I made Peanut Butter and Jelly bars today and used 1/2 a white cake mix for those....I had the other half of the cake mix left and thought hmmmm what am I going to do with this? I looked around my cupboards and saw some canned peaches and it hit
me... peach cobbler... I love peach cobbler...and lots of other
cobblers, apple, cherry, blueberry etc.... You can substitute a can of
cherry pie or apple pie filling for the peaches, or even peach pie filling... anything goes... Even though I ended up only using about 1 cups worth of cake mix (I still have enough for another cobbler yeah :) or you can use a small Jiffy cake mix instead of the cake mix...(you can use either white or yellow cake mix, I happened to have a white one. use what you have on hand and you like :) You can for added yumminess serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or whipped cream or even a drizzle of half & half or heavy cream over the top... Enjoy
Easy Peach Cobbler
1 cup cake mix (or a small Jiffy brand cake mix)
1 can peaches in 100% juice
1 cup old fashioned oats
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 stick butter melted
1/2 cup sliced almonds
Preheat oven to 350. In 8" square pan spray with nonstick spray. Pour in can of peaches making an even layer (Do not drain peaches). In bowl add cake mix, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and almonds mixing well. Drizzle over melted butter. With a fork mix well until mixture is crumbly, I used my hands towards the end making a crumbly mixture. Sprinkle mixture evenly over peaches. Bake for around 20-25 minutes until peach mixture is bubbly and top is light golden brown. Remove from oven and serve. Refrigerate any leftovers. Enjoy
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Cheesy potatoes
Who doesn't love cheesy potatoes? Nobody I know of...we all love them...oozing and bubbly with cheese and yumminess.... they are super easy to make. You basically dump all of the ingredients in a large bowl, mix together, place in a sprayed baking dish and bake... easy schmeasy... that's what I like... easy and delicious. I usually use the frozen cubed potatoes with onions & peppers added (sometimes called southern style) but you can use shredded or plain cubed frozen potatoes. Use what you like... I also use a mixture of cheddar & co-jack cheese, but again you can use what you have on hand... it's a great way to clean out that cheese drawer... Enjoy
Cheesy Potatoes
1 package Cubed frozen potatoes
1 onion, peeled and diced fine
1 cup sour cream (an 8oz container)
1/3 cup milk
1/2 stick melted butter
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cups shredded cheese
seasonings of your choice ( I use seasoned salt, garlic & onion powder, & pepper)
Heat oven to 375. Spray a baking dish.
In a large mixing bowl add all of the ingredients, mixing well. Place in sprayed dish. Bake covered for 1/2 hour. Uncover potatoes and bake for an additional 1 hour until potatoes are bubbly (in center too) and lightly golden brown. Remove from oven & serve.
Cheesy Potatoes
1 package Cubed frozen potatoes
1 onion, peeled and diced fine
1 cup sour cream (an 8oz container)
1/3 cup milk
1/2 stick melted butter
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cups shredded cheese
seasonings of your choice ( I use seasoned salt, garlic & onion powder, & pepper)
Heat oven to 375. Spray a baking dish.
In a large mixing bowl add all of the ingredients, mixing well. Place in sprayed dish. Bake covered for 1/2 hour. Uncover potatoes and bake for an additional 1 hour until potatoes are bubbly (in center too) and lightly golden brown. Remove from oven & serve.
Friday, May 4, 2012
Walking Taco's for Cinco de Mayo
Happy May 5th or better known as Cinco de Mayo.... alright for the history lesson.... it is a celebration of Mexican celebration and pride... even though I am not of Mexican heritage..ever since I have worked in Ann Arbor, MI & was told that I cannot believe you have never celebrated Cinco de Mayo I quickly got a history lesson and have been celebrating ever since... so it is a necessity that you eat what else Mexican food... & since I have to work tomorrow it looks like some "quick" mexican food...LOL
Walking tacos are basically Doritos chips and taco meat and toppings.... either served in the little individual bags of Dorito cheesey chip bags, or layered in a bowl.... kids especially love that you open the little individual bags of dorito chips, crunch them a little inside the package, layer taco meat and toppings (like what you would put on a taco, lettuce, tomato, sour cream, shredded cheese etc.) and then eat them with a fork right out of the bag... you can also put this in a bowl and eat it that way too. Use whatever toppings you like....Enjoy
Walking Tacos
1 pound ground beef
1 package of taco seasoning
water called for on seasoning envelope
Toppings of your choice ( I use shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sliced green onions, shredded cheese and sour cream)
Cheese Doritos (either individual bags or a big bag)
Cook beef and crumble. Drain any fat off. Add taco seasoning and water. Simmer according to package directions, turn off heat. In small bags of doritos, (or in a bowl you can add slightly crushed Doritos) crush chips a little. Spoon taco meat over the chips and add topping ingredients. Serve immediately.
