Make Do Coffee Cake

After a week away for Elizabeth's surgery and returning home with my daughter from Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, a 20 mile trip to the grocery store was not on the agenda as far as I was concerned. I figured with her not having much of an appetite and it being such a hot July that I would just make small meals from what we had here in the house. Well, my little girl asked me to make a cake. Out of flour, out of granulated sugar, out of sour cream, out of real butter, I told her that I would figure out a way to make some sort of cake. This is what I came up with and it actually turned out quite tasty. It is a little denser than I normally like my cakes, but a rich moist coffee cake isn't a bad thing!

Ingredients:

1 stick room temperature margarine
1 C Light Brown Sugar
3 C Bisquick
1 1/2 C Buttermilk
3 Eggs
1 1/2 t Vanilla

Topping:

1/2 C Light Brown Sugar
1/2 C Bisquick
1/2 stick cold margarine

Glaze:

1 C Powdered Sugar
1/2 t Almond Extract
3-4 T Water

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour Bundt Pan. In a small bowl, combine topping ingredients. Mix together with a fork until it becomes a crumbly mixture. Sprinkle into the bottom of the Bundt pan. Cream margarine and brown sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla and mix until well combined. Add Bisquick 1 cup at a time mixing well after each to make a smooth batter. Pour over top of topping mixture. Place in oven and bake about 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle of cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and immediately invert onto a plate, leaving pan in place for 5 minutes. Remove pan. Mix together glaze and slowly drizzle on cake while still warm. Some of the glaze will soak in.

You can serve it warm or wait until cooled to eat some.....I couldn't wait and neither could Elizabeth.

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Ring

1/2 C syrup (maple flavored- doesn't matter brand)
1/2 stick butter - melted
2/3 C brown sugar
1 T cinnamon
2 cans Grands (store brand is fine, just the big ones) biscuits

Mix syrup and melted butter together (I used a pint mason jar to melt the butter then added the syrup to it. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Spray bundt pan ( I used Baker's Joy), heat oven to 375F. Pour half of syrup mixture in pan, top with half brown sugar/cinnamon mixture. Arrange biscuits in pan, kind of overlapping. Sprinkle other half of cinnamon sugar, drizzle other half of syrup. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Leave in pan for 1 minute, invert, remove pan.

EASY EASY EASY!!!!

By the way, it is not overly sweet (just a piece) so if you want to add glaze it wouldn't make it too sweet. You also could add pecans or walnuts in the bottom of the pan before adding the biscuits

Strawberry Cheesecake Layers

I have heard people say cheesecake is hard to make. It isn't really, just time consuming. The trick is to make sure everything is completely smooth without adding air to the batter. You do this by mixing long, not fast. My Kitchenaid mixer never goes above 2 when making cheesecake.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 C fine graham cracker crumbs
3 T Sugar
3 T melted butter

5 8oz pkg Cream cheese at room temperature
1 C sugar
3 T flour
1 T vanilla
1 C sour cream
4 eggs
3 T  strawberry preserves
1  t strawberry extract
4 drops red food color

Preheat oven to 325F. Position oven racks - one on bottom and one in middle of the oven. Combine graham cracker crumbs and 3 T sugar,, add melted butter and combine well. Press into the bottom and 1/4 up the sides of a 10" spring form pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven to cool. Beat cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add sugar, flour, vanilla,, and sour cream. Beat until smooth scraping sides of bowl often. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Scrape bowl. Beat another 5 minutes or so until the batter is completely smooth. Pour 3/4 of the batter into spring form pan. Add preserves and extract to remaining batter and mix until thoroughly combined. Add food color and mix until solid pink in color. Slowly pour on top of batter in the pan. Place on center rack in oven. Place 9 X 13 inch pan filled with 1 inch of water on oven bottom rack. Bake for 1 hour 5 minutes. The center will appear jiggly, but the cake is done. Turn oven off. Crack open oven door and leave cake in oven until oven is completely cool.  About an hour. About 15 minutes into oven cooling, pull rack and run a knife around the edges of cake to loosen from pan. Slide rack and cake back in oven leaving oven door cracked open.  Remove from oven and allow to finish cooling on rack. Put in refrigerator once cooled. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before garnishing with sliced strawberries, whipped cream, etc.

