Burgundy Mushrooms

This is one of my husband's favorite holiday sides...

Ingredients:
4 lbs white button mushrooms
1 litre Burgundy wine
2 cups of boiling water
2 sticks butter
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dill seed
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 beef bouillon cubes
4 chicken bouillon cubes
4 cloves garlic, peeled

Directions:
Throroughly wash mushrooms and throw them into a large crockpot, and rest of the ingredients.  (Normally your crock pot lid will not fit perfectly when you have all ingredients in the crock pot, don't worry the mushrooms will shrink and the lid will fit perfectly in about an hour. )  Turn crock pot on low and cover for 6 hours, then remove lid and continue cooking uncovered for 3 hours.

Add salt to taste and the end of the cooking process.  The mushrooms will be very dark in color. 

Molasses Crinkles

3/4 cup shortening
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup full flavor molasses
1 egg
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
Granulated sugar

1.  Mix shortening, brown sugar, molasses & egg thoroughly in a large bowl.  Stir in remaining ingredients except granulated sugar.  Cover & refrigerate at least 2 hours.

2.  Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease cookie sheets.  Shape dough into 1 inch balls.  Dip tops of balls into granulated sugar.   Place balls, sugar side up, 3 inches apart on cookie sheet.   Sprinkle each cookie with 2 or 3 drops of water.

3.  Bake 10 to 12 minutes or just until set but not hard.  Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

Chile Colorado Burritos

Ingredients:

1.5 to 2 lbs stew meat or other beef cubed
1 large can of mild (red) enchilada sauce (@ least 19 oz.)
2 beef bouillon cubes
1 can refried beans
1 cup cheddar cheese
5 to 8 burrtios shells.

Directions:

Put beef, whole bouillon cubes (do NOT add water), and enchilada sauce into a crockpot & cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours, until meat is very tender. 

When beef is done, (very tender and flakes when stirred), taste and add salt to taste, if desired.  Heat up refried beans, & put your oven on broil.  On an oven proof plate, lay out a tortilla.  Place on tortilla about 1/2 cup of the meat, drained by using a slotted spoon, and a spoonful or 2 of beans.  Roll into burrito (hopefully you know how to do this).  Pour some of the remaining enchilada sauce from the crock pot over the burrito to cover it.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Broil until cheese is bubbly, about 2-4 minutes.

Depending on how full you stuff your burritos, this will make 5 to 8 burrtios.

Pumpkin Cookies

These cookies are a big hit at my house. I have included the brown butter frosting recipe, because that is what the original recipe called for, however I think it's too sweet. I like these much better with a cream cheese frosting. I also sprinkle mine with pecans. They are super yummy. I hope you all enjoy them as much as my family does.

Cookies:
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 t vanilla
1/2 cup canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie mix)
2 eggs
2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 t baking soda
1 t ground cinnamon
1/8 t ginger
1/8 t ground cloves
1/2 t salt

Browned Butter Frosting:
3 cups powdered sugar
1 t vanilla
3 to 4 T milk
1/3 cup butter (do NOT use margarine or spread; it will burn not brown)

1. Heat oven to 375 degree. Sift together flour & seasonings, set aside. In large bowl, beat sugars, butter, & vanilla on medium speed, scraping the bowl occasionally, until well blended. Beat in eggs one at a time until well blended, add pumpkin. On low speed, beat in flour mixture until well blended.

2. On ungreased cookie sheets, drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls.

3. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until almost no indentation remains when touched in center. Immediately remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 45 minutes. (note: holler at the kids' as they swipe them before they are cooled and frosted)

4. In 1 quart saucepan, heat 1/3 cup butter over medium heat, stirring constantly, just until light brown.

5. In medium bowl, place powdered sugar, vanilla & 3 tablespoons of milk.

6. Pour browned butter over powdered sugar mixture. Beat on low speed about 1 minute or until smooth. Gradually add just enough milk to make frosting creamy and spreadable. Generouly frost cooled cookies.

1 Cookie is 190 calories

Oatmeal Pancakes w/pecans

This is my new go to pancake recipe, my whole family loves them.  They are awesome!

Oatmeal Pancake Batter

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups quick-cooking oats
2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup pecans (chopped)

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a medium bowl, mix together the oats and buttermilk. Cover, and refrigerate overnight.
2. The next morning: In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Make a well in the center, and pour in the oatmeal mixture, eggs, butter, and pecans. Stir until just moistened. Allow batter to sit 20 minutes before cooking. If batter is too thick, add buttermilk 1 tablespoon at a time, until the batter reaches the desired consistency.
3. Heat a lightly greased, large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Pour 1/4 cup batter onto the hot griddle for each cake. Cook pancakes until bubbles appear on top, flip, and cook until lightly browned on bottom.

