The Busy Women's Recipe Guide

Penne Tricolore by Food and Wine

2012-02-12T10:19:00.000-07:00

This is a great light pasta dish to serve during the spring and summer when you can use plenty of vegetables from your garden. I like to serve this dish with some warm bread and you have a great meal. Use can use other kinds of pasta in place of the penne listed here.

3/4 pound penne rigate
1 small zucchini, seeded and cut into 2-inch-long matchstick strips
1 small summer squash, seeded and cut into 2-inch-long matchstick strips
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch-long matchstick strips
1/2 cup Kalamata or other black olives, pitted
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1/4 cup olive oil
Grated zest from 1 lemon
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the penne rigate until almost done, about 11 minutes. Add the zucchini, summer squash, and carrots and bring back to a boil. Cook until the vegetables and penne are just done, about 2 minutes longer. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Drain the penne and vegetables.
In a large bowl, toss the pasta, vegetables, 6 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water, olives, basil, Parmesan, oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. If the pasta seems dry, add more of the reserved pasta water. Serve with additional Parmesan.

Notes Seeding Zucchini and Summer Squash Because the zucchini and summer squash are boiled in this recipe, it's a good idea to seed them first. Otherwise, the pulpy seeds get water-logged. To remove them, cut the zucchini or squash into quarters lengthwise. Then simply cut off the seeds.

Buttered Noodles with Toasted Sage by Food and Wine

2012-02-12T10:14:00.000-07:00

This dish is so yummy ans can be served with any kind of main dish. You can use the dry herbs in place of the fresh sage and rosemary in this recipe.

Ingredients

1 stick unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons, at room temperature
1/2 cup thinly sliced sage leaves
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons chopped rosemary
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 pound wide egg noodles
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese, preferably SarVecchio brand (see Note)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. In a skillet, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter. Add the sage and cook over moderate heat until crisp; with a slotted spoon, transfer to a small bowl. Add 1 more tablespoon of the butter to the skillet. Add the garlic and rosemary and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the stock and boil until reduced to 1 cup, 8 minutes. Cover the skillet and remove from the heat.
Cook the noodles until al dente; drain. Return the noodles to the pot. Add the reduced stock and the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter and toss well. Stir in the 1/2 cup of grated cheese and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl, top with the toasted sage and remaining 2 tablespoons of grated cheese. Serve right away.

Creole Fried Rice by Southern Living

2012-02-12T10:05:00.000-07:00

This is the best creole style rice I have ever tried. I don't like okra so I leave it out of this recipe. This is great dish make if you have left over meat to use up or just want the simplicity of an all in one dish.

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
2 cups chicken broth
1 pound skinned and boned chicken thighs
1 1/2 teaspoons Creole seasoning, divided
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 pound andouille or smoked sausage, sliced
1/2 small onion, chopped
1/2 small green bell pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup frozen sliced okra, thawed
3 plum tomatoes, chopped
2 green onions, sliced (green part only)

Preparation

1. Cook rice according to package directions, substituting chicken broth for water. Spread cooked rice in a thin layer on a baking sheet. Let cool 30 minutes or until completely cool.
2. Cut chicken thighs into 1-inch pieces, and toss with 1 tsp. Creole seasoning.
3. Cook chicken in hot oil in a large skillet over medium heat 3 minutes; add sausage, and cook 3 to 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic, and cook 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in okra and remaining 1/2 tsp. Creole seasoning. Increase heat to high; add rice, and cook, stirring constantly, 4 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Stir in tomatoes. Sprinkle with sliced green onions, and serve immediately.

Chef Donna - A well stocked pantry

2012-01-24T15:32:00.000-07:00

One thing my Mother taught me was to keep a well stocked pantry. There are certain things you should always have on hand; salt, pepper, Crisco, olive oil, basil, oregano, parsley, minced onion, minced garlic, jello, chicken broth, beef broth, Italian dressing, mayo, mustard, ketchup, flour, sugar, beef base, chicken base, pasta, etc.... With a well stalked pantry it is amazing what you can do for dinner.

