Dannie's Honey Glazed Chicken

This recipe comes all the way from my brother's kitchen in Reston, Virginia. Of course, Robby wasn't the one doing the cooking. His girlfriend, Dannie, whipped this up and was kind enough to share the recipe. My brother raved about it. I will be making it this weekend.

1-2 pounds chicken pieces (Dannie uses boneless breasts and thighs, but says the recipe works with bone in pieces and even wings)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 cup honey
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place chicken in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Mix together the oil, soy sauce, ketchup, honey, garlic, salt and pepper. Pour over the chicken. Bake in preheated oven for one hour, or until sauce is caramelized. Flip the chicken halfway through when using boneless.

Serve over rice and spoon some of the leftover sauce over the chicken and rice.

Ham and Potato Soup

This is the perfect soup for all your leftover ham from the holidays. I just made a big pot of this and I put the ham bone in the soup while it simmered for extra flavor.


1 TBSP butter
1/3 cup celery
1/3 cup carrots
3 cups peeled and diced potatoes
3/4 cup diced, cooked ham
4 cups chicken broth or stock
salt and pepper to taste
5 TBSP butter
5 TBSP all-purpose flour
2 cups warm milk

In a large stockpot, melt 1 TBSP butter over medium heat. Add the celery and carrots, season with salt and pepper and saute for about 3 - 5 minutes. Add the potatoes and season again with salt and pepper. Add the ham and chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 10 to 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Mash potatoes and veggies in stockpot with a potato masher.

In a small saucepan, melt 5 TBSP butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour, stirring constantly for about one minute. Slowly stir in the milk. Continue stirring until thick, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot and cook until soup is heated through.

Stir-Fried Veggies

I use this recipe with just about any fresh vegetable and it's always a perfect side dish. Green beans, peppers... Last night it was sugar snap peas. I don't have measurements because I just eyeball everything with these. YUM!

Couple handfuls of fresh veggies (or a few bell peppers, whatever!)
olive oil
minced garlic
soy sauce
slivered almonds

Heat a skillet to medium-high heat. Add olive oil; just enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Toss in veggies and keep them moving. When they are just heated through but still crisp, add soy sauce and garlic. Stir fry for a few minutes so the flavors absorb. Add slivered almonds and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

The vegetables will be crispy and really flavorful. YUMMY!

Aunt Mo's Lime Grilled Shrimp

When I was pregnant, Mo came over and made this shrimp on the grill for us. Ever since, they've been a staple in our house. And they're so easy! Yesterday it was warm enough to grill, so guess what was on the menu? We always have these shrimp along with grilled steak. Last night, I served these with stir-fried sugar snap peas. If we're doing it right, I start with a tomato-mozzarella and basil salad, and serve mashed potatoes along with this meal. Matt and Shana call it the "Abel Special." It is absolutely our favorite.

1 pound medium to large shrimp; peeled, deveined and rinsed

1-2 tbsp olive oil

zest of one lime

juice of one lime

kosher salt

fresh cracked pepper

Place shrimp in a bowl. Pour olive oil and toss to coat. Zest a lime over the bowl, then cut the lime and squeeze in the juice. Sprinkle with kosher salt (a good amount) and lots of fresh cracked pepper. Toss to coat and let the shrimp marinate in the fridge for about 20 minutes.

We've grilled it a couple of ways. On skewers, directly on the grill, or on foil on the grill. Our favorite way is on the foil. It helps keep the most lime flavor.

My sister makes these all the time, too, and skips the olive oil. But I think the shrimp taste much better with the olive oil.

Grandma's Christmas Cookies

I make these cookies every year. I got the recipe for the sugar cookie from my Grandma Helen. The frosting recipe is one I saw on Food Network. These are a family favorite. Hope you enjoy them, too!

Cookies

1 cup butter, softened

1-2/3 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup sour cream

1/2 tsp. baking soda

5 cups flour

3 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. nutmeg

Cream together the butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time and mix well after each addition. Add the vanilla. Stir the baking soda into the sour cream. Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Gradually add the flour mixture to the cream mixture. Alternate with the sour cream/baking soda mixture. Knead dough until it is ready to roll. Roll out dough to about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick and cut out with favorite cookie cutters. Place cookies on an ungreased baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.

Frosting

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 stick of butter, softened

3 cups confectioners' sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

2-3 TBSP milk

food coloring

Mix cream cheese and butter. Add the sugar 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the vanilla and milk. Add food color and decorate cookies.

Tip: I leave the cookies out for about 4 hours so that the icing can set.

Pizza Bombs

One of Rob's and my favorite pizza places makes a little delight they call Pizza Bombs. Missy knows what I'm talkin' about! Basically cheese, sauce and pepperoni rolled in dough and deep-fried. Delish, but highly detrimental to the waist line. These are a little more figure friendly and satisfy the craving.

1 can garlic-flavored breadsticks
4 pieces of string cheese (you could also use fresh mozzerella)
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
marinara or pizza sauce for dipping

Heat oven to 350. Spray 24 mini-muffin cups with cooking spray. Unroll breadstick dough and cut crosswise into thirds. Seperate into 24 strips. Cut each cheese stick into 6 pieces. Place 2 piece of cheese on short end of each dough strip. Roll up cheese in dough, pinching and sealing the dough to completely cover the cheese. Place rolls, seam side down, in muffin cups. Light sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake 15 to 18 minutes until puffed and golden brown. Serve warm with sauce.

These would be great with Shana's red sauce with these! I always have some on hand now.

Tortilla Soup

I made this soup for the first time tonight, but it won't be the last. My brother-in-law and sister-in-law came over for dinner, and we practically finished the pot between the four of us. It was really filling and very yummy. There are a lot of ingredients but it's all in one pot, so it's super easy. I found this recipe while browsing recipe blogs similar to ours. I did modify it somewhat to our tastes. YUM!

1 onion, chopped

1 1/2 tbsp minced garlic

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped

1 cup coarsely crushed lime flavor tortilla chips

3 (14.5 oz.) cans chicken broth

1 can diced tomatos with jalapenos

2 cups cooked chicken breast, cut into chunks (I used rotisserie)

1 cup frozen corn

1 cup shredded colby jack cheese

1/3 cup half and half

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp coriander

1 tsp hot sauce

1 tsp dried oregano

zest of one lime

juice of one lime

fresh cracked pepper to taste

In a large soup pot or dutch oven, heat olive oil. Add onions, garlic and jalapeno and saute until soft. Add crushed tortilla chips and cook until the edges start to brown.

Add chicken broth, tomatoes, spices and hot sauce and bring to a soft boil. Let simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup to your liking. (I left a lot of chunks and am glad I did - just a tip.)

