Last week I received a couple of pictures from someone who made these treats for her niece who just graduated from college (and was co-valedictorian!). I asked her permission to share the photos so you could see how easy they are to make. Actually… hers look better than mine did!

I love it when you share your creations with me and hope to receive more pictures in the future! I also love the smile on Linnie’s beautiful niece’s face. She looks so happy

Thank you for sharing your pictures, Linnie. I am praying for your niece and for the future God has planned for her.

I’ve included the instructions for the Graduation Caps here, but encourage you to visit the original post for my thoughts on Nick’s graduation, photos of the celebration, and for the link to my favorite graduation gift.

Graduation Cap Treats – Original Post

 Graduation Cap Treats

Ingredients:

• Miniature Reeses Peanut Butter Cups
• Ghirardelli Chocolate Squares
• Chocolate Chips
• M&Ms
• Licorice Strings

Unwrap the peanut butter cups and chocolate squares.

Melt the chocolate chips. This will be your “glue” so you only need about 1/2 a cup of chips, melted.

Dip the small end of the peanut butter cup into the melted chocolate and place, melted chocolate side up, on a serving platter.

Place the chocolate square, design side down, on top of the melted chocolate on the peanut butter cup. (The chocolate will set up and keep the square from falling off the peanut butter cup.)

Use your finger to put a dot of melted chocolate in the center of each chocolate square and then place an M&M, logo side down, on the dot of chocolate.

Cut licorice into 1 – 1 1/2 inch strips and place on caps. You may need to use a little of the melted chocolate to hold them in place.

That’s it! Place them in the refrigerator to set up until ready to serve.

If you love a classic crumb cake, this recipe will make you happy. The cake is moist with a delicate flavor and the crumbs are the bomb! Its a perfect partnership.

Now go tell your mamma, or any woman who’s encouraged, supported or inspired you, that you love and appreciate them. It will mean even more if you tell them with Crumb Cake

Crumb Cake

Ingredients:

Crumbs

• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

Cake

• 1 1/4 cup cake flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• scant 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 7 tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/3 cup buttermilk, room temperature
• 1 egg, room temperature
• 1 egg yolk, room temperature

Powdered sugar for dusting, optional

Make the crumbs first! They need to sit to firm up, making it possible to break into “crumbs” later.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter an 8- or 9-inch square or round baking dish and set aside.

To make the crumbs, combine brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Stir in the melted butter until combined then stir in the flour. Set aside while you make the cake batter.

To make the cake, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. Use a hand mixer to add butter in three pieces, beating until mixture resembles wet sand. Add remaining cake ingredients, beating until completely incorporated and smooth.

Transfer batter to prepared baking dish, spreading to smooth evenly. Use your hands to break up and “crumble” the crumb topping and cover the batter completely.

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let sit on cooling rack for 30-45 minutes.

Dust the top with powdered sugar for the “traditional” crumb cake appearance. (Makes it Purdy.)

Cut into squares and serve. This is yummy warm or at room temperature. Well… it’s good cold, too. I want a piece right now. Maybe I’ll make one for myself for Mother’s Day.

I was writing down a recipe for one of my favorite appetizers – bacon wrapped marinated chicken bites, rolled in spicy brown sugar – and my mind wandered. I wondered if the idea would work on something else and pork tenderloin immediately came to mind. Probably because it’s one of my favorite cuts of meat. Or maybe its because pork wrapped in a blanket of pork couldn’t be a bad thing. Have I mentioned how much I love pork?

This isn’t something I would make just for myself so I waited. Patiently. For company. And they came. And it was worth the wait!

Y.U.M.

Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients:

• 2 tenderloins
• marinade (see below)
• 1 ½ cups brown sugar
• 1-ounce container chili powder
• 2-3 teaspoons cayenne powder (according to taste)
• 1 pound bacon

Marinade:

• 1 cup soy sauce
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup honey
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon five spice powder
• ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper

Combine all marinade ingredients and pour over pork. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

When ready to assemble, combine brown sugar, chili powder and cayenne in a shallow dish (I used a small rimmed baking sheet).

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Remove pork from the marinade then discard the marinade.

