Sour Cream Orange Muffins

We normally have bagels during the week for breakfast. But I woke up yesterday morning knowing we didn't have any in the house so I decided to make muffins. I took a quick look through the pantry and fridge to see what I could bake. And I came up with Sour Cream Orange Muffins. They reminded me somewhat of the sour cream cookies I make also. Only difference was the little citrus hint throughout the muffin.



SOUR CREAM ORANGE MUFFINS

1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
3/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon orange zest
1/2 cup of sour cream - I used light because it is what I had on hand
1/4 cup milk
1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspon baking soda
1 tablespoon sugar

Heat oven to 375. Line 12 regular-sized muffin cups with paper baking cups (or spray with cooking spray.)

In a large bowl mix 1/2 cup sugar, oil, egg, almond extract and orange zest. Add sour cream and milk and mix until just blended. Mix in flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda.

Divide batter evenly between 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle batter with 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake for 14 to 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffin comes out clean. Remove from pan to cooling rack. Serve warm or cold.

Toffee and Caramel Cheesecake

We are going to some friends for dinner tonight and so we volunteered to bring dessert. So I made this cheesecake....I might add a picture of just a slice tomorrow.



Gingersnap crust
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 1/2 cups ground gingersnap cookies
1 cup ground pecans
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons (packed) light brown sugar

Cheesecake
4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, melted
5 large eggs
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup toffee bits (Heath Bits O'Brickle)

Caramel topping
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 cup heavy whipping cream

OR

Mrs. Richardsons Caramel topping or your favorite caramel topping to save yourself the trouble of making homemade caramel which can at times be a little tricky

1/3 to 1/2 cup toffee bits


Photos of the toffee bits just in case anyone wanted to know what to look for at the supermarket

For Crust: Preheat oven to 350°F. Finely grind ground cookies, pecans and sugar in processor. Add melted butter and blend until combined. Press crust mixture onto bottom of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides.

For cheesecake: Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until smooth. Beat in flour and butter, then eggs, 1 at a time, until just blended. Beat in vanilla. Pour 1/2 of batter over crust in pan. Sprinkle 1/3 cup toffee bits over the batter. Then pour remaining batter over the bits. Place a large roasting pan or jelly roll pan on lower shelf of oven. Pour water 1/2 way to the lip of the pan. Place cheesecake pan on middle shelf. Bake cake uncovered for 15 minutes at 350. Turn oven down to 250 and bake 30 minutes. Bake 350 for another 15 minutes and then turn down and bake at 250 again for another 15 to 30 minutes. The edges will puff up and the center moves slightly when pan is gently shaken. Total bake time is 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack. Slide a knife around the sides and then cover with foil and refrigerate 6 hours to over night.

For topping: 2 hours before serving stir sugar, water, and lemon juice in large saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat; boil without stirring until mixture turns deep amber, occasionally swirling pan and brushing down sides with wet pastry brush, about 9 minutes. Add cream (mixture will bubble). Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until reduced to 1 1/4 cups, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Chill until thickened but still pourable, about 15 minutes.

Spoon caramel over top of cake just to edges (do not allow caramel to drip down sides). Garnish top edges with chopped English toffee. Chill at least 2 hours.


Tips:
* Adding flour helps it not to crack
* Make sure the cream cheese and sugar are really beaten well before adding eggs. Over beating eggs will add air which causes cracks.
* I never do a waterbath as it always made the crust soggy when I tried so I have done the water in the pan below. Supposedly the moisture in the oven helps to prevent cracking also.
* The reason I do the weird turn up and down of the oven temperature again is to prevent cracking and also over baking the cheesecake.
* Doing this cheesecake 24 hours before eating is always best. It just seems to taste better even better after 24 hours in the fridge.

