Long Time No Posting!

Well, a lot has happened in the last year!  I had a car accident that took all my energy to recover from, my husband was out of work for six months and so I worked extra days at my "real" job to pay the bills and once my brain started to work again my jewelry making business has taken off!  But I still love food and cooking.

I found Pinterest and from there I found Foodgawker.  Foodgawker is like Facebook for recipes!  I have found so many delicious recipes on this site I can't even begin to cook them all!  So, I am just going to link to many of my favorites.

I am making brownies for a Labor Day Party...these kick butt...and probably make your butt bigger but they are so worth it.

Pretzel Crust Brownies

crust

• 2 1/3 cups pretzels, crumbled
• 1 cup butter, melted
• 5 Tbsp granulated sugar

First, preheat the oven to 400.  Crush up your pretzels and add to the sugar in a bowl, pour in the melted butter and stir.  Press into your baking pan (I did coat mine with a cooking spray first) and bake for about 7 minutes in the oven.  It will be bubbly.  I added Heath Toffee bits and chocolate chips...no I didn't measure I just sprinkled them on until I thought it was enough.

For the brownies I used a box mix.  I like the Pillsbury Chocolate Fudge Brownies in the family size ( a 13x9 pan)  I mixed them according to the directions while the crust was in the oven.  Once the crust came out of the oven and the bits and chips were all added I poured the brownie batter over it and baked according to the directions on the box.  Let them cool (it will be difficult) then cut into squares.

My husband took them into work and I got two tiny brownies brought home to me..they are delicious.  So making them again for a party.

I also made these brownies (not sure you can call them brownies) for two different things and they are so rich my family actually said..don't make them again soon...

Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie n’ Oreo Fudge Brownie Bar

Read More http://www.kevinandamanda.com/whatsnew/new-recipes/ultimate-chocolate-chip-cookie-n-oreo-fudge-brownie-bar.html#ixzz1WZRQZcd6

Yup...they taste like you'd imagine...delicious!

Now that you need insulin I'll post a couple of other recipes.

Three Cheese Chicken Penne Pasta Bake

1-1/2 cups multi-grain penne pasta, uncooked
1 pkg. (9 oz.) fresh spinach leaves
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 tsp. dried basil leaves
1 jar (14-1/2 oz.) spaghetti sauce
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, drained
2 oz. (1/4 of 8-oz. pkg.) Neufchatel cheese, cubed
1 cup shredded  mozzarella cheese, divided
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1 package Italian dressing mix

Directions:
Heat oven to 375ºF.


Cook pasta as directed on package, omitting salt and adding spinach to the boiling water the last minute.

Cook and stir chicken and basil in large nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray on medium-high heat 3 min. Stir in spaghetti sauce, garlic, and tomatoes and the dressing mix,  bring to boil. Simmer on low heat 3 min. or until chicken is done. Stir in Neufchatel.

Drain pasta mixture; return to pan. Stir in chicken mixture and 1/2 cup mozzarella. Spoon into 2-qt. casserole or 8-inch square baking dish.

Bake 20 min.; top with remaining cheeses. Bake 3 min. or until mozzarella is melted.


Now I will tell you that I used more cheese that this recipe called for and I used and Italian Blend Shredded Cheese.  I also added Turkey Italian Sausage that I browned and drained.  This has been added into my rotation of favorite dishes.

I also had someone ask me for my Chicken Enchilada Recipe.  I am sure I got part of the recipe from Campbell's soup, but here goes

Chicken Enchilada Recipe

Buy a roasted chicken from the grocery store and shred it into a large pot.  Add 1 can Cream of Chicken soup, 1 cup sour cream, 1 cup Mexican cheese ( it is a shredded cheese blend by Kraft)1 cup of chunky salsa and a package of taco seasoning mix and my secret ingredient a package of ranch dressing mix, I also like to add a can of black beans and a cup of frozen corn.  When it is well mixed and hot and bubbling, spoon into flour tortillas, spread a layer of salsa on the bottom of a baking pan and place the enchiladas on top.  I usually pour more salsa on top and layer with more cheese.  Bake at 375 degrees until bubbly and cheese is melted.

I like to serve it with taco sauce, sour cream, guacamole and some chopped tomatoes oh..and don't forget the margaritas!

So, I will try to post more recipes than I have in a long time.  Hope you love these!

