I’ll be the first to admit that they don’t look like the prettiest thing, but boy were they tasty!
Preheat the oven on BROIL – HIGH.
I use about six scallops between the four of us and get the thick peppered bacon from the meat department. Cut the bacon pieces in half or have them wrap around twice, up to you depending how much bacon flavor you want. I suggest to start out just using half. Wrap the bacon around the outside of the scallop and put in a toothpick to hold it. Lightly sprinkle cayenne pepper on top.
Place the scallops under the broiler for two minutes, flip and cook for two more minutes. They should be golden brown on the outside and the bacon will be cooked.
This recipe can be used to make any type of cake or cupcake that you want, you don’t have to layer it.
Easy Yellow Cake Recipe
Prepare the cakes and put in two 8″ round pans. Remove from pan and let cool completely on racks.
Frosting:
2 c. flaked coconut
4 tbsp. butter
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 tsp. milk
3 1/2 c. sifted confectioners’ sugar
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in skillet. Add coconut; stir constantly over low heat until golden brown. Spread coconut on absorbent paper to cool. Cream 2 teaspoons butter with cream cheese. Add milk and sugar alternately, beating well. Add vanilla; stir in 1 3/4 cups of coconut. Spread on tops and sides of cake layers. Sprinkle with remaining coconut.
Viola!
Since everything has high fructose corn syrup in it we have been making more from scratch, including dinner rolls. I would be lying if I said I didn’t have help; thank you Mr. Bread Machine.
These are pretty quick rolls to make, the most time spent is waiting for it to rise fully. So it’s best to start them about 2.5 to 3 hours ahead of dinner time. Once these are ready to sit to rise, you can make your main course, you have about 40 minutes. Easy, tasty, and high fructose corn syrup-free!
3 c. bread flour
3 tbsp. white sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/4 c. dry milk powder
1 c. warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2 tbsp. butter, softened
1 1/4 tsp. (.25 packet) active dry yeast
1 egg white
2 tbsp. water
Add wet ingredients first then dry adding the yeast on top last. Put on dough cycle. Once done, lay on a floured area and cut into 12 equal pieces. Place the rounds into a round, lightly greased baking pan. Cover the rolls with a damp cloth, and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a small bowl, mix together the egg white and 2 tablespoons water; brush lightly onto the rolls. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown.
Remove from pan and let cool on rack for a few minutes. Enjoy!
I was baking cupcakes and trying to find a good chocolate frosting recipe that didn’t taste like pure sugar. After a few unsuccessful attempts and a new craving for coconut cake, I found what had been missing. Cream Cheese! The coconut cake frosting I made had a cream cheese base and it dawned on me that’s what I should use for most frostings. A few weeks passed and I tried it, chocolate frosting with a cream cheese base. It called for half the amount of powdered sugar which was a good sign in itself. After it was made I put it in the fridge to harden, well when I pulled it out I thought I had screwed up because it was too hard. I mixed it up and it was perfect, the cream base combined with the coldness make it so easy to spread. Anyways, here she is!
100 chocolate wafers, melted (8 ounces)
6 ounces of Philly’s cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp. milk
2 c. powdered confectioners sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Melt chocolate; cool slightly. Blend in cheese and milk. Add sugar gradually. Stir in vanilla. Frosts two 8″ layers.
My mom always made white cakes growing up and I never really liked them as much as yellow, no offense Liz. There is something about yellow cake with chocolate frosting that I just love. This is a good, basic yellow cake recipe great for layer cakes, sheet cakes and cupcakes.
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 stick (8 tbsp.) unsalted butter, softened
1 c. sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 c. 2% milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Sift together flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
Beat butter and sugar in mixer on medium-high until pale and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Beat in one egg at a time then add vanilla and blend until thoroughly mixed, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture and milk alternatively ending with the flour mixture. Mix until the batter is smooth but be careful to not over mix.
Spread batter evenly into pans or cupcake holders and bake for 20-25 minutes. Put a toothpick in the middle to test, if it comes out clean – the cakes are done.
Set the pans on a cooling rack for a few minutes then completely transfers the cakes over to the cooling racks and let stand until cool.
Spread one of the many frostings on it and you are good to go!
So it’s been quite some time since I’ve updated. In the past year we have been quite busy. I started coaching soccer for 7-10 year olds and the boys are becoming more involved in activities that we have to start planning meals out and even cooking them in advance. I’ve been using a lot of my favorite recipes as well as creating some new ones. Oddly I have been on a baking kick lately and have created some fabulous frostings!
I’ve also gotten some new gadgets for the kitchen I can’t wait to discuss. So let’s start, first up – a recipe and then the greatest knife ever.
On Sundays when there is usually someone around the house, I will take advantage of this by throwing something in the Croc Pot or cooker all day long.
I like to cook Pot Roast slowly all day long so it’s moist and falls apart. In a roaster I will put in some water with minced garlic, salt, and pepper and just let the meat slowly cook all day long.
Serve it up with some mashed potatoes, bean and veggies and your family will be happy and full!