Philly Cheese Steak Pasta

My adaptation of the sandwich into a meal.

Ingredients:

1 lb Penne Pasta cooked to al dente
1/4 C Oil
1 lb Beef or Venison Steak thinly sliced
1 Green Pepper jullienned
1 Medium Onion jullienned
1 t Garlic Powder
1 t Salt
1/2 t Pepper
2 T Soy Sauce
1/4 C Teriaki Sauce
1 Pkt Brown Gravy Mix
1 1/2 C Water
4 oz Swiss or Provolone Cheese diced

Prepare pasta per package directions to al dente. Heat oil in skillet on medium high add meat, green pepper, and onions. Season with garlic, salt and pepper. Saute until pepper is crisp soft and onion is translucent. Add soy and teriaki sauces. Turn burner down to medium. Allow sauces to reduce by about 1/2, about 5 minutes. Add gravy packet and water. Stir to combine. Allow to cook for another 5 minutes. Drain pasta and add meat sauce to pasta. Mix to combine. Remove from heat. Add cheese to top and cover. Let sit for 5 minutes or until cheese just starts to melt. Lightly mix in cheese. The cheese should be stringy through the dish, not melted into it.

Hillbilly Greek Chicken & Sinful Mashed Potatoes

I was married to a greek for 15 years. While he and I are no longer together.....I do love greek food and fortunately I learned to cook plenty of it from his mother. But with my family being from West Virginia, I have adapted some of it to my hillbilly tendencies. Hope you like it.

Chicken Ingredients:

2 lb Boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil (buy the best you can afford - it makes a huge difference in taste)
2 T Lemon Juice
1 t Lemon Zest
1 t Garlic powder
1 t Oregano
1/2 t black pepper
2 Cans Campbells Cream of Chicken Soup
1 Soup can of half n half

Preheat oven to 375F. Place chicken in a glass baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil. Rub to make sure oil coats each piece top and bottom. Drizzle with lemon juice. Sprinkle garlic, lemon zest, oregano, and black pepper. Set aside for 30 minutes or so in fridge. Combine soup and half n half. When ready to bake pour "gravy" over the chicken making sure all pieces are covered. Cover pan with tin foil and bake for 45 minutes.

Potato Ingredients:

2 lb Russet Potatoes chunked roughly 8 potatoes (I cut into 1/8ths if medium to large and 1/4ths if small)
1 stick unsalted butter
1/4 C sour cream
Half n Half to consistency
salt and pepper to taste - I start with 1 t of salt and 1/2 t coarse black pepper and adjust once I have the right consistency..

Place potatoes in a large stock pot and cover with COLD water. Salt the water. Bring to a boil on stove and cook until potatoes are tender. I test with a paring knife. If the knife goes through without any resistance the potatoes are done. Drain completely. Add butter and put the lid on the pot. Leave it for a few minutes for the butter to completely melt. Add sour cream, salt and pepper. I use a hand mixer and smash down the potatoes at this point with the mixer off. Then add a small amount of half n half and turn mixer on low. Add a bit more half n half and continue to mix. Once the mashed potatoes start holding together without spitting bits of potatoes everywhere, turn the mixer to medium and add half  n half to desired consistency. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.

Use the gravy from the chicken for both the chicken and mashed potatoes.

The green beans are just green beans with minced onion and bacon grease cooked in water on the stove until done.

Ham Egg & Cheese Bake

A recipe that can be changed and changed again to suit the ingredients you have on hand or your mood or taste. Use the basic ingredients and add sauteed onions and peppers or jalepeno and sundried or chopped fresh spinach, tomatoes...sausage or bacon instead of the ham....monterey jack or hot pepper cheese instead of the cheddar....the possibilities are only limited by your imagination.

Ingredients:

2 C diced ham or 1 lb cooked and drained sausage or crumbled bacon
6 slices cubed bread
1 C shredded cheddar
10 eggs
2 C milk
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1/2 t yellow mustard (makes cheese taste cheesier)

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray 9 X 13 baking pan with non stick spray.  Arrange meat and cubed bread (or any other veggies, etc you decide to use) in bottom of pan. Top with shredded cheese. In large bowl combine eggs, milk, seasonings, and mustard until well mixed. Pour egg mixture evenly over the pan. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until eggs are set in center.