Good Old Fashioned Peach Butter

5 lbs peaches
2 cups sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger

Pit peaches, run them through a food processor, and put them in a stock pot.  Add sugar, cinnamon, and ginger.  Cook until thickened, put in hot, sterilized jars, add lids and rings.

Mango/Carrot Cake

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups refrigerated mango juice blend ( Naked Juice Mighty Mango)
3 cups finely shredded carrot
Carrot ribbons*
1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 8x1 1/2-inch round cake pan; set aside. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg; set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl beat butter on medium-high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add granulated sugar; beat until combined. Beat 2 minutes more. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Alternately add flour mixture and 3/4 cup of the mango juice; beat on low after each addition just until combined. Stir in shredded carrot. Pour into prepared pan.

3. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden and a wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely. Place remaining 1/2 cup mango juice blend in a small saucepan; bring to boiling. Boil gently, uncovered, 3 to 4 minutes or until reduced to 1/4 cup. Remove from heat; cool. Frost top of one cake layer with Cream Cheese Frosting. Top with remaining cake layer; frost as desired. Drizzle with reduced juice; top with carrot ribbons.

4.  In a large mixing bowl  beat cream cheese & 1/4 cup butter until smooth.  Beat in vanilla.  Gradually beat in powder sugar.

 

How to Grill a Pizza.

Left: fresh tomato, chicken & purple onion, middle: pepperoni & cheese, right: teryaki chicken, bbq sauce, cheddar and mozzerella cheese.

Ingredients:
Pizza dough (your favorite recipe)
Olive Oil
Standard toppings / or not so standard
Some corn meal/flour for dusting

Directions:
1. Make the pizza dough, or use prepared pizza dough.  I make 4 individual pizzas as there are 4 of us.

2. Prepare the grill for high direct heat.  Prepare a small bowl of olive oil
for greasing grates and for brushing the pizza.  Prepare the toppings so they are ready to go on the pizza - whatever you wish.  (Note:  I had my family put their toppings they wanted on their pizzas on a paper plate, and tell me what sauce they wanted as the base ie: pizza sauce, bbq sauce, alfredo, etc.)

3. Shape the pizza dough by flattening it with your hands on a slightly floured surface. Either use your fingers to stretch the dough out, or hold up the edges of the dough with your fingers, letting the dough hang and stretch, while working around the edges of the dough. Once you've stretched the dough, let it sit for 5 minutes and then push out the edges with your fingers again, until you have a nice round shape, you will notice mine are not round. Do not make a raised rim, it will interfere with the grilling process.

4. Once the grill is hot (you can hold your hands an inch over the grates for no more than 2 seconds), dip a tightly folded up paper towel in olive oil and use tongs to wipe the grill grates. Then place a pizza dough round on a lightly floured (or you can use cornmeal) rimless cookie sheet (or pizza peel if you have one). Let the dough slide off the cookie sheet onto the hot grill grates. Close the lid of the grill and let cook for 2 minutes.

5.  After 2 minutes, open the grill and check underneath the dough to see if it is getting browned. If it is on one side, but not another, use a spatula or tongs to rotate the dough 90 degrees and cook for another minute. If it is not beginning to brown, cover the grill and continue to cook a minute at a time until the bottom has begun to brown. It should only take a couple minutes if you have a hot grill. The top of the pizza dough will start bubbling up with air pockets.

6. Once the pizza dough has browned lightly on one side, use your cookie sheet or pizza peel to remove it from the grill. Use a spatula to flip the dough over so that the grilled side is now up. Keep the grill covered so it retains its heat for the next step.

7. Paint the grilled surface of the pizza with a little olive oil, then cover lightly with of sauce – no more, or you'll end up with a soggy pizza. Sprinkle on your toppings, ending with Mozzarella cheese.

