Caramel Apple Cider

Oh divine! Once you make this you will never again spend $4.00 for it at Starbucks. It is so good and easy! The key is to use a quality apple cider. Something that you would drink alone.


1 1/2 cups apple cider
1 1/2 tablespoons caramel sauce
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Whipping Cream, the spray kind

Combine apple cider, caramel and vanilla into a sauce pan. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until apple cider is hot and caramel has melted. Top with a whipping cream and a drizzle of caramel. Makes 12 oz.

This is even more decadent if you use a specialty caramel like a salted caramel or something homemade. I'm drooling!

Pumpkin Cupcakes

This will get you in the mood for Autumn!


4 eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
15-ounce can pumpkin
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

Icing:
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Using an electric mixer at medium speed, combine the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix at low speed until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth. Spoon batter into cupcake cups. Bake for 15-25 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting.

To make the icing: Combine the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and mix at low speed until combined. Stir in the vanilla and mix again. Spread on cooled cupcakes.

Dinner in a Pumpkin

1 medium pumpkin
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tbspn brown sugar
1 can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cups cooked rice

Clean out pumpkin. Brown hamburger. Combine all ingredients in skillet and then put into pumpkin, replace pumpkin top. Place on a cookie sheet. Bake 1 hour at 375 degrees. To serve scoop out a portion of pumpkin along with the yummy ingredients.

Creme Brulee French Toast

Let's eat some yummy breakfast!


1/2 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons corn syrup
1 loaf Texas toast bread (extra thick slices)
5 eggs
1 1/2 cups half-and-half cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 recipe Syrup Butter (see below)

In a small saucepan melt butter, brown sugar and corn syrup over medium heat until smooth, stirring occasionally. Pour mixture onto large, greased jelly roll pan/cookie sheet with an edge. Spread to cover surface. Place 12 slices Texas toast bread in a single layer to cover pan. Mix together eggs, cream, salt and vanilla. Spoon mixture over each piece of bread. Make sure that each piece of bread is thoroughly soaked.

Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Remove from oven. Turn each slice of bread over to get the gooey topping on both sides. Serve with syrup butter, if desired.

Syrup butter:

1 1/2 cups butter
3 cups maple syrup.

Melt together and serve over toast.

Caramel Corn

This is a great treat for a Halloween party, a nice neighbor gift at Christmas or a tasty treat for any time of the year.



8 c. popped popcorn (about 1/3 c. unpopped)
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. margarine
3 Tb. light corn syrup
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1 cup peanuts (optional)

Remove all unpopped kernels from popped corn. In saucepan, combine brown sugar, margarine, and corn syrup. Cook and stir over medium heat to boiling. If you want soft caramel corn boil until firm ball stage (245 degrees), if you want hard caramel corn boil until hard ball stage (255 degrees). Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in baking soda and vanilla; pour over popcorn in a large bowl. Add peanuts. Stir gently to coat. Spread onto wax paper. Allow to cool briefly then shape if desired or cool completely.

Country Style Spare Ribs

This sauce is sweet and sticky. Finger lickin' good!



5 pounds pork spare ribs
1 onion, chopped
2 tblspn butter
2 cups ketchup
2 tblspn prepared mustard
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tblspn Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup molasses

Place ribs in broiler pan. Cover loosely with tin foil and bake 30 minutes at 425F. Remove foil and drain fat. let ribs sit in broiler while preparing the sauce.

To make sauce, saute onion in butter until tender. Combine onion with remaining ingredients and pour over baked ribs. Reduce oven temperature for 325F. Return ribs to oven and cook uncovered for 2 hours. Baste occasionally. Cut between ribs before serving. If you like your ribs saucy, double it.

Super Easy Omelette

This recipe is great when making omelets for mulitple people. It is really easy for your kids to help with and to use when you go camping (if you do that kind of thing).


1 qt-size Ziploc bag per person
2 eggs
Salt & Pepper
toppings as desired

Have each person write their name on their bag with permanent marker. Add eggs to the bag and shake. Add additional toppings as desired, shake.

Make sure to get out all of the air in the bag and zip it up. Place the bags in a large pot of boiling water for 13 minutes. You can cook about 6-8 omelets in a large pot. After cooking open the bags and the omelet will roll out easily.