Easy peasy!! and oh so yummy!

Robinson Hut Pizza

This is as italian sausage, pepperoni, mushroom, black olive pizza.....by all means choose the toppings you like. I cooked the sausage and drained it before putting it on the pizza. I also sauteed the mushrooms in garlic butter prior to adding them to it too....anyway, here is how I make my pizza.

Crust:

4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
1 packet active dry yeast, or 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin is best
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup milk

Preheat oven 425°F.
I prefer using milk for the liquid in this recipe. It adds flavor to your dough. But if you don't have it, use water. Using a large ceramic mixing bowl, or any suitable food safe bowl, add the flour, make a "well" in middle, and put in 1 teaspoon salt, stir to combine well. Set aside. Prepare the starter: In a liquid measuring cup pour in 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water, 1 teaspoon sugar or honey, and one package of active dry yeast. Stir and set aside for 5 minutes. Allow to foam up. mix the starter (yeast water) and the milk in the bowl containing the flour with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Stir together using a wooden spoon or clean hands. You will need additional flour to knead on the surface that you're working on. Knead for about 8 minutes or until you get a smooth elastic rubbery dough ball. Set aside in bowl, drizzle with a little olive oil to keep the dough from drying out. Let dough sit covered lightly with plastic wrap or use a plate or damp clean towel to cover it. Allow the dough to rise for 30 minutes. grease the pan with olive oil using a paper towel.  Flatten dough and press out into a circle to fit the pan it will be baked in. 

Sauce:

1 (29 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
1 tsp. onion salt
1 clove garlic or 1 tsp. garlic salt
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. fennel seed
1/2 tsp. marjoram
1/2 tsp. basil
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. rosemary

Mix all ingredients and allow to simmer on medium low for 30 minutes. Makes enough for 2 large pizzas. Cool. Can be made ahead......freezes well and can be kept in freezer for a couple of months.

When ready to make pizza, spread sauce on dough, top with desired toppings, cover with 2 cups shredded pizza cheese, bake at 425F for 15-20 minutes.

Easy Cheesy Danish

I think this is going to be the easiest cheese danish you will ever make. I colored the cheese part with 10 drops of green food coloring for St Patrick's Day/ Easter, but the food coloring is not necessary.

Ingredients:

2 Cans Pillsbury Grand Juniors -  I used flaky

Filling:

1 8 oz block cream cheese
2/3 C sugar
1 egg yoke (save white for brushing danish)
1 T lemon juice
1 t vanilla
sanding sugar (coarse sugar for decorating)

Glaze:

1 C powdered sugar
1 T milk
1 t vanilla

Heat oven to 400F. spray 2 cookie sheets with cooking spray. Mix all filling ingredients until smooth. Take one biscuit and smash it down to about a 4 inch square. Does not have to be perfect. Put 1 teaspoon of filling in center of biscuit. Take opposite corners of biscuit and pinch together. Do again for the other opposite corners. Place on cookie sheet. Repeat with all biscuits. Brush tops with egg white and sprinkle about a 1/4 teaspoon of sugar on each. Bake for 10 minutes. While danishes are baking, take a zip lock bag (freezer ones are best as there is less chance of a blow out) and put all glaze ingredients in it. Smoosh together in bag until glaze is smooth. Snip a hole about the size of a pencil tip in one corner. Squeeze glaze onto danishes........eat while warm!!!!

Two Tone Coffee n Chocolate Bundt Cake

Every one has an oops and today this cake was mine. The taste was very good so I decided to chunk it up, put it in a large bowl, and drizzle the glaze over it anyway. I hate wasting, especially home made cake!

It may not look so pretty, but boy oh boy wait until you taste it!

You can chunk your cake up on purpose if you really want to, but this is actually a Bundt cake. Just make sure you grease and flour the pan very well. Do not try to  use any spray instead. I tried using Bakers Joy and you see what happened.