I have to admit that on those nights, weekends or times you just don't know what you want or at the last minute request, it is so nice to be able to open the pantry, find what you want and cook it. Sometimes I just open the pantry, see what I have and build a meal from there. One time upon returning from an extended vacation.....I really didn’t feel like running to the store right away, in fact I didn’t bother to go until Monday afternoon. We survived the weekend eating stuff we had in our pantry and freezer. Nice feeling and we ate very well too!

Pantries come in all sizes and shapes. I lucked out in our house. The contractor put in a large walk in. I use that big item storage. There was a broom closet in the kitchen right next to the stove and the dining room. Okay, that was dumb! There is no other way to say it. In looking at that, the kitchen was designed so that my broom was in immediate reach and my pantry items are a good walk across the kitchen. So, I mentioned this to my husband commenting on I wish the small broom closet was a small pantry. The result.....he put the broom out in the garage and built "U" shaped shelves into the closet. The "U" shaped shelves are nice since I can see everything that is in the pantry. Makes it nice when you’re cooking and you need something fast you can quickly scan all items on all shelves. The next useful thing he did was hang spice racks on the inside of the door. Now, that is a fantastic feature! I can open the door, see what I need and have it in easy reach to the stove. Now that is efficient and convenient.

Twice a year I conduct a mandatory date check on all items in my pantry and clean it out! I usually do this late October when it is time to get ready for the holidays and sometime in April just before the summer season. At the same time I clean out my pantry, I pull everything from my freezer and re-organize it. It is amazing what you forget you have in your freezer. This is a good time to bring items that are getting old forward to eat now. I make it a point to always date everything I put in my freezer. If you have a vacuum sealer, it is a good idea to do this with all meats. They save longer without freezer burn. I keep chicken breasts, steaks, hamburger meat and turkey meat on hand in my freezer. Same concept as the pantry, if you have a few items on hand, you can build a meal around it anytime.

So, what kind of things do you find important to keep on hand in your pantry or freezer?

Chocolate Cake with Caramel and Pecans by Angie Zafereo

2012-01-24T12:54:00.000-07:00

You can use chopped walnuts in place of the pecans in this recipe. You can serve this cake with vanilla ice cream.

2 cups sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 large eggs
1/2 cups evaporated
1 teaspoon clear vanilla
3/4 teaspoon almond extract
2-1/2 cups Cake Flour
1 cup Dutch unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2-1/4 cups buttermilk
1 bag (14 oz) caramels
1 bag (6 oz) semisweet chocolate chips (1 cup)
1 to 2 cups chopped pecans

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Grease or spray bottom of 13x9-inch pan.
Make cake batter as directed. Pour half of the batter into pan. Bake 22 minutes. Refrigerate remaining batter.
Meanwhile, in 1-quart saucepan, heat caramels and evaporated milk over medium heat, stirring frequently, until caramels are melted. Stir in pecans. Pour caramel mixture over warm cake in pan. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Spread with remaining batter. Bake 25 to 28 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Run knife around sides of pan to loosen cake. Cool at least 30 minutes, then drizzle with caramel and sprinkle with pecans.

Chicken Strogonoff by Todd English

2012-01-21T09:23:00.000-07:00

This Chicken Strogonoff by Todd English is very similar to the one my Gram used to make. He used shitake mushrooms in place of the button mushroom, and chicken broth. My gram used sherry in her version. This recipe is awesome.

1 pound skinned and boned chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound Shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
2 shallots, minced
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 cup Cognac
1 (16-oz.) package wide egg noodles
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Sprinkle chicken with 1 tsp. salt and 1⁄2 tsp. pepper. Cook in hot oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, stirring often, 7 minutes or until done. Remove from pan.
Melt butter in pan. Add mushrooms and shallots, and sauté 5 minutes or until mushrooms release their liquid and begin to soften. Stir in thyme and dry mustard. Cook 1 minute.
Remove pan from heat; stir in cognac, and carefully ignite the fumes just above mixture with a long match or long multipurpose lighter. Let flames die down.
Prepare pasta according to package directions.
Meanwhile, return pan to heat; cook over medium heat, stirring often, until liquid is reduced to about 1 Tbsp. Stir in broth, and cook 5 to 7 minutes or until reduced by half. Reduce heat to low, and stir in cream and Dijon mustard. Cook, stirring often, 10 minutes or until reduced by half. Return chicken to pan. Cook 1 to 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with remaining 1⁄2 tsp. salt and 1⁄2 tsp. pepper. Pour chicken-and-sauce mixture over hot cooked pasta, and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Fried Chicken by Angie Zafereo

2012-01-21T09:17:00.001-07:00

I use less oil in this recipe and it has just as much flavor.

