OuR KrAzy kItChEn...

Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce! A pantry special.....

2013-06-19T06:54:00.000-04:00

If you have been hiding under a rock, you might not be aware that we are in wedding countdown. Our son is getting married to a wonderful lady on June 23, 2013 and if it was possible you would all be invited, but I don't control the guest list. They have decided that a small gathering of family and friends was their choice. Some people's kids! The special thing about this date is that it was the wedding anniversary of my parents, so this day holds special meaning to me.

Drawing courtesy of our granddaughter Olivia!

And then as time has a way of marching one, Father's day also took place, right smack in the middle of wedding countdown/planning/tasks. We were busy moving son and his belongings and then getting our own house in shape. We set up an office for both of us to use and a combination craft/sewing/ironing room for me. But since I share all my belongings, my dear husband is very welcome to use the ironing board or even the sewing machine for that matter....

But lets get back to the real reason for this post. Hot Fudge Sauce, yep that is correct. Homemade hot fudge sauce from ingredients you most likely have on hand. Let's make some now, shall we?

Hot Fudge Sauce
loosely adapted from: View from the Great Island
makes approximately 31/2 cups, plenty to enjoy and gift to family and friends!

1/2 c butter
1/4 c baking cocoa

1 1/2 c semi sweet chocolate chips

1 large can evaporated milk
2 c confectioners sugar

1 T vanilla

Melt butter and cocoa together over low heat, whisk until smooth.

Add chocolate chips, stir. Add milk and sugar, raise heat to medium.

Whisk constantly until mixture is smooth and comes to a simmer.

Lower heat, let simmer while stirring constantly for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, whisk in vanilla.

In the name of research, we tried this sauce over vanilla and then over chocolate and it is safe to say, delicious on both!

Serve warm over ice cream. Refrigerate leftovers.

To serve from the refrigerator: Scoop some fudge sauce into the bottom a bowl, warm in the microwave for 10-20 seconds, add ice cream and enjoy! You won't be sorry........

As always, thanks for taking a minute to stop and say hello. We appreciate your time and your wonderful comments!

For more great recipes and a story or two, come and visit us at Our Sunday Cafe!

Truffle Oil Infused Mustard Chicken with Apricots

2013-06-13T22:40:00.002-04:00

The other day we were shopping to find planters and what-nots for the yard. During our search at Ross Dress For Less, we also found a can of Truffle Oil. It goes without saying that I had to give it a try, even thought I did not have any idea what I might do with it.

Then I was gallivanting through some blogs on my lunch break and what should I see but Truffle Infused Mustard featured in a recipe for sliders at October Farm, and she gave directions for making the mustard. It is not hard and although it does use prepared mustard of your own choice, you can still call it your own......

Truffle Oil Infused Mustard
by the seat of my pants

1 c spicy brown mustard (not hot, you want a mild mustard for this recipe)
1 T dijon mustard
1 T yellow ball park mustard
2 T Truffle Oil

Stir together and trust me you will use this on each and every sandwich you make, and by the way pretzels are delicious dipped into this stuff!

But lets get on to the chicken, I have a hungry husband.....

Truffle Oil Infused Mustard Chicken with Apricots
by the seat of my pants

6 chicken thighs
2-3 T Truffle Oil Infused Mustard

flour for sprinkling, approximately 1/4 c cup
garlic salt
fresh ground pepper
2 t olive oil
2 t butter

1 16 oz apricot halves, drain and reserve 1/4 c syrup
1/2 c chicken stock

Spread 1 T mustard over the chicken thighs. Sprinkle with flour. Heat oil and butter in large skillet, when sizzling add chicken, flour side down. Sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper, sprinkle with additional flour.

Saute on medium heat for 5-7 minutes or until golden brown.

Turn over, spread additional mustard over the golden brown chicken.

Brown other side, add apricots, reserved syrup and chicken stock. Cover and simmer 20-25 minutes. When cooked, increase heat and simmer off excess fluid to make a slightly thicken pan sauce.

Serve over rice with an assertive green vegetable on the side.

Serves 4-6

Enjoy!

As always, thanks for taking a minute to stop and say hello. We appreciate your time and your wonderful comments!

For more great recipes, come and visit us at Our Sunday Cafe!

Root Beer Float Punch Bowl

2013-04-26T21:29:00.002-04:00

Warning!

The following photo does not show this delicious treat in the best light.....

But trust me, this is delicious! It is also fun and a great way to have root beer floats for a large group. I have offered this treat at work during out tenant lunches. It is the first thing gone from the buffet table. Ignoring the photo, because it is a fact, brown is not a good color to photograph, but check out the easy directions below!

Root Beer Float Punch aka "Ugly Mutt" Punch!

by the seat of my pants!