Ingredients:

2 3/4 C sugar
1 1/4 C butter - room temperature
1 1/2 t vanilla
5 large eggs

1 T instant coffee granules
1 t hot water

3 C All purpose flour
1 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1 C evaporated milk
1/3 C cocoa

Heat oven to 350F. Grease and flour bundt pan. Mix coffee granules and hot water together in a small cup or bowl until smooth. Mix sugar, butter, vanilla, and eggs scraping bowl constantly for 1 minute on low. Add coffee paste and mix another 30 seconds on low. Turn mixer to high and beat for 5 minutes scraping bowl occasionally. Combine dry ingredients. Alternate adding dry ingredients and milk on low speed until combined. Pour 2/3 of batter into bundt pan. Add cocoa to the remaining batter and mix on low until combined. Pour cocoa batter on top of the batter in the pan. Bake for 60-70 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes. Invert onto serving plate and remove pan (hopefully it all comes out!) Allow to completely cool before glazing.

Glaze:

1 1/2 t instant coffee granules
2 T cocoa
1/3 C melted butter
2 C powdered sugar
1 t vanilla
3-4 T milk

Mix warm melted butter with coffee and cocoa. Add vanilla and powdered sugar. Mix in milk 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency. Drizzle over cooled cake.

A Li'l Dab will Do Ya' Chocolate Sheet Cake

This is a little dab will do ya' gotta have a glass of milk chocolate cake! It is so rich and tasty. It makes an 11 X 15 inch cake, so make sure you have others to help eat it or a couple gallons of milk.

Cake Ingredients

2 C Flour
2 C Sugar
1/2 t salt
1 t Baking Soda
2 Sticks Butter
1 C Water
1/3 C Cocoa
3 Eggs
1/2 C Sour Cream
1 t Vanilla

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray 11 X 15 pan with nonstick cooking spray. Combine dry ingredients and set aside. Melt butter in saucepan on medium heat. Add water and cocoa. Bring to a boil stirring constantly over medium heat. Drizzle boiling cocoa mixture into dry ingredients mixing with mixer on low until combined. Turn mixer to medium and add eggs, sour cream and vanilla. Mix until combined. Pour into pan and bake exactly 20 minutes.

While cake is baking, make frosting.

Frosting Ingredients:

1 Stick Butter
1/3 C Cocoa
6 T Milk
1 lb. Confectioners Sugar
1 t Vanilla

Combine butter, cocoa, and milk in a 3 qt sauce pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat and mix in confectioners sugar and vanilla. Stir until all sugar lumps are gone and frosting is smooth. Keep warm, stirring occasionally if finished before cake is done baking.

Pour frosting on cake while cake AND frosting are still hot.

Allow to cool to room temperature before cutting.

Sam's One Each Chili

Not one bowl each.......one of each

1 onion chopped
1 green pepper chopped
1 lb 80% ground beef
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1 can kidney beans (drained)
1 T chili powder
1 t papricka
1 t garlic powder
1 t salt
1 t pepper
1 t sugar

Brown ground beef, add onion and pepper and saute until soft. Add remaining ingredients and cook for, you guessed it......1 hour on medium.

Can be doubled, tripled, etc.....as long as you have a pot big enough.

Deer Tips Stroganof

Venison is a staple at our house. This is just one of the many ways I prepare it. It can be added to and adapted by adding vegetables or omitting the sour cream, using rice instead of noodles, putting the meat with sauce in a casserole and topping with potatoes. Hope you try and enjoy.

Ingredients:

1/2 Stick Butter
1 T Vegetable Oil
1-1 1/2 lb Deer meat cut into 1" cubes
1 C Fresh Button Mushrooms - sliced
1/2 C Sweet Onions - diced
1 t garlic powder or 2 cloves garlic smashed
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1/4 C Worstishire Sauce
1 can Campbells Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 pkt McCcormick Brown Gravy
1 C water
1/4 C Sour Cream
1 12- 16 oz Package Wide Egg Noodles - cooked as directed on package while preparing the tips

Melt butter and oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. Add next 6 ingredients spreading them out so they brown some. Cook for 5 minutes or so stirring occasionally making sure to turn the meat cubes on different sides so all sides brown. Add Worstishire sauce and allow to cook for 5 minutes more (this reduces the worstishire and allows it to infuse the meat and mushrooms with it's flavor. Add undiluted soup, gravy packet and water. Mix in thoroughly. Cook on medium for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to low and stir in sour cream. Heat through for about 5 minutes. Do not allow to boil once sour cream is added as it will break the sauce (make the solids of the sour cream curdle up). It won't change the flavor if it happens and is fine to eat, but it doesn't look pretty.