Add chicken and corn bring back to a rolling simmer for about 5 minutes. Turn down the heat and add half & half. Then slowly stir in cheese until it melts. Add lime zest and juice, and fresh cracked pepper to taste.

I served this with a choice of toppings: chopped tomatoes, sour cream, more shredded cheese, fresh cilantro, and additional crushed lime tortilla chips. My sister-in-law made an amazing salad which I will get the recipe for and post. Only an icy margarita would have made the meal better. :o)

Shana Beef

I found this recipe in one of my cookbooks and have made it for parties and other get-togethers. This recipe is a big hit with Jane's husband. In fact, he is the one that started calling it Shana Beef and it has stuck.

2-1/2 lb. beef roast - I use eye of round
2 medium onions, chopped - optional
1-1/2 cups or 12 oz. can cola-flavored beverage
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
1-1/2 TBSP apple cider vinegar
1-1/2 tsp. been bouillon granules
3/4 tsp. dry mustard
3/4 tsp. chili powder
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. ground red pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup ketchup
1 TBSP butter

Place roast in Crock Pot; add onion. Combine cola, and next 7 ingredients; cover and chill 1 cup of the sauce. Pour remaining sauce over the roast. Cover and cook on HIGH for 6 hours or on LOW for 9 hours or until roast is very tender. Remove roast with chopped onion from the Crock Pot, using a slotted spoon and shred meat with two forks.

Combine reserved refrigerated sauce, ketchup and butter in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly or until heated. Pour sauce over the shredded meat.

Ritz Cracker Treats

My friend, Kirsty, has been after me to keep All In Flavor updated more regularly. She is a "regular" and even has us on an RSS feed. Thanks, Kirst! Unfortunately, she won't like this recipe at all. Apparently, we Americans are obsessed with peanut butter and the rest of the world doesn't understand it! Haha.

If you do like peanut butter, you will love these. I got the recipe from my sister and my mom and I made them together last year at Christmas. I made them again when I got home and they were a hit with my in-laws. So, they'll be on the list every year now. YUM!

1 package white chocolate chips

Ritz crackers

peanut butter

Melt white chocolate in a double boiler or in a glass bowl over hot water. Make peanut butter sandwiches with the Ritz crackers. Dip sandwiches in melted white chocolate and sprinkle with colored sugar or any kind of sprinkles you like. Place on cookie sheets lined with wax paper and refrigerate until chocolate firms. You can store at room temp or in the fridge.

I think Santa would be happy to see these after a ride down the chimney!

Maryland Crab Soup

I'm proud to say Baltimore, Maryland is my hometown. I grew up eating steamed crabs and crab soup and truly believe that traces of Old Bay can be found coursing through my veins. The taste of real Maryland crab soup takes me right home. It's the ultimate comfort food. I will definitely be making a big pot after the holidays. This recipe is modified to my tastes from one of my mom's oldest cookbooks, The Chesapeake Collection. Traditional Eastern Shore crab soup doesn't call for worschestire sauce, but I add it, 'cuz that's how I roll.

4 cups water
3 beef bouillon cubes
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
5 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning*
1 tablespoon worschestire sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cups frozen diced potatoes
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
1 pound backfin crabmeat, picked over for shells**
Salt and pepper to taste

*You can find Old Bay seasoning by the seafood counter.
**Get REAL crabmeat. Look for Phillips crabmeat in the refrigerated section of the seafood area.

Dissolve bouillon cubes in hot water. Add crushed tomatoes and bring to a low boil. Add vegetables and cook until tender. Add Old Bay and worschestire sauce. Reduce heat and add crabmeat. Heat through, but don't boil. (The crabmeat will shred.)

Serve with saltine crackers. Ever since I was little, I've crumbled them into my crab soup. My Uncle Fred showed me how to crumble crackers while they were still in the package, so that's my favorite way to eat it.

This freezes really well. Hope you try it and enjoy!

Jalapeno Jack Corn Muffins

I love corn bread and I love messing with it. Sometimes I add black olives, black beans, jalapenos, cheese... whatever. This recipe is one of my favorites. I'm making another big batch of Shana's Turkey Chili this weekend, and these will be a perfect side.

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup buttermilk (I usually use sour cream instead)

2 tbsp butter, melted

1 egg

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

1 tbsp sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Monterey Jack cheese, cut into 12 one-inch cubes

Heat oven to 425. Line 12 muffin cups with paper baking cups or spray tin. In medium bowl, combine milk, buttermilk, butter, and egg; blend well.

In large bowl, mix flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt; mix well. Push dry ingredients to sides of bowl to form well in center.

Add milk mixture; stir until dry ingredients are moistened. Spoon batter evenly into muffin cups. Press cheese cube into center of each.

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

I'm at my parents' place in Florida, leafing through my mom's cookbooks. I came across a recipe that I can't wait to make. I just ate something like this on our cruise for dessert.

1 1/4 cup sugar, divided
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder, divided
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/4 cups hot water
Whipped topping

Heat oven to 350. Stir together 3/4 cup sugar, flour, 1/4 cup cocoa, baking powder and salt. Stir in milk, butter and vanilla; beat until smooth. Pour ungreased 9-inch square baking pan. Stir together remaining 1/2 cup sugar, brown sugar and remaining 1/4 cup cocoa; sprinkle mixture evenly over batter. Pour hot water over top. Do not stir.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until center is almost set. Let stand 15 minutes; spoon into dessert dishes, spooning sauce from the bottom of the pan over the top. Garnish with whipped topping.

Heather's Holiday Bark

This one is perfect for Christmas and it tastes just like an Andes candy - but with more chocolate!

Heather actually made it several years ago and brought it into the newsroom to share. She ALWAYS brought in treats for us - both homemade and store-bought. But this was homemade and I immediately requested the recipe.

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 drops green food coloring

Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper; set it aside.

Melt the semisweet chips in a heatproof bowl set atop a pot of simmering water over medium-high heat. Stir continuously until smooth. Pour the chocolate onto the cookie sheet and spread it to about a 1/4-inch thickness with the back of a spoon.

Using the same method, melt the white chocolate chips with the oil. Stir continuously until smooth. Add the peppermint extract and food coloring; stir well. Pour the mixture over the chocolate layer and spread to about a 1/8-inch thickness with the back of a spoon. Draw the tip of a butter knife through the layers to create swirls.

Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.

Remove the bark from the pan. Peel off the waxed paper. Set the bark on a cutting board and cut it into 2 dozen bars with a sharp knife. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Cheesedog

I saw Rachael Ray make this about five years ago and it quickly became a Sawyer family favorite. I make it at least 2-3 times a month. And like any of the recipes I find, I've adapted it to my family's taste. The original recipe calls for onions, beer and spicy mustard, but I've found the version below works best for us.