1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream, let soften a bit for easy scooping

2 2 liter bottles of root beer

whipped cream, if desire

Gently pour one of the bottles of root beer into your punch bowl. Top with scoops of vanilla ice cream. Carefully add the remaining bottle of root beer.

Ladle into glasses, add a straw and some whipped cream for a festive touch, then enjoy!

As always thanks for taking a minute to stop and say hello. We appreciate your time and your wonderful comments!

You can also find more great recipes and possibly a funny story or two at Our Sunday Cafe.

Garden Harvest Swiss Chard

2013-04-18T08:13:00.002-04:00

Let's make some dinner,

Garden Harvest Swiss Chard
by the seat of my pants!

1 bunch of Swiss Chard
1/4 red bell pepper, diced
4 green onions, sliced or 1 thick slice of regular onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
olive oil
sea salt and fresh pepper

De-rib the chard. Cut ribs in thin slices, and green leaves in 1' squares (I prefer square pieces to shreds)

Saute the ribs, red pepper, onions and garlic in olive oil. When fragrant, add the green leaves and 1 T water. Cover and let steam 2-3 minutes.

Remove cover, turn up the burner to cook off any excess liquid and serve immediately with salt and pepper.

Yum!

As always, thanks for taking a moment to stop and say hello. We appreciate your time and your wonderful comments!

For more great recipes and maybe a story or two, come and visit us at Our Sunday Cafe!

Not a Fancy Name No Bake Cookies!

2013-04-03T08:15:00.001-04:00

I love these cookies, but I don't make them all time. The reason? They are my secret weapon. Yep, this is the recipe I pull out when I need something delicious NOW. We should clarify, I don't need them personally like a craving (but they are definitely crave-worthy!). No these I save for those times I need something for the family to enjoy and I just don't have the time to invest in a complicated recipe.

tip: Put a thick towel down and then the wax paper. You won't leave white marks on you wooden table top. These cookies are hot right after dropping on the wax paper.

Not A Fancy Name No Bake Cookies

adapted from: a recipe found in a magazine so many years ago. Original author/creator thanked many times over!

Makes 2 1/2 - 3 dozen drops

Prepare the wax paper, before beginning to cook the cookies.

2 c sugar

1/2 c butter

1/2 c milk

1/3 c unsweetened cocoa

1/2 c peanut butter

2 t vanilla

1/2 c coconut

1 c chopped walnuts

3 c rolled oats (I do use quick oats for this treat)

2 c mini marshmallows

Bring the sugar, butter, milk and cocoa to a boil, boil 1 minute.

Remove from heat, stir in the peanut butter and vanilla until smooth.

Stir in the dry ingredients, until mix thoroughly, then stir in the marshmallows.

Quickly drop on wax paper in mounds (about 1 T). Let cool.

Then the only thing left after washing the pan, is to enjoy enjoy enjoy!

As always, thanks for taking a minute to stop and say hello. We appreciate your time and your wonderful comments!

For more great recipes and a story or two, come and visit us at Our Sunday Cafe.

Julia's Beans

2013-04-03T08:13:00.002-04:00

This is another recipe from my little binder of recipes. The ones good enough to make again and again. I found this recipe in a magazine article about Julia Child, so many years ago, I no longer recall the publication. One of my first cookbooks that I needed to "own" was Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

Now truth be told, I never cooked from that book as the food itself did not call out to me at that time. I was a very young bride, with an even smaller understanding about food from different countries and cultures.At that point all the food I had eaten had been "American". It took many years to understand that all along my folks enjoy food from many different countries. Many of the recipes and dishes of food on our own table each Sunday was in fact from another country.

But these beans were from her years after retirement when she had a good time simply being Julia Child. They are classic American food, and the plus is that they are easy to make as well as delicious to eat. In this household we enjoy cold beans along side our sandwiches or just as a side dish. My husband most of all, so these being a bit on the sweet side is a plus. Think Pork and Beans, but better....

Julia's Beans
adapted from: a magazine article with this recipe, sooo long ago
serves 8-10

1 pound small pea beans (great northern work nicely also) soaked overnight, drained well
1 T salt ( I usually cut back on the salt and add a little ham base)
2 T molasses
6 T sugar
1/2 pound salt pork cut into small chunks ( I have never used this and have never missed it....)
4 c water
1 onion left whole

Place beans and onion in a large pot, add the water. Bring to a boil, simmer 1 hour.

Transfer to a crockpot, add remaining ingredients, stir well. Cool on low 8 hours, or until done.

Before serving discard the onion. Enjoy!

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Simple Roasted Pepper Salad

2013-02-13T11:19:00.000-05:00

We love peppers, and we love grilling. It is no coincidence that we also love roasted peppers. When they hit the market in the winter and the price is fair, we roast up a batch of peppers. Frequently they are best, when dressed in a simple fashion.