This recipe can also be used for making omelets on the cook top. Heat your 8-10 inch skillet over medium high heat. Melt a little butter, when the butter is melted pour the egg mixture into the skillet. Stir initially, then allow eggs to settle, rotating the pan and lifting the edges to cook the liquid egg. Allow the eggs to become solid but shiny before adding the toppings on one half of the omelet. Fold in half, allow to cook for another 30 seconds or so (so the cheese can melt) and serve.

Toppings: (chop prior to cooking)
Cheese
Ham/Bacon
Onion
Green Pepper
Tomatoes/salsa
Mushrooms

Baked Potato

I sometimes forget that baked potatoes can be the main dish of your dinner. Setting up a potato bar is easy and tasty. The options for toppings are endless!



Heat oven to 350 degrees and position racks in top and bottom thirds. Wash potatoes thoroughly. Dry, then using a standard fork poke 8 to 12 deep holes all over so that moisture can escape during cooking. Place potatoes directly on rack in middle of oven.

If you want to make the skins a little crispy, place potatoes in a bowl and coat lightly with oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt prior to placing in the oven. Place a baking sheet on the lower rack to catch any drippings.

Bake 1 hour or until skin feels crisp but flesh beneath feels soft.

NOTE: If you're cooking more than 4 potatoes, you'll need to extend the cooking time by up to 15 minutes.

Shanghai Pot Stickers

I got this recipe from a Chinese friend. She makes some amazing food! This recipe is very labor intensive so I don't make them often but the result is really worth it and it makes a lot so you can freeze them!


8 oz napa cabbage
1 lb lean ground pork
4 oz shrimp meat, finely chopped (optional)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tblspn chopped chives
1 tblspn minced garlic
3 tsp salt, divided
1 tsp sugar
1 tblspn soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tblspn Shao Xing rice wine
1 pkg (1 lb) potsticker wrappers (thick variety)
dash of pepper to taste
water for sealing

Cut the cabbage across into thin strips, mix with 2 tsp salt and set aside for 5 minutes. Squeeze out the excess moisture.

In a nonstick skillet add ground pork and cook, add shrimp. In a large bowl mix the cabbage, ground pork mixture, and all remaining ingredients.

Frozen Peach Pie

Thanks to some great trees in my parents yard, I grew up eating fresh peaches in the summer. I was introduced to this recipe from a friend while we were eating peach pie at her house this past February! This requires some prep work and freezer space but it allows you to use those beautiful peaches when they are in season and the results are amazing! Plus, it is so much fun to have "fresh peach pie" in the middle of winter!


4 cups sliced fresh peaches
2 teaspoons lemon juice
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust (double crust)
Vanilla ice cream (1/2 cup per serving)

To freeze: Line a 9-inch pie plate with foil. Toss sliced peaches with lemon juice. Mix brown sugar and flour; toss with peaches. Place peaches in foil lined pie plate. Freeze until solid. Remove pie filling from pie plate, wrap well, place in freezer bag or with freezer wrap and freeze until ready to use. Pies will stack nicely in freezer once frozen.

To bake: Line 9-inch pie plate with unbaked pastry crust; remove frozen filling from foil and freezer wrap, place in prepared pie plate. Top with second pastry crust, seal edges, cut holes to vent top crust. Wrap strips of foil around outside edges of pie crust to prevent fluted edge from over cooking. Allow pie to set on counter while oven pre-heats to 400 F. Bake pie 60 minutes or until bubbly inside. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

To enjoy now: If you do not want to freeze pie for later, place filling directly into prepared pie crust and bake in pre-heated oven.

Bacon

Hopefully you all agree with me when I say that bacon is awesome! It is good on so many things as well as delicious when eaten alone. Sadly, the things that I dislike about bacon prevent me from using bacon very often. While this may be better for my cholesterol it is not better for my belly!

I really dislike that it stinks up your whole house when you cook it and also that you have to baby it on the stove top. But my whole life changed one day while watching Racheal Ray and she mentioned cooking bacon in the oven. Brilliant!


Use a slotted oven broiler pan (maybe the one that came with your oven). Layer the bottom half of the pan with aluminum foil for easy cleanup. Layer bacon slices in a single layer along the slotted top. The strips will shrink while they cook so you can place them close together. Bake at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Allow to cool slightly on a paper towel. Your bacon will be crispy and flat! Enjoy!