1 lb. elbow macaroni
Salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 package hot dogs

(chopped into 1-inch pieces)
1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
Pepper
1 rounded tablespoon mustard
2 rounded tablespoons ketchup
4 cups sharp Cheddar cheese

Boil a large pot of water for macaroni. Salt water and under cook macaroni, cook about 7-8 minutes until just under al dente in doneness.

Preheat broiler and set rack 12 inches from heat.

While pasta works, heat a large deep nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan, then add hot dogs and brown on both sides, 4 minutes total.

Remove the dogs with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate. Add another tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan, and the butter. When butter melts, add flour and cook another minute. Whisk in milk and bring to a bubble, then season the sauce with salt and pepper and stir in the mustard and ketchup.

Lower heat and add 2 cups of the cheese. Stir to melt, 1 minute. Adjust mustard, ketchup, and salt and pepper, to your taste.

Drain pasta well. Combine pasta and hot dogs with sauce and coat evenly then pour into a large, sprayed casserole dish and top with remaining cheese.

Melt and brown cheese under broiler, 2 minutes.

Fresh Mozzarella Tartlets

I make this appetizer around the holidays every year. It's so easy and ridiculously good. Governor Taft's former chef, June, shared this snack with me after I devoured more than the guests did one year at a holiday open house. When I think about it, June is probably the one who peaked my interest in becoming a decent cook. She taught me a lot about good food, and she always let me help out in the kitchen before an event. One time, June showed me how to do those beautiful carmel-sugar designs you see on top of desserts in nice restaurants. Very cool, but, I digress.

1 pkg frozen mini-Filo shells

1 pkg fresh mozzarella

1 jar Robert Rothschild Roasted Red Pepper & Onion relish (you won't use it all)

Preheat oven to 425. Place frozen mini-Filo shells on a cookie sheet. Cube mozzarella; place one cube in each shell. Bake 5-7 minutes until cheese is melty and bubbly. Spoon a little relish on each tartlet and serve warm.

I usually double the recipe... they go quickly! Enjoy.

Mom's Corn Casserole

I know I just posted a recipe for a Corn Bake, but I wanted to share this one as well. My mom made this to go with our Thanksgiving dinner. It was so delicious - I'll be making it often as a side. It also got the thumbs up from my always-hungry baby girl, who had never eaten corn until Thanksgiving. Yum, I hope you try this.

1 (15 oz) can creamed corn

1 (15 oz) can whole kernel corn

1/4 pound butter, melted

1 (8.5 oz) package corn bread mix (Mom uses Jiffy)

1 (8 oz) container sour cream

Preheat oven to 350. Mix creamed corn, kernel corn, corn muffin mix, sour cream and butter. Pour into a greased casserole dish. Bake for 30 minutes.

Sneaky Spinach Quiche

I call it sneaky because this is the only way to get spinach in my kids (and me too!). These are actually mini quiches and are so fun to eat. They could also be used as an appetizer or as part of a brunch menu.

4 eggs
1 cup half-and-half

1/2 cup real mayo

2 tablespoons flour

salt and garlic powder

8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar *

1 pkg. frozen chopped spinach

3 pkgs. individual Filo shells

Preheat the over to 350. Hand whip the eggs, half-and-half, mayo and flour. Add in remaining ingredients. Pour into individual dough shells. Bake 45-minutes-1 hour untl the tops are golden brown.

* You could substitute the cheddar with Swiss for a different taste.

Salisbury Steak

I make this quite a bit and it's something the whole family enjoys. Lots of flavor and when served with a potato dish - COMFORT, COMFORT!

1.5 pounds ground beef

1 can French Onion soup

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1 egg

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon flour

1/4 cup ketchup

1/4 cup water

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

In a large bowl, mix 1/3 cup of the soup with ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, salt and pepper. Shape into oval patties (5-6 depending on the size).

In a large skillet over medium heat, brown both sides of patties.

In a small bowl, blend flour and remaining soup until smooth. Mix in ketchup, water, Worcestershire and mustard. Pour over meat in skillet. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

* Sometimes I substitute the French Onion with a bottle of beer. I do that with my meatloaf in place of water and it gives it a lot of flavor.

Sweet Potato Casserole

I found this recipe online in my search for some Thanksgiving side dishes. I have to admit, I'm not a big fan of sweet potatoes, but this dish was so delicious that I devoured it down. I made a couple of modifications when making this. You cannot go wrong with these sweet potatoes.

3 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup evaporated milk or half and half
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Mix together sweet potatoes, sugar, 1/2 cup butter, milk, eggs, and vanilla. Spread into a greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish.

Mix together 1/3 cup melted butter or margarine, pecans, brown sugar, and flour. Spoon on top of sweet potato mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

Shana's Turkey

Today, I hosted Thanksgiving and did all the cooking. It was my first experience cooking a turkey. My family gave it rave reviews, so I thought I'd share my recipe. I did brine my turkey overnight, which definitely helped infuse it with flavor and it resulted in a moist turkey. The recipe below is for a 12 - 14 lb. turkey.

Buttermilk Brine
8 cups buttermik
3 gloves of garlic minced
2 TBSP kosher salt
2 TBSP sugar
1 TBSP black pepper

In a large bowl whisk the buttermilk, garlic, salt, sugar and black pepper until the sugar and salt is completely dissolved. Rinse the turkey in cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Place the turkey in a brining bag and pour the buttermilk mixture over the turkey. Close the bag and refrigerate for a minimum of 8-24 hours. Rinse the brine off the turkey just slightly under cold water to remove the garlic if desired before cooking.

Turkey & Gravy
1 orange, cut into wedges
1 lemon, cut into wedges
1 onion, cut into wedges
6 fresh rosemary sprigs
6 fresh sage sprigs
6 fresh oregano sprigs
2 TBSP unsalted butter
1 TBSP poultry seasoning
1 TBSP olive oil
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp black pepper
6 cups canned turkey broth
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Stir 2 tablespoons of butter, poultry seasoning, oil, salt and pepper in a small saucepan over medium heat just until the butter melts.

Place the turkey on a rack set inside a large roasting pan. Place the orange, lemon and onion wedges and 2 sprigs of each herb in the main turkey cavity. Tie the legs together.

Rub the butter mixture all over the turkey and between the turkey breast meat and skin.

Cover the turkey breast with foil and place in a 325 degree oven. Roast for 20 minutes. Pour 3 cups of turkey broth into the pan. Add the remaining sprigs of fresh herbs to the pan. Roast the turkey for 40 minutes. Remove foil from turkey breast and pour 1 more cup of broth into the pan. Continue roasting the turkey until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 170 degrees F to 175 degrees F or until the juices run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is pierced with a skewer, basting occasionally with pan juices.