Roasted Peppers dressed in lemon, olive oil and green olives
Cafe Created
serves 2 or 3

3 peppers roasted, peeled and cut into strips
1 - 2 T lemon juice
2-3 T olive oil
4-6 green olives, cut in half and sliced thin
Salt and Pepper to taste

Layer peppers in a flat dish. Add slices olives. Drizzle with the lemon juice and olive oil. Season with Salt and Pepper.

Serve at room temperature.

As always thanks for taking a moment to stop and say hello. We appreciate your time and your wonderful comments!

For more great recipes and possible a good story or two, come visit us at Our Sunday Cafe!

Whole Wheat and Honey Sandwich loaf

2013-02-08T08:29:00.003-05:00

This was not the bread I was going to write up, praise and post about today. But kitchen life has moments that one does not have control over, and when that happens, redirect, focus, use your resources and move forward......

I love bread. Love it! I have so many cookbooks about bread, I could write nothing but a bread themed blog. Years ago I baked all of our bread. We were a farm style white bread family at that time. And still I make that type of loaf today, especially at the holidays. You cannot beat cinnamon toast on rich egg bread, not to mention french toast or a bread pudding when the end of the loaf is in sight.

Always through the years I had a strong desire to use whole grains as the primary flour in bread making. But whole wheat flour in a bag, on the shelf, in the grocery store tasted bitter to me. This alone was a big factor in not baking from whole grains. But I never gave up on the desire to use whole grains, and I am so glad I did not.

The flour grinder was worth the investment. Also through the years I have purchased and played with just about every piece of kitchen equipment and gadget. But until now, never a grain mill. Why did I wait so long? Yes price was an issue, a good mill can cost hundreds of dollars, and my concern in the early years was that the investment would not pan out........

I am so happy I was wrong. Bread baking is a joint effort in this home. We enjoy the entire process and partner in the kitchen to get it done. Good times and great food. And now let me present this easy Whole Wheat and Honey Sandwich loaf, and next time I will use a longer loaf pan. These sandwiches would not fit in a standard sandwich bag.....

Whole Wheat and Honey Sandwich loaf
adapted from: Noble Pig
makes 2 loaves

61/2 - 7 c whole wheat flour - divided (we use spelt flour)
2 1/2 c lukewarm water
2 T or 2 packages yeast

1/3 c oil
1/3 c honey
1 T salt
juice of 1/2 medium sized lemon

In a large mixer bowl, add 4 c of the flour, water and yeast. Mix until smooth.

Add oil, honey, salt and lemon juice.

Add 2 1/2 c more flour and mix until smooth, adding the final 1/2 c flour if dough seems too wet. Knead for 10 minutes.

Prepare 2 large loaf pans, divide dough (it is sticky) equally. Let rise 30-45 minutes or until doubled.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, bake 30 minutes or until done in your oven.

Loaves should should sound hollow when tapped with a knuckle.

Enjoy!

As always, thanks for taking a moment to stop and say hello. We appreciate your time and your wonderful comments!

For more great recipes, come visit us at Our Sunday Cafe!

5 Minute Brownies, revisit an old favorite!

2013-01-30T08:20:00.003-05:00

I have been making these brownies for ages! They originally came from the side of the Hershey's can, I think, but no matter they are delicious, easy, economical and we made them again last night. They aren't much more difficult than a box mix, so, make some already!

I have them titled in my aging recipe binder as 5 Minute Brownies, which leads me to believe they were part of a recipe series. Not too long ago I shared a delicious 5 Minute Chocolate Cake. And they really don't take much more time than that. All mixing is done by hand.

Brownies
adapted from Hershey's (I think)
makes 1 9X13 pan
350 degree oven

3/4 c cocoa
1/2 t soda
2/3 c oil - divided
1/2 boiling water
2 c sugar
2 eggs
2 t vanilla
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt

1 c broken walnuts - if desire

In a large bowl, combine cocoa, soda and 1/3 c of the oil.

Add boiling water. Mixture will foam up.

Add the remaining 1/3 c oil, and sugar beating well. Add eggs and vanilla, beat again. Add flour, baking powder and salt. Mix in until mixture is smooth and no dry pockets remain.

Turn into a prepared 9X13 pan, sprinkle with nuts.

Bake 35 - 40 minutes or until done in your oven. Let cool, cut into bars.

Enjoy!

As always, thanks for taking a moment to stop and say hello. We appreciate your time and your wonderful comments!

For more great recipes, come and visit us at Our Sunday Cafe!

Lemon Cheesecake with Lemon Curd and Blueberry Sauce

2013-01-30T08:18:00.001-05:00

For the longest time I did not think I liked cheesecake. I understand that from a calorie point of view, not liking cheesecake might be good thing. But my dear husband Terry is a serious cheesecake fan, having boasted a time or two that he ate 13 (yep thirteen!) pieces of cheesecake at a single sitting.