3 cups buttermilk
1 (2 1/2-lb.) whole chicken, cut up
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp kosher salt, divided
vegetable or peanut oil
Whisk together buttermilk in a large shallow dish.
Add chicken to buttermilk mixture; cover and chill 2 to 4 hours.
Stir together flour, paprika,cayenne pepper, pepper, and 1 tsp. salt in a large shallow dish.
Remove chicken from buttermilk mixture, buttermilk mixture. Rinse chicken, and pat dry. Dredge chicken in flour mixture, shaking off excess.
Pour oil to a depth of 11/2 inches into a 12-inch cast-iron skillet; heat over medium-high heat to 350°.
Fry chicken, in batches, in hot oil 8 to 9 minutes on each side or until done (a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion of breast should register 170°). Drain on a wire rack over paper towels. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tsp. salt.

Swiss Steak by Angie Zafereo

2012-01-19T08:54:00.001-07:00

This is my easy version of Swiss steak. I like to serve this with rice, noodles or mashed potatoes.

tsp olive or canola oil

1 1/2

lb boneless beef top round steak, trimmed of fat

tsp kosher salt

1/4

tsp pepper

medium red or white onion, chopped

package mushrooms, any variety

1/4 cup wine, any variety

can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup

can (8 oz) tomato sauce

In 10-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper; place in skillet. Cook 4 to 6 minutes, turning once, until well browned.
Then cut beef into 4 pieces. add wine, onion, mushrooms, soup and tomato sauce.
Cook meat on low heat for about 30 to 45 minutes or until tender.

Chef Donna - Where it all begins

2012-01-11T12:06:00.002-07:00

I remember sitting in a restaurant once when my Dad ordered some lentil soup and loved it. He told my Mom to taste it, she agreed it was good, then the analysis took place….I could see it in her eyes as she tasted the soup. They discussed the soup a little and then she announced, “I can make that for you Bill!” And that weekend she had made the best lentil soup, even better than the soup we had at the restaurant. Amazing! No recipes were followed, just taste and memory. My Mom has an amazing talent for cooking. She rarely wrote down a recipe and to this day, if I ask her how she makes something she looks at me, thinks about it and says, "I just put this in and that in and I don't know how much." Thank God I spent enough time in her kitchen with her to know when she says she sprinkles basil across the top; I have an idea of how much. I have been able to recreate a few of the family popular dishes without too much trouble, but her homemade spaghetti sauce has been my biggest challenge. I know the ingredients, I have watched her make it a million times and of course I have tasted it a million more, but mine was still lacking something in the final product. Wouldn't you know it all came down to the pot she uses! You have to enjoy and appreciate the challenges of good cooking. For me, that is what makes this fun!

Join me in the adventure of creativity in the kitchen. Let’s start out with some of the basics and graduate into the gourmet and pair it with a little wine on the way.

Chef Donna

Chef Donna

2012-01-11T12:05:00.001-07:00

Welcome to the blog of "everything that is cooking and pairing with wine"! My Contribution to the "Busy Women's Recipe Guide".

I am Chef Donna and I own and operate Harris Winery in Leona Valley, California. I cook up good food to pair with our good wine.

I hope you will share in my journey of "everything that is cooking and pairing with wine"!

Self-Frosting Pumpkin Nutella Muffins by Olivia Verburg

2012-01-08T12:10:00.000-07:00

I would like to thank a friend Cathy Cuccia Verburg for sending me this recipe that her adorable daughter Olivia makes. I'm looking forward to trying her pumpkin muffins.