Making the Gravy
Strain the turkey pan juices from the roasting pan through a sieve. Spoon off the fat from atop the pan juices. Add enough turkey broth to the pan juices to measure 4 cups total. Once the broth is heated, add the flour and whisk for 2 minutes. Continue stirring and let the gravy simmer for about 5 to 10 minutes.

Breakfast Casserole

Light, it's not. Delicious, it is!! I suppose you could use turkey sausage and 2% cheese in this recipe to lighten it up somewhat, but where's the fun in that? I like this recipe because it's very simple; not too many ingredients. And, you can make it up the night before and just throw it in the oven in the morning. I'm in charge of Christmas morning brunch (yes, I'm already planning) and this is on the menu with some cinnamon rolls.

1 (2lb) bag frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed

1 pound ground breakfast sausage

2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped fine
2 teaspoons seasoning salt
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
12 eggs, lightly beaten
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13x9 baking dish.

Cook sausage in a medium saucepan over medium heat until browned; drain well. Heat oil in a large saucepan; cook potatoes and onion until potatoes are browned and onion is tender, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with seasoning salt. Place potato mixture in the prepared baking dish. Cover with sausage. Sprinkle with cheese, top with eggs, and season with salt and pepper.

Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until eggs are fully cooked.

Buckeye Bars

I have no idea where I got this recipe, but I make it a lot - especially on game day. Chris actually prefers these to the traditional Buckeyes.

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup butter

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

2 1/2 cup powdered sugar

12 oz. milk chocolate chips

5-6 tablespoons vegetable oil

Soften peanut butter and butter in the microwave and mix together. Mix in graham cracker crumbs and powdered sugar. Pat mixture on the bottom of 9x13 pan. On low heat or double boiler, melt the chocolate. Stir in the vegetable oil. Pour over crust and refrigerate several hours. Cut into bars.

* I tend to think these are best served chilled - they get a little messy at room temp.

Crock-Pot Pizza

Mason's first babysitter (Miss Susan) asked each of us to drop a slow cooker at her house one week. She returned them with this inside. It's super simple and could feed a small army! I've adapted it to my family's tastes over the years and you could too. I suppose you could add in mushrooms or other favorite pizza toppings.

2-3 jars pizza zip sauce
16 oz. cooked elbow macaroni
1 lb. sausage, cooked and crumbled
6 oz. pepperoni
Large chopped onion (optional)
12 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese (a little more)
2 handfuls of parmesan cheese

Spray crockpot with non-stick cooking spray. Layer half the pasta, half the sauce, half the sausage, half the pepperoni, half the onion and half the cheese. Repeat the layers. Save half cup mozzarella cheese to sprinkle on top. Add one cup water. Cook on low 5-6 hours.

Cranberry Salsa

I wanted to hurry and get this recipe posted in case anyone was looking for a festive and unique appetizer for Thanksgiving Day. My new friend, Sherrill, made this and I couldn't stop eating it. Everyone was raving about it. I love salsa, but really only make it during the summer months. The cranberries make it perfect for fall and winter. You can really taste the fresh lime juice, and the jalapeno gives it the perfect amount of heat. Not too spicy. Sherrill served it with tortilla chips, and it was incredible just like that. But we agreed the possibilities were endless - over chicken or fish, poured over a block of cream cheese with crackers, sprinkled with pecans, even spread on a leftover-Thanksgiving-turkey sandwich.

I will definitely be making this a lot over the next few months.

1 (12 ounce) bag cranberries, fresh or frozen
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 bunch green onions, cut into 3 inch lengths (reserve and chop some for sprinkling on top)
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 limes, juiced
1/2 cup white sugar
1 pinch salt

Combine cranberries, cilantro, green onions, jalapeno pepper, lime juice, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a medium blade. Chop to medium consistency. Sprinkle with chopped green onions.

I love making new friends; especially ones that make killer food and share the recipes! Thanks, Sherrill!! :o)

Double Chocolate Cherry Chunk Cookies

When I was growing up, chocolate covered cherries were considered a delicacy. We always got them on Valentine's Day, and in our stockings for Christmas. I've always considered the combination of chocolate and cherries a real treat. I've been looking for a cookie recipe and came across this one. I think it won second place on a Food Network competition. Anyway, I made them over the weekend. They're really rich and chocolatey; not too sweet, though. The wine brings out the flavor of both the chocolate and the cherries. I'll be adding these to my Christmas cookie list.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup good quality cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 stick butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup dry red wine
10 ounces dark chocolate, broken into chunks (I just used 2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips)
1 cup dried tart cherries

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Combine flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda in a bowl. In a bowl of an electric mixer, or with a handheld mixer, combine butter and sugars until fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, and wine and combine. Slowly in batches add the flour mixture until just combined. Fold in the chocolate and cherries. On a nonstick cookie sheet, place a heaping tablespoon of dough for each cookie about 2 inches apart from each other. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until tops are still soft looking but edges look firm.

Cindy's Pumpkin Pie

My Aunt Cindy makes the most delicious pumpkin pies every year for Thanksgiving. She has used this recipe for years. We look forward to those pies every year. Note that this recipe makes three pies. One for you and two to share!

Crust

4 cups of flour

1-1/3 cup of Crisco

2 tsp. salt

10-14 TBSP cold water

Blend crisco and flour together with pastry blender until the consistency of corn meal. Add salt and blend. Add water. Knead a few times on a floured surface. Roll out. Makes three pie crusts.

Pie Filling

1 29oz. can of pumpkin

1 tsp. salt

3 1/2 cups of milk

5 eggs

1 1/3 cups sugar

2-1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

1 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground cloves

Mix ingredients together with a mixer. Fill homemade pie crusts. Bake pies at 350 for about 40 to 50 minutes.

White Chicken Chili

My friend, Beth, shared this recipe with me. This would be perfect on a cold, snowy night. Enjoy!

2-3 TBSP olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 large cloves garlic minced
1 ½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp dried marjoram
1 tsp dried oregano
½ TBSP jalapeno peppers, chopped (optional)
½ tsp cayenne pepper
2 cans northern beans
1 lb cooked chicken, diced
3-4 cups chicken stock
1 ½ cups white cheese, shredded
½ cup salsa

Saute first seven ingredients in olive oil for five minutes. Add beans and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add diced chicken, salsa and half of the cheese. Simmer until heated through.

When serving, sprinkle with remaining cheese and sour cream. Great with tortilla chips!

Corn Bake

This is my sister's recipe that she got from a friend years ago. It's become quite the family favorite and is an excellent and unique side dish with just about anything. Easy, too. Enjoy!

1 can creamed corn; do not drain

1 can regular corn; do not drain

1 cup uncooked macaroni

1 cup cheddar cheese

1 teaspoon grated onion

Preheat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients together and pour into a 13x9 greased casserole dish. Cook covered for one hour.