Lemon Bars

A friend recently introduced me to the Smitten Kitchen and I have quite a few recipes bookmarked to try. Michael isn't big on lemon but I love it. I remember growing up I didn't like cake for my birthday because I wasn't really a cake person. It was texture and frosting thing. There were 2 cakes my Mom made that I liked sour cream cake and chocolate chip oatmeal cake. But there was this bakery that my Mom would get cakes from for special occasions. They had a lemon filling cake. It had a sweet tart lemon filling between layers of moist white cake and whipped cream frosting. Usually decorated with candied lemons.

I celebrated my 40th birthday this past year and didn't want a cake but I briefly thought of that cake my Mom used to get because I haven't had in about 20 years. I moved away from the area so haven't had a chance to have anything like it since.

But I still enjoy lemon in baked goods. So seeing the recipe and photos over on Smitten Ktichen of these lemon bars made me decide to try them out.



The only thing I would change is cutting the baking time for the crust. It was over cooked by the time the lemon filling set. The crust came out a little too hard which made it difficult to cut through. But the filling came out quite good.



Lemon bar recipe from Smitten Kitchen.

I made the thick version although mine don't look quite as thick as hers which is probably again altitude. I did grease my pan because I always do as I found when cooking in high altitude it is a MUST.



They were so good! The lemon bars are tart but the crust is sweet so it is best of both worlds.

Wilbur Beans

Michael and I don't go out to eat very often. It is just not an expense we can justify. Our big splurge usually is getting take out Chinese which is a lot of food for $10. But a few weeks ago we went to an art exhibit opening and after were starving so we decided to check out the new BBQ place....Famous Dave's BBQ. It is a national chain that I have eaten at when visiting my parents in Minnesota. It is kind of funny because the place they built it was a BBQ before it but went out of business. Anyway we had dinner there and it was very good. Both of us really liked their Wilbur Beans.

I was digging around in the freezer last week and saw we had some ribs so I put that on the menu. I then of course thought of the beans we had at Famous Dave's and decided I wanted to make something similar to them as they would be so good with ribs. I scoured the web for recipes. I had a can of Bush's baked beans that I just wanted to doctor. I didn't really follow a recipe but got some ideas.

I took 1 can of Bushes baked beans, 2 cans of pinto beans - rinsed and drained, a small can of diced green chilies, brown sugar, BBQ sauce, mustard, garlic, chopped onion and some smoked sausage as I didn't have any bacon. I threw it all in the crock to cook for a couple hours. It turned out so well that I am sure I will be making them again.

Homemade Donuts

I enjoy the recipes over at 101cookbooks.com so this is one of them that she posted a while back. Baked Donuts...just called my name. I always see recipes for fried donuts and I just don't like having to "deep fat fry" food. I love the taste when someone else makes it. So baked donuts is something I could do.

They turned out really good. I am always surprised when bread-items turn out the first time for me as I really have had some a battles with the altitude. But these turned out scrumptious. The only thing is they need to be eaten right away. After sitting over night they lost their donut taste. They tasted more bready. I have wondered if they could be rolled out and cut out and then froze so that you could make smaller batches. So I might try that one day.



Recipe for baked donuts.

Pizza Stone

One of my very good friends had an extra pizza stone and read I was wanting one so she gave me her extra. Yes she is a wonderful friend!

This week I got around to making pizza on the stone and it was fantastic! It makes me think about making pizza every week but I am sure we would get sick of it....or would we? I top our pizza Chicago style even though the dough is a thinner crust instead of a thick crust like most Chicago style pizza's. I made 2 pizzas one veggie and the other with meat. It was nice to eat left over pizza for lunch.





Whole Wheat Herb Pizza Dough
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons basil
2 teaspoons oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 1/2 teaspoons yeast

Place all ingredients in the bread machine in order used by machine. Run on dough cycle.

Removing the dough from the machine form the dough into a ball and place into a bowl sprayed with cooking spray. Cover loosely with plastic wrap coated lightly with cooking spray or a dish towel and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours to overnight rise.