Olivia

1 – 15 oz can pure pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons natural (not Dutch) cocoa powder

12 heaping teaspoons Nutella for topping

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line or spray a 12-cup muffin pan, set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, oil, eggs, vanilla and brown sugar. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and whisk to combine.

Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups evenly (will be about 3/4 full). Scoop a heaping teaspoon of Nutella onto the top of each muffin. Use a toothpick or skewer to swirl the Nutella slightly around the top of the batter.

Bake the cupcakes for 25 to 30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Store in an airtight container.

Chicken Cacciatore by Angie Zafereo

2012-01-05T10:37:00.001-07:00

I like to make this dish in the crock pot. I like to serve this over any kind of pasta, add a salad and warm bread.

: 1 cut-up whole chicken (3 to 3 1/2 lb), skin removed

1/3 cup flour

: 2 tablespoons olive or canola oil

: 1 medium green bell pepper

: 2 red onion, chopped

: 1 can (14.5 oz) Italian style diced tomatoes, undrained

: 1 package sliced mushroom, any variety

: 2 teaspoons of dried Italian seasoning

: 1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon leaves; 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary

: 1 teaspoon Kosher salt

: 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped; 1 cup red wine, any variety

Grated Parmesan cheese

Coat chicken with flour. In a skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 15 to 20 minutes or until brown on all sides; drain.
Cut bell pepper and onions crosswise in half; cut each half into fourths.
In 3 1/2- to 6-quart slow cooker, place half of the chicken pieces. Mix bell pepper, onions and remaining ingredients except cheese; spoon half of mixture over chicken. Add remaining chicken; top with remaining vegetable mixture. Then add wine.
Cover; cook on Low heat setting 4 to 6 hours or until juice of chicken is clear when thickest piece is cut to bone (170°F for breasts; 180°F for thighs and legs). Serve with cheese and pasta of your choice

Chicken Pot Pie by Angie Zafereo

2011-12-31T19:25:00.000-07:00

You can make your own pastry crust in place of the store bought ones.

1/2 cup butter
2 medium leeks, sliced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 (14.5-oz.) can chicken broth
3 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 1/2 cups chopped potatoes
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 (17.3-oz.) package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed
1 large egg

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add leeks, and sauté 3 minutes. Sprinkle with flour; cook, stirring constantly, 3 minutes. Whisk in chicken broth; bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Remove from heat; stir in chicken and remaining ingredients.
2. Roll each pastry sheet into a 12- x 10-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Fit 1 sheet into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate; spoon chicken mixture into pastry. Place remaining pastry sheet over filling in opposite direction of bottom sheet; fold edges under, and press with tines of a fork, sealing to bottom crust. Whisk together egg and 1 Tbsp. water, and brush over top of pie.
3. Bake at 375° on lower oven rack 55 to 60 minutes or until browned. Let stand 15 minutes.

Layered Peppermint Pound Cake by Betty Crocker

2011-12-22T11:17:00.000-07:00

If you love peppermint the way I do, then you will love this holiday themed pound cake. I like to use both vanilla and almond extract which gives the cake an extra richness.

cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

teaspoon baking powder

1/4

teaspoon salt

2 3/4

cups granulated sugar

1 1/4

cups butter or margarine, softened

teaspoon vanilla or almond extract

eggs

cup evaporated milk

1 1/2

cups whipping (heavy) cream

1/4

cup powdered sugar

1/2

cup crushed hard peppermint candies

Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour 12-cup fluted tube cake pan or 10-inch angel food (tube) cake pan. Mix flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
In large bowl, beat granulated sugar, butter, vanilla and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 5 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in flour mixture alternately with milk on low speed. Pour into pan.
Bake 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes. Remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
In chilled large bowl, beat whipping cream and powdered sugar with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Fold in peppermint candies.
Cut cake horizontally into 3 layers. Spread 1 cup whipped cream mixture over 1 cake layer. Repeat with second layer. Top with remaining layer. Drop remaining whipped cream mixture in dollops on top of cake. Store in refrigerator.

