Cauliflower Mac & Cheese

 INGREDIENTS

2 medium heads cauliflower, cut into florets
1/2 c. unsalted butter
1/2 c. flour
3 c. whole milk
1 tsp. hot sauce, such as Cholula
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. mustard powder
Freshly ground black pepper
3 c. shredded cheddar
2 c. mozzarella
Finely chopped chives, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

In a large pot of boiling water, blanch cauliflower until tender, 5 to 7 minutes.

In a large saucepan, melt butter. Sprinkle over flour and cook until slightly golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in milk and whisk until combined. Season with mustard powder, hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Let simmer until it starts to thicken, about 5 minutes.

Turn off heat and stir in cheeses until they are completely melted. Stir in cauliflower and stir until fully coated in cheese sauce.

Season with salt and pepper and garnish with chives. Serve.

Mock Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Rhodes frozen Cinnamon Rolls (12 to a package)

 4-serving box of Cook and Serve Vanilla Pudding

Stick of butter (1/2 cup), melted

Chopped walnuts (optional)

The night before, spray a 9"x13" pan with cooking spray.  Lay the frozen cinnamon rolls in a single layer in the pan.  (Reserve the icing packages that come with the rolls.)  Sprinkle the unprepared pudding mix over the frozen rolls.  Pour the butter over the rolls.  Sprinkle on nuts, if desired.

Cover pan with lightly sprayed plastic wrap.  Refrigerate over night.

Remove thawed rolls from refrigerator and place on counter for an hour or so until doubled in volume.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  Spread with reserved icing.

Chocolate Fudge Bars

This recipe comes from Bonnie who recently started at work as the receptionist. She is always smiling and is such a warm spirit in which I admire her. She brought these bars in one day and they are simply amazing!

12 oz chocolate chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk
3 T butter
1 tsp vanilla

Melt in medium saucepan until smooth

2 c brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
1 c margarine
2 c flour
3 c oatmeal
1 tsp vanilla
nuts - optional

Mix ingredients together - it will be a little sticky. Pat 1/2 of mixture into a 10x16 pan. Spread on chocolate mixture. Drop remaining dough by spoonfuls on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes

Mother's Chewy Oatmeal Logs

From Cook's Country | December/January 2013

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
For an easy, chewy oatmeal cookie with all the flavor of the classic, we start with a fragrant dough filled with molasses and warm spices. Nuts and raisins stud the dough, and we form it into four logs before baking—much easier than rolling individual balls. We slice the logs like biscotti while they’re still warm, and drizzle them with a simple glaze, making for the ultimate gooey, comforting sweet.

MAKES ABOUT 40 COOKIES

Don’t use instant oats (you’ll lose the nice, chewy quality of the oats) or blackstrap molasses (which is too strong) in this recipe.

INGREDIENTS

COOKIES
1 3/4 cups (8 3/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
8 tablespoons vegetable shortening
1 1/4 cups (8 3/4 ounces) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/3 cup molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups (6 ounces) old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup raisins
2/3 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped
GLAZE
1/2 cup (2 ounces) confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS

1. FOR THE COOKIES: Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger in bowl; set aside. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat shortening and sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until combined. Add molasses and vanilla and beat until incorporated. Reduce speed to low, add flour mixture in 3 additions, and mix until just combined, scraping down bowl as needed. Add oats, raisins, and walnuts, and oats and mix until incorporated.

2. Form dough into four 9 by 2-inch logs and place 3 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake until lightly browned and just set, 16 to 19 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking. Let cool on sheets for 5 minutes. Slide parchment onto cutting board and, using sharp knife, cut logs crosswise into 1½-inch-thick bars. Let cool completely, about 30 minutes.

3. FOR THE GLAZE: Whisk sugar, milk, and vanilla all ingredients together in bowl until smooth. Drizzle glaze over cookies and let sit for 15 minutes to firm. Serve. (Cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.)

Lemon Bars

Servings: 4 dozen bars
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter or margarine (2 sticks)
14 oz Sweetened Condensed Milk (1 can)
4 eggs (large)
2/3 cup lemon juice
1 Tbs all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
4 drops yellow food coloring (optional)
1 Tbs grated lemon peel
Sifted powdered sugar (optional)

Directions:

PREHEAT oven to 350° F.

