread mixture into lightly greased or sprayed 13x9 inch pan; sprinkle with choc. chips, pressing chips lightly with greased hands.

Refrigerate at least 20 minutes before cutting into squares.

Makes 12

Bacon Quesadillas

Bacon Quesadillas

4 flour tortillas, (6 inch)
1 cup KRAFT Shredded Colby & Monterey Jack Cheese
1/4 cup OSCAR MAYER Real Bacon Bits
1/4 cup thin green onion slices

PREHEAT oven to 400°F. Top half of each tortilla with 1/4 cup of the cheese and 1 Tbsp. each of the bacon bits and green onion. Fold tortillas in half; press lightly to secure.

PLACE in single layer on baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.

BAKE 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

Apple Popcorn Brittle

Apple Popcorn Brittle

PAM Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
1 bag (3.3 oz each) ACT II Butter Microwave Popcorn
2 cups apple-and-cinnamon flavored cereal
1 cup pecan pieces
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup apple juice
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray 15x11-inch jelly roll pan with cooking spray.

Prepare popcorn according to package directions. Remove all
un popped kernels. Place popped corn, cereal and pecans in large bowl
sprayed with cooking spray.

Spray sides only of medium saucepan; add sugar, apple juice,
syrup, vinegar and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil
2 minutes stirring constantly with wooden spoon. Remove from heat.
Pour over popcorn mixture, tossing gently to coat evenly. Spread onto
prepared pan.

Monday, March 29, 2010

Chocolate Marshmallow Mile-High Squares

Chocolate Marshmallow Mile-High Squares

2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1 2/3 cups (11-oz. pkg.) butterscotch flavored morsels
1/2 cup creamy or chunky peanut butter
1 pkg. (16 oz.) miniature marshmallows
1 cup dry-roasted peanuts

Line 13 x 9-inch baking pan with foil.

Microwave semi-sweet morsels, butterscotch morsels and peanut butter in large, microwave-safe bowl on MEDIUM-HIGH (70%) power for 2 minutes; stir. Microwave at additional 10- to 20-second intervals, stirring until smooth. Cool for 1 minute. Stir in marshmallows and peanuts.

Spread into prepared pan. Refrigerate until firm. Cut into squares.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Easter Chocolate Eggs

I do this every year for Easter,fun and different

Easter Chocolate Eggs


12 medium size eggs
3 (12 oz.) Bags of chocolate chips (white, milk, semisweet or all of them- your choice)
assorted gel coloring

Prepare the Eggs:
Use an ice pick or the pointed end of a thermometer to pierce a hole in the larger end of the egg. Enlarge the hole to a circle about 1/2 inch (no larger than size of a dime) in diameter by pinching off tiny pieces of the shell with your fingertips.

Shake the raw egg into a bowl. It can be saved for another use. It is easier to get all of the egg out of the shell if you stir it up a little first. Completely rinse out the inside of the shells with warm water. Boil egg shell to kill any potential bacteria. Place clean shells on a baking sheet and dry them out in the oven for about 15-20 minutes at 250 degrees. Put the dry egg shells back into the clean egg carton-hole- side up.

Melting the Chocolate:
Put the desired amount of chocolate into various zip bags. Place bags of chocolate chips into very warm water until melted. If using white chocolate, add the gel food coloring and stir completely for a solid color or just partially for a marbled effect. Use the amount needed to create the color that you want.

Snip off the end of the zip bag and squeeze the melted chocolate into the eggshells until full. Wipe off any chocolate that has gotten on the outside of the shells. Place the egg carton (containing the chocolate filled eggs) into the refrigerator and chill until firm. Takes at least 5 hours or overnight. Once the chocolate has set, crack the shells off the egg and peel off.

Variations/Presentations:
Give someone the carton full of eggs and let them peel the eggs.

Make a nest for the eggs to rest in using melted chocolate and crispy Chinese noodles. Either use milk chocolate or white chocolate with food color. The nests can be made in a variety of colors and sizes.