Take a strip of bacon and begin wrapping around tenderloin starting at one end. As soon as the bacon ends, take the next piece of bacon and continue wrapping. Continue adding slices until the entire tenderloin is wrapped (mummy style) then repeat the process with the second tenderloin. 

Place wrapped tenderloins in the dish with the brown sugar mixture and use your hands to roll and coat the bacon completely. Place in prepared baking dish.

Bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until pork is done and bacon is crispy. I wanted extra crispy bacon so I turned on the broiler for just about 2 minutes to crisp up the top.

Remove from oven and let sit for 15 minutes before cutting into 1-inch slices.

During a recent break from school I decided to try making funnel cakes for Nick. The hardest part of the process was finding a container to use to squeeze the batter into the hot oil. You can use a funnel but that gets messy and its not as easy. We had a bottle of chocolate syrup that was just about empty so I made some hot chocolate then cleaned out the bottle. (I saved the bottle so I will be ready next time.)

You need a skillet deep enough to hold 2 inches of oil. Keep in mind the width of the pan will be the size of your funnel cakes. That’s it. Deep skillet and a squeeze bottle

Depending on the size of your skillet, you will end up with approximately 6 funnel cakes.They are definitely best eaten right after frying. They are still good once they cool but warm fried dough dusted in powdered sugar is pretty awesome!

Funnel Cake

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Whisk eggs, sugar, vanilla and milk together. Whisk remaining ingredients together in a separate bowl. Whisk dry ingredients into wet ingredients until completely combined. Let sit for 10 minutes.

Cover a baking sheet with a couple of layers of paper towels and set aside.

Place large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Pour in oil until it is 2-inches deep. Bring to 375 degrees. (If you don’t have a thermometer, drop a bit of the batter into the oil. If it starts to fry, your oil is hot enough.)

Use a funnel to pour batter into your squeeze bottle. When the oil has reached 375 degrees, squeeze batter out of the bottle over the oil in squiggly patterns. Fry until golden then flip and fry until golden on second side. This will take about 60 seconds per side – maybe a bit less

Remove to paper towel-lined baking sheet and dust with powdered sugar. Continue until you have used all the batter. Dust again with powdered sugar.

Consume!

Cooking should not be intimidating. I love to cook but everyone doesn’t necessarily feel the way I do about it. You may think balancing your checkbook is fun. (You may want to talk to someone about that… I’m just sayin’) Maybe cooking is just a means to a meal at the end of the day. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun and it doesn’t mean you can’t prepare something spectacular.

I chose stuffed manicotti when a friend asked for a cooking “lesson” for a few reasons. First, it’s a recipe that people assume is difficult but it really isn’t. The ingredient list is a little bit long but there is nothing complicated about this recipe. Second, I was hoping my friend would see that since this was so much easier than she probably thought it would be, she might be more likely to try more recipes. Third, we were friends hanging out in the kitchen and this should be fun. Stuffing manicotti shells is a little messy. Messy is just plain fun And… because the end result will knock your socks off. You will think you are dining in the finest Italian restaurant! Seriously… it’s just plain good! You will be so impressed with your kitchen skills you will be attempting all kinds of dishes real soon (at least I hope so).

There are a few little tips and secrets at the bottom. Incorporate these tips into similar recipes and you will be very pleased with the results.

Cheese Filled Manicotti with Meat Sauce

Sauce:

• 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• onion, chopped (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
• 2   26 oz jars marinara sauce (no sugar in the ingredients)
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• dash or two of cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Filling:

• 2 lb container ricotta cheese
• 1 cup shredded 5 or 6 cheese Italian blend (whichever your grocery store stocks)
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1 box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed to remove as much liquid as possible
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian flat leaf parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• dash nutmeg

To assemble and serve:

• 8 oz package manicotti noodles
• 2 cups shredded Italian cheese blend
• Grated Parmesan
• Fresh torn basil leaves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 13×9 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

Prepare sauce:

Brown ground beef in a dutch oven over medium to medium-high heat. Add garlic, salt and pepper. If using onion, add at this point. Stir in red pepper flakes, marinara sauce, dried basil, cinnamon and sugar. Reduce heat until sauce is softly simmering.

Prepare manicotti shells as directed on the package. Be careful not to overcook. Drain and set aside. (Prepare the filling while the pasta cooks.)