Remove the bowl from the refrigerator about one hour prior to making the pizza. Set the bottom oven rack to its lowest position and preheat the oven to 400° F for at least 30 minutes before baking. Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and divide into 2 balls of dough for 2 smaller/thinner crust or leave whole to make one large/thick crust. Roll a ball of dough with a rolling pin. Since this is whole wheat it sometimes wants to snap back instead of rolling out. Let it rest for a bit and then try it again. Drape it over both of your fists, and gently pull the edges outward while rotating the crust. When the circle has reached the desired size place on pan or pizza stone and add desired toppings.

From crust up I layer: cheese usually a combination of mozzarella, ramono and parmesan cheese, then meats and veggies, crushed tomatoes, herbs and a light sprinkle of cheese again.

Here is a good link about Pizza Stone's since I had never used one I thought I better read up on them.

Red Velvet Cupcakes for Valentine's

I made Red Velvet cupcakes for Valentine's Day. I hadn't made red velvet in a long time and it sounded really good especially for Valentine's Day. So I made them and topped them with cream cheese frosting and a red hot.


Red Velvet Cupcakes


3 1/2 cups cake flour
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 ½ cups sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
6 tablespoons red food coloring
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a small bowl, whisk together the red food coloring, cocoa, and vanilla. Add to the batter and mix well.

In a measuring cup, stir the salt into the buttermilk. Add to the batter in three parts alternating with the flour. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated, but do not overbeat. In a small bowl, stir together the cider vinegar and baking soda. Add to the batter and mix well. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl, making sure the ingredients are well blended and the batter is smooth.

This recipe makes 2 dozen cupcakes. Use 2 muffin pans with 12 (1/2-cup) muffin cups each and line each cup with a paper liner. Bake about 20 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes in the pan 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and cool completely on a rack before icing.

Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Maple Fudge

I am annoyed with myself as I forgot to take pictures of the maple fudge I made Michael for our Anniversary February 1st. But I do want to get the recipe down as the first batch I made at Christmas - although very tasty was a little crumbly. So this time it was PERFECT!

1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/4 cups butterscotch chips
2 sticks of butter
3 teaspoons maple extract

Place all ingredients except the maple extract into a 2-quart microwave safe mixing bowl and microwave on high for 10 minutes, stopping and stirring every 2 minutes. THE MIXTURE IS VERY HOT - so be CAREFUL! Let cool slightly and then beat with a mixer for 2 minutes. Add the extract and beat for another 3 to 4 minutes. It almost looks caramel in texture but it does come out fudge consistency.

Spread mixture into a parchment paper-lined 8 x 8 inch square pan or you can also just butter the pan really well. I have done fudge both ways and it works fine. Chill to set and then cut into squares. I think it was close to 60 to 64 squares.

Apple Oatmeal Pancakes

When I was a little girl, I was the odd one in the family as I was picky. One thing I didn't like is pancakes. Now I know that sounds absurd that a child wouldn't like pancakes but it is true. I didn't like the texture. I am not sure why as they are soft, fluffy and sweet. I really didn't eat them as I grew up either. French Toast is my pick over the pancakes. When met Michael, he made me pancakes one Sunday morning and I was hooked. Now I like trying different kinds of pancakes but by far this recipe is my favorite. The flavor is amazing. Plus they are healthy.

Beware I am still learning how to make pancakes so they are aren't ROUND - far from it! But they taste delicious!

ps: Michael doesn't like nuts in things so I leave the walnuts out for him.

Apple-Cinnamon Oat Pancakes

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup quick cooking or old fashioned oats
2 tablespoon splenda/sugar substitute
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 egg (could use egg substitute also to make it even more healthy)
1 1/2 cup milk - low fat or fat free
1 cup sugar free applesauce
1/4 cups canola oil
Optional: 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Stir together flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a mixing bowl.

Beat egg in separate bowl; stir in milk, applesauce, and oil.