Bless his heart, just for the record, it is always the skinny ones........

But the truth is, I love cream cheese. It is creamy and tangy and rich. It seems I also love cheesecake, but not the traditional spring form pan and that particular presentation. It can also be a challenge to serve. Enter the standard 9X13 pan, coupled with the same wonderful cheesecake flavor, and an easy to serve bonus.

Lemon Cheesecake with Lemon Curd and Blueberry Sauce
Cafe Created
Makes up to 30 servings

Crust:
2 c crushed graham crackers
1/4 c sugar
1/2 c melted butter

Cheesecake:
3 8oz packages cream cheese
3/4 c sugar
dash salt
1 T flour
4 eggs
juice of 1 lemon

1 1/2 c lemon curd, homemade or purchased

Blueberry Sauce:
4 c blueberries - fresh or frozen (no need to thaw)
2/3 c sugar
dash of salt
1 c water - divided
1/2 t cinnamon
2 T cornstarch

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

To make the crust, combine all ingredients, press gently into the bottom of a prepared 9X13 pan. Set aside.

Beat cream cheese until smooth, beat in sugar, salt and flour. Add eggs one at a time, mix in completely. Add lemon juice, mix well, scrape bottom and side of bowl, mix again if needed.

Gently pour cream cheese mixture over crust. Bake 45-60 minutes or until done in your oven. Set aside to cool. When warm to the touch, spread with the lemon curd. Let cool completely.

To make the Blueberry Sauce, combine the berries, sugar, salt, cinnamon and 3/4 c water. Bring to a boil, simmer 5 minutes. Stir cornstarch into the remaining water, until smooth. Add to the blueberry mixture, cook until thickened and transparent.

Serve squares of cheesecake with blueberry sauce.

Enjoy!

As always, thanks for taking a moment to stop and say hello. We appreciate your time and your wonderful comments!

For more great recipes, come and visit us at Our Sunday Cafe!

Oatmeal Cookie Dough for the freezer

2013-01-24T08:34:00.000-05:00

Recipe rewind, because in the beginning there is a blogger who has no readers. She still posts great food in hopes that the readers will come..........you can also view it here in the archives, Sunday, January 17, 2010.

Even though I have been cooking for over 40 years, I am still learning to be better prepared in the kitchen. Being prepared can have a different meaning to each cook; or for that matter any special needs for your own family. But being prepared is a skill worth having and developing to the maximum potential.

Also I like to play. Everyone needs to play, it keeps us happy and young in spirit. Playing in the kitchen is fun for me. Sometimes it even results in a tasty surprise or improved technique. I like to think about and employ ways to be better prepared in the kitchen and through the house. These usually revolve around the kitchen, but not all the time. This morning however, the kitchen is once again my playground.

We have a cookie problem in this house. You see, we love cookies! But We are only two people. And yes we could eat the whole batch of cookies, while they are still fresh and moist. We have been tempted to just eat cookies until they are gone. It would be fairly easy. You come home tired, hungry and just want to eat, now.

"I know lets have cookies and milk for dinner!"
"OK!"

But we usually act all grown up and so, cookies and milk for dinner is not usually the menu selection of the evening. But we still want cookies! Fresh cookies. Delicious cookies. Homemade cookies. So I got to thinking.........

Slice and bake cookies, with a twist. Some cookie recipes lend themselves to the traditional log shape. These are sugar cookies, gingersnaps or any cookie dough that does not have chunky ingredients. Other cookie recipes will lend themselves to a "slab" shape that is cut into squares before baking, allowing for the chunky ingredients. Like chocolate chips, broken nut meats, raisins and other dried fruits. Any drop cookie recipe will work in the "slab" shape.

Here is the best part, for each dozen cookies the recipe states, you make a separate molded portion of dough for freezing. When you want a fresh batch of cookies, you simply pull a portion of dough from the freezer, let it thaw for a few minutes, cut into 12 pieces and bake.And this goes without saying, with 2 or 3 different kinds of cookie dough in the freezer, drop in guests or that needed cookie plate are not such a problem.

I have noticed that most cookies bake at the same temperature for about the same time, 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. If your cookie dough needs a different temperature and or baking time, simply put a little note on the wrapper. You can use any family favorite recipe, I personally love the oatmeal cookie recipe on the side of the oat barrel. It is sooooo very delicious, adaptable and dependable. I did notice one little thing about freezing dough for cookies, you need to add the tiniest bit of water. I have adapted that wonderful cookie recipe to be freezer friendly.

