Zuppa Toscana

This is my version of the soup made famous by Olive Garden. It's very hearty and absolutely delicious.

Ingredients:
2 lbs ground Italian sausage (I used turkey sausage)
1 large onion, chopped
4-5 small to medium potatoes, diced (I used red potatoes)

1/2 small star pasta (optional)

5-6 cups water

2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1-2 tbs chicken bullion flakes (adjust to your taste)
garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste

2-3 cups kale leaves, torn into small pieces (no stems)

2 cups half and half or heavy cream

Instructions:
In a large stock pot or dutch oven, brown sausage on medium-high heat until no longer pink. Add onion, potato, star pasta and water. Stir well. Reduce heat to medium. Add red pepper flakes, chicken bullion, garlic, salt and pepper. Simmer on medium +/- 15 minutes. Turn heat down to medium-low. Stir in half and half and kale. Simmer another 10-15 minutes on medium-low heat. If soup is too thick, add water in 1-cup increments until desired consistency is reached. I like my soup fairly thick and chunky (I hate the word chunky!).

Delicious served with garlic toast!

Em's Chicken and Dumplings

Every time I make these, I make them a little bit different. I'm trying to come up with a standard recipe, though because I forget from time to time exactly what I did. The last time I made these which was for Dave's birthday this year, this is what I did to the best of my memory :).

Ingredients:
1 chicken (I bought one that was already cut into pieces by the meat department - 2 breasts, 2 legs, 2 thighs, 2 wings)
Salt, pepper, garlic
Enough water to cover by 2-3 inches (this will be your broth)

1 can cream of mushroom or cream of celery condensed soup
1 can cream of chicken with herbs condensed soup
1 onion, chopped
Chicken bullion flakes, to taste

Dumplings: (I double or triple this recipe)
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp white sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 TBS butter
1/2 cup milk
Optional: 1 TBS dried parsley flakes

Instructions:
In a large stock pot or dutch oven, boil chicken until done in water seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic. Take chicken out of broth and let cool enough to de-bone. Shred/chop chicken and add back to broth. Add chopped onion, cream soups, and chicken bullion to your taste. Season accordingly with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Let soup come up to a simmer.

Mix together dumpling dough. Pinch of bite size pieces and drop in simmering broth. Let cook 5-10 minutes without stirring. Before serving, lightly stir to incorporate dumplings. Stirring too much or too hard will cause dumplings to disintegrate and break up.

Last time I ended up adding more dumplings to the broth later because everybody loves the dumplings.

Buttery Bread Machine Yeast Rolls***

Oh my! These require some effort, but they are DIVINE! They are the perfect roll for any special holiday meal.

Ingredients:
1 cup warm milk, 70-80 degrees F (I use reconstituted powdered milk)
1/2 cup butter, very soft
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 tsp salt
4 cups bread flour
2 1/4 tsp yeast

Instructions:
Put all ingredients in the pan of your bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Choose dough setting. Once dough is finished kneading, turn out onto lightly floured surface. Divide into 24-28 equal sized portions. Roll into balls. Place balls in a lightly greased 9X13 baking pan. Cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place 1 1/2 - 2 hours for maximum size and fluffiness. Bake at 350 for 13-16 minutes or until light golden brown on top. Brush with softened butter after they come out of the oven for extra yumminess.

***I'm sure you could also make these without the bread machine. I haven't tried them this way, but this is what I would do if making them the "normal" way. Convert the bread machine yeast into the equivalent amount of regular yeast, letting it bloom in the warm milk for 3-5 minutes and then use a mixer with a dough hook to mix/knead. Let the dough knead for 7-10 minutes in the mixer or knead by hand for the same amount of time.

Easy Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie

We love cheesecake around here. And this time of year pumpkin cheesecake is always appropriate at a gathering. This recipe is a little bit easier than the full-size recipe that calls for a springform pan and water bath.

Regarding the crust:
I started out intending to use the prepared graham cracker crust just as is, but when I opened it, it was all broken from being dropped at the store. No problem. All I did was dump the pieces into a bowl, crush back into fine crumbs and add a few tablespoons of melted butter and a few tablespoons of brown sugar. Then I stirred well, poured the mix back into the pan and remolded into a crust. The result was crunchier and more delicious than even a homemade crust.

Ingredients:
2 8-oz packages cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon *
1/4 tsp ground ginger *
1/4 tsp ground cloves *
2 eggs
1 15-oz can pumpkin
1 large ready graham cracker pie crust (not the standard size which is too small)

* If you prefer to use pumpkin pie spice, substitute 2 tsp for the cinnamon, ginger and cloves.

Instructions:
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add sugar and spices and beat until well combined. Add eggs one at a time, mixing until just combined after each addition. Fold/stir in pumpkin. Pour mixture into crust (see description at top of post). Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool for 1 hour. Refrigerate for several hours before serving. Garnish as desired. Keep stored in refrigerator.