8. Slide the topped pizza back onto the grill. If you are using a gas grill, reduce the heat. If working with a charcoal grill, close the vents on the cover almost all the way. Close the lid and cook for 2-3 minutes more, or until the bottom begins to char and the cheese is bubbly. Pull off the grate with a spatula onto a cutting board or other flat surface and let rest for a couple minutes before cutting into slices.

chicken, fresh tomato, purple onion grilled pizza

Fruit Salsa w/ Cinnamon Chips

Ingredients

Salsa:
1 pkg fresh strawberries, finely chopped
1 medium navel orange, peeled and finely chopped
3 medium kiwi, peeled and finely chopped
1 medium pineapple, peeled/cored and finely chopped
1 medium apple, peeled/cored and finely chopped ( I used a honeycrisp apple.)
1 small lemon

Combine first five ingredients, and then squeeze the juice of lemon over the top of the fruit mix stir together, put in an air tight container and refirgerate until ready to serve. 

Note:  I doubled this recipe and I tasted each fruit as I was putting this together, all the fruit was already naturally sweet so I did not add any sugar.  The original recipe I used called for 1.5 tablespoons of sugar to be sprinkled over the top with the lemon juice and then mixed together.  So if your fruit needs an added sweetness then I would do this.  The orginial recipe also called for canned pineapple, I preferred the fresh pineapple.  I would also totally leave out the pineapple if I made it for my Mom as she hates pineapple.  You could sub all sorts of different fruit, I will try it with pears, and when peaches are in season I will try it with those.  

Cinnamon Chips:

10 flour tortillas (8 inches)
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon of cinnamon ( I did 2 tsp. I like more cinnamon)

Combine cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl, brush tortillas with melted butter, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.  Place on ungreased baking sheets, bake at 400 degrees for 8 minutes or until chips are crisp.

Yeilds 80 chips and approximately 2.5 cups salsa.

Jalapeno Salad Dressing / Dip

16 oz - light sour cream or greek yogurt
1 pkg - Ranch Dip Mix
2 - whole large jalapenos, roughly chopped (seeded if you want less spicy)
2 - cloves of garlic
1/3 cup - fresh cilantro
1 whole lime, juiced
2-4 Tablespoons milk

Combine roughly chopped jalapenos, cilantro and garlic in the food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. Add lime juice, sour cream and ranch mix. Pulse until thoroughly combined. Add milk, a tablespoon at a time, until you reach the desired thickness. Pour into serving bowl and enjoy!

I do seed my jalapenos, and I have yet to use the milk.  I think it's just right.  I use it as a dip for veggies and veggies chips, and as a dressing.  It is addicting.

Cheesy Potatoes

Ingredients

2 lbs frozen hash browns
1/2 cup butter
1 (10.5 ounce) cans cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup diced onion
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Defrost potatoes, melt butter, and mix together all ingredients.
2.  Bake at 350 Degrees for 1 hour in a 9 x 13 baking dish.

Red Beans and Rice

Ingredients

3 cups water
1 cup dried red kidney beans
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped green bell peppers
3/4 cup celery
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon paprika
3/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
14 oz package of Andouille Sausage
1 bay leaf
5 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups hot cooked rice

Combine first 12 ingredients in a slow cooker.  Cover with lid; cook on high heat for 5 hours, or on low for 8 to 9 hours.  Discard bay leaf; Serve over rice.

Sausage & Cheese Grits Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients

2 lbs.  Breakfast sausage
2 cups water
2 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups quick-cooking grits
1 lb sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
6 tablespoons butter
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
6 eggs beaten

Brown sausage in a large skillet, stirring until it crumbles and cooks through.  Drain well, and set aside.

Bring water and chicken broth to a boil in a large saucepan; stir in salt and grits then return to a boil.  Cover pan, reduce heat to medium and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat; add cheese, milk, butter, garlic, paprika, and cayenne pepper; stirring until cheese melts.  Stir in sausage and eggs.  Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 13x9 baking dish.

Bake, uncovered, at 352 degrees for 45-55 minutes or until golden and bubbly and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Make-Ahead directions: Prepare casserole mixture as directed but do not bake.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.  Remove from refrigerator; let stand, covered 30 minutes.  Uncover and bake as directed.

Baked French Toast Casserole with Maple Syrup

Ingredients

1 loaf of French bread (13 to 16 ounces)
8 large eggs
2 cups of half and half
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Dash salt
Praline Topping, recipe follows
Maple Syrup

Directions
Slice French bread into 20 slices, i-inch each.  (Use any extra bread for garlic toast or bread crumbs).  Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping in slices.  In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half and half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly.  Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk/egg mixture.  Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices.  Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degree F.

Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden.  Serve with maple syrup.

Praline Topping:
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well.  Makes enough for Baked French Toast Casserole.