Makes 16 servings

Raised Gingerbread Doughnuts and Holes By Coastal Living

2011-12-18T10:44:00.000-07:00

I love these gingerbread doughnuts. They are so yummy and easy to make. I have made these doughnuts as gifts.

Ingredients

1 cup warm (105° to 115°) water
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup molasses
1 large egg, lightly beaten
4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons nonfat dry milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Powdered sugar

Preparation

1. Stir together first 3 ingredients in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Stir in butter, molasses, and egg.
2. Stir together flour and next 5 ingredients until blended. Stir in yeast mixture; beat until blended. Cover, and let rise at room temperature 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in volume. Punch dough down.
3. Pat or roll dough to 1/2-inch thickness on a floured surface; cut with a 3-inch doughnut cutter or 1 (3-inch) and 1 (1-inch) round cutters, using smaller cutter for the hole. Let doughnuts and holes stand and rise at room temperature, uncovered, 45 minutes.
4. Pour oil to a depth of 2 inches into a large, heavy pot; heat to 375°. Fry doughnuts and holes, in batches, 1 minute on each side or until golden. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Sausage and Sourdough Bread Stuffing by Cooking Light

2011-12-17T18:52:00.000-07:00

I love the combo of the sausage and the sourdough bread in this stuffing. I like to serve this year around.

Ingredients

10 cup (1/2-inch) cubed sourdough bread (about 1 pound)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups finely chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped celery
15 ounces hot turkey Italian sausage, casings removed
3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1 cup water
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Arrange bread in single layers on 2 jelly-roll pans. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until golden, rotating pans after 10 minutes. Turn oven off; leave pans in oven for 30 minutes or until bread is crisp.
3. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and celery; cook 11 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Transfer vegetables to a large bowl. Add sausage to pan. Increase heat; sauté 8 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Remove sausage from pan using a slotted spoon; add sausage to vegetable mixture. Stir in bread, herbs, and pepper; toss. Combine broth, 1 cup water, and egg, stirring well. Drizzle broth mixture over bread mixture; toss. Spoon mixture into a 13 x 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray; cover with foil. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes. Uncover and cook 20 minutes or until browned.

Candy Cane Coffee Cake by Betty Crocker

2011-12-11T15:05:00.000-07:00

This is a great treat to serve on Christmas eve, or Christmas morning. I like to serve this with ice cold milk, along with eggs and bacon. It's very easy to make.

packages regular or quick active dry yeast

1/2

cup warm water (105°F to 115°F)

1 1/4

cups buttermilk

eggs

5 1/2

to 6 cups Gold Medal® Better for Bread™ flour or Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1/2

cup butter or margarine, softened

1/2

cup sugar

teaspoons baking powder

teaspoons salt

1 1/2

cups chopped dried apricots

1 1/2

cups chopped drained maraschino cherries

Coffee Cake Glaze

1 1/2

cups red cinnamon candies, if desired

Dissolve yeast in warm water in large bowl. Add buttermilk, sugar, butter, eggs, baking powder, salt and 2 1/2 cups of the flour. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle. (Dough should be soft and slightly sticky.)
Grease 3 cookie sheets. Turn dough onto well-floured surface; gently knead about 5 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Divide dough into 3 equal parts. Roll one part into rectangle, 15x9 inches. Place rectangle on cookie sheet.
Mix apricots and chopped cherries. Spread one-third of the apricot mixture in a strip about 2 1/2 inches wide lengthwise down center of rectangle. Make cuts in dough at 1/2-inch intervals on both 15-inch sides almost to filling. Fold strips over filling, overlapping and crossing in center. Carefully stretch dough until 22 inches long; curve one end to form top of cane. Repeat with remaining 2 parts of dough. Cover and let rise in warm place about 1 hour or until double. (Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.)
Heat oven to 375°F. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Drizzle Glaze over warm coffee cakes. Decorate with cinnamon candies.

Makes 3 coffee cakes (12 slices each)

Maple Cream Brownie by Betty Crocker

2011-12-05T17:13:00.000-07:00

This is a great to serve anytime of year. You will love the unique flavor that the maple adds to the chocolate. I like to serve this with ice cold milk.