Chocolate Cake

Cake Ingredients

1 cup butter (2 sticks)

3 cups granulated sugar

3 eggs

8 squares of  dark baking chocolate melted in 1 cup of water

1 tsp vanilla

3 1/2 cups flour

3 tsp baking powder

1 tsp soda

1 tsp salt

1 cup buttermilk

Preheat ovan to 350F. Grease and flour or use non-stick spray 2 9" round pans.

Melt chocolate with 1 cup of water in double boiler on top of stove. Set aside. Cream together butter and sugar until light. Add eggs one at a time mixing well after each addition. Add cooled melted chocolate and vanilla. Mix well. Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Gradually add to butter mixture. Add buttermilk last in a stream mixing well.  Pour into prepared pans. Bake 28-34 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans to cooling rack and allow to completely cool.

Chocolate Frosting Ingredients:

1 Stick of Butter at room temperature

1/3 C Cocoa

3 1/2 C Powdered Sugar

1 1/2 t Vanilla

3-4 T Milk

Cream butter, powdered sugar cocoa and vanilla together. Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time until frosting is of spreading consistency. Fill and frost 2 9" layers. 

Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients:

2 1/4 C all- purpose flour
2 T + 1/2 t baking powder
2/3 C sugar
1 stick butter, melted
2 eggs
1 C whole milk
1 pint fresh blueberries
1 t vanilla

cinnamon and sugar for  sprinkling on top

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray 12 cup muffin pan with non-stick spray. Place cupcake liners and spray the inside of those as well.

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Combine wet ingredients in a separate bowl making sure to slightly beat the eggs.  Make a well in the center of dry ingredients and pour wet ingredients in. Hand mix with wooden spoon or a spatula just until batter comes together. There will be small lumps in the batter and this is okay. Gently fold in blueberries. Use an ice cream scoop or half cup measure to fill cups 2/3 full. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.  Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to stay in pan for 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Mint Dark Chocolate Fudge

Dark Chocolate Layer:

1 7oz Jar Marshmallow Creme
1 1/2 C Sugar
2/3 C Evaporated Milk
1/4 C Butter
1/4 t Salt
2 C Semi Sweet Morsels
1 C Milk Chocolate Morsels
1 1/2 t Vanilla

Mint Layer:

3/4 C Butter
3 C Sugar
3/4 C Heavy Cream
2 C White Chocolate Morsels
1 7oz Jar Marshmallow Creme
1 T Mint Extract
7-8 Drops Green Food Color

Line a 13 X 9 baking pan with aluminum foil. Rub with butter or spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Bottom layer:  In a 3 quart saucepan combine marshmallow creme, sugar, evaporated milk, butter, and salt. Bring to a full rolling boil on medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil stirring constantly for EXACTLY 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in morsels and vanilla and stir until completely smooth. Poor into pan. Allow to cool for 1 hour on counter or 30 minutes in refrigerator.

Top Layer: In a 3 quart saucepan combine marshmallow creme, sugar, heavy cream, and butter. Bring to a full rolling boil on medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil stirring constantly for EXACTLY 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in morsels, mint extract, and food color and stir until completely smooth. Poor on top of cooled chocolate layer. Allow to cool 2 hours in refrigerator before cutting.

Sour Cream Streusel Banana Bread

I like making banana bread in my Bundt pan instead of a loaf pan. Unfortunately, the amount of batter in most banana bread recipes is not enough to make it in my favorite pan and to double the recipe, is too much. So, I made my own. I love this recipe as it is one that can be converted to make apple streusel bread by omitting the bananas and substituting 1 1/2 cups diced apples.

