This treat is great anytime of the year, but it is a nice lighter addition to your holiday dessert table which will balance nicely against all the heavy sweets. This is not necessarily a diet friendly recipe, but it is not so rich and heavy which has come as a welcome relief to our family as we have been bombarded with sweet things here lately!
*This needs to chill thoroughly for best flavor overnight in the fridge, however it is still good chilled for just a few hours if you're like me and can't wait!
YOU WILL NEED:
1/2 cup sugar
1 T. cornstarch
2 T. lemon juice
1 egg
1 cup pineapple chunks (drain- save juice)
1 (8 oz.) Cool Whip (you can use the lite version- both are good)
2 med. red apples
2 med. green apples
2 cup mini marshmallows
1 1/2 cup salted peanuts
In pan, heat sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, egg and juice from pineapple until thick after boiling (about 5 minutes).
Cool.
In Large bowl, combine all other ingredients. Toss lightly. Refrigerate overnight (or at least several hours).
This post is from 5 years ago... it bears repeating.
It's Christmas Eve morning....most of my baking/cooking is done and treat trays are prepared to give to my neighbors. The house is all decked out and all of my sons will be home for Christmas!
This evening, my next-door neighbors and my family will once again enjoy our holiday tradition of exchanging gag gifts and treats, and my sons will (hopefully) spend the night and we will all enjoy Christmas breakfast together.
I host the big family dinner here (around 30 are expected) and we will eat, and laugh, and hug, and clean up spills and watch the teens and tweens roll their eyes at their parents and us "oldies but goodies"!
This year, we will enjoy an Italian Christmas feast.
Our menu is buffet style and will include Home made Spaghetti and meatballs (Tyler Florence recipe), Mostaciolli w/pepperoni, Fettuccine Alfredo, a big Italian Salad, garlic bread,Italian Cheese Ball, Italian Creme Cake, Italian Pizelle Cookies and a few appetizers, and of course, a vast array of Christmas cookies and candies.
If you scroll down through previous posts, you should find recipes you may want to serve at your feast!
Remember, though, it's not WHAT you serve but WHO you serve that matters!
Have a wonderfully blessed Christmas holiday and I pray for PEACE to all of you. In your hearts and in your home.
Need a simple but DELICIOUS ham recipe for Christmas or Easter but think it will involve too much of your time watching the oven and testing for doneness?
If you find yourself hosting a large family dinner in your home, this is a perfect recipe that will need no tending to- once it has started the slow cooking.
And it extremely moist. NO MORE DRY HAM!
Only a few ingredients:
7-8 pound bone-in spiral-cut ham
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup all natural maple syrup
2 cups pineapple juice
The Directions.
Use a 6-7 quart slow cooker. Unwrap the ham, and discard flavor packet. Place it into your stoneware, flat-side down. Rub brown sugar on all sides. Pour on maple syrup and pineapple juice. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. If possible, baste ham with collected juice from the bottom of the crock an hour or so before serving. When cooking is done, remove carefully and let it rest on a cutting board for 15-20 minutes before carving.
As if you can't tell from the photo, this is one of the MOST DELICIOUS treats I've ever tasted! You will be SHOCKED at the taste, the texture and presentation--it truly tastes like a "from-scratch" recipe...and all it needed was a little help from a friend!
My friend Gail shared this recipe with me last Christmas. She brought the warm pan, fresh from the oven to my home for me to serve to my family for Christmas Eve breakfast.
It was a special time for us. My middle son had just graduated from boot camp and was home on leave. And Gail herself had just learned she had breast cancer, but was still going about her business, doing what she does best...cooking up mouth-watering recipes!
We share a love of food--and feeding those we love--along with many other interests, including writing. (Gail and her husband, Michael are the publishers of GOOD LIVING IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS and GOOD LIVING IN WEST FRANKFORT magazines and I am one of the freelance writers.)
* UPDATE: She is now finished with her treatments and is doing very well. She has a great prognosis and amazing strength! I'm honored to be counted among her close friends.
Okay, before I start tearing up, here's the recipe you MUST try--you can thank us later when you WOW your friends and family!