Easy Salsa

I was looking back through the posts and realized that I haven't posted my super easy and delicious salsa recipe. I came up with this recipe years ago after eating more than my share of chips and salsa at local Mexican restaurants. I wanted something very similar to what they serve in the little plastic jars minus the cilantro, which I don't like. Of course, you can add cilantro if you so desire.

Ingredients:
1 28-oz can diced or petite diced tomatoes
1 10.5-oz can diced tomatoes with chilis
1/4-1/2 of a medium onion, chopped roughly
1 TBS minced garlic or more to taste (I used the kind in the jar)
Salt to taste

Instructions:
Put all ingredients except salt in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Pulse several times until onion is finely diced. Pour salsa into a large glass or plastic bowl. Add salt as desired and stir well. Try not to eat it all.

Easy Coconut Macaroons

Oh, my! These are very reminiscent of a popular chocolate-covered coconut candy bar you might be familiar with. Yummy! Try not to eat them all at one time.

Ingredients:
2 cups sweetened, flaked coconut
3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk (I used fat-free)
1 egg white
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Instructions:
Stir all 4 ingredients together until well-combined. Drop by rounded teaspoons-full onto a greased cookie sheet. They don't spread so you can put them close together. Bake at 350 degrees for 11-12 minutes.

Chicken Tetrazzini

I made this one this weekend. It was a huge hit. Very, very yummy.

Ingredients:
2 to 3 cups cooked chicken
7-8 oz dried angel hair pasta
1 TBS olive oil
1 medium bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 to 1 1/2 cups grated carrot, zucchini, squash or any combination of these
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 1/2 cups half & half or cream (can use fat-free half & half)
1 cup sour cream (can use fat-free, reduced fat, or even Greek yogurt)
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
salt, pepper, basil, oregano, and garlic powder to taste

Instructions:
Cook pasta according to package directions; Drain & set aside. In a large stock pot or very large skillet, saute peppers, onions, grated veggies and mushrooms in olive oil until almost tender. Stir in cooked chicken, cream of mushroom soup, half & half, sour cream and seasonings. Adjust seasonings to your taste. Stir in 1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese. Add cooked pasta and stir well. Pour into a lightly greased casserole dish (9X13 should work). Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese over top of casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

Notes:
I also think chopped broccoli would be a great addition. Maybe peas, too.
You can make this vegetarian by substituting more veggies in place of the chicken.

Corn-Jalapeno Pudding

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups milk *
3 eggs
3 TBS butter, melted
3 TBS baking mix (I used Hodgsen Mill) *
1 tsp salt (or more to taste)

1 TBS sugar

1/2 tsp garlic powder, optional

1/2 black pepper, optional

1 1/2 cups cheese

16 oz frozen corn, thawed (I used frozen, but use whatever you like - canned, fresh, frozen)

1/2 cup chopped jalapenos (I used the jarred ones) *

Instructions:
Whisk together milk, eggs, flour, butter and seasonings until well incorporated. Add corn, cheese and jalapenos last and stir well. Bake at 375 degrees in a greased casserole dish (9X13) for 50-60 minutes or until set in the middle*.

* A few notes:
Milk: I almost always use re-constituted powdered milk in recipes and it works beautifully and tastes just the same as using regular milk. It's much more cost-effective.

Baking mix: If you don't have any baking mix in the house, you can substitute 3 TBS all purpose flour and 1 tsp baking powder.

Jalapenos: This isn't overly spicy, but if you want a milder casserole, you can substitute a small can of diced green chilis.

Baking: You can also make this in the crock pot. Cook on low for 3-4 hours or until set in the center. I haven't done it this way so cooking time may need to be adjusted.

Hummus

Let me start by saying that I've read a lot of recipes for hummus, authentic and Americanized. What I've found is that people who are from the Middle East and Mediterranean have distinct opinions about hummus as far as ingredients and the quality of those ingredients. True hummus, many believe, should not have additions such as roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, black olives, etc. And if it does have such additions, it should not be called hummus. These same people also believe that you should add only tahini to your hummus, not tahini and olive oil. Olive oil, they say, is only for pouring on top of your prepared hummus.

I've also read that in order to get the smoothest hummus you have to make sure the outer jacket or skin is removed from each chickpea. Just out of curiosity I did try removing all the skins from the chickpeas. It was very time consuming but did result in very smooth hummus. I don't really mind what you add to your hummus as long as it tastes good. But then again, I'm not from the Middle East.