COMBINE flour and sugar in medium bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or two knives until mixture is crumbly. Press lightly onto bottom and halfway up sides of ungreased 13 x 9-inch baking pan.

BAKE for 20 minutes.

BEAT sweetened condensed milk and eggs in large mixer bowl until fluffy. Beat in lemon juice, flour, baking powder, salt and food coloring just until blended. Fold in lemon peel; pour over crust.

BAKE for 20 to 25 minutes or until filling is set and crust is golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack. Refrigerate for about 2 hours. Cut into bars; sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Crock Pot Beef and Broccoli

Ingredients
1 pound boneless beef chuck roast, sliced into thin strips
1 cup beef consomme
½ cup soy sauce
⅓ cup brown sugar or honey
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cooled sauce from the crock pot after being cooked
Fresh broccoli florets (as many as desired)
Hot cooked rice (brown rice, or riced cauliflower)

Directions
1. Place beef in a crock pot.
2. In a small bowl, combine consomme, soy sauce, brown sugar/honey, oil, and garlic. Pour over beef. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
3. In a cup, stir cornstarch and sauce form the crock pot until smooth. Add to crock pot. Stir well to combine. (If your sauce is not thickening, try bringing your sauce to a boil on the stovetop with the corn starch mixture. Boil until your desired consistency is reached).
4. Add broccoli to the crock pot. Stir to combine.
5. Cover and cook an additional 30 minutes on high (the sauce has to boil for it to thicken).
6. Serve over hot cooked rice.

Hot Fudge Brownies/with Milk

Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, divided
1/2 cup milk, at room temperature
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 cups boiling water
Whipped cream or ice cream

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Stir together flour, next 3 ingredients, and 3/4 cup granulated sugar in a large bowl; stir in milk, oil, and vanilla. Spread batter in a lightly greased 8-inch square pan.
2. Combine brown sugar, cocoa, and remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a small bowl; sprinkle over batter in pan. Using a spoon, gently drizzle 1 1/2 cups boiling water over batter, being careful not to disturb layers. (Do not stir.)
3. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until a cake layer forms on top and layer springs back when touched. Let cool on a wire rack 25 minutes.

Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.

Chocolate-Cherry Pudding Cake:
Thaw 1 (12-oz.) package frozen dark, sweet, pitted cherries; drain. Pat cherries dry with paper towels. Prepare recipe as directed through
Step 2, gently sprinkling cherries over batter in pan. Proceed with recipe as directed.

Mocha Pudding Cake: Substitute hot freshly brewed coffee for boiling water. Proceed with recipe as directed.

Mother K's Chocolate Revel Bars

It is tradition at my employer to bring your own treats on your birthday. I guess it is a way of letting people know when your special day is. I know. I had never really thought of doing it this way so when I started working here I thought it was weird too. Anyway, Steve, one of our major accounts salesmen, brought these in and they were so good I couldn't resist asking for the recipe. Mother K is his mother he said as he admitted to me that his wife is the one that made the bars.

Rather than type it I made a copy of the recipe card he gave me. It is such lovely handwriting and honestly, who hand writes recipe cards any more these days? I know I don't. So I just couldn't bare to copy it onto the computer without its original form.

Taco Tot Casserole

1 lb ground chuck
1 can Campbell's Nacho Cheese Fiesta Soup
1 package taco seasoning

1 bag frozen corn
1 bag frozen tater tots
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend

Directions

 

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Meanwhile, brown ground chuck and drain grease off. Return ground chuck to frying pan, mix in soup, taco seasoning, and corn.
3. Coat 13 x 9 baking pan with cooking spray, pour tater tots into baking pan. Spread ground beef and soup mixture over top of tater tots. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with cheese and bake uncovered for 5-10 minutes longer.
4. Try topping with sour cream, lettuce and tomatoes 

Single Serving Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookie

Tracy passed this recipe out at work the other day. What a great idea for a cookie single serving recipe to take care of that sweet tooth after dinner. Even better that it's my favorite cookie.

1 Tbsp butter, melted
1 Tbsp white sugar
1Tbsp brown sugar
3 drops of vanilla
pinch of salt
1 egg yolk
1/4 c flour
2 Tbsp chocolate chips

Microwave 40-60 seconds in a cup or bowl

Slow Cooker Hot Fudge Cake

I couldn't find a Pin it button on the website so in order not to lose this idea I copied and pasted this from http://www.ohsoshabbybydebbie.com/recipe/ 

 

Since we've started back up at church, my crock pot and I have had a rediscovering - I love putting something in before we go and by the time church is over we are so starving that we were spending a lot of money on going out to eat right after. Now we know that when we get home there is something waiting for us and the house smells so good. So naturally I just got to try this sometime. Naturally.