Ingredients:

Streusel:

1/2 C flour
1/4 C butter
1/2 C sugar
1 t cinnamon

Batter:

2 Sticks of butter
1 1/2 C + 2 Tbs Sugar
3 Eggs
1 1/2 C Sour Cream
1 1/2 C Ripe Bananas, sliced thin (about 4)
1 tsp Vanilla
4 C + 2 Tbs All Purpose Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Baking Powder


Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour or spray Bundt or tube pan. Blend together, with a fork or use a food processor, streusel ingredients until well combined and resembles small peas. Sprinkle 1/2 in the bottom of the Bundt pan. Set aside the other half. Combine dry ingredients in a medium size bowl, set aside. Cream butter and sugar together until light and creamy. Scrape down sides of the bowl as needed. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition. Add sour cream, bananas, and vanilla. Mix until well combined. Slowly add dry ingredients to banana mixture (I usually add 1 cup at a time and allow it to thoroughly mix in before adding the next cup). After the last of the dry ingredients are added, scrape down sides of the bowl, mix for about a minute to make sure batter is well combined. Pour 1/2 of the batter into the bundt pan, making sure streusel is covered and batter is relatively level in pan. Sprinkle second half of streusel on top of batter in pan. Top with remaining batter. Again, making sure streusel is covered and batter is relatively level. Pick pan up about 2-3 inches and drop on counter, repeat 2-3 times. This releases the air bubbles trapped in the streusel layer. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour 10 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Ovens vary so I would start checking at the 1 hour mark. Remove from oven and immediately invert onto serving plate. Allow to sit with pan on it for about 5 minutes. Remove pan. Serve warm. You can add butter to your slice, but it is quite tasty as is.

Mousse Tracks

A very easy to make dessert for the chocolate lovers in us all. Easily converted to a lower fat/ lower calorie dessert by using Neufchatel Cheese instead of cream cheese, fat free cool whip, and fat free pudding.

Ingredients:

2 small boxes Chocolate Jello Instant Pudding (prepared as directed on box)
1 8 oz block Philidelphia Cream Cheese - room temperature
1/2 stick of butter - room temperature
1 C sugar
1 t vanilla
2 C sweetened whipped cream or 1 small tub of Cool Whip (depending on how adventurous you want to get)
12 Fudge Striped Cookies
3/4 C semi-sweet morsels
Garnish: sunflower seeds, mixed nuts, fudge striped cookies, yogurt covered raisins.

Put the cookies into a ziplock bag and crush to a  course crumble. Cream the cream cheese, butter, and sugar together until well blended. Mix in vanilla. Combine the prepared pudding with the cream cheese mixture. Fold in whipped cream until no white from the whipped cream is visible. Fold in crushed cookies and morsels. Be careful not to stir too much as the whipped cream will lose it's volume. Let sit in refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours to firm up. Scoop into serving dishes and garnish with desired bits.

Leftovers Primavera

Yesterday, I had to clean out the refrigerator. A job I hate doing. Anyway, I made up this dish to keep from throwing out things I had in the fridge. So it is adaptable to what you have in your fridge that you don't want to go to waste. I suppose you could use all new ingredients if you really wanted to.

1-1/12 lb leftover chicken chopped or shredded into about 1" pieces

1 C leftover sauteed quartered button mushrooms 

2 C leftover chicken stock (the carton kind)

1/4 of a leftover 8 oz philly cream cheese

1/4 C leftover shredded sharp cheddar

2 C leftover veggies (I had green beans and corn but brocholli and yellow squash would be really good too)

1/4 C Parmesian

1 stick butter

1 t garlic powder

1/4 t pepper

1 t salt

2 T flour

1/4 C leftover half n half (milk will do)

1 16 oz box of pasta

Melt butter in a large sauce pan. Add chicken and mushroom. Stir until heated through. Add flour and stir for 3-4 minutes. Slowly add chicken stock stirring over medium heat until it comes to a soft boil. Add cheeses and seasonings. Stir occasionally until cheeses are melted. Add half n half. Mean while bring stock pot of water with veggies added to it to a boil. Cook pasta in water and veggies according to package directions for al dente. Drain pasta thoroughly. Mix pasta into chicken mixture. Serve with parmesian and warm bread.

Orange Vanilla Swirl Fudge

A decadent fudge for those white chocolate lovers.