Farfalle with Zucchini and Yogurt Sauce

I found this recipe from A Good American Wife. I used it last summer when the zucchinis were ready to harvest.

Growing up my mother would always shred and freeze zucchini for future use in breads and dinners. I bet this recipe would work well with frozen zucchini, just thaw before using.


1 pound farfalle
4 medium zucchini (about 1 1/2 pounds), coarsely shredded
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
Freshly grated nutmeg
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the farfalle until al dente; about 1 minute before the farfalle is done, add the shredded zucchini to the pot. Drain the farfalle and zucchini, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water.

Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet, melt the butter. Remove from the heat. Stir in the Greek yogurt and the 1 cup of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and season the yogurt sauce with freshly grated nutmeg, salt and pepper.

Add the farfalle, zucchini and reserved pasta water to the saucepan and cook over low heat, tossing, until the sauce coats the pasta; transfer to warmed bowls and serve with the extra cheese.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

The pineapple and sugar combine to create such a yummy creation. This is my dad's favorite cake!


1 10-oz jar maraschino cherries, drained
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 8-oz can sliced pineapple, drained with juice reserved
1 8-oz can crushed pineapple, drained with juice reserved
1 package yellow cake mix

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat the bottoms and sides of each 9 inch round cake pan with 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Sprinkle the bottom of each pan with 1/4 cup of brown sugar.

In one of the pans lay pineapple rings in a single layer. Place a cherry in the center of each ring. In the other pan, spread the drained crushed pineapple.
Mix the cake as directed on package, but substitute reserved pineapple juice in place of water. Divide batter between the 2 pans. Remember which pan has the pineapple rings in it.

Bake for 20 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean. Cool in pans for 20 minutes. While the bottoms of the cake pans are still warm to the touch, invert the layer with the crushed pineapple out onto a serving dish, then gently invert the layer with the pineapple rings on top of it for a dazzling two layer pineapple upside down cake.

Sometimes the top layer will crack after inverting it, so after inverting the top layer remove the pan to make sure the ingredients have all come off clean, then put the top pan back on for another 30 minutes to help stabilize the cake. It works great! This recipe can be easily modified for a 9x13 pan.

Lemon Bars

Who doesn't love a lemon bar? These are awesome! The cake mix makes a nice crust and the filling is yummy and tart. Using fresh lemon juice tastes better but is not required. The icing can be substituted with just a sprinkling of powdered sugar but it won't be as tart and sweet.


Crust:
1 white cake mix
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 egg

Lemon Filling:
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (2-3 lemons juiced)

Icing:
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup sifted powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With a spoon, mix cake mix, butter, and egg together. Press into a greased 9x13 inch pan. Bake crust for 10-15 minutes.

In a separate bowl mix eggs, sugar, flour, and lemon juice. Pour over baked crust. Bake for an additional 20 minutes. Prepare icing and pour over lemon bar immediately out of the oven. Allow to cool completely. Store in the refrigerator.

Key Lime Pie

The key lime make this pie so tart and good. You can use other limes but it won't be as tart. Fresh squeezed juice creates a better flavor.



Crust
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 24 crackers)
6 tbsp melted unsalted butter
1/4 cup sugar

Filling
3 Egg yolks
1 1/2 tsp Grated zest of 2 limes
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2/3 cup freshly squeezed key lime juice

Topping
1 cup heavy or whipped cream, chilled
1 tbsp confectioners sugar

For the graham cracker crust:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch pie pan. Break up the graham crackers; place in a food processor and process to crumbs. (If you don't have a food processor, place the crackers in a large plastic bag; seal and then crush the crackers with a rolling pin.) Add the melted butter and sugar and pulse or stir until combined. Press the mixture into the bottom and sides of the pie pan, forming a neat border around the edge. Bake the crust until set and golden, 8 minutes. Set aside on a wire rack; leave the oven on.