For my personal preferences, I have found that I like the simpler recipes best as far as additions go. I prefer powdered or granulated garlic because fresh garlic is too strong. I also like the texture, flavor and seasoning that chicken broth adds so I use that instead of the chickpea juice for thinning. And I don't like squeezing fresh lemons because it takes so much time and results in so little product. For that reason I use bottled lemon juice. All that said, here's my hummus recipe. Keep in mind it is a little different than what many would call authentic. But it tastes great to me!

Ingredients:
2 16-0z cans chickpeas, drained
1/4 cup lemon juice (fresh or bottled)
1/3 - 1/2 cup tahini
2 TBS olive oil
1/3 - 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
garlic powder or granulated garlic to taste
salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon cumin

Instructions:
Pour all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor (you can use a blender if you don't have a food processor, but it may be a little more difficult to get smooth). Blend until very smooth, 1-2 full minutes. Add extra chicken broth as needed to reach desired consistency. Stop blending and give it a taste. Make adjustments if needed. Blend a little longer to incorporate additions. Scrape into a bowl making sure not to waste a single drop. Enjoy with pita bread, pita chips, or fresh veggies such as carrots, celery, cucumbers, grape tomatoes, and bell peppers. Or just eat it with a spoon as I often do.

Biscuit Cups

I have tried this recipe a couple of times using different ideas and they've come out great each time.

Pizza Cups

Ingredients:

2 (6-count) containers small refrigerated biscuits

1 cup cooked turkey sausage (or chopped pepperoni)

1 cup pizza or pasta sauce

1 cup cheese

Instructions:

Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray. Press one biscuit into the bottom and up the sides of each cup of the muffin tin. Spoon approximately 1 TBS each of turkey and pizza sauce into each cup. Top with 1 TBS cheese.

Bake at 375 degrees F for approximately 14 minutes.

To make Chili Cups

Ingredients:

12 biscuits (same as above)

1 1/2 - 2 cups chili

1 cup cheese

Instructions:

Follow the above instructions except spoon chili and cheese into each muffin cup.

Chicken & Wild Rice Casserole, modified

This recipe was adapted from several chicken & rice casserole recipes (one of those is already on this blog) that I have in my collection. Some of the other recipes use mayonnaise and/or sour cream in addition to the cream soups. Next time I make it I plan to experiment a little by substituting or adding other veggies besides the green beans such as green peas, mushrooms, green pepper, or celery.
I also think french fried onions or crushed butter crackers would be great toppers in addition to the cheese if you want to dress it up some more. I made this just as listed below and cooked it in the crock pot on low for about 3 hours and it turned out great and was delicious.

Ingredients:
3-4 cups cooked chicken, chopped
2 boxes fast-cook long grain & wild rice (I used Uncle Ben's)
2 cans Cream of soups (I used Cream of Chicken & Herb & Cream of Mushroom)
2 cups shredded cheese such as Cheddar, Monterray Jack, or Colby, separated
1 12-oz. bag frozen cut green beans, cooked
1 medium to large onion, chopped
1 can chopped water chestnuts, optional
salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:
Cook rice according to package directions; set aside. In large mixing bowl mix 1 1/2 cups cheese with all other ingredients. Stir very well. Spoon mixture into greased 9x13 baking dish. Top with remaining cheese. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes until hot all the way through.

Corn Dog Handwiches/Muffins

DH fell in love with this Cuisinart Sandwich Grill one day when were in Belk. So of course we got it. Turns out it's more versatile than originally anticipated. I found some recipe ideas for making corn dog muffins and corn dogs in the sandwich grill and have been dying to try them out. So today I did.

Ingredients:
1 package buttermilk corn bread mix (the only-add-water kind), prepared
according to package directions
1/2 cup shredded cheese, or more if desired
3 of your favorite hot dogs, sliced thinly (We like Ball Park Smoked White Turkey Franks)
ketchup and mustard for dipping

Instructions:
I mixed all ingredients together. Then I filled the wells of the sandwich grill evenly and closed the lid. About 5 minutes later we had perfectly cooked corn dog handwiches. Yum!

Don't worry, though. You can make these as corn dog muffins in a muffin tin if you don't have a sandwich grill like me. In fact, I often just use the muffin tin (results shown above) myself so I can cook all the batter at one time.

Crock Pot Beef & Broccoli

I got the idea for the recipe here. I basically doubled the original recipe.

Ingredients:
2 - 2 1/2 lb thinly sliced beef (I used sirloin)
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 TBS white wine
4 TBS apple cider vinegar
2 TBS brown sugar
3 tsp sesame oil
2-3 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 bag thawed broccoli florets or broccoli cuts (to add later)

Instructions:
Add all the liquid ingredients to the crock pot. Add your garlic and red pepper. Add your sliced meat, tossing to coat thoroughly. Cook on high for 2 - 3 hours or low for 4- 5 hours. This didn't take as long as I thought it would.
An hour before serving, add your broccoli, stirring to coat with sauce. Cook on high for another hour.
I served DH's with steamed brown rice. I ate mine without any rice.