Robby's Cookies

I make these for my brother and just shared with his girlfriend. :o) He's a big fan of oatmeal chocolate chip. I've modified the recipe to make it my own over the years. For one, I almost ALWAYS add extra vanilla in cookies with chocolate chips. It just tastes better. I also usually add extra flour to make sure I don't end up with a flat cookie. And, no raisins...! Don't get me wrong... raisins have their place in certain baked goods... but not in cookies. They'd just get in the way of a good time here. Hope you enjoy!

1 cup butter, softened to room temp
1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats (not instant)
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (at least)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cream butter, brown sugar and white sugar together.

Add vanilla, milk and eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; add in batches to sugar mixture.
Mix well but do NOT overbeat.
Stir in oats and chocolate chips.
Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 9-10 minutes. I like them a little under-baked.

Iced Pumpkin Cookies

I love all things pumpkin; so when a fellow Kindermusik mom busted these cookies out after class one night, I knew I had to have the recipe. I baked a big batch over the weekend and they were a hit. Really soft and cake-like. I will be making these again. The only thing I did differently from the recipe below was add the 1 tsp of pumpkin pie spice to the glaze. The original recipe does not all for it.

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Glaze:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons milk
1/2 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt; set aside.

In a medium bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup of butter and white sugar. Add pumpkin, egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla to butter mixture, and beat until creamy. Mix in dry ingredients. Drop on cookie sheet by tablespoonfuls.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool cookies, then drizzle glaze with fork.

To Make Glaze: On the stovetop over low heat, combine confectioners' sugar, milk, butter, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice; stirring constantly until smooth. Add milk as needed, to achieve drizzling consistency.

Pumpkin Spice Pie

* This recipe was given to me by Robin Davis, food editor at the Columbus Dispatch. I asked for it after she sent me one of the best pumpkin pies I had ever tasted. Happy Thanksgiving!

2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 can (15 ounces) solid pack pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
3 large eggs
1 cup whipping cream
1 purchased frozen 9-inch pie crust

Set rack at lower third of oven. Place a baking sheet on the rack. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Whisk brown sugar, sugar, salt and spices in a large bowl. Add pumpkin and egg. Whisk well. Whisk in cream. Pour mixture into frozen crust.

Place pie on baking sheet in oven. Bake 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.

Bake until sides are puffed and center is just set, about 40 minutes. Cool.

* You can also use a homemade pie crust. Just pop it in the freezer 30 minutes before filling and baking.

No Crust Apple Pie

Christina Doelling passed along this recipe to me. It is a Pampered Chef recipe that provides all the goodness of apple pie minus the crust. I can't wait to make it myself!

5-6 apples peeled and slice- Granny Smith are the best
1 TBSP sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup butter
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 egg beaten
1/2 cup walnuts (optional)

Arrange apples in deep dish pie pan. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. In saucepan melt butter, add flour, sugar, egg and nuts. Pour over apples. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve warm with ice cream!

Easy Italian Beef

This is one of my oldest go-to recipes. The beef turns out really tender and makes delicious sandwiches.

3-4 lb beef roast, eye of the round

1 can beef broth

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 envelope dry Italian dressing mix

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 jar sliced pepperonicis, with juice

fresh cracked pepper to taste

Place the roast in the bottom of crockpot. In a small bowl, combine broth, garlic, dressing mix and seasoning. Pour over meat. Top with pepperonicis, juice and pepper. Cook on low 8 hours. When finished cooking, shred the meat with two forks. Leave the meat in the juice to store to keep it tender. I like to serve this on chewy bread, like ciabatta, and top with mozzerella cheese. Then stick the sandwich, open faced, under the broiler for a minute or two. YUM.

California Chicken Bake

I got this recipe years ago from one of those little paperback pillsbury magazine/cookbooks.

It's so simple and so so good. The cilantro really adds to the flavor... so don't skip it Tammy!! And the cheese mixes in with the rice making a messy, yet tasty side dish. Enjoy!!

California Chicken Bake

2 Cups Shredded Taco-Flavored Cheese

3/4 Cup of Uncooked Regular Long Grain White Rice

1/4 Cup of Chopped Fresh Cilantro

1 Cup of Salsa

1 Cup of Water

4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Halves

1. Heat oven to 350. Spray 12x8 inch (2 quart) glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Reserve 1/2 cup of cheese for topping. In large bowl, combine remaining cheese, rice, salsa, water and cilantro. Mix well. Spoon into sprayed baking dish and spread evenly. Arrange chicken over rice mixture. Cover with foil.

3. Bake at 350 for 55 to 65 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with reserved cheese. Bake uncovered an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. 

Shana's Pudding Dessert

Matt is not a big fan of dessert, but when I make this, he never passes on dessert. My family also loves this...especially my mom. I've made this a few times when we've had friends over for dinner and they've loved it. Use your favorite pudding flavor and enjoy!

2 cups crushed graham crackers
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 stick melted butter
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
2 packages Jell-O instant pudding (lemon, chocolate or your favorite flavor)
3 cups milk
1 large tub of Cool Whip

Crust: Combine crushed graham crackers, sugar and melted butter. Pack into a lightly greased 13x9 baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool.

Cream Cheese Filling: Mix cream cheese, powdered sugar and 1 cup of Cool Whip. Spread on cooled graham cracker crust.

Pudding Filling: Combine two packages of Jell-O instant pudding with 3 cups milk. Pour over cream cheese filling. Refrigerate for a few hours to set.

Add remaining Cool Whip to pudding layer and serve.

Jane's Very Vanilla Cupcakes

I have tried lots of variations in my quest to find the perfect vanilla cupcake. I'm still not quite there, but this is my favorite recipe to date. It's a variation of the famous vanilla cupcake from Magnolia Bakery in New York City. I've tweaked it somewhat. I use cake flour as opposed to self-rising, and definitely more vanilla (good vanilla, as Ina would say...!) and a little salt. I did not include any baking powder, but if you're worried about the cupcakes falling, you could add a teaspoon. As is, the cupcakes turned out buttery, dense and yummy and would also be great in a layer cake. They don't fall apart easily, which makes them perfect for decorating. (No trace of crumbs in your icing!)

I made these cupcakes last night for my sweet friend Jessica, who's hosting a baby shower today. Those are some scary looking babies... I know... but I tried to pipe some and I'm WAY out of practice. :o)

1 1/2 cups cake flour flour
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar

1/2 tsp salt
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup whole milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place cupcake liners into two 12-cup muffin tins.

Using a fork or whisk, combine flours and salt in a small bowl and set aside.