Add liquid mixture to dry ingredients, stirring just until blended. Fold in walnuts.

Heat greased griddle or skillet over medium heat or to 375 degrees. Griddle is ready when a few drops of water bubble and skitter rapidly around.

For each pancake, pour a scant of batter onto hot griddle. Cook pancakes until puffed, bubbly and dry around edges. Turn and cook other sides until golden brown.

Chocolate Caramels

Not the best picture but they are very good! They turned out perfect this year too. Sometimes they are a little soft. These were chewy and firm like a caramel. Michael usually makes these because they require lots of stirring and my arm goes out before they come to tempature. We wrap them together too and it is nice Christmas tradition for us. Sitting at the table talking, Christmas music playing in the background, the tree sparkling with lights while we wrap the caramels. I like making them not only because they are tasty but I only need to make one batch and it will cover all the goodie trays I make every year because they make such a big batch.



2 cups sugar
2 cups whipping (heavy) cream
3/4 Light Corn Syrup
1/2 cups margarine or butter
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate - chopped

Butter square pan - 8x8 or 9x9. Heat sugar, cream, corn syrup, butter and chocolate to boiling in a 3 quart saucepan over medium heat. Stirring constantly. Cook to 245 degrees on candy thermometer or until small amount of mixture dropped into very cold water forms a firm ball that holds its shape until pressed. Spread in buttered pan. Cool. Cut in squares. Wrap individually in plastic wrap or wax paper.

Jam Filled Sliced Cookies

My Mom used to make thumbprints which are a base dough with a dent in them filled with jam and then sprinkled with nuts. Her recipe though I think uses brown sugar as they have a golden color to them. As I have said in this blog before I was always the picky one growing up and I just didn't like them. But as an adult who like jams I couldn't resisit the simplicity of this recipe.

This recipe is from Kraft Food & Family but I made them without the nuts as Michael doesn't like nuts. It was a very easy recipe and very tasty. I had several good comments about them. I have to say the base dough of this had a great texture and taste. It would be a good base dough to experiment with to make other kinds of cookies.




1 pkg. (8 oz.) Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2-1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/3 cup Walnut Pieces, finely chopped
3/4 cup strawberry preserves
1 tsp. powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Beat cream cheese, butter and granulated sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Separate 1 of the eggs; set egg white aside for later use. Add yolk, second (whole) egg and vanilla to cream cheese mixture; mix well. Gradually add combined flour and baking powder, beating until well blended after each addition.

Divide dough into four equal pieces. Roll each piece into 12x1-inch log; place, 2 inches apart, on large ungreased baking sheet. Use handle of wooden spoon or fingers to make depression down length of each log, about 1/2 inch wide and 1/2 inch deep. (Beat reserved egg white with fork; brush over dough. Sprinkle with walnuts. -- didn't do that one because didn't coat with nuts) Fill depressions with preserves, using about 3 Tbsp. preserves in each log.

Bake 25 to 27 min. or until edges are lightly browned. Transfer to wire racks; cool slightly. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cut each log into 12 diagonal slices.

Mint Thins

I love mint flavoring but I think Michael likes it even more. So I always keep my eye out for mint recipes so that I can make him a minty treat. I have tried two different kinds of brownies but neither really was great. I saw this recipe in Kraft's Food & Family magazine (which is a free magazine by the way.) And frankly I kind of turned my nose up at them as Ritz Cracker being the base didn't sound like a good idea to me. But I have to say these were an unexpected surprise! The salt from the Ritz mixed with the mint chocolate just made it a perfect pairing.

I had quite a few people ask about them and they also just looked pretty on the trays I made up.


1 pkg. (8 squares) Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate
1/4 tsp. peppermint extract (I used 1/2 tsp. because we like peppermint and it didn't smell like it would taste very minty)
1 sleeve RITZ Crackers (36 crackers)
1 peppermint candy cane (6 inch), crushed

Microwave chocolate in small microwaveable bowl as directed on package. Stir until completely melted. Blend in extract.