Peanut Butter Fudge Pie

Oh what to make for a big boys birthday?  After 3 birthdays we are sick of cake. (our son gets two..the real one and the one with Grandpa and Grandma)  So I am watching the Food Network  the other day.  The Neely's were on and they made a peanut butter pie.  It reminded me of a pie my friend Kathy made way back when...but her pie had a fudge layer on the bottom.  Thanks to Google I found a number of recipes and settled on this one from Eagle Brand.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse Pie

Ingredients

• 1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 (9-inch) graham cracker crust
• 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup Jif® Creamy Peanut Butter
• 2 cups frozen whipped topping

Instructions

• COMBINE 1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk and chocolate chips in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH (100% power) 30 seconds. Stir until smooth. Place 2 tablespoons chocolate mixture in small resealable plastic bag for drizzle. Spread remaining chocolate mixture evenly onto bottom of pie crust. Chill 10 minutes.

• BEAT remaining sweetened condensed milk, cream cheese and peanut butter in large bowl with electric mixer until smooth. Fold in whipped topping. Spoon over chocolate layer. Cut corner off bag with reserved chocolate mixture. Drizzle over pie.

• FREEZE 1 hour or until firm. 

• Can be made ahead and kept in freezer. Transfer from freezer to refrigerator 30 to 45 minutes before serving.

 I'll add the final picture before we cut them with the chocolate on top.  Of course I had to make two, I know our friends and one pie would never be enough.  Last but not least is a picture worth a thousand words :

                     Every little boy loves to lick the bowl after you make dessert!

Here are the pictures of the finished pies:

Our How to Train Your Dragon Cake

So the Dad and Lad Cake challenge this year was your favorite movie.  Of course Justin had to do Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon.  Lucky for me I had an article from several years ago about how to make a dragon cake..check it out  It didn't look very difficult, and with a few modifications I knew we could do it!

I read a number of reviews that said frosting the pieces was not the easiest to do, so I decided to cut the pieces and then freeze them.  This made them sturdy enough to be picked up and I carved the shape for the head and tail ...then frosted the areas that would be hard to get to once it was assembled.  My son wanted black frosting, but we only got to dark gray and that worked really well.  I used white chocolate wafers (like you melt to make candy) and shaped them like the eyes on the cartoon and used frosting to make pupils, and white chips for the nostrils.  I added a small plastic Hiccup figurine and made a book out of graham crackers "Dragon 101".   The whole thing went back to the deep freeze.

Here is the finished dragon:

And here is my son with his trophy...he took first place!

 

Yes, that is another version of the dragon cake beside his...it was second place and the Titanic took third.

So you can see, different people make the same cake different ways.  

Any cake that didn't win was eaten by all of us and the top three were auctioned off..all proceeds go to the Pack.  Justin wanted me to bid on his cake, but I knew we could make another one, I was willing to pay $20 for our cake.  The third place and second place cake each went for around $40...then came our cake...first bid was $10! and before I could bid a shout came out.....$50!!!!!  They wanted that cake..so I told Justin we would make another one for him.  It turned out that the winner was Jared's Grandma buying it for him.  I haven't blogged here about Jared, but he is a member of our pack that has had serious health issues for over a year and hasn't let it get him down.  He is an awesome kid...so if someone had to have that cake, I was glad it was him!

So I will be making another dragon cake for a certain boys birthday in July. 

Kentucky Derby Time

So here in Kentucky the week before the Derby is about food and fashion.  Most of us can't parade around in giant decorated hats, but we can eat and drink  like we are at the races!  Here is a version of a famous pie that is delicious if you love nuts and chocolate.

This delicious Kentucky bourbon chocolate walnut pie is traditionally served at the annual Kentucky Derby Horse race. This pie recipe is similar to the Melrose Inn's famous "Derby Pie," which has been served at the race for over 50 years.

Makes 1 Kentucky Bourbon Chocolate Walnut Pie

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 2 tablespoons Kentucky bourbon
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• 1 ready-made piecrust

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine flour and sugar in a mixing bowl. Add the eggs and butter; mix to combine. Stir in the bourbon, walnuts, chocolate chips, vanilla, and salt. Pour the mixture into the unbaked piecrust. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool before slicing.

* Note: If you ever include a similar recipe in a cookbook, you can't legally call it a "Derby Pie" recipe. The name "Derby Pie" is trademarked, and the owners of the name are very aggressive protecting the name "Derby Pie." 

 

And of course it wouldn't be the same without the Mint Juleps

 

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh mint leaves
• 32 fluid ounces Kentucky bourbon
• 8 sprigs fresh mint leaves for garnish

Directions

1. Combine water, sugar and chopped mint leaves in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat until the sugar is completely dissolved. Allow syrup to cool, approximately 1 hour. Pour syrup through a strainer to remove mint leaves
2. Fill eight cups or frozen goblets with crushed ice and pour 4 ounces of bourbon and 1/4 cup mint syrup in each. (Proportions can be adjusted depending on each person's sweet tooth). Top each cup with a mint sprig and a straw. Trim straws to just barely protrude from the top of the cups. Serve juleps on a silver platter.