Using a stand mixer, or the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter. Gradually add the sugar and beat until fluffy. Add one egg at a time until the mixture is completely smooth. Add the dry ingredients in batches, alternating with the milk and vanilla. Do not overbeat.

Fill the cupcake liners about 3/4 full. I use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to help make them even. Bake 17-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool the cupcakes completely before icing.

Crockpot Cranberry-Apple Pork

I have this in the crockpot for dinner tonight...

3-4 pound pork loin

1 can cranberry sauce

1/2 cup apple juice (I used cider)

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 onion, chopped

2 apples, peeled and chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl, combine cranberry sauce, apple juice, brown sugar and garlic. Salt and pepper the pork loin and place in bottom of crockpot. Place apples and onions around the pork. Pour sauce over top. Cook on low 7-9 hours. I plan to serve this with mashed pototoes and broccoli tonight.

**12/20/09 - Made this a few nights ago. Forgot how yummy it is. This time I seared the tenderloin first, and used unsweetened applesauce instead of apple juice because I didn't have any. I liked what it did for the sauce. Also threw in a handful of dried cranberries. Next time I will do more. Served over couscous. YUM!

Spinach & Artichoke Dip

This is one of my favorite appetizers. Matt and I always order it in restaurants and I decided I needed to find a good recipe. I found a few different recipes and modified those into this recipe. I made this for the first time for dinner with Jane and her family. It got rave reviews and is now a favorite in our house.

8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
salt and pepper to taste
14 oz. can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a small baking dish. In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese, sour cream, Parmesan cheese, Romano cheese, garlic, basil, garlic salt, salt, pepper and mozzarella cheese. Gently stir in artichoke hearts and spinach. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven 25 minutes, until bubbly and lightly browned. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips, pita chips or sliced French bread. Enjoy!

Chicken Tortellini Soup

Sometimes you just need good-for-the-soul chicken soup. I am not a huge fan of traditional chicken noodle soup, so this is my take on a classic. Perfect on a chilly evening... I just made a big pot tonight.

32 oz container chicken broth

4 cups water

1/2 cup very dry white wine (you can skip this and just add extra broth or water)

1 can condensed cream of chicken soup (I use 98% reduced fat)

2 cups chopped cooked chicken (I use rotisserie chicken breast)

1 (7oz) pkg frozen cheese tortellini

1 small onion, chopped

1 cup carrots

1 cup celery

2 tsp chicken boullion granules

2 garlic cloves, minced fine

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp dried thyme

fresh cracked pepper to taste

In a large soup pot, combine all ingredients except tortellini. Bring to a boil; add tortellini. Simmer 30 minutes.

Shepherd's Pie

So I'm sure you've all made this at some point or another, but I make it A LOT and feel compelled to share. This is total comfort food for my family. And the way to make your husband love you forever!

1 1/2 lb. ground beef

ketchup

(just a few big squirts)

1 egg

1 slice of white bread

(broken into small pieces)

splash of milk

dash of hot sauce

salt

pepper

1/2 bottle beer

Combine all of the above ingredients. Pat into 8x8 glass dish. Pour the other 1/2 of beer over top to prevent burning. Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes. Drain most of the liquid.

Top with mashed potatoes - be generous here. I would love to share my own mashed potatoes recipe but I'm convinced they'll make me famous one day, so until then, make whatever kind you'd like :)

Top with 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese. Your dish will runneth over. Some people don't even add cheese. I don't understand them. Jane and I don't always agree on politics, but we do agree that everything is better with cheddar.

Pop in the oven for about 10 minutes until cheese is all melted.

Remove and serve warm.

* I know some people put vegetables in their shepherd's pie (actually, I think you're supposed to), but we don't really roll like that. Sometimes I do hide veggies in my meatloaf, but for this - I just serve them on the side. Enjoy!

Milky Way Rice Krispy Treats

This recipe comes all the way from across the pond. My friend Kirsty, who is from England, brought this delicious treat to the Gov's office one day. Her cute "mum" made them for her growing up. This might actually be my favorite dessert of all time. You won't regret it if you make them.

4 (regular-sized) Milky Way bars

4 oz. butter

4 oz. Rice Krispies (just eyeball it)

1 Hershey's Symphony Bar
Splash heavy cream

Line 9x9 pan with lightly greased parchment paper. Melt together Milky Way bars with butter. Stir in Rice Krispies. Pour mixture into pan and refrigerate to set. Once cool, melt Symphony bar and stir in heavy cream. Cover the rice crispie treat with the chocolate topping and put back in fridge to set. Bring back to room temp before cutting and serving.

Baked Beans

These might sound weird, especially with the pineapple, but they're a hit every time. They're kind of sweet and sour with a little kick. I served them for the first time at Ellie's Baptism celebration, and since then they've shown up at our family parties no matter who is hosting. We just had them at my brother-in-law's 40th birthday party. I saw this recipe on Paula Deen's show (Tammy!) and on the Food Network Web site it has rave reviews.

4 (16-ounce) cans baked beans (I drain these part way, my sister doesn't)

1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained

1 cup molasses

1 cup BBQ sauce

2 tablespoon yellow or brown mustard (I use spicy ground mustard)

5 slices cooked bacon, crumbled

1 (6-ounce) can french-fried onions, crushed

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In large bowl, mix together beans, pineapple, molasses, BBQ sauce, mustard, bacon, and a third of the onions. Add some salt and pepper, to taste. Pour beans in 9 by 13-inch casserole dish and sprinkle remaining crushed onions and bacon on top. Cook in oven for 1 hour or until beans brown and bubble. Serve warm.

I've also done these in the crockpot all day and they're wonderful. YUM!

Tammy's Toasted Ravioli

Okay, so I didn't invent this, but I've certainly perfected it (if I must say so myself!). Chris and the kids love toasted ravioli and if you make enough, it will fill you up fast. I think it was intended to be an appetizer, but in our house, this turns into a meal some nights.

2 eggs
splash of milk
salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups Italian bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
parsley - chopped or fresh
fresh cheese ravioli - about a pound
(you can use frozen too, just make sure they're thawed)
3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Beat eggs and milk with salt and pepper. In a second dish, combine bread crumbs with cheese and parsley. Coat the pasta in egg mixture then bread crumbs. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a skillet then toast the ravioli until deep golden brown, about five minutes on each side.

Serve with your favorite marinara sauce.

* WARNING: these suckers can be deceptively hot - the filling inside is much warmer than the crunchy outside.

Maid-Rite Sandwiches

When you visit the heartland, as I did this past weekend, you eat some darn tasty grub. This recipe is an Iowa favorite. My sister (who lives just over the border in Omaha) is married to an Iowa native... and has mastered the art that is the Maid-Rite. Maid-Rite is actually a fast food restaurant chain in Iowa that specializes in loose-meat sandwiches. But many families out there also make their own. The sandwich gets its name because it is just "made right." And it's true. YUM!