Oatmeal Cookie Dough for the freezer
adapted from: the Quaker barrel
makes 4 dozen

1 1/4 c butter ( 2 1/2 sticks) - cut into thick slices, this helps keep the mixture from hanging up on the beaters
3/4 c brown sugar
1/2 c sugar
1/2 t salt
1 t vanilla
1 egg
1 t water - don't leave this out

Cut butter into thick slices, add sugars and salt. Beat until creamy. Add vanilla and egg, beat until fluffy, beat in water.

Combine and whisk together:

1 1/2 flour

1 t soda

1 t cinnamon

1/4 t nutmeg

3 c oats

1 1/2 c raisins

Beat flour mixture into the butter sugar mixture. When smooth, reduce beater speed and add the oats and raisins. Mixing gently until oats and raisins are mixed in evenly.

Scrape the beater clean, smooth the dough into the bottom of the workbowl. Divide into 4 sections. Pack dough into your mold.

Place a square of waxed paper over your mold, add 1/4

portion of the dough. Using another piece of wax paper, cover

over the top of the dough, pressing firmly to make a compact

evenly shaped "slab". Remove top piece of waxed paper, fold

the extended portion over dough, turn out. Repeat.

Tidy and packaged for the freezer.

To bake, remove one portion from freezer, let thaw a few minutes (or remove the day before and place in refrigerator), cut into 12 pieces and bake. Yum!

Now lets talk chocolate!
To make chocolate chip cookies, eliminate the spice and raisins, add 2 c chocolate chips. Proceed as shown above.

How about Maple Walnut?
To make Maple walnut, substitute maple flavoring for the vanilla, and walnuts for the chocolate chips.

Life is good, especially with a warm cookie from the oven!

As always, thanks for taking a minute to stop by. We appreciate your time and your wonderful comments!

Apple Beet Salad

2013-01-19T09:36:00.002-05:00

The wonderful thing about beets is the glorious color, the problem with beets IS all that color. Everything, repeat everything will be beet color. But please, don't let that stop you from eating and enjoying beets. This apple beet salad is a fine example of the glorious color and the problem with all that color. But the taste is wonderful!

Apple Beet Salad
adapted from: a magazine article - source not remembered, but thanked.
serves 4-6

1 large beet, roasted and peeled and diced OR 1 16 oz can of diced beets, well drained
1 large apples, washed (do not peel) and diced
2 green onions sliced thin OR 1 thin slice of onion minced
1/4 c diced dill pickle

1/4 c mayonnaise
1 T vinegar ( I use rice wine vinegar)
1 t honey
1/4 t salt
fresh ground pepper

Gorgonzola crumbles

Prepare all salad ingredients, set aside.

Prepare dressing, stir in the beets, apples, pickle and onion.

Serve garnished with the Gorgonzola cheese.

Enjoy! This really is a delicious salad. Plus you can make it year round.

As always, thanks for taking a minute to stop and say hello. We appreciate your time and your wonderful comments!

For more great recipes and possibly a funny story, visit us at Our Sunday Cafe!

BAKED TACOS

2013-01-17T00:15:00.000-05:00

Oven Tacos
2 lbs ground beef
1 small onion diced
1 small can diced green chilies
1 recipe for Homemade taco seasoning (below)
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
2 cups shredded Colby-jack cheese
18-20 hard taco shells

Condiments
Lettuce (shredded)
Tomato (diced)
Salsa
Guacamole
Sour Cream

Preheat the oven to 400 ˚.
In a large skillet brown ground beef and onion over medium-high heat.
Drain off any excess fat.
Return meat to the pan. Add chilies, refried beans, tomato sauce, and taco seasoning.
Mix well and cook for a several minutes until consistency thickens.
Spoon the taco meat mixture into the taco shells and place into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, standing up.
Sprinkle cheese over the top of the taco meat in each shell.
Place into the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes.
Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Taco Seasoning
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon white pepper

BAKED MEATBALLS w/ ONION GRAVY

2013-01-16T00:03:00.000-05:00

MEATBALLS

1 pound hamburger

1 pound ground pork
2 bunches green onions, chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup Panko crumbs or crushed saltines
2 eggs

1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon bail
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon white pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Using your hands blend all the ingredients together.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Roll meatballs into golf ball size meatballs.
Bake for 30-45.
Bake how ever many you need today and freeze the others for future meals. Thaw in refrigerator before baking.

ONION GRAVY
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons self-rising flour
1 tablespoons cream sherry
2 cups hot water
1 tablespoon better than bouillon beef base
1 teaspoon Kitchen Bouquet
salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet melt the butter for the gravy. Saute the onions until browned.
Add the bouillon base, cream sherry and hot water. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat, add flour and continue cooking to desired consistency.

5 Minute Chocolate Cake, revisit an old favorite!

2013-01-15T21:51:00.004-05:00

There are millions of recipes out there, so many new ones to try. But sometimes you want to eat something that you have already made and know you love, enter this easy delicious cake.