Brownie

box (1 lb 2.3 oz) Betty Crocker® fudge brownie mix

Water, vegetable oil and eggs call for on brownie mix box

teaspoon maple flavor

bars (1.4 oz each) milk chocolate-covered English toffee candy, coarsely chopped

1/4

cup chocolate sundae syrup or regular chocolate syrup

Maple Cream Frosting

cups frozen (thawed) whipped topping

teaspoons maple flavor

Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with shortening or cooking spray. Make brownie mix as directed on box, using water, oil and eggs and adding 1 teaspoon maple flavor. Spread batter in pan. Bake as directed on box. Cool completely in pan on cooling rack, about 1 hour.
Meanwhile, mix Maple Cream Frosting ingredients until well blended; refrigerate. Spread frosting over cooled brownies. Cover and refrigerate until serving.
Cut dessert into 4 rows by 3 rows. Sprinkle each serving with chopped candy bars; drizzle with syrup. Store covered in refrigerator.

Makes 12 servings

Chocolate-Marshmallow Pillows by Betty Crocker

2011-12-04T09:07:00.000-07:00

These cookies are delicious and so easy to make. They make a great holiday gift and dessert. I like to serve these cookies with ice cold milk.

pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® double chocolate chunk cookie mix

1/4

cup vegetable oil

tablespoons water

egg

2/3

cup chopped pecans

large marshmallows, cut in half

Frosting

cup semisweet chocolate chips (6 oz)

1/3

cup whipping cream

teaspoon butter or margarine

teaspoon vanilla

1/2

cup powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, stir cookie mix, oil, water, egg and pecans until soft dough forms.
On ungreased cookie sheets, drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart.
Bake 7 minutes. Remove from oven; immediately press marshmallow half lightly, cut side down, on top of cookie. Bake 1 to 2 minutes longer or just until marshmallows begin to soften. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in 1-quart nonstick saucepan, melt chocolate chips over low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat. Add whipping cream, butter and vanilla; blend well. Stir in powdered sugar until smooth.
Spread frosting over each cooled cookie, covering marshmallow. Let stand until frosting is set.

Makes 2 dozen cookies

Pork Chop Cordon Bleu by Josh Taylor

2011-12-02T16:34:00.000-07:00

I would like to thank my friend Josh for sharing his recipe for Pork Chops Cordon Bleu. It's so yummy

2 boneless pork chops butterflied
Italian seasoning
2 slices black forest ham
2 slices swiss cheese
butter
flour
cornbread stuffing mix

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a glass casserole dish with non stick cooking spray. Lightly sprinkle with flour. Place open pork chop on a cutting board. Sprinkle with italian seasoning. Place one slice of ham on top, followed by a slice of cheese. Repeat for second chop. Place pork chops in the casserole dish and bake for 10 minutes. Prepare stuffing mix according to package directions. After 10 minutes remove chops and place a teaspoon of butter on top. Return to oven and cook for 15 minutes. Remove chops and place 2 tablespoons of prepared stuffing mix on each chop. Return to oven and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from oven. Place pork chop on plate and fold over. Serve with remaining stuffing mix.

Peppermint Snowball Cookies by Betty Crocker

2011-12-01T17:08:00.000-07:00

This is one of the best recipes I have used for peppermint cookies and it's easy to make.

1/4: cup finely crushed peppermint candies (12 candies)

1/4: cup powdered sugar

1: cup butter, softened

1/3: cup powdered sugar

1/4: cup finely crushed peppermint candies (12 candies)

1: teaspoon vanilla

2 1/4: cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1/4

teaspoon salt

1 Heat oven to 325ºF. Mix 1/4 cup crushed candies and 1/4 cup powdered sugar; reserve. Mix butter, 1/3 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 cup crushed candies and the vanilla in medium bowl. Stir in flour and salt.
2 Shape dough by level measuring tablespoonfuls into balls. Place about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
3 Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until set but not brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet; roll in reserved candy mixture. Cool completely on wire rack. Roll in candy mixture again.