I also plan to try this with chicken because it was delicious. I was surprised how tender the beef was due to the vinegar.

Honey Oat Bread

DH gave me a bread machine for my 30th birthday. Because I tend to want to eat the entire loaf, I don't use the machine very often. But last weekend I decided I wanted Dave to have some fresh bread to make peanut butter and honey sandwiches with. We didn't get as far as the peanut butter. We used the bread more like pancakes, spread with real butter and honey and stacked several pieces high.

Ingredients:
1 cup warm water
2 1/2 cups bread flour *
1/4 cup powdered milk
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp bread machine yeast
1/2 cup rolled or quick cook oats
1 TBS vegetable oil

Instructions:
Add all ingredients to bread machine pan in the order suggested by your manufacturer's guide. Select a basic cycle for medium/large loaf with a light crust. Then wait about 4 hours. Your house will smell amazing. Try not to engulf the entire loaf straight out of the bread machine. This part will be especially difficult.
* I substituted 1 cup of spelt flour for 1 cup of bread flour. Because of this I also added a tablespoon of vital gluten to make sure the bread rose. I imagine 1 cup of whole wheat would also work well.

Watergate Salad

Another one of DH's favorites.

Ingredients:
1 (16 oz) carton frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 (3.4 oz) carton instant pistachio pudding mix
3 cups miniature marshmallows
1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple, undrained

Instructions:
In a large bowl, combine whipped topping and pudding mix. Fold in pineapple and marshmallows. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Texas Caviar

I've read many, many recipes for this dish and here's what I decided to put in my version:

Ingredients:
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained & rinsed
1 (15 oz) can black eyed peas, drained & rinsed
1 (15 oz) can petite diced tomatoes, drained
1 (15 oz) can Mexican corn, drained
1 medium bell pepper, diced (I used green for the color)
1/2 medium red onion, diced
1/4 cup pickled jalapenos, diced
salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste
hot sauce to taste
1 cup Italian dressing

Instructions:
Mix together in a medium/large glass or plastic bowl. Cover and chill in refrigerator at least 2 hours. Serve as a dip with corn chip scoops or serve as a side salad.

Banana Split Salad

Ingredients:
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12 oz) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 (21 oz) can cherry pie filling
3 medium bananas, sliced
1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1/2 cup shredded sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup sliced fresh strawberries

Instructions:
In a large bowl, combine milk and whipped topping until well-blended. Fold in remaing ingredients. Chill until ready to serve.

Mexican Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:
6 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/4 - 1/3 cup olive or vegetable oil
2 tsp salt
1/4-1/2 packet of taco seasoning mix

Instructions:
In a large bowl, pour oil onto potatoes and toss to coat. Add salt and taco seasoning and toss again. Place sweet potatoes in roasting pan. Bake at 425 degrees F for 40-50 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Onion Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:
2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled & diced
2 packages dry onion soup mix
1/3 cup olive or vegetable oil

Instructions:
In a large bowl, pour oil over potatoes and mix until well-coated. Pour in onion soup mix and toss until soup mix in distributed evenly over potatoes. Bake in a roasting pan at 425 degrees F for 40-50 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

If you prefer, substitute red-skinned potatoes here.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Ingredients:
1 TBS butter
1 TBS olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 shallot, finely chopped (or 1 small onion)
1 TBS tomato paste
1 (15 oz) jar roasted red bell peppers, rinsed & drained
4 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
1/4 cup half-and-half
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
Melt butter with oil in 2 quart stock pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic and shallots and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add tomato paste and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in bell peppers and chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool 10 minutes. Process red pepper mix in batches in food processor or blender until smooth (or use a hand blender if you have one). Return soup to stock pot. Stir in half-and-half and cook on medium heat another 5 minutes or until heated through. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish suggestions: croutons, shaved or shredded Parmesan cheese, parsley.

Tortellini Salad

Ingredients:
2 (9 oz) packages refrigerated cheese tortellini
1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts, drained
1 cup Caesar salad dressing or Creamy Italian dressing
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
3-4 oz turkey pepperoni, cut into quarters
2 (2 1/4 oz) cans sliced black olives, drained
4 green onions, chopped

Instructions:
Cook cheese tortellini according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water to keep from sticking together.
Toss tortellini with remaining ingredients.

Chicken-and-Wild Rice Casserole

This is a great pot-luck dish. It also freezes great for up to 1 month.