Dip crackers in melted chocolate, completely coating crackers with chocolate. Carefully scrape off excess chocolate. Place on waxed paper-covered baking sheets; sprinkle with crushed candy.

Refrigerate 30 min. or until chocolate is firm.

Crockpot Chicken & Dumplings

Chicken and Dumplings is the ultimate comfort food for winter. I have found lots of recipes for chicken and dumplings that uses cream of chicken soup and although I use canned creamed soups at times I have been really wanting a recipe that used cream or half-n-half. So then found one with half and half but still didn't look like it was exactly what I was wanting so I combined a few recipes to make this one. Michael and I enjoyed it thoroughly as it warmed us during the cold winter evening.


Chicken Mixture
1 1/2 cups frozen peas & carrots
1 cup frozen green beans (optional - I had them on hand so threw them in last moment)
1/2 cup chopped onion
14 oz. can chicken broth
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
2 tbsp. margarine or butter
2 tbsp. half & half (I use fat free half & half)
1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, cut into 2" pieces

Dumplings
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. margarine or butter
1 cup milk
1/4 cup minced fresh herb leaves such as parsley, chives (I didn't have any one hand tonight so left out - and it is optional they taste good with or without)

In crockpot add onion and butter. In medium bowl, combine chicken broth, half & half, flour and spices and blend well until smooth. Pour over onion and butter. Add chicken. After cooking for six hours add frozen carrots, peas and green beans. Cook for 1 more hour until chicken is thoroughly cooked and no longer pink in center.

30 minutes before serving mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Add (optional) herbs. Microwave butter and milk for 1 minte 30 seconds to 2 minutes until just warm in a large bowl. Slowly add dry ingredients. Mix with a fork or knead by hand two to three times until mixture just comes together. Take spoonfuls of dough and drop into on the surface of the chicken mixture. Cover, cook on High for 20 to 25 minutes until dumplings are cooked through. They will be fluffy and a toothpick inserted should come out clean.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

I turned 40 on the 18th of October. I tried to kind of ignore it so one thing I didn't want was a birthday cake. I actually am a person who doesn't like cake on my birthday but likes to have pie or cheesecake. So this year I didn't have cake, pie or cheesecake and was perfectly happy...until I came home. But I couldn't admit that I was going to make a cheesecake for my birthday so instead I made it for Halloween. And in the tradition of Halloween, I made a Pumpkin Cheesecake. It turned out simply wonderful.















Crust
1 1/2 cups ground gingersnap cookies
1 1/2 cups toasted pecans (about 6 ounces)
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
(**I ground more ginger snaps then needed so I made a little extra and crumbled on top of the cheesecake the last 5 minutes of cooking - it made it almost toffee like crunch on top)

Filling
4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups canned solid pack pumpkin (1 can pumpkin)
2 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons half and half
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
4 large eggs


For Crust: Preheat oven to 350°F. Finely grind ground cookies, pecans and sugar in processor. Add melted butter and blend until combined. Press crust mixture onto bottom and up sides of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides.

For Filling: Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until light. Add flour, pumpkin, 4 tablespoons half and half, ground cinnamon and ground allspice to mixture in large bowl and beat until well combined. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating just until combined. Pour filling into crust (filling will almost fill pan). Bake until cheesecake puffs, top browns and center moves only slightly when pan is shaken, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Transfer cheesecake to rack and cool 10 minutes. Run small sharp knife around cake pan sides to loosen cheesecake. Cool. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.

(I had never made pumpkin cheesecake. I combined a few recipes which is my usual taking things from each that I like and making my own. Something I didn't do with this cheesecake was putting a tray of water under it -- not a water bath but just a tray of water on the shelf below to create moisture in the oven. I didn't do that because frankly I forgot. I was just so excited to be making a pumpkin cheesecake that I didn't remember to do the tray and my weird timing thing I usually do which is turning the oven from 350 to 250 and well it turned out really good.)