For mashed potatoes, take the desired potatoes and peel them and cut into chunks. Place in boiling water and cook until they are very soft and almost fall apart when you put a fork through them. Once potatoes are done, drain and put back in pot. Mix milk and butter in then add garlic powder, salt and pepper. There you have it, easy mashed potatoes!
You can make gravy with the juice left over from the pot roast by mixing it with flour or corn starch. Make sure to mix it up well so there are no clumps.
While I make these mostly around the holidays, they are a perfect treat anytime.
1/2 c. margarine
1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs
1 can condensed sweetened milk (14 oz.)
1 1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips
1 c. butterscotch morsels
1 1/3 c. flaked coconut
1 c. chopped nuts
If you do not have graham cracker crumbs handy, just take about a package and half of graham crackers and place them in a Ziploc bag. Seal then go over with rolling pin until all lumps are out, should be fine.
Add margarine and graham cracker crumbs in bowl and mix together well. Spray a 13×9″ pan and take crumb mixture and press onto bottom of pan. Pour milk over that then top evenly with remaining ingredients. Use a fork and press down the top firmly.
Bake for 25-30 minute on 325* degrees.
*325 for glass pans, all others 350.
Simple, quicky, yummy!
1 1/2 c. sour cream
1 1/2 c. mayo
2 tbsp. parsley
2 tsp. dill seed
2 tbsp. diced onion
1 package of dried beef, cut into pieces
Bread for dipping – rye or breadbowl
Mix together well, refrigerate for one hour before serving.
You can hallow out a breadbowl and place the dip there and use the bread for dipping or cut up pieces of rye bread. Rye tastes quite good with this dip.
Mmmmm…. sauerkraut.
Rye bread
Corned beef, sliced thin
Swiss cheese
Thousand Island dressing
Sauerkraut
Butter
Heat up griddle, put temperature around 300 degrees.
Butter one side of bread and lay butter side down on the griddle, then place Swiss cheese. Next spread desired amount of Thousand Island dressing and add meat then sauerkraut. Add the other slice of bread closing the sandwich and butter the outer side. Then just let grill on each side until bread is toasted and cheese is melted.
Cut in half and serve with a pickle and chips, yummy!
2 chicken breasts
1 Roma tomato
3 cloves of garlic
1 1/2 c. white wine
1 1/2 c. heavy cream
1 tbsp. basil
Salt & Pepper
1 1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
Boil chicken breasts in separate pan until done, then cut into chunks. In saucepan, combine garlic, cream, wine and spices and cook over low to medium heat. Once it begins to bubble, reduce heat to low and simmer. Slowly add cheese and continuously stir, then add in diced tomato. Mix in chicken and let simmer for three to five minutes.
Toss over some angel hair pasta and that’s it!
Enchilada sauce
Taco meat
Jalapenos
1/2 brick pepper jack cheese
Mexican cheese – mixture of pepper jack, cheddar, colby
Tortillas
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Warm tortilla up and put in a couple spoonfuls of taco meat, then add two slices of cheese and desired amount of jalapenos. Fold up and place in greased glass baking pan.
Once you have all the enchiladas wrapped up and placed in the pan, pour the enchilada sauce over the top. Place the the rest of the pepper jack cheese on top of the enchiladas and add more jalapenos if you wish. Then sprinkle the Mexican cheese on top covering it up.
Cook about 20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.
This was our first attempt at making coconut shrimp at the house and I’m quite impressed how well they turned out. We made two different sauces for dipping and those were also first-timers and while I liked both, I was more partial to the plum sauce.
4 c Sweetened flaked coconut
1 c All purpose flour
3/4 c Beer
3/4 tsp Baking soda
Salt & Papper
1 tsp Cayenne pepper
1 Large egg
1 Bag of Large Shrimp
Spread the coconut out on a plate or a pie pan. Whisk all ingredients except coconut together. Dip shrimp into batter and then dredge in coconut, coating it completely. Press gently to adhere coconut to shrimp.
Heat oil in large pan on stove. Place eight shrimp at a time in the oil and turn after one minute, cook until golden brown (about one minute each side).
Pull out and place on towel to remove any excess grease. Serve with fresh fried rice and veggies. For a dipping sauce, use Sweet Death Plum Sauce or as on the plate, a Dijon Ginger Sauce.
When I use to think about cheesesteaks the two that came to mind where the ones you get in the mall, you know the staple mall food chain cheesesteak place that also has fresh cut french fries? Yeah, that place and then Steakums, which thinking back make me wonder what my palette was thinking when I ate those. MMM… school lunch. I found these thin steaks in the meat department and gave it a whirl. I recommend after making these a few times that you do in fact use the Thin Sliced Steaks.
Thin Sliced Steaks
Green Bell Pepper
Onion
Garlic
Mushrooms
Cheese (Provolone, Pepper Jack, and Mozzarella are good ones to use)
Salt & Pepper
Season the steak as you wish (lemon pepper, pepper, salt, red pepper, etc) and let soak in. These are great on the grill as well … cook them up in a pan, Foreman type grills work well.
In another pan (or on the grill place in tinfoil and add oil on top), add oil, onion, peppers, garlic, and mushrooms. Saute until tender. Once meat is done, slice into thin pieces, top with saute mixture and add cheese. Toss under the broil for a few minutes or until cheese is melted.