Ingredients:
2 (6.2 oz) packages fast-cooking long-grain and wild rice mix
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 medium or 1 large onion, chopped
4 celery ribs, chopped
2 (8 oz) cans chopped water chestnuts, drained
5 cups cooked chicken, chopped
4 cups (1 lb) shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
2 (10 3/4 oz) cans cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
2 cups (1 pint) sour cream
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Instructions:
Prepare rice according to package directions; set aside. Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, celery and water chestnuts. Saute 10 minutes or until celery & onions are tender.
In a large mixing bowl combine cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, milk, salt and pepper together. Stir in chicken, veggie mixture and 3 cups shredded cheese. Spoon into a 10x15 baking dish or a 4-quart casserole dish. Bake casserole at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup cheese and bake 5-10 more minutes.

To cook from frozen: Let casserole stand at room temp for 1 hour. Then bake, covered, at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 55 more minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and bake 5-10 more minutes.

Baked Chicken & Cheese Enchiladas

I have made this several times and we have gobbled it up! Using rotisserie chicken saves time and effort.

Ingredients:
1 (8 oz) block cream cheese
2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles
1/4 to 1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3 cups (12 oz) shredded cheese, divided (Monterey Jack, Colby-Jack, Cheddar, etc.)
10 (6 in) corn tortillas
1 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 (15 oz) can hunts tomato sauce
1/2 cup whipping cream

Instructions:
Stir together first 6 ingredients and 1 cup cheese in large bowl until mixed thoroughly. Heat tortillas in microwave according to package directions. Spoon about 1/3 cup chicken mixture down center of each warm tortilla and roll up. Place in lightly greased 9x13 baking dish. Cook diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and cream in 1 1/2 to 2 quart saucepan over med-high heat until thoroughly heated. Pour tomato mixture evenly over tortillas, spreading to cover ends of tortillas. Sprinkle dish with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes or until cheese melts and tomato mix bubbles. Garnishes: sour cream, shredded lettuce, sliced/chopped olives, sliced/chopped jalapenos, etc.

Chicken Pot Pie

Using rotisserie chicken saves time and effort and tastes great because it's already seasoned. My mother-in-law shared this one with me.

Ingredients:
1 (15 oz can) Veg All, drained
2 cans (10 3/4 oz each) cream of potato soup
1/4 milk, half & half or cream
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
1/4-1/2 tsp ground thyme
1/4-1/2 tsp black pepper
2 (9 in) frozen ready-to-bake pie crusts or 1 package refrigerated pie crusts

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In medium bowl, combine first six ingredients and mix well. Fit pie crust into 9" pie pan. Pour veggie mixture into pie crust. Top with remaining pie crust, crimping edges to seal. Slit top with knife or pierce several times with a fork. Bake 50-60 minutes on lower oven rack or until crust is golden brown. Allow pie to cool for about 10 minutes before cutting. 8 servings.

French Onion Biscuits

Ingredients:
1 (8 oz) carton French onion dip
1/4 cup milk
2 cups all-purpose baking mix (such as Bisquick)
1-2 TBS butter, melted

Instructions:
Whisk together dip and milk until smooth. Stir in baking mix until well blended. Divide dough into 12 equal portions and arrange on a lightly greased baking sheet. Brush tops of dough with melted butter. Bake at 450 degrees F for 7-8 minutes or until lightly golden. Let biscuits stand for a few minutes before serving.

To make Ranch Biscuits, substitute 1 (8 oz) carton Ranch dip for French onion dip.

Baked Vidalia Onion Dip

Ingredients:
2 large Vidalia onions, chopped
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
2 cups mayonnaise
1 (8 oz) can chopped water chestnuts, optional
1/4 cup dry white wine, optional

Instructions:
Stir together all ingredients, blending well. Spoon mixture into lightly greased 9x13 or 2 quart baking dish. Bake at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes. Let stand about 1o minutes before serving. Serve with tortilla chips or your favorite crackers.

Coconut Cream Cake

This is another one my mother-in-law shared with me. Again, this is one of my husband's favorite desserts. It's very rich and creamy.

Ingredients:
1 box of butter recipe yellow cake mix
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 can cream of coconut
12 oz container whipped topping (such as Cool Whip)
6-7 oz sweetened grated coconut (such as Bakers)

Instructions:
Bake cake mix according to directions in a 9x13 pan. While cake is baking, mix sweetened condensed milk and cream of coconut and heat until very warm.
As soon as cake comes out of oven, poke holes all over the top with a fork. Pour milk/cream of coconut mix evenly over hot cake. Let cake totally cool. Spread large container of whipped topping over top of cake. Cover whipped topping with grated coconut. Cover tightly with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve. Keep unused cake stored in refrigerator.

Graham Cracker Cookies

My mother-in-law shared this recipe with me. It's one of my husband's favorite treats!

Ingredients:
2 sticks salted sweet cream butter
1/2 cup white sugar
24 graham cracker squares
3/4 - 1 cup pecan pieces

Instructions:
Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Layer graham cracker squares snugly on cookie sheet. In a medium saucepan, slowly bring butter and sugar to a boil. Boil for about 1 1/2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add pecan pieces to butter mix. Pour butter mix evenly over graham crackers, spreading as necessary with rubber spatula. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 8 minutes. Let cool completely then use a butter knife to separate into individual cookies. Store in an air-tight container. Don't refrigerate as they will get soggy.