Taco Dip

A friend introduced me to this dip many years ago. It easy and always gets eaten up. We used have get togethers with my girlfriends back when I lived in Ohio. We would talk about a book, watch movies, do spa like things with foot bathes and doing each other nails, play games or just whatever but always involved lots of talking and laughing. We also brought snacks. And this dip made it to all of them.
I now live in Colorado when I made this dip tonight for Michael's meeting I thought of all my girlfriends in Ohio and how much I miss them.

No picture but it is very easy and tasty.


2 - 8 oz. packages of Cream Cheese - softened
2 cups Salsa
2 cups Cheddar Cheese
Optional: 1/2 lb. browned hamburger with taco seasoning.

Spread cream cheese on the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Spread salsa on top of cream cheese and then top with cheddar cheese. Bake in the over until cheese is melted and bubbly.

I have also added the taco seasoned hamburger. Spread cream cheese on the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Then add brown taco seasoned hamburger. Salsa and then cheese. It has been a hit both ways. Serve with tortilla chips.

Easy Chocolate Buttermilk Pie

Tonight we are going to friends for dinner and I am bringing dessert. This is a really rich pie and having just a little slice gives me a good chocolate fix!

















Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 eggs
1 cup buttermilk (there is now powdered buttermilk on the market and I love having it around so easy to use and not having to worry about buying a quart and then not knowing what to do with the rest)
1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 pre-made store-bought (9-inch) deep dish pie crust or homemade (this is one thing I am not good at - pie crusts)

Optional for Garnish
Whipped cream
Berries - strawberries or raspberries

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Position a rack in the center of the oven.

Place the chocolate chips in a sauce pan or double boiler and melt over low heat, stirring constantly. (I melt them in the microwave - 30 to 40 seconds,stir and go again for 30 to 40 seconds until melted)

In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, and salt until well combined. In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the sugar mixture and mix with an electric hand mixer or whisk vigorously. With a rubber spatula, stir the melted chocolate into the batter.

Pour batter into the pie crust; you might have about 1 cup of left-over batter if you don't use a deep dish pie crust.* Place pie in oven on middle rack. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 25 minutes, or until the pie is crisp on top and a knife inserted in the center comes out with just a bit of moist chocolate on it.

Remove from oven and cool completely. Let stand at least 1 hour before serving. If not eating immediately, refrigerate pie. This pie can be served warm or chilled. Garnish with whipped cream & berries just before serving if desired.

*take the 1 cup left and pour into a custard cup and bake for about 30 minutes -- always nice treat saved for later

Cornbread

When I lived in Kansas, there was this restaurant that we went to at times because they had the best cornbread (I can't remember the name of the restaurant at this moment and it will probably drive me crazy.) A friend and I frequented the place and she decided to ask them for the recipe. They said no but I remember her asking them several more times. Finally she called their main offices and they gave it to her. And this is the recipe they gave her.


1 box Jiffy Mix Cornbread Mix
1 box Jiffy Mix Yellow Cake Mix

OR

2 boxes Jiffy Mix Cornbread Mix
1 box regular yellow cake mix

Mix both boxes according to directions in a large bowl. Add all ingredients and mix. I use my kitchen aid mixer and just mix until combined. If using the Jiffy mixes - pour into a greased 8-inch or 9-inch square baking pan. If you use a box of regular cake mix, use a greased 9 x 13-inch pan. Bake 5 minutes at 400 degrees F. And then turn down to 350 degrees F and bake until done. About 20 minutes. Test for doneness.

Eat with butter and honey and prepare to be in heaven with this cornbread. Easy and delicious!

Easy Italian Stew

It is getting cold and fall is here so soups and stews sound delicious. Sometimes I just want something easy not a lot of chopping and prep time and this recipe is just the answer. It has great flavor.