Salted Caramel Turtle Triangles by Betty Crocker

2011-12-01T17:00:00.000-07:00

These cookies make a great holiday gift or treat anytime of the year. I like to add extra pecans in this recipe.

Cookie Base

1: pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® double chocolate chunk cookie mix

1/4: cup butter or margarine, melted

2: tablespoons water

1: egg

2/3: cup pecans, coarsely chopped

Caramel Topping

4: tablespoons butter

1: bag (14 oz) caramels, approximately 35 caramels

1/4: cup heavy cream

1/2: teaspoon vanilla

1/8: teaspoon coarse kosher salt, plus additional 1/2 teaspoon for top of bars

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 9 x 13-inch pan with cooking spray.
2 In medium bowl, stir together cookie mix, butter, water and egg until soft dough forms. Press dough evenly into prepared pan, sprinkle with 1/3 cup pecans. Bake 11 to 15 minutes or until set in center and edges just begin to pull from sides of pan. Set aside to cool.
3 Meanwhile, in medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter, caramels and cream, stirring frequently until mixture is smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and 1/8 teaspoon salt.
4 Spread caramel evenly over cookie base and sprinkle with remaining pecans. Cool completely. Sprinkle top of caramel with additional salt right before serving. To serve, cut into 4 rows by 6 rows and cut each square diagonally into triangles. Store in refrigerator; bring to room temperature before serving.

Fried Confetti Corn by Southern Living

2011-11-30T20:46:00.000-07:00

This is a great recipe for corn, the only ingredient I skip is the cream cheese.

8 bacon slices
6 cups fresh sweet corn kernels (about 8 ears)
1 cup diced sweet onion
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, cubed
1/2 cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat 6 to 8 minutes or until crisp. Remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving 2 Tbsp. drippings in skillet. Coarsely crumble bacon.
2. Saute corn and next 3 ingredients in hot drippings in skillet over medium-high heat 6 minutes or until tender. Add cream cheese and half-and-half, stirring until cream cheese melts. Stir in sugar and next 2 ingredients. Transfer to a serving dish, and top with bacon.

Chocolate Snowball Cookies by Hershey

2011-11-30T10:39:00.000-07:00

If you love chocolate the way I do, then you will love these snowball cookies. These cookies make a great homemade holiday gift for friends and family.

1 pouch Betty Crocker® Sugar Cookie Mix
1/4 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup finely chopped almonds
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

1 teaspoon almond extract
1 egg
1/4 cup HERSHEY®'S Cocoa
60 HERSHEY®'S KISSES Brand Milk Chocolates, unwrapped

Heat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, stir cookie mix, butter, egg, flour, cocoa, almonds and extract until soft dough forms.
Shape dough into 60 3/4-inch balls; wrap each around a milk chocolate candy. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
Roll cookies in powdered sugar. Cool completely, about 15 minutes. Re-roll cookies in powdered sugar. Store tightly covered. About 5 dozen cookies.

Dirty Rice by Coastal Living

2011-11-23T20:36:00.001-07:00

I love this version of dirty rice which is a Cajun classic that is great to serve on any holiday.

2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 tablespoon peanut oil, plus more if necessary
1 pound andouille, cut from casings and chopped
1 cup chicken livers, diced
2 cups chopped yellow onion
3 tablespoons chopped garlic
2 1/2 cups basmati rice
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 bay leaves
1 cup crisp, dry white wine
5 cups chicken broth

1. Combine okra and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl.
2. Heat oil in a 6-quart ovenproof Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sausage, and cook 6 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer sausage into bowl using a slotted spoon.
3. Add livers to pan, adding more oil if pan is dry, and cook 4 minutes or until firm and cooked through. Add livers to mixture, and set aside.
4. Add onion and garlic to pan, adding more oil if pan is dry, and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until soft and golden brown.
5. Stir in remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, rice, and next 4 ingredients. Cook, stirring constantly, 2 to 3 minutes or until rice and garlic are fragrant. Add wine, stirring to loosen browned bits from bottom of pan. Stir in broth. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, and stir in reserved okra mixture.
6. Cover and bake at 375° for 35 to 40 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.