My Famous Cream Cheese Pound Cake

This is the cake recipe that I have used for all my birthday and wedding cakes, including my own. It is moist, rich and absolutely delicious!

Ingredients:
3 sticks salted sweet cream butter, at room temperature
3 cups sugar
8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
6 large eggs, at room temperature
3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1-2 tsp of your favorite flavor extract (vanilla, almond, rum, lemon, coconut, etc.)

Instructions:
Cream together cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add sugar and cream until almost white in color and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing until just combined. Stop frequently to scrape down sides of your mixing bowl. Sift flour in a medium bowl. Add flour gradually to batter until just combined. After all flour is incorporated, fold in extract by hand.

Pour into floured and greased bundt pan. Bake at 325 degrees F for about 1 hour 15 minutes or until pick inserted in center comes out clean. One recipe also makes approx. 2 loaf cakes, 1 sheet cake (9x13), round layer cakes (3 8-inch or 2 9-inch) and cupcakes (not sure exactly how many, but at least 24). Just adjust baking time according to the type of pan you are using.
Also, you should know that this cake forms a very crusty top and doesn't always look beautiful as a loaf cake uniced, but it always tastes fabulous.

Hash Brown Casserole

Ingredients:
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (2 lb) package refrigerated shredded hash brown potatoes or frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
1 pint sour cream
2 (10.75 oz) cans condensed cream of celery soup (or cream of mushroom)
1 - 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
1 TBS hot pepper sauce, more if you like
3/4 cup french fried onions or crushed buttery crackers, optional

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease one 9x13 inch baking dish.
Over medium heat, cook the onion until soft.
In a large bowl, combine the onion, potatoes, sour cream, soup, cheese, pepper and hot sauce. Mix well and pour into baking dish. Bake 50 minutes.
Sprinkle french fried onions over casserole if desired or top with shredded cheese and and bake for 20-30 more minutes.

Garden Pea Salad

Ingredients:
1 (15 oz) can very young early peas (I use Lesueur)
1/4 cup chopped onions
2 boiled eggs, crumbled S
salt and pepper to taste
2 to 3 TBS mayonnaise
Chopped pimento, optional

Instructions:
Drain peas very well. Place drained peas in a medium bowl. Add the onions, crumbled eggs, and mayonnaise, tossing to combine and coat peas. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add pimento for color if you desire. This recipe is easily doubled or tripled.

New York Cheesecake

Ingredients:
15 graham crackers, crushed
2 tablespoons butter, melted

4 (8 oz) packages cream cheese
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup milk
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 TBS vanilla extract
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan.
In a medium bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter. Press onto bottom of springform pan.
In a large bowl, blend cream cheese with sugar until smooth. Blend in milk, and then mix in the eggs one at a time, mixing just enough to incorporate. Mix or fold in sour cream, vanilla and flour until smooth. Pour filling into prepared crust. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Turn the oven off, and let cake cool in oven with the door closed for 5 to 6 hours to prevent cracking. Chill in refrigerator until serving.

Guilt-Free Chocolate Cheesecake

Ingredients:
8 oz fat-free cream cheese
16 oz light cream cheese
8 oz fat-free or low-fat sour cream
3 large eggs
8 oz Splenda (1 1/2 cups)
6 oz semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted and cooled

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
Beat the cream cheeses and Splenda until light and fluffy.
Add cooled chocolate. Add 1 egg at a time, beating until just combined. Fold in sour cream. Spray spring form pan with cooking spray like Pam. Pour mixture into pan. Bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes then reduce heat to 200 degrees F and bake an additional 40 minutes. Cool completely before refrigerating.

Best Brownies

Ingredients:
1 pound butter, room temperature
1 pound plus 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, divided
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
7 large eggs
3 TBS instant coffee powder
2 TBS vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/8 cups flour, divided- 1 cup for batter and 1/8 cup in the chips and nuts
1 TBS baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 to 3 cups walnuts, chopped - optional

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 11 x 15 baking pan. Melt together the butter, 1 pound chocolate chips and unsweetened chocolate on top of a double boiler or in microwave. If using microwave, melt chocolate first, then stir in butter until melted together. Cool slightly. Stir together eggs, instant coffee, vanilla and sugar. Stir in the warm chocolate mixture and cool to room temperature.
Stir together 1 cup of the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the walnuts and chocolate chips with 1/4 cup flour to coat. Then add to the chocolate batter. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake for about 30 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Do not overbake. Cool thoroughly. Cut in squares of desired size. This makes a very large pan of brownies.