5 Minute Cocoa Cake
adapted from: true source unknown, but I believe it is Hershey's.
350 degree oven

1 3/4 c flour
2 c sugar
3/4 c cocoa
1 1/2 t baking powder
1 1/2 t soda
1 t salt

2 eggs
1/2 c oil
2 t vanilla
1 c milk - divided

1 c boiling water OR strong hot coffee

Combine all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs, oil, vanilla and half of the milk. Beat at medium speed 2 minutes. Add remaining milk, mix on low until smooth. Add hot water/coffee, mix on low until smooth, stopping once to scrape down sides of the bowl. Batter will be thin.

Pour into prepared pan(s), bake 8 or 9 inch layer cakes 30-35 minutes. Bake a 9X13 pan 35-40 minutes. Let cool, 10 minutes, turn layers out to cool completely.

Chocolate Butter Cream

1/3 c butter, softened
dash salt
2 t vanilla
1/2 - 3/4 c cocoa - use the larger amount for a deep chocolate flavor
1 pound powdered sugar

3-5 T milk - divided

Place all ingredients into a large mixer bowl, add 3 T milk, beat until smooth. If frosting is too stiff or dry, slowly add remaining milk beating well.

When cake is completely cool, frost, top with toasted walnut pieces.

Serves 16-20 happy people!

As always, thanks for taking a moment to stop and say hello. We appreciate your time and your wonderful comments!

For more great recipes and possibly a funny story, come visit us at Our Sunday Cafe!

LEMON CHEESECAKE BARS ~ LEMON LIME CHEESECAKE BARS ~ BLOOD ORANGE CHEESECAKE BARS

2013-01-13T02:30:00.000-05:00

I found this recipe in an issue of Fine Cooking, just can't remember which one LOL. I tweaked it very little and it is one of our new favorites!

I've also made it using Limes, Lemons & Limes and Bloody Oranges. We liked them all, but by far, the Lemon Lime combo was our favorite.

You'll notice in the picture with the pan that there is a very strange looking apparatus in the curd. That is an AS SEEN ON TV automatic stirrer that I picked up at Big Lots. I really thought it was going to be like so many other gadgets and go by the wayside, but I was wrong! This is the best gadget I ever indulged in. It's battery operated and is like a second pair of hands in the kitchen. All those recipes that call for "stirring constantly"are now handled by this gadget and turn out beautifully!

LEMON CHEESECAKE SQUARES

8x8 straight edge pan
2 pieces of parchment paper 8 inches wide

Alternately overlap the parchment pieces so that they cross each other and fold over all 4 sides.
Push the parchment into the edges and the corners making a straight crease.

CRUST
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Graham cracker crumbs

Using a fork add graham cracker crumbs until mixture resembles wet sand.
Press into the bottom of prepared pan.

CHEESECAKE
1 pound cream cheese, softened at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 LARGE eggs

Combine the cream cheese, sugar and lemon juice until well blended.
Add eggs, one at a time, blending well after each addition until completely smooth.
Pour into prepared pan.

CURD
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, strained twice
1/2 cup sugar
2 LARGE eggs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed

Whisk together the sugar, eggs and lemon juice until sugar is completely dissolved.
In a small non-reactive sauce pan cook mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until steaming, but not boiling. The mixture will have thickened.
Remove from heat and add butter, stirring until butter is melted.
Pour through a sieve to remove any lumps.

ASSEMBLY

Preheat oven to 325˚.

Prepare crust.

Prepare cheesecake portion.

Bake 40 minutes or until sides are slightly puffed, cake is not too jiggly and center is dry to the touch.

While baking, prepare the curd.

Remove cheesecake from oven.

Pour hot curd on top of cheesecake and lightly spread to even out.

Cool 20 minutes on rack.

Move to the refrigerator and chill 5-6 hours or overnight before serving.

Raisin Walnut Snack Cake

2013-01-08T08:57:00.002-05:00

I am a big fan of raisins, especially in baked goods. And who does not like a snack cake? Snack Cakes are good keepers, pack well in lunches and don't need a frosting. However they can certainly be dressed up with a scoop of ice cream for those times you need something just a bit "more". And those times do come around, especially after a long day.

But this snack cake is also perfect as is, seriously! Dense but not heavy, a nice balance of spice in the applesauce batter, those raisins bathed in a little whiskey bath don't hurt either! Then we can talk about the toasted walnuts, yep this is good cake!

Raisin and Walnut Snack Cake
adapted from: Vintage Kitchen
Makes a 9X13 cake

1 - 2 T whiskey or burbon
enough water to measure 1/3 c
2 c raisins

Measure whiskey into the bottom of a 1/3 c measure, add water until full. Pour into medium sauce pan, add raisin. Bring to a boil, stir well. Cover pan, turn off heat and let raisin sit on the warm burner until cool to the touch. When ready...