 

Slow Cooker Hot Fudge Cake

 

 

 

Ingredients

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup flour

3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup milk

2 Tbsp. melted butter

1/2 tsp. vanilla

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1-3/4 cups boiling water

vanilla ice cream, for serving

 

Directions

 

In a mixing bowl, mix together 1 cup brown sugar, flour, 3 Tbsp. cocoa, baking powder, and salt.

Stir in milk, butter and vanilla. Spread over bottom of slow cooker (batter will be really thick).

Mix together 3/4 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup cocoa. Sprinkle over mixture in slow cooker.

Pour boiling water over the top. Do not stir.

 

Cover and cook on HIGH 2-3 hours, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream. ENJOY!!

Oat Apple Crisp Recipe

I just love Taste of Home - probably because most of the recipes are comfort food (yes I love my comfort) and are sent in by people like me who want to share a good recipe and then tested and sampled. Only the good ones are published so you know it has to be good, right? I have been wanting to try this one since last October and just keep forgetting about it! I  thought I'd better get it in my collection before the recipe was lost and forgotten about.

Taste of Home - Oat Apple Crisp Recipe


Oat Apple Crisp Recipe photo by Taste of Home

"A package of yellow cake mix sets this tasty crisp apart from others. Serve it a la mode for an extra special treat." —Ruby Hodge, Richland Center, Wisconsin

Prep: 25 min. Bake: 45 mins

Yield: 8 Servings

Ingredients

• 7 cups thinly sliced peeled tart apples (about 7 medium)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Dash salt
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 package (9 ounces) yellow cake mix
• 3/4 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• Vanilla ice cream

Directions

Place apples in a greased 2-1/2 qt. shallow baking dish. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt; sprinkle over apples. Drizzle with water. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, oats, butter, brown sugar, baking powder and baking soda. Sprinkle over apples.

Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 45-50 minutes or until apples are tender and topping is golden brown. Serve warm with ice cream. Yield: 8 servings.

Nutritional Facts 1 serving (calculated without ice cream) equals 394 calories, 10 g fat (6 g saturated fat), 20 mg cholesterol, 335 mg sodium, 76 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 2 g protein.

Tracy's Pretzel Treats

Tracy brought these into work one day. I don't know what she calls them but I asked her for the recipe. I love the sweet buttery caramelly chocolatey salty crunchiness of these. They are delicious!

 

2 sticks of butter & 1 cup brown sugar – med heat until smooth and mixed (just a little bubbly) – mmmm instant caramel :)

 

Parchment paper (or aluminum foil) lined cookie sheet – line with pretzels (the square ones work the best, you can double layer too for more crunch)

 

Pour caramel over pretzels – bake at 350 degrees for 5 min

 

Pour one bag of chocolate chips on top – back in oven of 1 min (semi sweet or milk)

 

Smooth chips with knife

 

Freeze for at least an hour – then break into pieces

Double Chocolate Brownies

This recipe was given to me by Savannah's Sunday School teacher a few weeks ago. Savannah raved and raved about it and begged her to get the recipe for me. I thought, "Eh, I am sure it is a standard brownie recipe." But when she gave it to me the next week at church, I was amazed at how indifferent it was to any other recipe I had ever made. I can't wait to try it!

Blend:
1 cup & 2 Tablespoons flour
3/8 teaspoons of baking soda
3/8 teaspoons of salt

In Saucepan:
1 cup & 2 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/8 cup & 1 Tablespoon water
Bring to a boil and remove from heat.

Add:
1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Stir until chips are melted. Transfer to a mixing bowl.

Add 3 eggs, one at a time and beat in. Gradually add flour mixture. Stir in 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips and 3/4 cups chopped nuts (optional).

Spread in greased 13 x 9 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool and frost.

Frosting: 1/4 cup butter and 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate melted in microwave. Cool slightly. Add 1/2 cup sour cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2-3 cups powdered sugar (enough to make frosting spreadable)

Mom's Raisin Cookies

I remember these as a kid. I don't like raisins but for some reason I have been craving these lately. I think maybe it is because they remind me of being little which for me is one of my best memories in life. Sometimes that is what food is all about. Memories.