Fiction and Recipes

So I love to read, and not just cookbooks and recipes on the net!  I tend to find books to read that combine things I love.  More often than not, these books have recipes in them.  At my local library I discovered author Joannne Fluke.  Her books have a central character that owns a little cookie bakery and also seems to keep solving murder mysteries!  The best part for me is that as Hannah makes different recipes in the story, the author includes the recipes in the books.  I just read the Apple Turnover Murder and can't wait to make several of the recipes.  I broke down and bought this one and read it in one day.  (which is why I almost never buy books..I am a very fast reader)
I just checked Joanne's webpage and she is compiling all of the recipes from the book into a cookbook...so I guess I will have to buy that for sure!

Lots of Chocolate Pie Recipes

I saw this link and had to pass it on.  I love, love, love chocolate pie and here is a great list of recipes.
Let me know if you make one and how it came out!

http://www.womansday.com/Articles/Food/Recipes/12-Decadent-Chocolate-Pie-Recipes.html

Comfort Food for the Frozen Tundra!

Living here in the Cincinnati area gives me a unique perspective on Winter. I grew up in Northern Ohio (Canton and Toledo) and weather that just shuts this area down wouldn't cause someone in those towns to blink twice.
Yesterday we got about 5 inches of snow and everything closed down, and I am ashamed to say after living here almost 20 years I have become one of them! No school for my son and no work for me on Thursday. This morning I woke up to continued flurries and school canceled again, called my work and only have 2 clients so I am not going in... I have become a weather wimp.
So as I sit here sipping my coffee I am thinking of what to make for dinner, I want comfort food! Food that makes you warm and cozy and reminds you of when you were a kid. I've considered Pancakes and Bacon for dinner (love to make breakfast for dinner). But I have 2 pounds of extra lean ground beef that needs to be used up so I think I will make my version of 9 Layer Dip.
This recipe evolved from my love of TGIFriday's Nine Layer Dip (do they even have it anymore?) I used to order it for my dinner! I created my own version and left out stuff that not everyone enjoys (I put it on the side) So here is my recipe:

LYNN'S LAYERED TACO DIP

1 lb lean ground beef
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 can refried beans (I like to use the fat free ones)
1 can black beans
1 jar chunky salsa (your favorite will work)
1 can sliced black olives
sour cream
shredded cheese

(guacamole is good on this too and if you want more of a taco salad add lettuce on your plate before eating)

Brown the ground beef and add taco seasoning per package instructions.  Spray a casserole or baking dish with a non stick spray.  Spread the refried beans in the bottom of the pan.  Add the seasoned and browned ground beef.  Next layer the black beans (sometimes I add corn too), salsa, black olives and top with shredded cheese.  Bake at 400 degrees until cheese is bubbly.  Serve with chips, more salsa and taco sauce, sour cream and anything else you like on your tacos!  Yummy.

As with any recipe, add or subtract what you like or don't like.  Always try to use what you have in the pantry first.

My next recipe is for an easy pie.  I am sure this came from a Pillsbury recipe book that I picked up by the cash register at my local store.  I have long since lost the book, but I still make what I call a Quickie Pie every so often.  This is also good for breakfast.

Lynns Quick Little Pie

1 pre made pie crust (the kind in the dairy case that is rolled up..not the frozen ones)
   you could make your own pie crust if that is your thing... I just like making it as easy as possible
1 can of your favorite fruit pie filling (I like apple and cherry the best)
Soft cream cheese in the tub - I usually use a cheesecake flavored one (if you don't like cream cheese omit this ingredient)
sugar
cinnamon
butter or butter substitute spray

I use parchment paper on a cookie sheet for baking.  Heat oven to 425 degrees. Unroll the premade pie crust on the parchment paper.  Spread the cream cheese down the center of the crust (about a 2 inch wide strip).  Add the pie filling down the center.  I usually sprinkle some cinnamon on it at this point.  Fold your pie crust over the fillings overlapping the sides (it looks like a roll) with the ends open.  Brush on melted butter or spray with butter substitute and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.  Bake for abou 20 -25 min until crust is brown and fruit filling is bubbling.  Let cool for 10 minutes then eat!  You can add ice cream or whipped topping if you like.  This is great when you don't want a whole pie for only a few people.

Stay warm!