2 c flour OR 1 c all purpose flour and 1 c whole wheat flour
1 T cornstarch
2 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon
a few grating of fresh nutmeg or 1/8 t ground
1/2 t salt
1 T cocoa

Whisk together all dry ingredients. Set aside.

1/2 c soft butter
1 c sugar OR 1/2 c sugar and 1/2 c brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 c applesauce

2 c walnuts, toasted and chopped coarse.

Beat butter until creamy, beat in sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add dry ingredients to the bowl, mix in 1 c of the applesauce. Add remaining applesauce and the raisins (including any leftover liquid), mixing well. By hand stir in the walnuts. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 40-50 minutes or until done in your oven.

If desire, sift powdered sugar over the top.

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MEAT LASAGNA

2013-01-07T19:13:00.000-05:00

1 pound sweet Italian sausage
3/4 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup minced sweet onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 cans diced tomatoes with garlic, oregano and basil
1 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
12 lasagna noodles(I like the Barilla no cook)
16 ounces ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned.
Stir in crushed tomatoes (juice included) and tomato sauce.
Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley.
Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water OR use no bake noodles.
In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce.
Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture.
Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices.
Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.
Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes.
Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes.
Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

My mom got me this new lasgana pan from Chicago Metallic for Christmas and I have to say it is awesome. Lasagna no longer is a mess to cut and each edge of cheese is crispy and just perfect! Assembly is also a breeze with no overlapping. You can even make 3 different flavors at once. I can't wait to try it on some banana bread and meatloafs.

Tailgating Time - Super Bowl 2013

2013-01-06T12:01:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the 4th annual Tailgating Time!

Yep, it's that time again - time for football food, coolers full of cold ones, and the big game-day buffet. Bring over your chips and dips, chili and chowders, all your wings and party things! Since the Super Bowl is exactly 4 weeks from today I thought I'd get the linky up so we can all start adding our favorites. We all want to have lots of great party foods to chose from for the big day!

The Tailgating Time blog hop will be open from noon today until February 10th, one week after Super Bowl 2013 to give you plenty of time to link up all your favorites. Your links do not have to be new ones - think appetizers and party foods you've posted throughout the year. Link any goodies from holidays, celebrations, tailgating treats through football season, or anything that would go great for a Super Bowl party. There is no limit to the amount of links you add, the more the merrier! This year I'm also enabling voting for your favorite recipes. The voting will be open February 10th at noon and ending on February 17th at noon.

If you'd like to host Tailgating Time - Super Bowl 2013 on your own blog just click the following - get the InLinkz code. Don't just join the party, host the hop too! This is going to be fun :)

It's time to get this party started!

ORANGE MAPLE PORK TENDERLOIN

2013-01-04T00:05:00.000-05:00

Orange Maple Pork Tenderloin
1 1/2-2 pound pork tenderloin
2/3 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup Panda Express Orange Sauce
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Put pork tenderloin in a ziploc bag.
In a separate bowl, mix all the remaining ingredients until well blended and pour into the ziploc bag.
Marinate for as long as you can - overnight, if possible.
Remove pork from the plastic bag, reserving the marinade.
Place in baking dish.
Bake in a 400 degree oven until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 135 degrees.
While the pork is cooking, boil the remaining marinade from the bag for at least 10 minutes.
Remove pork from oven and cover with foil for 10 minutes. The pork will continue to cook and reach 145 degrees.
When the pork is finished, slice and serve with the marinade as a sauce.

2 ingredient flat breads

2013-01-03T23:08:00.002-05:00

It is very cold outside, about 23 degrees.....

Even though it is cold, we will be having large salads for dinner. One item in our food pyramid that I am working into meal time is raw. We are eating more whole grains, and more vegetables. For me however it is easy to forget raw, with the exception of fresh fruit.

One small change that has helped, a few changes to sandwiches packed for lunches. Now they include spinach leaves (in place of lettuce), along with thin sliced tomatoes and cucumber. Packing in more nutrition is the goal along with fresh taste.

Every few days a salad is in order. Sometimes this is a side dish, along with a cooked vegetable and the main course. But tonight we will be having salads as the main course. We enjoy a variety of vegetables as part of the salad. Often we add sliced fruit and cheese over the top of a salad.

I have come to make what I call a crudites salad, with whole pea pods, carrot, celery and jicima sticks. Just like fried chicken, this is a fork and fingers meal!

I prefer my salad tossed with a vinaigrette, and a dab of blue cheese dressing on the side. This is especially delicious with sliced pears. But first let's talk about these flat breads, shall we?

They are good in a chewy, tangy style, similar to an English muffin, but without the yeast. They are moist, but not soggy. Serve them warm. Oh and another thing, make them thinner than you would want, they do rise when they cook. I made this recipe into 4 flat breads, but you most likely will want to make 6.