Browned and crumbled 2 Mild Italian Sausages (if you want it more meaty add more sausage but there is so many good things in this I didn't need more then 2 sausages)
1 can (14-15 oz)chicken broth
1 can (15 oz) white beans - drained and rinsed
1 can (14-15 oz)diced tomatoes with juice
1/2 package of stir fry peppers and onions
1/2 package of frozen green beans
basil to taste
1 cup cooked elbow noodles

I threw everything except the elbow noodles into the crock and cooked on low for 6 hours. The last 5 minutes I added the cooked elbow noodles and then served in bowls with some grated Parmesan cheese on top.

This could easily be done on the stovetop too but I love my crockpot.

Stromboli

Michael's family has what they call a Bake-off - it isn't a competition as the name sounds like but really just everyone brings something they made and everyone pigs out! His sister-in-law makes something that looks just like Stromboli but she calls it something different. Michael loves it though and asked me if I could try to make it sometime. I haven't been brave enough to ask for her recipe so just came up with something that seemed similar. I have tried a few times now and it tastes so good. It is a good alternative to pizza. This is good for dinner with a big salad. Or served as an appetizer for a party. I haven't tried it with homemade bread dough yet but hope to at some point. I just wanted to try to get the flavors down before I messed with getting a homemade dough to go with it.

1 loaf frozen bread dough - cut in half
2 to 3 Mild Italian Sausages (sausage removed from casing)
1/2 cup thinly sliced red bell peppers
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onions
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 cups mozzarella


In a large skillet, cook the sausage over medium-high heat until browned and cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain well on paper towels. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan. Add the onions, and red bell peppers and cook, stirring, until very soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and cool.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out half of the dough to a large rectangle, about 10 by 14 inches. Spread half of the cooled sausage mixture across the dough leaving a 1-inch border. Sprinkle with cheese. Using a pastry brush, paint the border of 1 long edge with egg wash. Starting at the opposite long end without egg wash, roll up the dough into a cylinder, pinching the edges to seal. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Do the same with the other half of the dough. Let the dough rise, 20 to 30 minutes. Brush the top of each Stromboli with egg wash. Bake until nearly completely golden brown and starting to crisp, about 20 minutes

Remove from the oven and let stand 10 minutes. Slice thickly and serve.

Chocolate Chip Scones

Does everyone have a well seasoned pan they can't part with but probably should? The one that these scones sits on in the 2nd photo -- is mine. It has traveled through all my moves and I just can't get rid of it because I like how things bake on it.

But on to the main thing of this post....the Scones....Oh MY....these are fantastic! I really like to make tasty breads and sweets using whole wheat flour. And at times it just doesn't seem to work out with the whole wheat flour but these really do hit so many levels of wonderfulness! And isn't the dough just so pretty?

* 1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
* 1 3/4 cup white all purpose flour
* 1/4 cup white sugar
* 1/4 cup light brown sugar
* 1 tsp. baking powder

* 1 tsp. baking soda
* 1/4 tsp. salt
* 2 Tbsp. ground yellow flaxseed meal
* 4 Tbsp. oats
* 6 Tbsp. butter
* 1 large egg
* 1 cup nonfat buttermilk
* 1 tsp vanilla extract
* 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips (such as Ghiradelli 60% cocoa or Nestle 63% dark chips)

(I have used flaxseed instead of oats so 6 tablespoons of flaxseed and tasted just as good and also when I was out of flaxseed I used oats in place of flaxseed and again just as delicious)

Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, salt, flaxseed meal and oats. Cut in butter using two knives or a pastry blender, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

In a small bowl, whisk egg, buttermilk and vanilla together. Pour into dry ingredients. Mix until dough is moist. Stir in chocolate chips. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, kneading two or three times. Divide dough in half.

Pat each half into a circle, about 6 inches across. Cut dough into 6 wedges. Transfer to the prepared cookie sheet. Bake at 375 on middle rack of oven for 20-22 minutes.

Makes 12 scones