Prepare the filling:

Combine all filling ingredients in a large bowl, stirring well.

To assemble:

Spoon about 2 cups of the sauce into the bottom of the prepared pan. Fill the cooked manicotti shells with the ricotta mixture using a pastry bag, a small spoon or your hands (I use my hands… it’s just easier.) If a shell splits while you are filling it don’t worry about it. You can place it seam side down in the pan and no one will notice

As you fill each shell, lay them over the sauce in your prepared pan. Once all have been filled, top them with more sauce. You want to pour the sauce down the center of the shells, leaving the ends exposed so they will get a little crispy as they bake. And… because it just looks prettier and that’s important too.

Sprinkle the two cups of shredded cheese over the sauce. Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly and the cheese is starting to brown a bit.

Remove from oven and let sit for 15 minutes before serving.

To serve, place one or two (most people will go for two) filled manicotti shells on dinner plate. Spoon a little extra sauce over the manicotti. Sprinkle with additional grated Parmesan cheese and fresh torn basil leaves.

Just look at what you have created! Aren’t you just so impressed with yourself?

OK – here are the tips I promised you:

• Adding just a dash or two of cinnamon and a teaspoon of sugar to your marinara sauce will cut the acidic bite of the tomatoes. It really just smooths out the sauce and gives it an all day simmering taste.
• Adding a dash of nutmeg to any cream based sauce or filling adds a depth of warmth that is unrecognizable, but definitely takes it up a notch. You shouldn’t taste the nutmeg. There should just be a hint.
• Adding a bit of chopped fresh herbs to most dishes will give it a bit of freshness and provides a homemade taste to something that may have started in a jar.
• Marinara sauce is very simple to make. It is basically tomatoes, onions, garlic and some herbs. If you do not have the time to make your own sauce, there are definitely some good options in your grocery store. Just read the ingredients carefully. Most of the major brands contain sugar and/or corn syrup. Some even contain water. However, there are excellent jarred sauces that simply contain tomatoes, onions, olive oil, garlic, and herbs. No preservatives and no fillers and no sugar (add your own teaspoon so you control the amount). This is what you are looking for. It will cost you more. But you will know exactly what you are eating. That’s worth something

Another note:

When you make the stuffed manicotti you will end up with extra filling and extra sauce. Both freeze nicely and can be pulled out later to use on pasta, crusty bread, pizza, etc. You can also prepare your favorite pasta and stir the filling and sauce into the cooked and drained pasta, top with cheese and bake for another meal. Freeze the entire dish (since you just had manicotti) and pull it out and bake after a hectic day. Or, bring it to someone who needs the meal or an extra hand.

And… another note (if I had taken this many notes in school I might have done a little better – hahahaha!):

The recipe for the filling can be used in lasagna or stuffed shells. You can use the same sauce too! If making shells, use the exact manicotti recipe but replace the manicotti with jumbo shells. If making lasagna, layer sauce, cooked lasagna noodles, filling, additional shredded cheese (mozzarella and parmesan or a 5 or 6 blend Italian cheese). Layer three times and then top with a layer of noodles, thin layer of sauce, and a layer of shredded cheese.

I’m suddenly hearing, “When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie… that’s amore.” I think we should sing as we stuff our manicotti. It will be a great bonding experience. What do you say?

These ribs are oven baked so no need to fire up the grill. Beef short ribs are covered with onions and BBQ sauce and slow-cooked in the oven. They are seriously mouth watering but I hesitate to call them ribs. These ribs may not give you that gnawing on a bone rib eatin’ satisfaction but they are truly spectacular. The original recipe is from Sunny Anderson and can be found on the Food Network site. I made a few changes but the technique and base recipe are hers. I humbly bow before her BBQ greatness. Ya’ll trust me on this. You do want to try these. Now. Seriously. Go to the grocery store and get the short ribs right now. Don’t wait. The tender, falling apart deliciousness is waiting for you.

Oven Baked BBQ Beef Short Ribs

Ingredients:

• 4 lbs boneless beef short ribs (Bone-in would work too)
• salt, pepper, and garlic powder to season meat
• 1 onion, cut in half and then sliced
• 2/3 cup ketchup
• 2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon dried ground thyme
• 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
• 2 tablespoons Worchestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Arrange short ribs in a 13×9 inch baking dish. Season both sides with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Arrange the onion over the ribs.