Fill a basket or a cute box with paper Easter grass, position the chocolate eggs in a nest on top of the Easter grass, wrap the basket in clear cellophane and tie it with colored ribbon. Add more decoration using jelly beans.

Oreo Mint Bark

Oreo Mint Bark

20 oz. pkg. Oreo cookies
1 lb. mint flavored chocolate
peppermint oil

Break up Oreo cookies and place on a foil lined 13x9 pan. Melt
chocolate in microwave at 50% power for 1-1/2 minutes. Take out and
stir. Repeat process until chocolate is fully melted and smooth. Add
a couple drops of peppermint oil; blend well. Pour over broken
cookies and stir lightly. Put in freezer for 10 minutes. Break apart
into pieces.

RANCH PORK CHOPS

RANCH PORK CHOPS

1 oz packet ranch dressing mix
1/4 tsp pepper
4 - 6 pork chops
Paprika

Mix together the dressing mix and pepper. Rub in both sides of the pork chops. Lay in single layer on baking pan. Sprinkle with paprika to taste. Bake at 450° until done, about 20-25 minutes. Turn once during cooking.

Hershey Kisses Rolls

Hershey Kisses Rolls

2 tubes of pop-out ready-made biscuits
20 unwrapped Hershey Chocolate Kisses
3/4 c. sugar
2 t. cinnamon
1/2 c. melted margarine

Flatten each roll into a circle. Place a kiss on each circle and bring up the edges to form a small bundle. Pinch edges tightly.

Mix cinnamon and sugar. Dip each ball into melted margarine and roll in cinnamon and sugar mixture.

Place in an 8x11 inch pan, close together. If there is any remaining margarine you may pour it over the top of the rolls. Bake at 350 degrees till golden brown.

Monday, March 22, 2010

Creamy Chocolate Layered Pie

Creamy Chocolate Layered Pie
8 oz. softened cream cheese
1 Tbls. milk
1 Tbls. sugar
1 12 oz container cool whip
1 graham cracker crust( I use oreo cookie crust)
1 1/2 cups cold milk
2 pkg. 4 oz each Jello chocolate instant pudding
Mix cream cheese
, milk and sugar until smooth, stir in coolwhip and spread
ont he bottom of the crust. Mix milk and pudding for 1 minute then add 2
cups
cool whip and spread over cream cheese mixture. Spread the rest of the
coolwhip over the top of that layer. Chill for 4 hours.
you can also make it with shortbread crust and lemon pudding. or any
combination for different flavors. banana with sliced bananas between one
layer is
really good. As is Coconut cream with coconut on top.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Cherry Blossom

Cherry Blossom

Sift together into a bowl:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda

Blend in 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar and 3/4 cup quick cooking (1 minute)
oatmeal. Cut in 1/2 cup shortening until particles are size of small peas.
Press 1/2 of mixture into bottom of ungreased 9"x13" pan. Spread with can of
cherry pie filling (I usually use 2 cans). Cover with remaining oatmeal
mixture. Press down gently with a spoon or your fingers.

350F, 25-30 minutes. Serve warm with whipped topping or ice cream.

Apple Fantasy

Apple Fantasy

2/3 c. flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
3 tsp vanilla
3 c. diced apples

Beat eggs, add sugar and vanilla and beat well. Add dry ingredients
and mix. Dump in apples and stir until evenly distributed. Put in a
deep baking dish or souffle dish. Bake 45 minutes at 350. Serve
warm.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Cheesy Southwest Meatloaf

Cheesy Southwest Meatloaf

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 egg slightly beaten
3 pieces white bread torn into small pieces
8 ounces velveeta cheese cubed
10 ounce can Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies, drained
1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin.

Preheat oven to 375. Mix beef, egg, bread pieces, velveeta, Rotel and red pepper and cumin together. Shape into loaf and bake in lightly oiled baking dish or loaf pan 1 hour. Allow to cool 10 minutes before slicing.

