Easy blueberry peach cake

I have seen recipes with boxed angel food cake mix that look amazing.  I have made it with a 20oz (big can, not the 8oz can size) of crushed pineapple, and the dry cake mixed in and it is so delicious.  Now my little 3 year old son Jackson was watching the cooking channel with me and saw someone make peach cake.  He said what they making? (his vocuabulary is not all the way developed, so his sentence structure is a little lacking..LOL) I told him, the person was making peach cake.  He said, mommy make me peach cake..how can you say no to that.  Well we are in the middle of moving, so all my cookbooks are packed up in boxes, so I looked online, and didn't see one that I really wanted to try.  The online recipes called for a pound of butter, or a cup of oil, and I wanted something a little lighter.  Then while I was looking in my cupboards I saw the box of angel food cake mix.  I looked in my pantry and saw blueberry pie filling, then remembered a recipe that I ran across somewhere, and I saw a can of peaches and voila...blueberry peach cake... you can use any kind of pie filling that you like or have on hand, and skip the peaches, or you can add canned crushed pineapple and skip the pie filling completely.  It is so easy and yummy... you can serve this with whipped cream or ice cream or just plain....Enjoy


Easy blueberry peach cake

1 box angel food cake mix
1 can blueberry pie filling
1 can sliced peaches, in juice drained and sliced

Preheat oven to 350 and spray a 13x9 inch pan with nonstick spray.
In big bowl mix together the pie filling and peaches.  Mix in the dry cake mix and mix well with big spoon.  Pour mixture into pan and spread into an even layer.  Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown and inside is done testing with a toothpick. Remove from oven.  Serve.. **NOTE  The cake will shrink a little when removed from oven.  Enjoy

Corned beef hash

I love corned beef hash... But not any old kind will do.  and say NO to the canned kind...that is just yuck!!!
that makes me shudder just thinking about it...yikes that stuff is really bad so just avoid it :)
I love corned beef, & cabbage...yum.. you know corned beef brisket cooked slowly with potatoes, onions, carrots and cabbage. It is so yummy (my family doesn't like it but that's another blog post :)  I made it for dinner on St. Patrick's day and had lots left, which makes yummy Reuben sandwiches, but my favorite is corned beef hash.  I serve the hash with over easy eggs, and rye toast.  So delicious.  I had this in a diner many years ago because I had never had it and wanted to try it, and it was wonderful.  I don't like this made with corned beef lunch meat.  Usually corned beef lunch meat is chopped & pressed and paper thin, so when you are making the hash it over cooks and becomes like little bits of shoe leather hard & crunchy..not appealing.  So I usually use the corned beef brisket leftovers, just my personal taste.  Use what you have and like as always.  Enjoy

Corned beef hash

2 cups leftover corned beef brisket, chopped into small chunks
1/2 small green pepper, small diced
1 small onion, diced

2 cups leftover potatoes, cut into small chunks
 1-2 T oil (divided)
seasonings of your choice (I used garlic & onion powder, salt & pepper)
Eggs over easy(optional)
Rye toast (optional)

In large skillet place one tablespoonful of oil heat over medium high heat.  Add onion & green pepper, sprinkle with salt & pepper.  Cook for 2-3 minutes then add potatoes and corned beef, sprinkle mixture with garlic & onion powder, a little more salt & pepper.  Add oil if mixture is getting too dry.  Continue cooking until mixture is browned and onion & green pepper are done.  Serve with eggs over easy, and rye toast.  Enjoy

Roasted fingerling potatoes

I just made found little fingerling potatoes.  Do you all know what fingerling potatoes are?  They are like mini potatoes that are shaped like your fingers. I just scrub them under running water with a vegetable brush, then cut them in half the long way, and just blot them dry with paper towels. I drizzle them up with olive oil, then season them up well and bake them.  They turn out crispy and delicious wonderful.  I served them with garlic aoili sauce and ketchup for the kiddo... they are so good and make a great side dish.  Make these for your family... they will love them.. Enjoy




Roasted fingerling potatoes


2 lbs. fingerling potatoes
3 T. olive oil
seasonings of your choice ( *I used salt & pepper, garlic and onion powder).


Preheat oven to 350. Scrub the potatoes with a brush under running water. Cut potatoes in half long way, (horizontally)  and blot with paper towels.  Place on sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with seasonings, shake pan and make sure potatoes are in a single layer and bake for 1 hour.  Turn potatoes halfway through with a spatula. Potatoes are done when poked with a fork and are tender.  Enjoy

Italian Beef Sandwiches

I love Italian Beef.... flavorful,yummy, juicy and oh so delicious.  What is Italian Beef you ask?  It is a big beef roast, cooked in delicious broth & seasonings cooked with garlic & onions served on crusty rolls dipped in a little of that delicious aj-jus juice... YUM 
I serve these with carmalized mushrooms on them as well ( just saute sliced mushrooms in a little olive oil, butter and sprinkle them with salt & pepper, cooking until they are brown and caramlized.  YUM  I also serve these with pepperconi peppers on the side..so good..