For the filing:
Meanwhile, in an electric mixer with the wire whisk attachment, beat the egg yolks and lime zest at high speed until very fluffy, about 5 minutes. Gradually add the condensed milk and continue to beat until thick, 3 or 4 minutes longer. Lower the mixer speed and slowly add the lime juice, mixing just until combined, no longer. Pour the mixture into the crust. Bake for 10 minutes or until the filling has just set. Cool on a wire rack, then refrigerate. Freeze for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

For the topping:
Whip the cream and the confectioners' sugar until nearly stiff. Cut the pie in wedges and serve very cold, topping each wedge with a large dollop of whipped cream.

For a yummy variation substitute 1/4 cup chopped dry roasted macadamia nuts for 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs, and add to 1 cup crumbs. Proceed as directed. Sprinkle additional 1/4 cup chopped dry roasted macadamia nuts evenly over topping.

Patriotic Cookies

These cookies are a fun variation on an oatmeal chocolate chip.


1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups oats
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup dried blueberries
1 cup white chocolate chips

Sift together the flour and baking soda and set aside. Cream the butter and sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the egg and mix on high speed for about 30 seconds. Add vanilla extract and continue to mix until combined. Add the sifted flour, a bit at a time on low speed, until well combined. Add the oats, dried cranberries, dried blueberries and white chocolate chips. Mix on low speed to combine. Chill thoroughly in refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 350F. Bake on baking sheets sprayed with nonstick spray until golden brown, 12 minutes. Remove from oven, allow to cool 5 minutes on cookie sheets, then transfer to a baking rack to cool completely. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Crispy Chicken Strips with Honey Mustard Sauce

I love crispy chicken strips. Here is a version that gives the crisp but avoids the oil.


1 1/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken tenders
1/2 cup lowfat buttermilk
Cooking spray
4 cups cornflakes
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
Honey-Mustard Sauce, recipe follows

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine the chicken and buttermilk in a shallow dish. Cover and chill for 15 minutes.

Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Put the cereal in a sealed plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. Transfer the crumbs to a shallow dish. Season the chicken with the salt and pepper. Dip each piece of chicken (already having soaked in the buttermilk) into the cereal to fully coat and arrange on the baking sheet. Bake until cooked through, about 12-25 minutes. Leave the chicken on the baking sheet to cool slightly. It will become crispier.

Serve with the mustard sauce.

Honey-Mustard Sauce
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
3 tablespoons honey

In a small bowl, stir together the mustard and mayonnaise until smooth. Stir in the honey. Make a few hours ahead of time if possible.

Strawberry Shortcake

When I make strawberry shortcake I don't make biscuits, I make pound cake!


Pound Cake
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup butter
2 1/2 cups white sugar
5 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups cake flour (if you don't have cake flour substitute 3/4 cup all-purpose flour + 2 tablespoons corn starch sifted together, for each cup of cake flour)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Lightly grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan. Cream shortening, butter and sugar until light and fluffy (for best results use an electric mixer). This will take a while. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla extract.

Combine baking powder and flour. Stir into creamed mixture alternately with the milk, starting and ending with flour. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

Strawberries
2 lbs strawberries, sliced
2-4 tsp sugar or 2-4 packets splenda

Sprinkle sugar/splenda over strawberries and allow to combine in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before serving.

You can pile the shortcake as high as you like! Begin with one piece of cake topped with strawberries and a dollop of whipped cream. Repeat.

Potato Salad

I love a good creamy potato salad! Especially in the summer with all of the barbecue fixings! This is my mom's recipe.


About 10 potatoes, boil in salted water until tender, cool.
1/4 cup white, green, or red onion
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion salt
2 cups mayonnaise
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1/4 cup dill pickle juice (add more if dry)
6 hard boiled eggs, chopped (save one for the top)

Combine all ingredients, adjust seasonings to taste. Top with one hard boiled egg sliced. Sprinkle with paprika and dill.

Mango Cucumber Avocado Salsa

This is a yummy, spicy salsa!


1 large cucumber peeled, seeded and cut into chunks (about 2 cups)
2 avocados, cut into chunks
1 ripe mango, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
2 limes, juiced (about 1/4 cup)
Salt
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
1 jalapeno chili, chopped (without the seeds and pith)

Place cucumber, avocado, mango, and onion in a large bowl and add lime juice and salt. Add cilantro and chilies and toss gently. Omit the chilies if you don't like the spiciness.

Side note: the above picture is of a mango salsa, this recipe will look more green and less orange.