1 C Shortening 
4 C Flour
2 C Sugar           
Nuts                                                                            
1 t. Vanilla
3 Eggs
2 C Raisins  and 1 C Water - Boil 5 Min and add to egg mixture
1 t Cinnamon
1/4 t cloves
1/4 t allspice
1 t Soda & Baking Powder
1/2 t salt

Bake @ 350 8 Min

Bob's KAPUSKA

An old Polish recipe shared by a Polish co-worker:

1 ½ lbs Hamburger, brown and do not drain - the higher fat content the more flavor.

1 large bag of Sauerkraut (he adds about a cup more than the bag if you have it)

1 ½ cup Minute rice

1 can Cream celery

1 can Cream chicken

Put soup and 1 ½ packets of Lipton Onion soup mix in a pan and heat to boiling. Put soup mixture into crock pot, pour rice on top, then sauerkraut and hamburger. Cook on low until rice is done.

Jenny's Cookies 'n Cream Brownies

Jenny, my co-worker, brought these brownies for her 28th birthday. Of course me and Oreos are best friends and when she told me how to make them I naturally could not wait to post the recipe here:

Fudge brownie mix with a cup of crushed oreos mixed in the batter, bake the brownies as directed on the box. Wait till the brownies cool complete, then spread vanilla frosting on top then  put another cup of crushed oreos over that.

Jessica's Beer Dip

My co-worker, Jess, brought this dip the other day. She served it with pretzels but I think it would go with any cracker. Server along side a frothy mug of draft beer you have a great happy hour! Yes. I live in Wisconsin.

(2) cream cheese
(1) package dry ranch dip mix
1/3 cup beer
2 cups shredded cheddar

Mix well- I usually mix first three ingredients and then add the cheese one cup at a time.

Aubrie's Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

So living in Wisconsin there are some definite differences in the food out here. For example there is a lot of sausauge and beer. For dessert you have danish and all sorts of other types of pastries. Very German I guess? But what I can't fathom is no pumpkin chocolate chip cookies? I searched and searched at the stores they didn't one single type of cookie that came close! So a past co-worker of mine (and great baker I might add) sent me a recipe for a quick and easy cookie to get my craving taken care of. I have yet to try it of course.

"Hey Tammy! I hope that you had a fun Halloween yesterday. You said that you were craving pumpkin-chocolate-chip goodness? Here is the recipe that I always use for cookies/muffins. So easy and delicious:

1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
1 pkg (18.25 oz) spice cake mix
Chocolate chips (however many you want, I usually use 1 - 2 cups of semi-sweet).

Mix them all together (the batter will be really thick, but don't add any water/oil/eggs/etc. like it says on the cake mix, just use the dry mix!) and drop by spoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes or until nice and puffy. For muffins just put them in muffin liners (12 of them) and bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes or until the tops spring back when you touch them.

Enjoy! I hope that things are going well for you!"

Chicken Cacciatore

How funny that I was just thinking about searching a recipe for Chicken Cacciatore last night and then happened to run across this one by mistake on Beth's blog today? Guess I'll have to really try it this week. Hopefully it won't be one of those "think about it then forget about it" ideas. My husband hates spaghetti but maybe if he tries this he will change his mind. One can hope, right?

Hearty, Italian "hunter-style" chicken

6 boneless chicken breasts, cut in chunks
1/4 c. flour seasoned with
1/4 tsp salt and a dash  of ground pepper
2 Tbl. olive oil
2 med. onions, sliced
3 green bell peppers, halved and sliced into strips
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 can ( 14.5 oz ) diced tomatoes
1 can ( 15. oz) tomato sauce
1/2 cup dry red or white wine
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1 bay leaf

Heat olive oil in a large covered skillet.  Place seasoned flour in a ziploc bag and add chicken, toss chicken in flour and remove, shaking off excess.  Brown in oil for 5 - 8 minutes. Remove chicken form the pan. Add onions, peppers, mushrooms, garlic; cook and stir over medium heat until crisp-tender.  Add remaining ingredients, stir, and add the chicken.  Cover tightly and simmer on med. low  for 10-15 minutes until chicken is cooked and vegetables are soft.  Remove bay leaf before serving. Serve over cooked rice or spaghetti.