Serves 6.

Chicken Good and Easy

Chicken Good and Easy

4 Skinless and Boneless Chicken Breast
1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup
4 Tablesoons butter or margerine
1 can french fried onions
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Place chicken breasts in a baking dish
Top each chicken breast with garlic powder, 1 tablespoon butter or margarine, 1 dollop of cream of mushroom soup and top with can of french fried onions. If you want to you can save some of the onions back and put on top of the chicken during the last 5 minutes of baking. This will make the chicken a little crunchy.
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour

ASIAN CHICKEN THIGHS

ASIAN CHICKEN THIGHS

1/3 cup teriyaki sauce
1 tbs oil
1 clove garlic, minced
4 chicken thighs, skin removed

Mix teriyaki sauce, oil and garlic in ziptop bag. Add chicken, seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate 1 hour or up to 1 day.
*Coat grill with cooking spray or oil. (Heat grill). Add chicken and grill 15 min. turning as needed, until cooked through, then serve.
(MAKES 4 SERVINGS OF CHICKEN)...

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Rice Krispy Snicker Squares

Rice Krispy Snicker Squares Recipe

6 snicker candy bars {1.7 ounce bar}
2 cups marshmallows
1/2 cup margarine or butter
6 cups rice krispies cereal

Combine first 3 ingredients in a sauce pan, melt together on medium low heat stirring constantly to prevent burning. in a large bowl stir melted chocolate mixture and rice krispies together.

Spray dish with cooking spray, press mixture into the dish. Let cool, and cut into squares. Store in a air tight container or cover with plastic wrap to keep fresh.

Smores Cake

Smores Cake
1 jar marshmallow creme
1 can prepared chocolate fudge frosting
1 pkg chocolate fudge cake mix
Miniature marshmallows
Graham crackers, crushed to 1/4-inch pieces

For two (8-inch) round cake layers. Follow directions on cake mix. Allow cake to cool
completely, brush off all loose crumbs. Microwave the marshmallow creme for 10 seconds.
Spread creme on bottom layer to 1/2-inch thickness. Cover with graham cracker crumbs.
Carefully place second cake layer on top. Frost entire cake sides first, then top with
the chocolate frosting. Decorate with mini marshmallows and remaining graham cracker crumbs.

Smores Cake

Smores Cake
1 jar marshmallow creme
1 can prepared chocolate fudge frosting
1 pkg chocolate fudge cake mix
Miniature marshmallows
Graham crackers, crushed to 1/4-inch pieces

For two (8-inch) round cake layers. Follow directions on cake mix. Allow cake to cool
completely, brush off all loose crumbs. Microwave the marshmallow creme for 10 seconds.
Spread creme on bottom layer to 1/2-inch thickness. Cover with graham cracker crumbs.
Carefully place second cake layer on top. Frost entire cake sides first, then top with
the chocolate frosting. Decorate with mini marshmallows and remaining graham cracker crumbs.

Strawberry Banana Dessert

Strawberry Banana Dessert
1 angel food cake
3 bananas
1 lg container strawberries
8oz pkg vanilla pudding
1 lg container Cool Whip

Break angel food cake into bite size pieces. Put in bottom of large bowl. Slice strawberries
over cake. Sprinkle with sugar. Slice bananas over berries. Make pudding and spread over
bananas. Cool then spread with Cool Whip. Chill until ready to serve.

Chicken Stuffed Shells

Chicken Stuffed Shells

1 box large pasta shells, cooked and drained
2 c. cooked, diced chicken
1 box chicken stuffing mix
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 soup can milk
Prepare stuffing mix. Mix in chicken and one can of cream of chicken soup.
Stuff into shells. Place in casserole dish. Mix soup and milk together, pour
on top. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, covered.