Walking tacos are basically Doritos chips and taco meat and toppings.... either served in the little individual bags of Dorito cheesey chip bags, or layered in a bowl.... kids especially love that you open the little individual bags of dorito chips, crunch them a little inside the package, layer taco meat and toppings (like what you would put on a taco, lettuce, tomato, sour cream, shredded cheese etc.) and then eat them with a fork right out of the bag... you can also put this in a bowl and eat it that way too. Use whatever toppings you like....Enjoy
Walking Tacos
1 pound ground beef
1 package of taco seasoning
water called for on seasoning envelope
Toppings of your choice ( I use shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sliced green onions, shredded cheese and sour cream)
Cheese Doritos (either individual bags or a big bag)
Cook beef and crumble. Drain any fat off. Add taco seasoning and water. Simmer according to package directions, turn off heat. In small bags of doritos, (or in a bowl you can add slightly crushed Doritos) crush chips a little. Spoon taco meat over the chips and add topping ingredients. Serve immediately.
Friday, April 20, 2012
Snickers salad
This recipe request came from my friend's Sharon's facebook account. I haven't made this salad in ages...and am adding the stuff to make this to my grocery shopping list this week.. I love love love this salad:) one of the reasons I haven't made this is because I eat it...lots and lots of it... like I can't keep out of it... always walking by thinking just one more bite... I sometimes double this and take it to a potluck gathering. You do want to let this sit for a couple of hours but this won't keep for days in the fridge. The apples do turn brown and water down the salad when left to sit a long time. But chances are once you taste it... it probably won't last that long..
I only use Granny Smith green apples for this. I have tried other apples and they turn mushy in this salad. Granny Smith apples keep their shape. Enjoy
Snickers salad
4 Snickers candy bars, chopped ( I save a small amount of this for garnishing the top)
2-3 Granny smith apples, washed cored and chopped
1 tub cool whip topping, thawed.
In bowl combine all of the ingredients (except remaining snickers for garnishing). Cover, place in the fridge and let sit for a couple of hours. Right before serving, stir salad well, and sprinkle top with remaining snickers. Enjoy
I only use Granny Smith green apples for this. I have tried other apples and they turn mushy in this salad. Granny Smith apples keep their shape. Enjoy
Snickers salad
4 Snickers candy bars, chopped ( I save a small amount of this for garnishing the top)
2-3 Granny smith apples, washed cored and chopped
1 tub cool whip topping, thawed.
In bowl combine all of the ingredients (except remaining snickers for garnishing). Cover, place in the fridge and let sit for a couple of hours. Right before serving, stir salad well, and sprinkle top with remaining snickers. Enjoy
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Polish sausage potato hash
Hmm... didn't quite know what to call this recipe.... It is basically potatoes, onions, peppers and polish sausage... all yummy stuff... I make this and people have never had it but everybody seems to like it?? We really like it, and it's really easy..shhhh don't tell :) use what you have... if you like smoked sausage use it... whatever you like as always... you can add colored bell peppers, and other veggies (zuchini, summer squash etc..anything goes) It's a one pot meal which less clean up and dishes... a winner in my book :) I serve this with a vegetable and bread & butter...
Polish Sausage potato hash
1 package of Polish sausage (I use the pre-cooked kind) sliced
5-6 new Red potatoes, scrubbed and diced medium
1 small onion, peeled & diced medium
1/2 green pepper, seeded and diced medium
3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced in half
2 T. bacon fat
1 T. white wine
1 T. water
seasonings of your choice, (I used kosher salt, pepper, & no salt garlic & herb seasoning)
In large skilled melt bacon fat. Add potatoes, onion, garlic & green pepper and seasoning. Stir coating all will fat. Cook for 2-3 minutes stirring often. Add wine and water cover pan and turn down. Stir occasionally for around 5 minutes until potatoes are almost soft. Turn up heat , add sausage (leave cover off) and cook until liquid is absorbed and sausage is hot and browned. Turn off heat. Enjoy
Polish Sausage potato hash
1 package of Polish sausage (I use the pre-cooked kind) sliced
5-6 new Red potatoes, scrubbed and diced medium
1 small onion, peeled & diced medium
1/2 green pepper, seeded and diced medium
3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced in half
2 T. bacon fat
1 T. white wine
1 T. water
seasonings of your choice, (I used kosher salt, pepper, & no salt garlic & herb seasoning)