Two Ingredient Flat Breads
adapted from: kidspot

1 c greek yogurt
1 c self rising flour, plus more for kneading (you can make your own, see below)

Combine well, the dough will form a ball.

Knead using more flour as needed, knead 20-25 strokes. Don't skip this step, the kneading makes the dough have texture and structure. You can always knead more, but don't knead less.....

Divide into 6 balls. Using your hands, work the dough into a flat disk about 4 inches across. Heat griddle to 325, place breads on prepared hot griddle surface, cook 5-8 minutes on each side until golden flecked. Watch carefully, adjust heat as needed.

Serve warm, they will go with just about anything!

Yes we will make these again or some variation, stay tuned!

Self rising flour, into the bottom of a 1 c measure, place 1/2 t salt and 1 1/2 t baking powder, spoon in flour until over full, sweep off the excess. Whisk to combine ingredients.

As always, thanks for taking a moment to stop and say hello. We appreciate your time and your wonderful comments!

For more great recipes come and visit us at Our Sunday Cafe!

Cranberry Liqueur

2013-01-03T07:56:00.001-05:00

I made Cranberry Liqueur last year, and I can tell you right now, this is a new tradition!

You. Must. Make. This!

Yes, I did make a double batch, for gifts, you know.....

As a matter of fact, you might want to tuck a couple of bags of cranberries in the freezer, to start a second batch at a later date, because you can enjoy this any time. Of course it is wonderful simply sipped, but don't stop there. Make a delicious Seabreeze, with ruby grapefruit juice, vodka and of course the Cranberry Liqueur.

The strained cranberries are also delicious. They are wonderful stirred into a bundt cake, or muffins or even over vanilla ice cream with a splash of the liqueur, for extra measure.

Cranberry Liqueur
adapted from: Creative Culinary

1 c water
2 c sugar
2 c (10 oz bag) cranberries
1 orange to make: 1 T grated zest and 3 T juice
2 c vodka (does not have to be top shelf)

Bring water and sugar to a boil, boil 3 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.

Slice/chop berries, grate zest and juice the orange.

Combine syrup, berries, orange zest and juice.

Stir in the vodka.

Store in a large covered jar, stir every day or so. Age for 3 weeks. Then.......

Enjoy!

As always, thanks for taking a moment to stop and say hello. We appreciate your time and your wonderful comments!

For more great recipes come visit us at Our Sunday Cafe .

Savory Black Eyed Peas with red wine vinegar and bacon

2013-01-03T07:49:00.001-05:00

I have never made Hoppin John, but I have made this dish many times, and it is delicious. You can use canned peas or home cooked, either way, make these, yum! I love the tang of the vinegar with the peas.

Savory Black Eyed Peas
adapted from: an article found in a magazine somehwere...

2 cans OR 3 cups cooked black eyed peas - drained
1/4 c water
1/3 c red wine vinegar
4 slices bacon, diced and fried until golden brown
1 T reserved bacon fat
salt and pepper to taste

If using canned peas, drain well. Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan, simmer for 30-45 minutes or until flavors have blended to your satisfaction. Drain and serve OR you may boil the remaining liquid in the pan to reduce and make a tangy reduction.

serves 4-6

As always, thanks for taking a moment to stop and say hello. We appreciate your time and your wonderful comments!

For more great recipes come visit us at Our Sunday Cafe

SPICY PINK LEMON CHICKEN

2013-01-02T00:06:00.000-05:00

4 to 6 chicken breasts
1 (6 oz.) can frozen pink lemonade, thawed
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon APPLE CIDER vinegar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water

Arrange chicken breasts in the bottom of a slow cooker.

Combine the lemonade concentrate, brown sugar, ketchup and apple cider vinegar until well blended.

Pour over chicken breasts.

Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours depending on thickness of meat. If in a hurry you can use tenders and cook for half the time.

Remove chicken pieces from crockpot and keep warm.

Transfer liquid to a saucepan and simmer over medium heat.

Whisk together the cornstarch and cold water until well blended.

Gradually add the cornstarch mixture to the lemonade mixture, stirring constantly.

When thickened, serve over chicken.

CHEX PARTY MIX

2012-12-31T03:39:00.002-05:00

CHEX PARTY MIX
3 cups corn CHEX cereal
3 cups wheat CHEX cereal
3 cups rice CHEX cereal
1 cup salted, roasted peanuts
1 cup pretzel sticks
1 stick butter
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl toss cereals and nuts together.
In a small saucepan melt butter.
Whisk in Worcestershire sauce and seasonings until well blended.
Pour over cereal and nuts and toss until evenly coated.
Spread on a large cookie sheet.
Bake for 30 minutes, stirring often until crisp.