FAKE ALMOND ROCA

FAKE ALMOND ROCA
1-cup butter
1-cup sugar
3 tablespoons water
1-teaspoon light corn syrup
1-cup finely chopped toasted almonds
1-cup milk-chocolate chips
Melt
the butter in a saucepan. Add the sugar, water, and corn syrup. Cook the mixture
over med. Heat, stirring. When the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to boil,
raise the heat and bring the mixture to 290~f degrees on a cooking thermometer. This
is called the soft-crack stage. It will be light brown in color, and syrup will separate
into threads that are not brittle when dribbled into cold water. Quickly stir in
1/2 cup chopped almonds. Immediately pour the mixture onto an ungreased baking sheet.
Wait 2 or 3 minutes for the candy surface to firm, then sprinkle on the chocolate
chips
. In a few minutes, when the chips have softened, spread the chocolate evenly
over the surface. Sprinkle the remaining almonds over the melted chocolate. When
the chocolate hardens, crack the candy into pieces. Store covered.
Crowd Pleaser

CHICKEN DRESSING CASSEROLE

CHICKEN DRESSING CASSEROLE
2 Boxes Cornbread Stove Top Stuffing
1 cn French style green beans (drained)
1 cn Cream of celery soup
1 cn Cream of chicken soup
1 c Milk, mix soups and milk
1 cn Mushrooms
2 c Cut up cooked chicken

Prepare the stuffing as directed on the box. Put 1/2 of the stuffing in bottom of 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Layers as follows: green beans, chicken, soups, mushrooms. Top with dressing remaining. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Atomic Buffalo Turds

Atomic Buffalo Turds

These smokey treats are really easy to prepare, and you may even have most of the ingredients hanging out in your fridge already:

12 fresh jalapeno peppers
12 slices of bacon
24 little smokies
1 package of cream cheese (room temperature)
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
Sweet barbecue rub

To start the construction of the atomic buffalo turds, you'll first want to wash and trim the jalapeno peppers. I highly recommend wearing plastic food prep gloves during the trimming portion to keep the jalapeno juices from soaking into your skin, so proceed with caution if you choose not to heed my advice. Trimming these guys is a relatively simple task. Simply chop the stem off and slice the pepper lengthwise to expose the seeds and vein. Using a spoon, scrape out the white vein and rinse under water to wash away the seeds. The cream cheese will ultimately counteract the burn from the peppers, so leave a good amount of the inner membrane in tact if you want to feel the heat.

In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, paprika and cayenne pepper. Using a butter knife, or a pastry bag, fill each jalapeno half with a generous portion of the cream cheese mixture.

Top each one of the jalapeno "boats" with a little smokey.

Wrap each of the smokey topped jalapenos with a half slice of bacon, making sure that the seam is directly on top of the little smokey. Secure the wrap by inserting a toothpick straight down through the overlapping edges of the bacon all the way through the little smokey. Stop just short of going through the pepper though, that way the cream cheese doesn't leak out through the hole.

Since bacon already contains a good amount of sodium, you'll want to season the buffalo turds with a sugar based rub. Cowtown Rubs are among the staples in my spice rack, so I went with their Sweet Spot Rub this time around. If you're the do-it-yourself type, a nice blend of brown sugar and cayenne pepper works great on these bad boys as well.

Cooking the buffalo turds is a matter of getting the bacon done to your liking. My preference is smoke at 250 degrees for about an hour and a half. At this point the bacon isn't overly crispy, but it's definitely cooked enough to be bite through. If you prefer a crispier bacon, then I'd suggest kicking the temperature up to 300 degrees for about an hour. You'll want to keep a close eye on the peppers though. If they overcook, then they'll loose their stability and your turds will spill out all over your smoker.