In large skilled melt bacon fat. Add potatoes, onion, garlic & green pepper and seasoning. Stir coating all will fat. Cook for 2-3 minutes stirring often. Add wine and water cover pan and turn down. Stir occasionally for around 5 minutes until potatoes are almost soft. Turn up heat , add sausage (leave cover off) and cook until liquid is absorbed and sausage is hot and browned. Turn off heat. Enjoy
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Homemade Dressing (Stuffing)
Well it's holiday time... Easter week... and with every holiday I think about all of those good old holiday classics..and just about each and every holiday (well with the exception of 4th of July...cause it's way to hot to making stuffing...LOL) I want Stuffing.... I love love love it....there are countless ways to make it...with bread cubes, cornbread, sourdough bread (I don't like sourdough bread so that is not an option for me. yuck) but lots of varieties... and also lots of stuff you can put in it... celery, apples, onions, nuts, giblets from the turkey, sausage etc... I am a stuffing minimialist.... I like it with butter, celery, onions a little apple...sometimes a little sausage or giblets... and poultry seasoning and sage...love them both:) bread is another thing... I have cut loaves and loaves of bread by hand, and used the cubed bread croutons... (the bagged cubed bread is soooo much easier and it is yummy) but if you must you can cut the loaves of bread up... it's up to you... I say take the help when you can get it... but that's just me..... Enjoy
Homemade Stuffing (Dressing)
2 bags (12 oz each) bread cubes, sometimes called croutons
2 eggs, beaten
2 1/2 sticks butter, divided
5 stalks celery, cleaned trimmed and small diced
1 onion, small diced
1 apple (optional) washed and small diced**I leave the skin on
2 boxes chicken broth
seasonings of your choice ( I used a pinch of salt & pepper, poultry seasoning, & a pinch of sage, garlic & onion powder)
1/4 cup white wine
1 t worchester sauce
1 T olive oil (or bacon fat)
In saucepan add olive oil/bacon fat. Add celery, onion, & apple and a pinch of salt & pepper. Stir to coat veggies. Cook for around 5 minutes until they start to soften. Add chicken broth and 2 sticks of butter and remainder of seasonings, wine & worchester sauce. Bring to a boil, turn heat to low and simmer for around 10-15 minutes until vegetables are soft. In very large bowl pour in both bags of bread cubes. In pyrex heatproof measuring cup add eggs and whisk together. Next you need to temper the eggs, add a couple of tablespoonfuls of the hot broth mixture whisking well. Add another couple of tablespoonfuls of hot mixture whisking well. Pour egg mixture over bread cubes. Pour about 1/2 the hot mixture over the bread cubes. Stir well. Pour the remaining mixture slowly over all the bread cubes. Stir very well. Spray large baking dish. Preheat oven to 375. Pour dressing into the pan evening out the layer. Sprinkle top of stuffing mixture with a little poultry seasoning. Thinly slice the remaining 1/2 stick of butter and place over top of dressing. Bake uncovered for around 30 minutes, checking mixture and cook for around 15 more minutes until stuffing is golden brown. Enjoy
Homemade Stuffing (Dressing)
2 bags (12 oz each) bread cubes, sometimes called croutons
2 eggs, beaten
2 1/2 sticks butter, divided
5 stalks celery, cleaned trimmed and small diced
1 onion, small diced
1 apple (optional) washed and small diced**I leave the skin on
2 boxes chicken broth
seasonings of your choice ( I used a pinch of salt & pepper, poultry seasoning, & a pinch of sage, garlic & onion powder)
1/4 cup white wine
1 t worchester sauce
1 T olive oil (or bacon fat)
In saucepan add olive oil/bacon fat. Add celery, onion, & apple and a pinch of salt & pepper. Stir to coat veggies. Cook for around 5 minutes until they start to soften. Add chicken broth and 2 sticks of butter and remainder of seasonings, wine & worchester sauce. Bring to a boil, turn heat to low and simmer for around 10-15 minutes until vegetables are soft. In very large bowl pour in both bags of bread cubes. In pyrex heatproof measuring cup add eggs and whisk together. Next you need to temper the eggs, add a couple of tablespoonfuls of the hot broth mixture whisking well. Add another couple of tablespoonfuls of hot mixture whisking well. Pour egg mixture over bread cubes. Pour about 1/2 the hot mixture over the bread cubes. Stir well. Pour the remaining mixture slowly over all the bread cubes. Stir very well. Spray large baking dish. Preheat oven to 375. Pour dressing into the pan evening out the layer. Sprinkle top of stuffing mixture with a little poultry seasoning. Thinly slice the remaining 1/2 stick of butter and place over top of dressing. Bake uncovered for around 30 minutes, checking mixture and cook for around 15 more minutes until stuffing is golden brown. Enjoy
Saturday, March 31, 2012
German Chocolate Bars with Salted Caramel sauce
I got the recipe for these bars from my friend Angie over at a lil country sugar.... you all know Angie...I have blogged about her before..she is an absolute wonderful cook...check out her blog here. Angie sure knows her way around the kitchen.... thanks Angie for this wonderful recipe....