In a small bowl combine remaining ingredients. Pour over the ribs and then get your hands in there and make sure the ribs are coated all over with the sauce.

Wash your hands. If you don’t, your nose will itch but your hands will be covered in BBQ sauce so you won’t be able to scratch. (I think you should trust me on this one. You know I’m right.)

Tightly cover the baking dish with foil and roast until the meat is very tender and will fall apart if you poke at it with your fork. This should take about 2 1/2 hours. Remove foil and cook for 30 minutes longer.

Let sit for about 30 minutes before serving.

Have I mentioned how mouth-watering these were? You may want a crusty piece of bread to sop up the amazing sauce.

A friend who is also a big fan of pork came to dinner recently and I had a package of pork tenderloin in my freezer. I had pulled a recipe for Peach-Mustard Glazed Pork Tenderloin from the December issue of Southern Living magazine. I made a few adjustments and the result was quite tasty, quite lovely, and definitely special occasion worthy!

You can adjust the ingredients to suit your own taste. You can change out the jam for a different flavor or add different herbs. Rosemary would be delicious as it pairs so well with pork. The original recipe called for peach jam but I had apricot so I used it. I think pineapple apricot would also work.

I also think the glaze would work well for barbequing the pork (or chicken) on the grill. Skip the browning step and the finishing sauce and just make the glaze to use for brushing on pork as you grill.

Here’s my version. I paired it with extra-cheesy scalloped potatoes and roasted baby zucchini. Scrumptious!

Apricot Glazed Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients:

• 2 pork tenderloins (1 – 1 1/2 pounds each)
• salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 large or two small shallots, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup bourbon
• 1/2 cup apricot jam
• 2 heaping tablespoons country-style Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon butter

Remove pork tenderloins from package about 30 minutes before cooking. Liberally salt and pepper and let sit on counter to remove the chill from the meat.

When ready to cook, preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Heat oil in a large oven-proof skillet (I use my cast iron skillet) over medium high heat. When pan is hot place seasoned tenderloins in the skillet and brown on every side.

In a separate skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add shallot and sauté three minutes. Add garlic and continue to sauté additional minute. Add bourbon and cook 30 seconds. Remove from heat and stir in jam, mustard, syrup, black pepper and red pepper flakes until jam is melted. Pour glaze over pork tenderloins.

Place pan in oven and cook for 20-25 minutes or until meat thermometer reads 160 degrees. Remove from oven.

Transfer tenderloins to a cutting board, cover loosely with foil and let stand for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, place skillet over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Stir in chicken stock, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from  heat and stir in 1 tablespoon butter.

Slice pork in the diagonal and drizzle with finishing sauce.

Sweet Blessings!
LeAnnn

So… Nick decided they should be called Easter Glory Eggs. Such a wise boy

I’m sneaking this recipe in right before Easter because I think it’s so cool! I did not come up with this idea. Yesterday a friend forwarded an online article filled with Easter craft ideas knowing I would love this one. I had to try it so I ran to the grocery store for a dozen eggs and made them immediately. They came out great so I wanted to share. They’re so simple – you can make them today and impress everyone tomorrow!

Basically, you are dying the whites of hard boiled eggs then filling them with your favorite Deviled Egg recipe. Here’s the link to my recipe: Deviled Eggs

Easter Glory Eggs

Instructions:

Peel hard boiled eggs.

Cut eggs in half and remove yolks to a mixing bowl. (Make deviled egg filling with the yolks.)

Put 2/3 cup water, 1 teaspoon white vinegar and 3 drops of food coloring in cups (use 1 cup for each color).

Place 2-3 egg white halves in each cup.

Let sit for 30 minutes then check for depth of color. I lost complete track of time so mine sat for about 2 hours so the color is pretty vivid. You can stop sooner if you would like them lighter or if you are going for pastel. (I think they would make pretty appetizers at a shower.)

Once you are happy with the color, remove and sit on paper towel-lined tray to dry.

Pipe with filling.

Simple!