Once your buffalo turds are cooked to your liking, remove them from the grill to cool down a bit before serving. At this point I would typically top them with a generous helping of Blues Hog Barbecue Sauce cut with a little cran-apple juice, but this time around I happened to have a bottle of hot raspberry sauce from the folks over at Traverse Bay Farms. I used this sauce a few weeks ago on some pulled pork sandwiches and was pleasantly surprised as to how well the raspberry flavor melded with the smoked pork, but this blew the sandwich out of the water. The flavor of the smokey jalapeno matches perfectly with the sweet fruity sauce, and of course it's heat is in good company with the medley of peppers tasted in each bite. A spoonful of sauce on each turd and you can guarantee these tasty treats will disappear in no time flat!

Apple (or other pie filling) Enchiladas

Apple (or other pie filling) Enchiladas



1 (21 ounce) can apple pie filling

6 (8 inch) flour tortillas

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup water
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F Grease a 2 quart baking dish.
Spoon about one heaping quarter cup of pie filling evenly down the center of each tortilla. Sprinkle with cinnamon; roll up, tucking in edges; and place seam side down in prepared dish.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, white sugar, brown sugar and water. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes. Pour sauce over enchiladas and let stand 30 minutes.
Bake in preheated oven 20 minutes, or until golden

CHOCOLATE MARSHMALLOW FUDGE

CHOCOLATE MARSHMALLOW FUDGE


1 lb Hershey's chocolate bar
1 can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
About 24 large marshmallows, cut in fourths

Melt chocolate in the top of a double boiler pan. When completely melted take off the heat and stir in the Eagle Brand milk till creamy. Add the marshmallows
Pour into a 8 x 12 greased pan. Put inot refrigerator till set.......Creamy and delicious!

Monday, March 15, 2010

Burrito Pie

Burrito Pie

2 pounds ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 (2 ounce) can black olives, sliced
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chili peppers
1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chile peppers
1 (16 ounce) jar taco sauce
2 (16 ounce) cans refried beans
12 (8 inch) flour tortillas
9 ounces shredded Colby cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large skillet over medium heat, saute the ground beef for 5 minutes. Add the onion and garlic, and saute for 5 more minutes. Drain any excess fat, if desired. Mix in the olives, green chile peppers, tomatoes with green chile peppers, taco sauce and refried beans. Stir mixture thoroughly, reduce heat to low, and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
Spread a thin layer of the meat mixture in the bottom of a 4 quart casserole dish. Cover with a layer of tortillas followed by more meat mixture, then a layer of cheese. Repeat tortilla, meat, cheese pattern until all the tortillas are used, topping off with a layer of meat mixture and cheese.
Bake for 20 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheese is slightly brown and bubbly.

Mighty Mexican Beef

Mighty Mexican Beef

1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless round steak
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1 onion, chopped
1 beef bouillon cube, crushed
16 ounce can tomatoes, cut up
16 ounce can kidney beans, drained

Spread meat with mixture of garlic, pepper, salt, chili powder and mustard. Cut into 1/2 inch wide strips. Place in slow cooking pot. Cover with onion, bouillon cube and tomatoes. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Turn control to high. Add beans and cook, covered, for 30 minutes. Serve on bed of rice.

Blackberry Dumplings

Blackberry Dumplings

2 Bags frozen blackberries
2 c Bisquick
1/2 c Milk
1 c Sugar
1 Egg
2 tb Vegetable oil
1/3 c Water

Place blackberries in large covered pot, add 1/2 cup sugar and 1/3 cup water and bring to a boil. In the meantime, in a small bowl, mix Bisquick, milk, egg, oil and remaining sugar to form a dough, but not as thin as pancake dough, not as thick as biscuit dough, to be dropped from spoon. Into boiling berries, drop by spoonful spacing over top of pot. Reduce heat immediately to medium low and cover. Steam for approximately 15 minute. Do not remove lid for first 15 minutes so dumplings will cook through. Serve topped with whipping cream. Note: This can be done with any other kind of berry or peach. For peach, add 2 tablespoons nutmeg to mixture prior to adding dumpling, and stir.