• 1-1/2 teaspoons plus 3/4 cup butter, divided
• 3 C sugar
• 3/4 C heavy whipping cream
• 1 package white baking chips (10 to 12 ounces)
• 1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow creme
• 1 T orange extract
• 12 drops yellow food coloring
• 5 drops red food coloring
• 
  

Grease a 13-in. x 9-in. pan with 1-1/2 teaspoons butter; set aside.

• 
  
• In a large heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, cream,  remaining butter, and marshmallow creme. Cook and stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in chips until smooth.
• 
  
• Remove 1 cup and set aside. Add orange extract and food coloring to the remaining mixture; stir until blended. Pour into prepared pan. Drop reserved marshmallow mixture by tablespoonfuls over the top; cut through with a knife to swirl. Cover and refrigerate until set, about 2 hours. Cut into squares. 

Stuffed Coffee Cake

This turns out to be Cinnamon rolls meet "Monkey Bread".

Ingredients:

Dough:

2 C all purpose flour
1/4 t baking soda
1 T baking powder
1 t salt
6 T butter, very cold
1 C buttermilk (approximately)

Filling:

1 8oz block of cream cheese

Glaze/ coating:

2/3 C sugar
2/3 C brown sugar
1 T Cinnamon
1/2 C melted butter

Powder sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350F.

Combine dry dough ingredients in a large bowl. Cut butter into dry ingredients until it resembles a coarse meal or peas. Add buttermilk a little at a time and mix until just combined. If dough is dry add additional buttermilk a little at a time. This dough should be slightly wet. Lightly flour a flat surface and place dough. Flatten to about a 10 X 18 rectangle. Using a sharp, floured knife cut dough into 3 inch squares.  Combine sugar and brown sugar in a medium bowl. Spray a bundt or tube pan with nonstick cooking spray and sprinkle approximately 3 tablespoons of the cinnamon sugar mixture in the bottom of the pan. Cut cream cheese into 20 pieces. Place a piece of cream cheese into the center of a dough square. Fold edges of dough square up over the cream cheese to make a pocket. Roll pocket in cinnamon sugar and place seams side up in the bottom of the pan. Repeat until you have an entire level in the pan. Sprinkle layer with 3 tbs of cinnamon sugar mixture and drizzle with 1/2 of the melted butter. Make the second layer the same as the first except place the seam side down. Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon sugar and drizzle the remaining butter over. Bake at 350F for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately invert onto a plate. Leave pan in place for 10 minutes then remove pan. Dust with powdered sugar if desired.

Bacon Vinegarette

For all of you bacon addicts. A tried and true simple salad dressing that tastes out of this world.

Ingredients:

8 slices bacon, cut into 1/4 - 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 C Balsamic Vinegar (red wine vinegar may be used)
3 T sugar
1/4 t pepper

Mix Balsamic vinegar, sugar, and pepper together and set aside until bacon is done.

Fry bacon pieces until very crisp stirring often. DO NOT DRAIN ANY BACON GREASE FROM PAN. When bacon is completely cooked, remove from heat and stir in balsamic vinegar mixture. Keep your face well away from the pan as it WILL take your breath if you breathe the fumes. Mix bacon, bacon grease, and vinegar mixture until combined.While dressing is still hot, pour over green salad made with your favorite lettuces and veggies, toss until all salad is coated. Serve immediately. This makes enough for a salad made with 2-3 romaine hearts. This dressing does NOT keep. You can not refrigerate or save, but if you are like me and the ladies I make this for.....there will be no salad left!

Once you try it, let me know what you think.

Mommy's Collard Green Quiche

Sorry, no picture yet.

Ingredients:

Pie Crust:

1 C All purpose flour
1 t Sugar
1/4 t Salt
3 T Butter
4T COLD Water

shhhhh....or you could do Pillsbury Pie Crust

Custard:

4 slices bacon, diced
1 1/2 C onion, diced (mom used yellow, but I like walla walla or vidalia)
8 oz fresh Collards chopped
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
4 whole eggs
2 egg whites
3/4 C milk
1/2 C half & half
1/2 C grated Swiss Cheese
pinch Nutmeg
1 T Flour

Preheat oven to 350F.