Perfect Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
1 (14 ounce) can Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Whisk pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, spices and salt in medium bowl until smooth. Pour into crust. Bake 15 minutes.
Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking 35 to 40 minutes or until knife inserted 1 inch from crust comes out clean. Cool completely. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator. Serve with whipped cream or Cool Whip if desired.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Ingredients:
3 cups chopped chicken (use whatever kind you like - roasted, poached, canned - if you use canned, drain it)
2 eight ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup Ranch or Bleu Cheese dressing
3/4 cup Frank's Hot Sauce
2 cups shredded cheese (cheddar, Monterey Jack, etc.), divided

Instructions:
Mix chicken, cream cheese, dressing, hot sauce and 1 1/2 cups cheese together until smooth. Spread in greased 9x13 baking dish and bake at 350 degrees F for about 25 minutes or until heated all the way through.

You can also put dip in 3- to 4-quart crock pot and heat on low for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Serve with celery sticks or corn chips. Fritos scoops work great.

Healthy Banana Bread

Ingredients:
2 cups flour (I use 1/2 whole wheat, 1/2 spelt)
2-3 TBS wheat germ
2 TBS ground flax seed, optional
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp salt
3/4 - 1 cup Splenda or Splenda Brown Sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup low-fat or non-fat vanilla or banana yogurt
1/8 cup canola oil
1- 1 1/2 cups ripe bananas, mashed (about 5)
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup walnuts, chopped, optional

Instructions:
Stir all dry ingredients together in large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, mix yogurt, oil, bananas, and eggs. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until blended. Don't overmix.
Pour into 2 greased loaf pans or bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 45 minutes until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
To make muffins, decrease baking time to approx. 18-20 minutes.

Homemade Pizza Dough

Servings: Makes 1-1/2 pounds dough (two 14-inch crusts)

Ingredients:
1 package (2-1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm (105?F) water
1 teaspoon sugar
4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 cup cold water
flour for dusting

Instructions:
In a 2-cup liquid measure, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let stand until foamy, about 3 - 5 minutes.
Pour flour into mixer with dough hook attachment or a food processor with blade and add salt and olive oil.
Add cold water to yeast mixture. With machine/mixer running, pour in liquid as fast as flour absorbs it.
Process until dough cleans sides of work bowl and forms a ball.
Then process for 45 seconds to knead dough. Dough may be slightly sticky. Dust dough lightly with flour; divide in half to make 2 large pizzas. Store unused portion in a plastic food storage bag, with all air squeezed out, in refrigerator (up to a week) or freezer (up to 3 months).
Place the other half of dough in a heat-proof glass bowl, covering the surface of the dough with plastic wrap. Allow dough to rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes.
Place dough on a lightly floured surface and punch down, let rest 5 - 10 minutes.
Roll into desired crust sizes (1 large or several smaller). Pre-bake the crust for 10-12 minutes at 415 degrees on a pizza stone or pizza pan. Then add your favorite toppings and bake at 415 degrees for another 5 to 15 minutes depending on the type and amount of your toppings.

Note: When ready to use frozen dough, remove in the morning, unwrap, rub with olive oil and place in a glass bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and allow the dough to thaw and rise during the day. It will be ready punch down and roll out in about 8 hours.

You can also change the flour to half whole wheat, half unbleached all-purpose or half whole wheat and half spelt with great results. I also usually some seasonings to the flour such as garlic powder and either Italian seasoning or basil.

Always use cooked meats and try to stick to no more than 5 toppings for best results.

Heavenly Carrot Cake

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
3 cups grated/shredded carrots
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add eggs and vegetable oil and mix well; add carrots and pecans. Pour into three 8-inch or 9-inch round well-greased, floured pans. Bake for approximately 30 - 35 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes. Remove from pans, place on cooling rack sprayed with non-stick spray and allow to cool completely before icing.

Icing:
8 oz. package cream cheese
1 stick of butter, softened
1 box (16 oz.) powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Combine all ingredients except nuts and beat until fluffy. Stir in nuts. Frost cakes.

Quick note: Do not skimp on greasing and flouring the pans because these cakes WILL stick!
If you like carrot cake, you will be in heaven when you try this cake!

Almost Guilt-Free Carrot Cake

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup Splenda for baking
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
4 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
3 cups shredded/grated carrots
1 to 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans (optional)

Instructions:
Mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Add oil and applesauce and mix well. Add beaten eggs and mix well. Add carrots and pecans and mix well. Pour into well-greased & floured pans. Bake at 325 degrees (the regular version bakes at 350) for about 18 to 45 minutes depending on what type of pan you use (2 loaf pans, 9x13 sheet pan, 3 8-inch round pans, 2 9-inch round pans, cupcake pans).