1 lb ground beef

1 small onion, chopped fine (my sister doesn't always use onion, but my brother-in-law's 88-year-old adorable Grandma told me that it's a must)

1 can chicken broth

salt and pepper to taste

Brown the ground beef and onion together. Drain. Return beef to pan and pour chicken broth over. Turn on high and bring to a boil. Let cook until all the liquid cooks off. Salt and pepper to taste. That's it!

Serve on hamburger buns. I put cheese on mine, but that is an Iowa no-no. They serve them with mustard and pickles. Ketchup is also, apparently, strictly off limits. I've been known to put ketchup on, too. Hey, I'm an Marylander-Ohioan... sue me!

Potato Chip Cookies

This recipe is from Grandma Maribel (Matt's maternal grandmother). She shared the recipe with me and these are a favorite in our household.

1 cup Crisco butter-flavored shortening
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 cups sifted flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups crushed potato chips
1 cup chopped pecans

Mix together the shortening, sugar, brown sugar and eggs until well combined. Then add remaining ingredients and mix well.

Place rounded tablespoon sized cookies on baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Ross' Awesome Apple Crisp

Our assignment editor, Ross, was talking about how he and his wife Jenn made this recently. After picking apples this weekend, I insisted on the recipe. I even called the poor guy when he was home sick one day. He finally delivered and so did this recipe!

10 apples, peeled and sliced *
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup water
2 cups oats
2 cups flour
2 cups brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix the sliced apples, white sugar, 1 tablespoon flour and 1 teaspoon cinnamon together. Pour mixture into a buttered 9 x 13" baking pan. Pour 1/4 water (or apple cider) over the apples.

Combine the oats, 2 cup flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and melted butter. Crumble evenly over all. Sprinkle sugar and cinnamon over top.

Bake at 350 for 45-40 minutes. (I covered with foil after about 20 minutes).

Definitely, definitey, definitely serve with vanilla bean ice cream. A must.

* I cut my apples in 1/8ths and they were still a little firm. I would suggest either baking a little longer or cutting your apples smaller. But if you like a firmer apple, then these directions are perfect.

Fab Fudgy Cookies

The batter on these is very fudge-like. Then you pop the cookies in the oven and they become chewy with a really moist middle. I actually made them last night. Delish!

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 egg
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Melt the chips and butter in a double boiler. You may also melt in microwave but be careful not to burn! Set aside.

Beat egg and sugar with a mixer. When light and fluffy, beat in a salt and vanilla. Gradually beat in the slightly cooled chocolate.

Stir the flour and baking powder together, then add to the egg mixture and stir until mixed.
Batter won’t be stiff enough to use at this point.
Chill batter for about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Form batter into balls. Bake for 6-10 minutes. Best served warm. To reheat, just pop one in the microwave for a few seconds.

Burgers in a Blanket

I haven't met a guy yet who doesn't love these! Chris wants them all the time. And with puff pastry, meat and cheese ... how could you go wrong?

1 pound (or 1.5) ground chuck
2 teaspoons steak seasoning
(I like Mrs. Dash)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 package puff pastry sheets
8 slices Cheddar
(cut the size of a Post-It note)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the first five ingredients. Hand-form patty to 1/4 normal burger size, about 2-inches in diameter. Heat skillet with olive oil. Cook burgers to medium. Turn once. Do not overcook.
Roll out thawed puff pastry. Cut 8 even panels. Place burger in center of square and top with slice of cheese. Fold edges up and twist on top. Bake 20 to 25 minutes on foil-lined cookie sheet and serve warm.

* You could add onions to your meat if you like. We don't.

Mom's Lemon Chicken

So my mom has one of the simplest and tastiest recipes for lemon chicken.

Pair it with some rice (I use lipton's chicken rice) and broccoli, and it's a complete meal.

So here goes!

4 Chicken Breasts

2 Cups Water

2 Chicken Bouillon Cubes

Flour (For Coating Chicken)

2 TBSP Butter

1/4 Cup Lemon Juice (I use a full cup - but I love LEMON!!)

Garlic Powder

-Boil water then add bouillon cubes

-Coat chicken breasts in flour

-Brown chicken in butter

-Add lemon juice & chicken broth

-Sprinkle chicken with garlic powder

-Simmer 1 hour with lid on

That's it!

The juice and broth make a great sauce to spoon over your chicken and rice.

Pumpkin Soup

My mother-in-law is an AWESOME cook. She is what I aim to be in the kitchen someday. Recently, before dinner one night, she asked me to try her pumpkin soup to see what it needed. I obliged, thinking I wouldn't like it. I am not generally a sweet-as-savory kind of gal. If I'm having pumpkin, I prefer it with sugar and spice and everything nice in the form of a pie or muffin. Or so I thought. My mother-in-law's soup was incredible. Needless to say, it needed nothing. Several helpings later, I asked for the recipe. Like Shana's grandma, my mother-in-law rarely cooks from a recipe. She told me what she used in it, but said she just keeps tasting it until it is just right. Here is the best I could do... I made some this morning. It turned out really good; very close to my mother-in-law's. Even if pumpkin soup weirds you out, I'd encourage you to give it a try. It's really healthy, too!

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion; chopped fine

2 cloves garlic
1 (32 oz) container chicken broth

1 (15 oz) can pure pumpkin

2 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

dash all spice

bay leaf

salt and pepper to taste

In a soup pot, heat the olive oil. Saute the onions, garlic and crushed red pepper flakes until the onions are transluscent. Add chicken broth and thyme and bring to a boil. Lower the heat; add pumpkin, spices and bay leaf and bring to a simmer for 30-45 minutes. Add additional chicken broth if it's too thick. Add salt and pepper to taste.

My advice is to keep tasting it. Add more spices if you think it needs it. These are not exact guestimations.

It's delish the way it is, but my mother-in-law put a little cream on top when she served it. YUM!

Pumpkin Bars

This one is for Tammy, especially since she loves Paula Dean. I saw Paula Dean make these and I had to try them. They are delicious! In fact, there is a half-eaten pan of these in my kitchen now. These were our dessert after our hearty bowl of turkey chili last night. Enjoy!


Bars:
4 eggs
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
15-ounce can pumpkin
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda

Icing:
8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract


Using an electric mixer at medium speed, combine the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until light and fluffy. Stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix at low speed until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth. Spread the batter into a greased 13 by 10-inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 - 40 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting.

To make the icing - Combine the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and mix at low speed until combined. Stir in the vanilla and mix again. Spread on cooled pumpkin bars.