Pie dough: In a small bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Using a pastry cutter, 2 knives or forks, cut in butter until dough resembles small peas and is crumbly. Add cold water 1 tablespoon at a time and gently mix after each addition. The mixture should begin to bind together after the last tablespoon of water is added. If it does not, add 1 more tablespoon of cold water. Gather the mixture into a ball and let it set for 5 minutes. Lightly flour a flat surface and roll dough into a 12-14 inch diameter circle. Gently roll onto rolling pin and place into a 9 inch pie plate. Press into the pie plate and flute edges. Top dough with beans or pie weights and bake for 5-10 minutes or until crust is just beginning to turn golden brown. Remove from oven.

Meanwhile in large skillet fry bacon until crispy. Add onions and saute until onions are translucent. Add collards and salt and pepper. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Drain excess water from pan. Allow to cool slightly.

In large bowl combine eggs, egg whites, milk, and half and half and whisk until well combined. Add cheese and nutmeg. Sprinkle with flour. Stir in cooked collard mixture.

Pour into pre-baked pie shell. Bake for 30 - 40 minutes or until filling is set. A knife inserted into the middle of the quiche will come out clean when done. Remove from oven and let set 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Makes 8 slices.

Spanikopita - Spinach Pie Pockets

Ingredients:

1 bunch green onions chopped

2 bxs frozen chopped spinach thawed and squeezed dry

2 T dried dill weed

3 T dried parsley

1/2 t salt

1/4 t pepper

1/4 C milk

1 lb Feta Cheese

4 eggs lightly beaten

1 pkg Fillo Dough

1/2 lb melted butter

Preheat oven to 300F. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl except fillo and melted butter. Open fillo and place under a damp, not wet, towel. Working quickly, remove 1 sheet of fillo and brush with melted butter. Place 1 tablespoon of spinach mixture in the middle of the short side of fillo, approximately 1 inch from bottom edge. Roll bottom edge up over the spinach mixture followed by one side of fillo and then the other. Then completely roll fillo up to make a roll approximately 3" wide by 1" diameter. Place seam side down on cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining fillo and spinach mixture. Place 2" apart on pans. These rolls/pockets can be frozen at this point for later use. Bake unfrozen pockets for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

If freezing, freeze on cookie sheet and then transfer to desired bag or container to store in freezer. To cook, remove desired amount of pockets from freezer. Place on cookie sheet and bake at 300F for 30 minutes or until browned.

Baklava

Those little diamonds in the rough!

Ingredient list

2 lbs chopped walnuts
1/2 C sugar
2 t cinnamon
1 pkg Fillo dough
1 lb butter - melted

Syrup:

4 C sugar
2 C water
2 cinnamon sticks
3 T lemon juice

whole cloves

Preheat oven to 325 F.

Mix together the chopped walnuts, sugar and cinnamon, set aside. Brush an 11 X 16 pan with butter. Open fillo. Lay flat on surface and cover with damp (not wet) towel. Working quickly, as fillo dries out extremely fast, place one layer of fillo in pan and brush with melted butter. Make sure you cover fillo with towel after removing each layer from surface. Repeat until you have 8 layers in the bottom of the pan. Spread half of the walnut mixture on the fillo in pan. Back to the fillo. Layer 4 layers of fillo in pan, brushing each layer with butter. Again, make sure you cover the fillo with the damp towel. Spread the remaining walnut mixture over the second set of layers. Back to the fillo again. Layer the rest of the fillo, should be 6 layers, on top. Brushing each layer with butter. Carefully score the top layers of fillo into desired shapes (square or diamond) about 1 1/2" X 2. I have found a razor blade or exacto knife to be the easiest to do this. Make sure you do NOT cut all of the way through the baklava. Stud each piece of baklava with a whole clove.

Bake in 325 F oven for 1 hour.

While baklava is baking.  Combine syrup ingredients in a 3 qt sauce pan. Bring to a boil on medium heat. Boil gently for 20 minutes.

Once baklava is baked. Pour hot syrup over baklava. Allow to sit a minimum of 8 hours, preferably over night, before cutting. Follow the score lines and cut through.

This does not require refrigeration. It does freeze well. Makes a minimum of 30 pieces (depends on how large or small you cut the scores.