Chicken Cannelloni with Tomato Alfredo Sauce

I use rotisserie chicken to save time and effort when making this recipe.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 packages (each package is 8 oz.) canneloni or manicotti shells
4-5 cups finely chopped cooked chicken
2 (8 oz) containers chive-and-onion cream cheese
1 (10 oz) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well-drained
1 cup shredded mozzarella or Italian-blend cheese
1/2 cup Italian-seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt

Instructions:
Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Stir together chicken and next 6 ingredients. Cut pasta shells open lengthwise. Spoon about 1/2 cup chicken mixture into each shell, gently pressing cut sides together. Place shells cut side down into 2 lightly greased 9X13 baking dishes. Pour sauce evenly over shells. Bake, covered, at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Tomato Alfredo Sauce:
1 (6 oz) can basil-garlic-oregano tomato paste*
1 (8 oz) can basil-garlic-oregano tomato sauce*
1 (16 oz) jar creamy Alfredo sauce (I used Classico Garlic Alfredo)
1 (3 oz) package shredded Parmesan cheese
(To make sauce go a little further you can add 1/2 - 1 cup of half-and-half, fat-free half-and-half, or heavy cream).

Process all ingredients in a blender until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides.You can also use your favorite jarred marinara or spaghetti sauce or substitute 2 (7 oz) drained jars of roasted red bell peppers in place of the tomato sauce and paste to make Roasted Red Bell Pepper Alfredo sauce.

*I used Hunts tomato paste and tomato sauce

A little time-consuming, but amazingly delicious!!!

Grits Pie

Recipe courtesy of Paula Deen

Ingredients:
3/4 cup water
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup quick-cooking grits
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
3/4 cups sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 large eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (9-inch) frozen pie shell, thawed

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
In a small saucepan, bring the water and salt to a boil. Add the grits and cook for 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the butter and cook for 1 additional minute. Set aside and cool slightly.
In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. Slowly stir into the cooled grits. Pour into the pie shell and bakefor 35 to 40 minutes, or until set. Serve warm or cold with whipped cream and strawberries as a garnish, if desired.

Easy Black Bean Soup

This is a super easy and fast recipe. And it is delicious!

Ingredients:
3 cans Ranch Style black beans, undrained
2 14-oz cans diced tomatoes, with juice (you can also use diced tomatoes with chilies)
1 large onion, chopped
1 large bell pepper, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
2-3 cups chicken broth
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 - 1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 - 1 tsp onion powder
1/2 - 1 tsp garlic powder
1 - 2 tsp hot sauce
salt to taste

Instructions:
Put all ingredients in crock pot and cook 4 to 6 hours on high or 8 hours on low.

15 Bean Soup in the Crock Pot

Ingredients:
1 large bag 15 bean soup mix
water to cover beans
ham for seasoning (obviously you could use whatever you like to season)
5 carrots, sliced
4 stalks celery, sliced
2 onions, chopped
28 oz can diced tomatoes
salt to taste
1 bunch kale, torn or rough chopped
1 package turkey kielbasa, sliced
Cajun seasoning packet

Instructions:
Soak your beans 8 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse. Place beans in crock pot with enough water to cover by about 2 inches. Add seasoning meat or bullion. Cook on high for about 5 hours. Add carrots, celery, onions, tomatoes, kale and more water if needed. Cook on high about 2 more hours. Add sausage, and Cajun seasoning packet and cook 1 more hour.

This make an enormous amount of soup due to the large bag of beans. Make sure you are using a larger size crock pot. This soup turned out to be one of DH's favorites. It reminded him of something his Granny used to make. But be warned. Fifteen different kinds of beans fighting to make their way through the gastrointestinal system of an adult male creates a potentially lethal olfactory situation. Enough said.

Beer Rolls

If you want a delicious and easy dinner roll, here it is. My parents made these when I was growing up and I love them just as much now as I did then!

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose baking mix (such as Bisquick)
3 TBSP sugar
1 12-oz can beer at room temp

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix ingredients together and let batter rest for 20 minutes. Spoon batter into lightly greased (Pam) muffin tins and bake for 18-20 minutes. Enjoy!

Caramel Crunch Dip with Apple Slices

Ingredients:
5-6 tart green apples (such as Granny Smith), cored, sliced, and drizzled with orange juice
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4-1/3 cup brown sugar
1 container caramel apple dip (from the produce section, such as T. Marzetti's), heated slightly to spread
1/2 to 3/4 of a bag of English toffee chips
1/2 of a bag of mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions:
Mix cream cheese and brown sugar together. Spread your sweetened cream cheese onto a platter leaving about 2-3 inches on the border. Layer the caramel dip, toffe chips and chocolate chips in that order on top of the cream cheese. Line the apple slices around the border.
Use the apple slices to scoop the dip.

Note: You can also use bags of pre-sliced apples found at the grocery store if you want to save time.