I always buy a very big roast so I can make beef vegetable soup with the leftovers.  Just add extra broth/water, frozen mixed vegetables, and cook the egg noodles right in the broth.  Serve with rolls and sprinkle with a little parmesan cheese.. so good. 
Try these today, your family will love them.  Enjoy


Italian Beef Sandwiches


3-4 lb beef roast
1-2 onions, peeled and sliced very thin
1 can beef broth
2 packages Good Seasons dry Italian salad dressing mix
2-3 cloves garlic, smashed
crusty rolls
Sauteed mushrooms & pepperocini peppers (optional)



In crockpot place 1/2 the broth and 1 package of the Italian salad dressing, stir well.  Add onions and garlic stirring to coat onions with the seasoning mixture.  Add the roast on the top.  Sprinkle roast with the seasonings and pour the remaining broth over the top.  Cook on high for 5-6 hours or until the meat is falling apart, or 7-8 hours on low.  With a fork shred the meat mixing it into the broth and onions.  Serve meat on crusty rolls (with mushrooms & pepperocini optional).  Serve the broth on little bowls to dip the sandwich in while you devour it :)  Enjoy

Chocolate Molten Lava cakes

My husband came across a recipe for chocolate Molten lava cakes. He came to me and said how about this being your next "project".. He knows how I like trying new things... I have saw these out in restaurants but have never had them..until now... oh my gracious sakes alive..these things should be illegal :)  just kidding  but oh my gosh are these things good.... chocolatey, rich and lucious and lovely... see I could go on and on but seriously, these are heavenly.  I will be making these again..and thinking about the variations... thinking instead of the cinnamon & wine adding a little orange to these, or using all white chocolate..mmm the possibilities.  and I whipped up some salted caramel sauce to drizzle over the top of these... yum... made them even more heavenly.  These would also be good with chocolate sauce or raspberry sauce drizzled over the top...or just sprinkled with powdered sugar... try these soon..you will love them...


Recipe adapted from a McCormick recipe

Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes

4 oz semi sweet baking chocolate
1 stick butter, softened
1 T. red wine
1 T vanilla
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
3/4 cup flour
1/4 t cinnamon
6 Hershey's kisses, unwrapped
hot salted caramel sauce

Preheat oven to 425.  Spray 6 small cake pans/ramikens with non stick spray.  In microwave safe bowl melt butter & chocolate for 1 minute.  Whisk with wire whisk until chocolate is completely melted.  Whisk in wine, vanilla and powdered sugar until combined.  Whisk in eggs, egg yolk, mixing well. Stir in flour & cinnamon mixing until just combined.  Pour evenly in the 6 baking dishes.(should be about 1/2 to 2/3 full).  Place ramekins on baking sheet and bake for around 11 minutes center should be soft but outside should be firm.Remove from oven and take a knife and loosen edges of pan.  Immediately invert (being careful when inverting them so you don't break them open).  Place Hershey's kiss over top and drizzle immediately with hot caramel sauce.  Serve immediately. 

Sour cream coffee cake

I woke up wanting coffee cake...not any old coffee cake but yummy, cinnamony (if that's even a word ;)  delicious coffee cake... saw many recipes but good night..they called for 2 cups of butter, tons of sour cream etc... I thought hmmm... need to come up with a delicious yet less fattening version.. (you know it is the new year after all..and in moderation we can still enjoy our delicious goodies ) so I came up with this recipe.  The house smells amazing too which is an added boost to making this... don't you just love when your house smells good....mmmm... Enjoy


Sour cream coffee cake

1 stick butter/margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup sour cream
2 1/2 cups flour
1 t baking soda
2 1/4 t baking powder
pinch of kosher salt
1T vanilla
1 t almond extract


Filling:( Mix together in a bowl)

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup chopped nuts
1 1/2 T cinnamon
1/4 t nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray a bundt pan with nonstick spray.
In large bowl cream together sugar, butter, & brown sugar.   Add eggs, beat well.  Add sour cream, applesauce, vanilla & almond extracts, mix well.  In small bowl whisk together flour, soda, baking powder & salt.  Pour 1/2 the flour mixture in the butter mixture and beat with mixer just until almost combined.  Add remaining flour mixture and mix until just the mixture just slightly comes together.  With rubber spatula fold in lightly (DO NOT OVERMIX) the remaining flour, scraping down the bowl.  Spoon 1/2 the mixture in the bundt pan (I used the back of a spoon the make the mixture in an even level).  Sprinkle the filling mixture evenly in a layer around the cake ***IMPORTANT to try and NOT get the filling up to the sides of the pan because it will bake & stick into the side of the pan and not let the cake release from the pan .  Gently spoon the remaining cake batter on top of the filling being sure to seal and spread the cake batter over the  filling layer. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Remove from oven and taking a butter knife, loosen around the center hole and the edges of the pan. Invert onto a serving platter immediately.  Enjoy

Banana cream cheese muffins

Today is going to be one of those days....I was awake at 3:45 and couldn't go back to sleep.  So finally at 4:30 I crawled out of bed.  Thinking it is going to be a long day with all day classes... so I needed something to kick start my day..along with lots of caffeine ;)  muffins... wanted something a little different, so I came up with this recipe.. it is so delicious, and moist.  The cream cheese & bananas in the center make them a little gooey and oh so good... Make these soon you will love them.. Enjoy



Banana cream cheese muffins

1 cup sugar+ 2 T
8 oz cream cheese, divided, softened
3 bananas, 2 mashed, and 1 diced fine
1/3 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla, divided
2 cups flour
1 stick butter/margarine,softened
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350.  Line cupcake pan with paper liners.  In large bowl, place 1/2 the softened cream cheese, butter & sour cream.  Mix well with an electric mixer.  Add sugar and mix well.  Add eggs, bananas & 1 t vanilla and mix well.  In bowl whisk together flour, baking powder & soda.  Add flour mixture in thirds to wet mixture, beating just until combined (don't over-mix).  Fill muffin cups 1/2 full.  In small bowl place remaining cream cheese, 2T sugar, and 1/2 t of vanilla mix well with fork.  Spoon a heaping teaspoonful into the center of each muffin, then top with some chopped banana, continuing until all the muffin cups are done.  Carefully spoon the remainder of the muffin batter over the top of the cream cheese/banana mixture smoothing out (I used my finger but you can use a spoon), continuing until all the muffin cups are done.  Bake for 25-28 minutes (mine were lightly browned cause I like my muffins on the lighter side). Remove from oven.  Enjoy