Turkey Chili

I had been in search of a good chili recipe for quite some time. I asked Grandma Helen for her recipe and referred me to my Aunt Cindy. Grandma loves Cindy's chili. So, I called my aunt to get her recipe. Turns out she came across the Consumer Reports recipe years ago and that is what she has used all these years. She has it memorized. In fact, she gave it to me over the phone while walking on the beach in North Carolina. I modified it a bit for our tastes. Rather than green pepper, I use red, and because Matt and I aren't big fans of onions, I omit them. I just made this chili tonight and our family loved it. I hope you do, too!

1 lb. ground turkey
1 clove minced garlic
1 medium red pepper
4 TBSP chili powder
1 TBSP cider vinegar
¼ tsp. all spice
¼ tsp. coriander
1 tsp. cumin
½ tsp. salt
½ cup water
28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
16 oz. can chili beans
¼ cup frozen corn

Cook turkey, garlic and red pepper in a soup pot over medium high heat, stirring frequently to break up meat. Cook until meat has last its pink color. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat. Simmer the chili for 45 minutes, stirring frequently.

I serve the chili with toppings...sour cream, cheddar cheese, diced onions and chopped black olives (Matt's favorites).

Black Bean Soup

I was never a huge fan of black bean soup. I wanted to like it, but every time I ordered it I was disappointed. But recently a former co-worker of mine whom we all know and love made some. She raved about it, so I asked her to share the recipe with me. I made it that night and I am hooked. Black beans might just be nature's perfect food, too. High in vitamins and fiber, counts as a veggie, and FILLING. So, while this soup is good for you, you'll never know it by the taste.

I also love this recipe because I can buy all the ingredients, and just have it on hand to make whenever I want. Nothing perishable about it.

2 cans black beans, drained well but NOT rinsed

1 (15 oz) can of chicken broth

1 (15 oz) can petite diced tomatoes with jalepenos; don't drain

2-3 cloves minced garlic

2 tsp chili powder or chipotle chili powder

bay leaf

salt and pepper to taste

In a soup pot, bring the chicken broth to a boil with the garlic. This will infuse the broth with garlic flavor. Mash one can of black beans with a potato masher. Add both whole and mashed beans to the pot along with tomatoes, chili powder and bay leaf. Simmer for 30 minutes. Remove bay leaf. Salt and pepper to taste.

The original recipe calls for a cup of salsa instead of the tomatoes with jalepenos. The result is a thicker soup. Thin it out with more chicken broth if necessary.

Grandma Helen's Red Pasta Sauce

My Grandma Helen always made homemade red pasta sauce. I never ate jar sauce as a kid and to this day I don't eat it. When you grow up eating homemade pasta sauce, you just can't eat anything else. A few years ago, Grandma and I made the sauce together and for the first time, I learned her recipe. The only catch in learning the recipe - my Grandma doesn't cook by measurements, it's all memory and taste. This required me to adapt the recipe a bit on my own. Matt likes a little kick to his sauce, so I added more red pepper flakes than Grandma did. Recently, Grandma had surgery, so I made a lot of homemade goodies to keep her freezer stocked. It was the first time she ate my red pasta sauce. She called and gave me rave reviews and asked me to share my recipe with her. She is truly the inspiration for this recipe, so to me it will always be Grandma Helen's Red Pasta Sauce. Enjoy!

2 TBSP olive oil
3 cloves of minced garlic
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
2 – 28 oz. cans tomato puree
1 – 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 whole white onion
1 cup chicken broth
1 small can tomato paste
1 TBSP sugar
1 TBSP salt
1 large bay leaf

Add olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes to bottom of large pot. Let garlic and pepper infuse the olive oil for a few minutes.
Add the tomato puree and crushed tomatoes.
Add chicken broth to empty tomato puree can, fill can with water, add tomato paste; add mixture to sauce.
Add whole, peeled onion to center of pot.
Stir in sugar and salt; add bay leaf.
Simmer on low for 2 – 3 hours.

Once sauce is done, remove onion and bay leaf.

Want a hearty meat sauce for lasanga or baked ziti? Add 1 lb. of ground beef and 1/2 lb. of ground sweet Italian sausage to the garlic and red pepper infused olive oil. Brown the meat and the follow the rest of the directions for the sauce. Having the cooked meat simmer in the sauce gives it a great flavor for your favorite baked pasta dishes.

Meatballs in Red Sauce

Our friend Maureen makes some of the best meatballs I have ever tasted. She uses this recipe. It's a little high maintenance for me, with the bread and all. Plus, I prefer an all-beef meatball, so I've adapted it. Or, as Rob would say, I've Janed it up. Either way, you're going to get some tasty goodness on top of your pasta.

2 1/2 lbs ground beef ( I don't recommend the leanest cut here, go with a ground chuck or round for the best taste and texture )

1/2 - 2/3 cup Italian-style bread crumbs

1/2 cup milk

2 large eggs

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons pepper

1/4 cup olive oil

Mix all ingredients EXCEPT olive oil in a medium bowl. (Aysu, I put baggies on my hands!) Heat olive oil in the bottom of a large pot or dutch oven. Form meatballs into size of your preference and brown on all sides in the olive oil. Remove meatballs and set them on a paper towel. Drain the oil from the pot, and put meatballs back in. Pour your favorite red sauce over top of meatballs and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour.

As an alternative, I prepped everything tonight and put everything in the crockpot for tomorrow. I'm going to let it simmer all day. YUM!

My favorite red sauce?? You'll have to ask Shana. :o)

Macaroni & Cheese

I now have two macaroni and cheese recipes. I always made mac and cheese in the crock pot. I love my crock pot, as you'll notice when reading some of my recipe posts. Recently, I decided to try a baked macaroni and cheese and Matt said he liked the baked version better. I love them both, so I thought I'd share both recipes.

Crock Pot Macaroni & Cheese
8 oz. cooked elbow macaroni
2 TBSP. olive oil
1/8 stick melted butter
1 can of evaporated milk
1-1/2 cups milk
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
salt to taste

Grease crock pot with non-stick cooking spray.
Add all ingredients and stir. Cook on low for 3 - 4 hours.

Baked Macaroni & Cheese
8 oz. cooked elbow macaroni
2 TBSP butter
2 TBSP all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ground red pepper
8 oz. block sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded and divided

1. Prepare pasta according to package directions. Keep warm.
2. Melt butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-low heat; whisk in flour until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk, and cook, whisking constantly, 5 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in salt, black pepper, dry mustard, nutmeg, red pepper, 1 cup shredded cheese, and cooked pasta.
3. Spoon pasta mixture into a lightly greased 2-qt. baking dish; top with remaining 1 cup cheese.
4. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

To lighten the calorie counts of these recipes, I use reduced-fat milk and 2% reduced-fat cheese and they taste just as good.