YOU WILL NEED:
1 frozen Bag of Rhodes cinnamon rolls (12)
3/4 cups nuts-broken
*take out the 2 bags of cream cheese icing that comes with rolls (to use in another recipe later)
Spray a 9x13 pan with Pam.
Melt 1 stick butter and 1 cup to 1 1/4 cup light brown sugar. Melt in saucepan until it bubbles. Then add broken nuts.
Pour over bottom of a 13x9 pan. Take slices of rolls and lay flat in pan.
Let rise (about 3 hours if frozen-till they meet together)
Bake at 350 degrees till golden on top (20-25 min.)
Simple and so good- these are great to add to your cookie sampler platter for Christmas.
It's always good to have a box of cake mix handy for those unexpected times when cookies are needed.
I make them with and without nuts, with and without powdered sugar--and they're always a hit.
1 box devil's food cake mix
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tbsp. water
1/2 c. vegetable shortening
1/2 c. chopped nuts
Powdered sugar
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix cake mix, eggs, water and shortening until well blended. Stir in nuts. Shape into small balls, then roll in powdered sugar. Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Makes about 48 cookies.
My good friend Debbie gave me this recipe many years ago, and I always save it for our first REAL snow (you know, the kind that sticks and cancels school and shuts down businesses).
But it's also perfect for a cozy evening at home, when I curl up on the sofa and read a good book, and of course, it is perfect for gift-giving and when entertaining friends.
Debbie's beautiful Mother, Lynn, passed away from breast cancer, and this recipe makes me think of her. So when you make yourself a cup, drink up...in honor of Lynn, who fought a courageous battle and has left behind a wonderful family.
Lynn was a stay at home mother whose life revolved around her family. So, in her memory, make a batch for your bunch to warm up their bodies after a cold day outdoors, and give them a hug to warm their souls!
YOU WILL NEED:
2 cups Swiss Miss powdered Mocha
2 cups powdered non-dairy creamer
1 c. instant coffee granules
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 1/4 cup sugar
Blend all till well mixed. Store in covered jar. Use 2 tsp. mix per cup of boiling water.
Stir well, top with marshmallows.
*If you'll notice in the photo, I sprinkled some little "snowflakes" I had leftover from some Christmas baking supplies I had on hand. I love the touch it added.
This delicious dessert always brings lots of compliments when I take it to gatherings and has been requested several times for family birthday dinners. It is very versatile-- the apple filling can be exchanged for cherry, or blueberry or peach. Apple is my favorite, though, and a perfect dessert to serve in the fall.
It starts with a secret ingredient that no one will know about unless you choose to tell them.
The "crust" is actually a flour tortilla! But the delicious filling and special sauce poured over it makes this dessert absolutely delicious!
Give it a try!
You will need:
1 pkg. of 8-10 lg. flour tortillas
4 oz. softened cream cheese
2 cans apple (or other choice) pie filling
SAUCE:
1 1/2 stick butter (NOT margarine)
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla (or use almond extract if using cherry pie filling)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or slivered almonds if using cherry)
Equal parts cinnamon/sugar sprinkle for topping (omit if using cherry)
"Butter" each tortilla with the cream cheese. Put pie filling 3 Tablespoonsful on one end of tortilla and rollup, enchilada style.
Place in a buttered 9X13 dish. Continue until all are rolled up and placed in dish (some may need to go across bottom).
Place dollops of remaining pie filling on top, then sprinkle nuts over.
Set aside.Bring to a boil, the sauce and immediately pour over top. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes (or until brown on top. and most of sauce has been absorbed).
This is delicious served warm with some vanilla ice cream on top, or top with whipped cream....drizzle with caramel sauce....even served at room temp or cold!
Here's a simple, but different treat for breakfast or brunch that takes only 30 minutes, start to finish!
And I think they look so pretty lined up altogether on a serving tray.
Try it! I think you like it!
1 16 oz. can refrigerated biscuits
3 T. butter, melted
2 T. granulated sugar
1 T. orange zest
Glaze:
½ c. powdered sugar
1 T. freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tsp. orange zest
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Spread butter on baking sheet.
Mix granulated sugar 1 T. of orange zest together in a shallow bowl.