This meal is great served easy with baked beans, veggies, and homemade fries.
The chili tastes just as good not in a breadbowl, they are just more fun to eat. : )
1 lb. ground beef
1 large onion chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
Mixture of hot peppers, diced
1 16 oz. can kidney beans
1 29 oz. can whole tomatoes, chopped
4 oz. tomato sauce
1 c. water
1 tbsp. chili powder
Salt & Pepper
3/4 tsp. dried cumin
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
Tobasco sauce
Cook ground beef, onion, garlic and peppers in large pot. Once meat is cooked and crumbly, stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer uncovered for 45 minutes to one hour.
Take the breadbowl and cut the top off, which is great for dipping, add the chili, top with cheese and you are done! Mmmmmm……
It’s fall time when the selection of apples is plentiful and the weather begins to cool enough that homemade applesauce tastes just perfect.
Get a large selection of apples, they can vary in kind. I prefer Macintosh apples but they are only in season during the fall and hard to find out here in Arizona. I can every now and then and they aren’t cheap. So sometimes it’s good to get a mixture of many apples, saves in money and really adds a good taste.
I use my Apple Slicer to make things much easier.
And just push down and it will keep the core separate. Works wonders for $1.99.
Boil water in a large pot. Add as many apples as you wish, however I warn you that to make a decent amount you need about a dozen of apples. It’s worth to make extra as you just store it in the fridge. Is great to send with the kids to school for lunch.
Once they are soft, drain and place back in pot. Mix up well, I use my Braun Hand Blender and still leave some chunks in it. I add cinnamon across the top and mix that up well. Then you are ready to serve. Is delicious with a nice pork loin or shoulder.
I concocted this tonight from my own little brain, it tasted wonderful! We used it as a sauce for our Coconut Shrimp.
1/2 c Plum marmalade
1/2 kids cup of mandarin oranges (this is all I had for mandarin oranges)
1 large jalapeno
Horseradish
Salt & Pepper
Honey
Mix in blender and there you have it!
My friend Linda brought this bread to dinner a couple of weeks ago. It is a wonderful tasting bread.
adapted from Jim Lahey, Sullivan Street Bakery from the NYTimes 11/08/06
3 cups of flour, all purpose or bread
1/4 tsp. instant yeast
1 1/4 tsp. salt
Cornmeal and extra flour as needed
In a large bowl combine the first 3 ingredients. Add 1 5/8 cup of water and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, 18 is preferable. (should be about 70 degrees but it has been colder here and did fine)
Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface (may need more than light flour depending on how sticky the dough is). Place dough on this and flour the top and fold it over itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap for 15 minutes.
Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface and to your fingers, gently shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.
At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 6-8 quart heavy covered pot in oven as it heats. ( can be cast iron, ceramic, enamel, pyrex) Whendough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up. It will look like a mess but that’s okay. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed, it will straighten as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake for 30 minutes, remove lid to brown and continue to bakc another 15 to 30 minutes. Cool on a rack.
A couple of notes from me. I placed an extra towel on the granite counter top because it is so cold. I had to use a metal bowl because I made 1 1/2 batches. You need a big bowl and I will be buying a much larger glass or Pyrex bowl. The metal was fine but I prefer the glass.
I also used my Romertopf clay cooker. I soaked top and bottom at least 15 minutes and then placed it into the cold oven; then pre-heated the oven as noted above. Also, you will need to shape the loaf to fit the clay cooker. It is delicious in the clay cooker. I will be buying a cast iron dutch oven to try as well. I also decided to try adding some whole wheat flour. I only replaced 1 cup of flour to see how it tastes. It is heavier but still very tasty. I found I needed a little more flour when I removed it to the counter. It was very sticky and didn’t cooperated much. I found that it comes out great no matter how much of a mess it looks going in.
Kristin, I know my grandsons will love this bread. Enjoy.
I find that after coming home from a long day at work thinking of what to make for dinner isn’t always the easiest thing. Every week I go grocery shopping, normally on Sundays, and once I unpack the groceries I write out the menu for the week. This weeks menu:
Sunday – Spicy Grilled Chicken Salads
Monday – Enchiladas with fresh guacamole, Refried beans, and Corn
Tuesday – Coconut shrimp over brown fried rice with fresh broccoli
Wednesday – Cheesesteak sandwiches, french fries, and corn on the cob
Thursday – Beer chicken, mashed potatoes, veggies, and ranch beans
Friday – Homemade Pizza
Saturday – Lamb, pitas and hummus with Greek Salads
I have found that my boys really like having the menu done as well, they like to know what’s for dinner. Remember that dinner doesn’t have to be complex, all of my recipes are rather simple.
This is a quick way to make a nice piece of fish.
Salmon
Pesto sauce
Tomato
Onion
Salt & Pepper
Spread pesto sauce on salmon and add slices of tomato and onion. Sprinkle some salt and pepper and you are good to go!
You can either grill this or broil it, I normally grill it. Depending on the thickness of the fillet will dictate the cooking time. Wrap in tinfoil and cook until fork cuts through it easily and the fish is flaky.