Linguini with Meat Sauce (Make Ahead)

Linguini with Meat Sauce (Make Ahead)

2 pounds lean ground beef
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can crushed tomatoes, 28 oz
1 can tomato sauce, 8 oz
1 can tomato paste, 6 oz
1 t. salt
2 t. sugar
2 cups sour cream
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
8 oz. linguini, cooked al dente and drained
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, 8 oz

Brown the beef with the garlic in a heavy pan, stirring until crumbly; drain. Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, salt and sugar. Simmer for 30 minutes and remove from heat. Mix the sour cream and cream cheese in a large bowl. Mix well. Add cooked pasta and mix well. Spread pasta mixture over bottom of a lightly greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Top evenly with meat sauce. Bake in preheated 350 oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and bake for 5 minutes more or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. This recipe may be made ahead without the cheddar cheese and frozen. Thaw overnight in refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 30 minute before adding the cheddar cheese and baking. Serves 8

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

BBQ Marinade

BBQ Marinade

3/4 cup cooking oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup honey
2 T. cider vinegar
2 T. finely chopped green onions
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 t. ground ginger

Mix ingredients and allow at least 4 hours for steaks to marinade in sauce. Barbecue over hot coals, basting occasionally.

Lemon Drop Martini

Lemon Drop Martini

Vodka
Sanding sugar
2/3 cup lemon vodka
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
2 T. triple sec
Lemon drop candies, for garnish

In shallow dish, place a small amount of vodka. In another small shallow dish, add desired amount sanding sugar. Dip rim of chilled cocktail glass into vodka, and then into sanding sugar. Let stand to dry. Fill cocktail shaker halfway with ice cubes. Add lemon vodka, lemon juice, and triple sec. Shake with ice and strain into prepared martini glasses. Garnish with lemon drop candies, if desired. Makes 4 drinks.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Payday Bar Cake

Payday Bar Cake
1 (18.25 ounce) box yellow cake mix
1/3 cup butter
3 cups miniature marshmallows
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups peanut butter chips
2 cups salted peanuts
1 1/2 cups puffed rice cereal
1/4 cup butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix together the cake mix, 1/3 cup butter or margarine and the egg. Press into the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 12 to 18 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with miniature marshmallows. Return to oven for 1 to 2 minutes or until the marshmallows begin to puff.

In a saucepan over medium heat cook corn syrup, 1/4 cup butter of margarine, vanilla extract and peanut butter chips until melted. Remove from heat and stir in the puffed rice cereal and salted peanuts. Spoon mixture over top of marshmallow topped cake and spread to cover. Allow to cool before serving

Monday, March 1, 2010

Chocolate Fudge in a Mug

Chocolate Fudge in a Mug

1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon finely chopped walnuts or pecans

Measure into a small zip-type plastic bag, then seal and shake to combine.

1/2 cup miniature marshmallows

Measure marshmallows into a separate small zip-type plastic bag.

Line a 1 1/2 to 2 cup microwave-safe mug with tissue paper in a coordinating color. Place chocolate chip bag in bottom, then add the marshmallows bag to the top.

Attach a gift tag with the following instructions:

Chocolate Fudge

Combine Fudge Mix and 2 1/2 tablespoons butter or margarine and microwave for 3 minutes. Remove, and quickly stir in marshmallows until melted. let cool for 5-7 minutes and then place in refrigerator for 8-10 minutes to set.

Peach Cobbler Mug Mix

Peach Cobbler Mug Mix

2 Tbsp granulated sugar
2 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp instant nonfat dry milk
1/8 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp cinnamon
dash of salt

Blend all ingredients and place in a plastic bag if using at a later
date or giving as a gift.

Additional ingredients:

1 - 4 oz snack size container of diced peaches

Microwave 1 Tbsp butter or margarine in mug until melted (about 20
seconds on high power).

Add cobbler mix and 2 Tbsp water. Stir with a fork until well blended.
Add well drained peaches on top of batter. Do not stir.

Microwave for 2 minutes on 70% power. Let stand in microwave 2 minutes.
Remove from oven and let stand until cool enough to eat.