These bars were easy and yummy. I did make some changes to her recipe. I added 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips to the top, 1/3 cup coconut to the top & a 1/3 cup nuts (I used sliced almonds & pecans to the recipe). She used caramel ice cream topping (and I forgot to buy some at the store) so I decided to invent a caramel sauce... so you can use either they are both delicious.... I like my caramel a little "salty"... you know that sweet & salt thing together...YUM... but if you are not a fan of salty caramel just put in a slight pinch. I cooked my bars for 45 minutes, but I started checking them at 35. The outside was a light golden brown and the center was still a little runny when I moved the pan, but they firmed up upon sitting. I let them cool about an hour before making the caramel sauce (they were still slightly warm when I served them). Also when making these instead of dirtying 2 separate bowls & sets of beaters, I just ran them under hot tap water between steps (less dishes to do and no cross contamination since they were getting baked...safety first :) Enjoy these bars...
German Chocolate Bars with Salted Caramel sauce
1 box chocolate cake mix
1 cup butter, melted & divided
3 eggs, divided
1 pkg cream cheese, softened (I use 1/3 less fat kind)
1 T. vanilla
1 lb. confectioners sugar
1 1/3 cups shredded coconut, divided
1 1/3 cups nuts ( I used 1/2 chopped pecans & sliced almonds), divided
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350.
Spray a 13 X 9 pan with non stick spray. In large bowl place cake mix, 1/2 cup butter, and 1 egg. Mix well with electric mixer. Pat mixture into the bottom of the pan. Rinse bowl and beaters under hot water. Add cream cheese, beating well with mixer until fluffy. Add in eggs and vanilla beat well. Beat in 1/2 cup butter and powdered sugar. Stir in 1 cup coconut & 1 cup nuts. Pour mixture over cake mixture. Sprinkle top of batter with remaining 1/3 cup each coconuts and nuts, and 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes (start checking at 35 minutes) or until outside is golden brown (center will be soft but will firm up upon cooling). Remove from oven and let cool around an hour. Make caramel sauce.
Salted Caramel Sauce
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/8 cup water
1/2 t kosher salt
1/2 t cornstarch
1 t vanilla
1 t butter
1 t half and half
In saucepan add brown sugar, corn syrup, water, salt & cornstarch. Stir well and cook over medium heat until bubbly. Cook for 4-5 minutes. Turn off heat and add vanilla, butter and half and half. Whisk until butter is melted and sauce is combined. Drizzle over pieces of the german chocolate bars. Enjoy
These bars were easy and yummy. I did make some changes to her recipe. I added 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips to the top, 1/3 cup coconut to the top & a 1/3 cup nuts (I used sliced almonds & pecans to the recipe). She used caramel ice cream topping (and I forgot to buy some at the store) so I decided to invent a caramel sauce... so you can use either they are both delicious.... I like my caramel a little "salty"... you know that sweet & salt thing together...YUM... but if you are not a fan of salty caramel just put in a slight pinch. I cooked my bars for 45 minutes, but I started checking them at 35. The outside was a light golden brown and the center was still a little runny when I moved the pan, but they firmed up upon sitting. I let them cool about an hour before making the caramel sauce (they were still slightly warm when I served them). Also when making these instead of dirtying 2 separate bowls & sets of beaters, I just ran them under hot tap water between steps (less dishes to do and no cross contamination since they were getting baked...safety first :) Enjoy these bars...
German Chocolate Bars with Salted Caramel sauce
1 box chocolate cake mix
1 cup butter, melted & divided
3 eggs, divided
1 pkg cream cheese, softened (I use 1/3 less fat kind)
1 T. vanilla
1 lb. confectioners sugar
1 1/3 cups shredded coconut, divided
1 1/3 cups nuts ( I used 1/2 chopped pecans & sliced almonds), divided
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350.
Spray a 13 X 9 pan with non stick spray. In large bowl place cake mix, 1/2 cup butter, and 1 egg. Mix well with electric mixer. Pat mixture into the bottom of the pan. Rinse bowl and beaters under hot water. Add cream cheese, beating well with mixer until fluffy. Add in eggs and vanilla beat well. Beat in 1/2 cup butter and powdered sugar. Stir in 1 cup coconut & 1 cup nuts. Pour mixture over cake mixture. Sprinkle top of batter with remaining 1/3 cup each coconuts and nuts, and 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes (start checking at 35 minutes) or until outside is golden brown (center will be soft but will firm up upon cooling). Remove from oven and let cool around an hour. Make caramel sauce.
Salted Caramel Sauce
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/8 cup water
1/2 t kosher salt
1/2 t cornstarch
1 t vanilla
1 t butter
1 t half and half
In saucepan add brown sugar, corn syrup, water, salt & cornstarch. Stir well and cook over medium heat until bubbly. Cook for 4-5 minutes. Turn off heat and add vanilla, butter and half and half. Whisk until butter is melted and sauce is combined. Drizzle over pieces of the german chocolate bars. Enjoy
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