Cut each biscuit in half. Roll each biscuit into a rope. Tie each rope in a loose knot. Tuck the ends underneath the knot. Place on baking sheet.
Brush tops of knots with melted butter. Dip buttered tops in orange sugar mixture.
Bake about 10 minutes. Watch carefully so the sugar doesn’t burn.
While knots are baking make an orange glaze.
Mix powdered sugar, orange juice and remaining orange zest together.
While knots are still warm brush them with orange glaze.
Let cool for about 2-3 minutes. Serve.
You can store Orange Knots in an airtight container and serve the next day. They are best warmed in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds.
Here's a great addition to your fall repertoire of pumpkin recipes. Tastes much like Pumpkin pie, but is an easy dessert to feed a larger bunch. Crunchy, cake-like but creamy also. Textures you will love! Your house will smell amazing too.
* 1- 15 ounce can pumpkin
* 1 can sweetened condensed milk
* 3 eggs
* 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
*1 tsp. cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon cloves*
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1- 18.25 ounce yellow cake mix
* 1 cup walnuts or pecans (optional)
* 1 cup butter, melted
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease 9x13 pan. Completely combine 1st set of ingredients. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle with cake mix. Gently pat down with spoon. Sprinkle with nuts. Drizzle with butter. Bake for 1 hour. Cool and cut in squares.
And here are some pics from one I made with no nuts
This fancy schmancy grilled cheese recipe won the Teflon $10,000 prize for "the best grilled cheese in America" back in '04. I made it and my family loved it! Thank you ,ASHLEY BERMAN for creating such a tasty sandwich we all can enjoy.
This is not a beginner recipe, but not difficult. Give it a try!
Greatest Grilled Cheese Sandwich in America sponsored by DuPont(TM) Teflon(R).
Ingredients For Mango Salsa: •1/2 mango, 1/4 inch diced •2 tbsp red onion, 1/4 inch diced •1/4 red bell pepper, 1/4 inch diced •1 tbsp fresh lime juice •pinch of sugar •1/2 tsp kosher salt •freshly ground black pepper •For Sandwich: •3 tbsp butter, at room temperature •1 tbsp curry powder •8 slices fresh Italian bread •8 slices (8 oz) Swiss cheese •1/4 cup honey mustard
Preparation:
In a small bowl, mix together all of the salsa ingredients. Set aside. (Note: this can be made one day ahead and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before using.) Makes about 1½ cups.
In a small bowl, mix the butter and curry together. Spread 2 tbsp of the butter mixture on one side of each slice of bread. Place 4 slices of bread on your work surface, buttered side down. Spread the mustard on the bread. Place about 2 tbsp of the mango salsa on the bread followed by the cheese. (You may need to fold the cheese slices to fit the bread.) Place the remaining 4 bread slices on top, buttered side up.
Add the remaining curry butter to a Teflon-coated non-stick skillet and heat over medium heat for 2 minutes. Put the sandwiches in the skillet (in batches if necessary) and cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the undersides are golden brown and the cheese has begun to melt. Uncover and turn the sandwiches with a spatula, pressing very firmly. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and the cheese has melted. Turn once more, press with a spatula, and cook for 30 seconds. Remove from pan and let cool for 3 to 5 minutes. Cut diagonally and serve with extra salsa on the side (or on top of the sandwich). Enjoy!
Remember this one? Beautiful isn't it? It was part of a FAST AND FURIOUS FRIDAY supper, but I thought it deserved a post of its own.
EASY PEASY if you must come up with a last minute dessert to take to someone- or if you just want a sweet ending to a meal that's not too heavy.
You will need:
1 Angel food cake (purchased- or your own recipe- but come on, that wouldn't be as easy!)
1 container Fresh berries, mashed, with a little sugar added (to taste-- 1/8 1/2 cup)
Drizzle over top of cake.
You may also top with whipped cream or Cool Whip.
This is simple and delicious. Not too sweet and really, for those counting your fat and calories, it's not too bad.
Any extra sauce is wonderful served over vanilla ice cream, French toast or pancakes, or serve with pie crusts.
Enjoy!
CLICK on the link below to watch me prepare this and share a few extra tips about Strawberries.
When I make a trip to the grocery store, I always purchase a box of cake mix when they are on sale.
Devil's Food is my flavor of choice, because it is so versatile, and HELLO, ummmm, it's chocolate!
I can whip together a simple yet elegant looking dessert just by using a bundt pan instead of a regular cake pan, and I can make the recipe according to the directions on box, or add a few of my own simple extras to make it seem as if it were from scratch.
Adding an extra egg, or replacing softened butter for the oil are two common changes I make that make a big difference in taste.
Adding sour cream or buttermilk for liquids and adding a dry instant pudding mix-- all of these add to the moistness of a cake.
Here is a tweaked version of the recipe on the box- extra moist and always delicious.
Perfect when unexpected guests arrive, and nice enough to serve your Valentine,
1 Devils Food cake mix
1 (4 1/2 oz.)chocolate pudding mix (instant)
1 c. sour cream
1/2 c. oil
1/2 c. warm water
1/2 c. semi chocolate chips
4 eggs (extra lg.)
Powdered sugar
Chocolate frosting
Combine all ingredients. Mix well. Put in greased Bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Invert and while still warm, spread chocolate frosting on top, and it will drizzle down sides nicely. When cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar.
I love surprises. And I love Banana Cake. I was pleasantly surprised when I made this banana cake that stands out from the rest hands down!
What sets it apart? Well, a few things...It is a dense cake but EXTREMELY moist--- through and through! It's sweet, but not too sweet in that "great-now-my-teeth-hurt" sort of way I often taste with desserts (not that I would ever let that stop me from devouring a good dessert).
This was a treat all around. Beautiful to the eye---I topped my frosting with sliced bananas, walnut pieces and drizzled caramel sauce.
It was the perfect texture-- no crunchy parts-- even the ends of the cake were moist and the frosting was so smooth and tasty.
It was a bit time-consuming to make, but it was worth EVERY minute of prep time.
Something else that set it apart was the baking/cooling method: It bakes in only a 275 degree oven (rather than 350 degrees), for an hour (or more depending on your oven).
THEN, instead of cooling on a rack, the cake STAYS in the baking dish and IMMEDIATELY goes into the freezer for 45 minutes to cool, then frost.
These steps (lower temp/longer baking time and immediate freezing) are KEY to getting the perfect texture and moistness, so don't change it up!
I took this to a ladies meeting at church where there were many desserts to choose from. My dish was returned with one piece, which I ate cold, for breakfast this morning. And I think it was even BETTER today!
Okay, time for you to quit reading, and start baking!
1 1/2 cupsbuttermilk (I made my own with reg. milk and 1 1/2 T. white vinegar--then let sit for 5 min.)
2 teaspoonslemon juice
1 1/2 cupsmashed bananas (use VERY RIPE--the blacker, the better)
1/2 cupbutter, softened
1 (8 ounce) packagecream cheese, softened
3 1/2 cupsconfectioners' sugar
1 teaspoonvanilla extract
1/2 cup walnut pieces
one banana, sliced (dip slices in pineapple juice to keep from turning brown)
Smucker's Caramel Ice Cream Topping (for drizzle)
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan. In a small bowl, mix mashed bananas with lemon juice, set aside. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream 3/4 cup butter and 2 1/8 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Stir in banana mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. (My oven took 1 hour 10 min.) Remove from oven and place directly into freezer for 45 minutes. This will make the cake very moist.
For the frosting: In a large bowl, cream 1/2 cup butter and cream cheese until smooth. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add confectioners sugar and beat on low speed until combined, then on high until frosting is smooth. Spread on cooled cake.
Top with banana slices, walnut pieces and drizzle with caramel sauce.
Store any leftovers in fridge.
I found this recipe, Banana Cake IV, on allrecipes.com, and made a few adaptions to the topping on frosting.
Watch this video for a quick, easy, delicious and healthy breakfast for the family.
All you need are frozen strawberries, a banana, some OJ, yogurt. This makes a thick smoothie. To thin, add a little milk or more juice. Also, I ended up adding a full cup of frozen berries for more berry flavor.
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Here's good cookin to ya!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMKLeaSzwlA
