New Find for Irish Night

Even though we have a very reliable and set Irish feast, that doesn't mean we don't welcome new discoveries each year! You can find our tried and true recipes here, here, here, here, here, here, and here. See below for our newest find!

Irresistable Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/3 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan.

Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda. Blend egg and buttermilk together, and add all at once to the flour mixture. Mix just until moistened. Stir in butter. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake for 65 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the bread comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Wrap in foil for several hours, or overnight, for best flavor.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by Karin Christian. You can find it here.

Notes: This was a great soda bread recipe. We served it with Irish butter. It was a lovely texture and not dry like some soda breads can be. Good stuff!

It's a Sign of the Season

 

I just have to make at least one thing (or five) with pumpkin during this time of year. However, with a new baby, I needed a shortcut. This is the perfect shortcut for pumpkin bread (unless you want the ultimate shortcut of picking up some pumpkin bread through the drive through at Kneaders).

Cake Mix Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:

1 (18.25 ounce) package spice cake mix
3/4 cup white sugar
1 (15 ounce) can solid-pack pumpkin
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan.

Stir cake mix and sugar together in a large bowl. Beat pumpkin, eggs, and milk with the cake mix mixture until you have a smooth batter. Stir chocolate chips into the batter, if using.

Pour batter into prepared bread pan.

Bake bread in preheated oven until top is golden and springs back when lightly pressed, and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 60-70 minutes.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by paisleyorchid. You can find it here.

Notes: This tasted just like the bread at Kneaders, so I was satisfied. Besides that, my quick bread recipes are unreliable up here on top of the mountain I live on because of the high altitude. If I use a cake mix, my bread is guaranteed not to fall.

The recipe found on Allrecipes had the option to create a smaller loaf of bread and 24 mini muffins. I didn't want muffins, so I just poured it all into one loaf pan. As a result, it needed a long time to bake. I pulled mine out of the oven at around 60 minutes...but I should have left it in for another 10 minutes or so.

A Taste of the South

 

My youngest brother served his mission in Mississippi, so we decided to have a southern food theme night to help him bring back some good food memories.

 

Glazed Cajun Meatloaf

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1/2 cup finely diced celery (2-3 stalks)
1/2 cup finely diced red or green bell pepper
3 green onions (scallions), white and green parts thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 to 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely diced
1/2 cup beef broth or milk
1/2 cup ketchup
1 1/2 tablespoons Traeger Cajun Rub, or your favorite Louisiana-style rub
1 to 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 to 2 tablespoons Louisiana-style hot sauce such as Crystal or Frank's RedHot
1 tablespoon Creole-style mustard, brown mustard, or yellow mustard
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pound andouille or other spicy sausage, removed from casing
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup dry bread crumbs
1 cup ketchup (for the glaze)
3 tablespoons brown sugar (for the glaze)
1 tablespoons Louisiana-style hot sauce, or more to taste (for the glaze)
1 tablespoon white vinegar, or more to taste (for the glaze)
2 teaspoons Creole-style mustard, brown mustard, or yellow mustard (for the glaze)

Directions:

Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Spray a wire cooling rack with cooking spray and set on top of the baking sheet. In a large frying pan, saute the onion, celery, bell pepper, green onion, garlic, and jalepeno(s) in the oil until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Add the beef broth, ketchup, Traeger Cajun Rub, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, mustard, and pepper, and stir to combine. Remove from the heat and let cool completely.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, pork, and andouille sausage. Add the egg, bread crumbs, and the cooled vegetable mixture. Mix lightly but thoroughly with your hands until well combined. Form a rectangular loaf about 8 inches long and 1 1/2 to 2 inches high. Lay it on top of the cooling rack. When ready to cook, start the Traeger grill on Smoke with the lid open until the fire is established (4 to 5 minutes). Put the pan with the meatloaf on the grill grate and smoke for 1 hour. Increase the temperature to 325 and bake the meatloaf for 1 hour.

In the meantime, make the glaze: Combine the ketchup, brown sugar, hot sauce, white vinegar, and mustard in a small saucepan. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Pour the glaze evenly over the meatloaf, or brush it on with a pastry brush. Continue to cook the meatloaf for 30 minutes more, or until the internal temperature in the thickest part is 160 degrees F. Let the meatloaf rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Source: Traeger Grill website. You can find it here.

Notes: My brother has a Traeger Grill and as a result, he has gotten into a cooking craze of his own and contributes to our family Sunday dinners greatly with his amazing smoked meats! This was awesome. You can always bake this in your oven...but it won't have the same smoky flavor.

 

 

Authentic Louisiana Red Beans and Rice

Ingredients:

1 pound dry kidney beans
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 stalks celery, chopped
6 cups water
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1 pound andouille sausage, sliced
4 cups water
2 cups long grain white rice

Directions:

Rinse beans, and then soak in a large pot of water overnight.

In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Cook onion, bell pepper, garlic, and celery in olive oil for 3-4 minutes.

Rinse beans, and transfer to a large pot with 6 cups water. Stir coked vegetables into beans. Season with bay leaves, cayenne pepper, thyme, sage, parsley, and Cajun seasoning. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 2 1/2 hours.

Stir sausage into beans, and continue to simmer for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the rice. In a saucepan, bring water and rice to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve beans over steamed white rice.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by MIAMI BEACH. You can find it here.

 

Kickin' Collard Greens

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
3 slices bacon
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
3 cups chicken broth
1 pinch red pepper flakes
1 pound fresh collard greens, cut into 2-inch pieces

Directions:

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add bacon, and cook until crisp. Remove bacon frm pan, crumble, and return to the pan. Add onion, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, and cook until just fragrant. Add collard greens, and fry until they start to wilt.

Pour in chicken broth, and season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes, or until greens are tender.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by Ken Adams. You can find it here.

 

Cajun Potato Salad

Ingredients:

3 lbs. red potatoes
1/3 cup creole mustard
1/2 teaspoon creole seasoning (or cajun spice)
1/2 cup green pepper, diced1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup bacon, cooked and chopped
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Add potatoes to lightly salted water; cover, bring to a boil on high heat, then reduce to a simmer about 20 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender. Drain and cut into 1" chunks (you can peel them or leave them unpeeled, according to your preference).

Combine mustard and creole seasoning in a medium sized bowl. Add warm potatoes. Toss to combine.

Add green pepper, green onion, and bacon.

Combine mayonnaise, sour cream, and sugar. Add to potatoe mixture and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired.

Refrigerate for at least 3 hours prior to serving.

Source: Food.com. Recipe submitted by BakinBaby. You can find it here.

Notes: I always love potato salad...no matter the flavor combination! This was really good.

 

 

Sour Cream 7-Up Biscuits

Ingredients:

4-5 cups buttermilk baking mix (like Bisquick)

2 tablespoons granulated sugar, or to taste

1/8 tsp. baking powder

1 cup sour cream

Up to 1 cup regular or diet lemon-lime soda

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted, optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Whisk together the dry ingredients; add in the sour cream. Stir, adding in the lemon lime soda, a little at a time, until dough comes together and is shaggy. Add more baking mix if needed. Sprinkle a bit of the baking mix on the counter. Turn out dough onto counter and gently pat into a round about 1 inch thick. Using a 3-inch biscuit cutter or a glass dipped into flour, begin to cut out biscuits. Place them on a half sheet baking pan that has been lightly sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, sides slightly touching for soft biscuits, or about an inch apart if you like the edges more crisp. Drizzle with melted butter, if desired.

Bake at 375 degrees F. for 20-25 minutes, or until light golden brown.

Cook's note: Make sure you are using fresh baking powder, and also shake or stir it in the container before measuring out.

Source: Deep South Dish. You can find the recipe here.

 

Banana Pudding

Ingredients:

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 cups 2% milk

3 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

8 ounces vanilla wafers (about 60 cookies), divided

4 large ripe bananas, cut into 1/4-inch slices

Directions:

In a large saucepan, mix sugar, flour, and salt. Whisk in milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat to low; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat.

In a small bowl, whisk eggs. Whisk a small amount of hot mixture into eggs; return all to pan, whisking constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Cool 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In an ungreased 8-inch square baking dish, layer 25 vanilla wafers, half of the banana slices, and half of the pudding. Repeat layers.

Press plastic wrap onto surface of pudding. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Just before serving, crush remaining wafers and sprinkle over top.

Yield: 9 servings.

Nutrition information: 1 serving equals 302 calories, 7 g fat, 80 mg cholesterol, 206 mg sodium, 55 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 7 g protein.

Source: Taste of Home. You can find it here.

Notes: Great comfort food! Enough said!

St. Patrick's Day Find

 

I usually make this Irish soda bread, but I found this recipe and just had to try it. Now I will have to make both kinds of Irish soda bread each year!

Easy Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons caraway seeds
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
2 cups (16 ounces) sour cream
3/4 cup raisins

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, caraway seeds, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. In a small bowl, whisk eggs and sour cream. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in raisins.

Spoon into a greased 9-in. springform pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing sides of pan. Cut into wedges; serve warm.

Yield: 1 loaf (12 wedges)

Source: Taste of Home. You can find it here.

Notes: If you only cut this into 12 wedges, they are very generous in size. I think you can get a lot more than 12 wedges out of this. This was just so good. Moist, flavorful, and so easy to make.

Easy--Yet Fun--Breakfast

If you want to make a breakfast that is a little fun and fancy without being time-consuming, this incredibly easy recipe is for you.

Chocolate-Filled Crescents

Ingredients:

1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
1/2 cup mini-chocolate chips
Powdered sugar, if desired

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Separate dough into 8 triangles.

Place one tablespoon of chocolate chips on wide end of each triangle. Roll up, starting at shortest side of triangle, rolling to opposite point. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Source: Pillsbury website. You can find it here.

Notes: These were so easy and I love that this recipe is so basic and simple, yet it has so many possibilities. I mean, you don't have to use mini chocolate chips. You could use regular sized chocolate chips...and therefore, you could use different flavors of chips...white chocolate chips, butterscotch, peanut butter, etc.

I mean, think of how good these would be with white chocolate chips and a teaspoon of raspberry or strawberry jam rolled up with the chips?

You could even drizzle these with melted chocolate chips instead of, or in addition to, the powdered sugar.

Some Good Things About School Lunch

My mom usually packed a lunch for me while I was in school. However, every now and then, I had school lunch. The good things I remembered were the days that we had nachos for lunch...and the rolls. A good roll can save the day. So, if your day needs saving, check out these rolls.

School Lunchroom Cafeteria Rolls

Ingredients:

3 cups warm water
1 tablespoon white sugar
2/3 cup white sugar
3 (.25 ounce) envelopes active dry yeast
1/4 cup milk
2 eggs
1 tablespoon salt
10 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions:

In a large bowl, mix together the warm water and 1 tablespoon sugar. Sprinkle the yeast over the top, and let it stand for about 10 minutes, until the yeast is foamy.

Mix the milk, eggs, and salt into the yeast. Measure the flour into a separate bowl, add 2/3 cup sugar, and crumble the shortening into it using your fingers until it is barely noticeable. Gradually stir the flour into the wet ingredients. Mix using a wooden spoon until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and starts to form a ball around the spoon. Cover with a hot wet towel that has been wrung out, and set in a warm place to rise until double in bulk. This should take about 45 minutes.

When the dough has risen, pour the melted butter over it, and knead for about 2 minutes. Let the dough rest for a few minutes, then roll out on a lightly floured surface to 1 inch thick. Use a knife to cut into 2 inch squares. Roll squares into balls and place into greased round pans, spacing about 1 inch apart. Let rise again until doubled in size. You could also refrigerate the dough, and let it rise overnight for baking the next day.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake the rolls for about 12 minutes, until golden brown.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by MOMMY2THREEANGELS. You can find it here.

Notes: To be perfectly honest, I remember liking the rolls in elementary school, but I don't really remember what they taste like. These rolls are some of the best ever. Trust me, these are fantastic. They will be just as good (but most likely, even a whole lot better) than the rolls you had in elementary.

This makes a lot of rolls. I think this made around 45 rolls. Two 9x13 pans with 18 rolls each and one round pan with, I think, 9 rolls...but maybe there were a few more. I didn't take a picture of that pan, so now I can't remember how many rolls fit in that pan.

These were so good. I brought them to a family dinner. We served them with butter and strawberry freezer jam. They got gobbled up fast!

They took awhile to rise (maybe my house was cold?), but they were worth the wait. Also, they took a little longer than 12 minutes to bake. Just bake them until they are golden brown...but watch them so that they don't get too browned, and you will be just fine.

The Easy Way

Do you ever feel in the mood for a homemade pretzel, but don't want to take the time to make them? Well, if so, this recipe is a good compromise.

Soda Pretzels

Ingredients:

1/3 cup baking soda
5 cups water
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (or more all-purpose flour)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons kosher salt, for topping

Directions:

In a non-aluminum stock pot, dissolve 1/3 cup baking soda in 5 cups water. Bring water to a boil, and then remove from heat. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large bow, sift together all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, and baking soda. Stir in buttermilk and honey until dough pulls together. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead briefly to form a firm dough.

Divide dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a cylinder approximately 12 inches long. Form into classic pretzel shape. Pinch ends to seal. Dip pretzels in baking soda solution and then place on lightly greased cookie sheets.

Sprinkle pretzels with kosher salt, and bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by ARVILLALAR. You can find it here.

Notes: We opted to use 3 cups of all-purpose flour as opposed to 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour and 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour on the advice of the recommendations made in the comments section for this recipe.

This was super tasty and really did taste like a good homemade pretzel. Good stuff!

Well, It's Not MY Grandma's

But it's somebody's.  My grandmother was from New Mexico.  I only met her twice, but I do remember the wonderful homemade tortillas she made.  My other grandmother died before I was born.  But no matter my lineage, I'm in love with a good homemade biscuit; and this is a really good biscuit.

Grandma's Baking Powder Biscuits

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons white sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup vegetable shortening

1 egg

2/3 cup milk

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).

Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt into a bowl. Use a pastry cutter to chop vegetable shortening into the four mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Whisk egg and milk together in a separate bowl, and slowly add milk mixture to flour mixture, stirring as you pour, until dough is moistened and well-mixed. Drop dough by spoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake in the preheated oven until biscuits have risen and are golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by IMACOOKY1. You can find it here.

Notes: These really were so flaky and so easy. A good accompaniment to any of the soups on our blog.

More Breakfast For Dinner!

 

We have to do breakfast for dinner as a family every few months or so. It just doesn't get old! Here is the newest edition:

Candied Bacon

Ingredients:

1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
Ground black pepper, to taste
1 pound thick-cut bacon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix brown sugar, rice vinegar, maple syrup, and black pepper in a small bowl.

Place bacon slices on cooling rack set over a baking sheet.

Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, turn slices, and bake another 5 minutes.

Remove bacon and brush both sides with brown sugar mixture. Return bacon to the oven and bake another 5 minutes. Repeat basting every 5 minutes until bacon is browned and crisp, about 35 minutes.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by Chef John. You can find it here.

Notes: Ooooh, this was good.

Cheesy Ham and Hash Brown Casserole

Ingredients:

1 (32 ounce) package frozen hash brown potatoes
8 ounces cooked, diced ham
2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of potato soup (do not substitute cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup)
1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.

In a large bowl, mix hash browns, ham, cream of potato soup, sour cream, and Cheddar cheese. Spread evenly into prepared dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until bubbly and lightly brown. serve immediately.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by POOBOO. You can find it here. It is currently rated 4 1/2 stars with over 1,400 reviews.

Notes: This was really good. You can used shredded hash browns or southern style diced hash browns for this recipe. We used diced. The cream of potato soup is what really makes this work as a breakfast casserole. If you were to substitute cream of chicken or cream of mushroom, it would taste more like a dinner side dish.

Brunch Enchiladas

Ingredients:

2 cups finely chopped cooked ham (we substituted cooked crumbled sausage)
1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup sliced green onions (8 medium)
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (8 oz)
10 Old El Paso flour tortillas for burritos (8-inch, from two 11-oz. packages)
6 eggs
2 cups half-and-half
1 tablespoon Gold Medal all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Red pepper sauce

Directions:

Lightly spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray.

In large bowl, stir together ham, bell pepper, green onions, and 1 cup of the cheese. Place 1/3 cup ham mixture down center of each tortilla; roll up and place seam side down in baking dish.

In another large bowl, beat eggs, half-and-half, flour and salt. Pour over tortillas. cover; refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

To serve, heat oven to 350 degrees F. Uncover dish; sprinkle remaining 1 cup cheese over top. Cover baking dish; bake 25 minutes. Uncover; bake 10 minutes longer or until set and cheese is melted. Serve with red pepper sauce on the side.

Makes 5 servings (2 enchiladas each)

Recipe notes: The fillings for these enchiladas could be adapted to your taste. Try replacing the ham with cooked sausage or bacon and the bell pepper with mushrooms or other vegetables.

Source: Betty Crocker website. You can find it here.

Notes: These were tasty. You really could get very creative with these.

Ham and Cheese Croissant Strata

Ingredients:

6 croissants, split
6 slices (3/4 to 1 oz each) Swiss cheese
2 cups chopped cooked ham (from deli)
8 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 oz Gruyere cheese, shredded (1 cup)
Chopped fresh chives, if desired

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 13x9-inch (3 quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray.

In baking dish, arrange croissant bottoms, cut sides up, in single layer. Top each with 1 slice Swiss cheese. Sprinkle with ham. Cover with croissant tops, cut sides down.

In large bowl, beat eggs, milk, mustard, salt and pepper with whisk. Pour over croissants. Sprinkle with Gruyere cheese.

Bake 35 minutes or until browned and set. Garnish with chives. Serve immediately.

Makes 10 servings.

Nutrition information: 1 serving equals 380 calories, 22 g fat, 640 mg sodium, 21 g carbohydrate, 1 g dietary fiber, 21 g protein.

Source: Betty Crocker website. You can find it here.

Notes: I really liked this, but our group was divided on this one. Some people liked it, others didn't necessarily love it. However, I enjoyed it and I also enjoyed the leftovers.

Above: Some things are so good, you have to repeat them! Here is the fruit salad we first made a couple of months ago. You can find that recipe here.

 

Above: We had a serendipitous accident with these rolls. We meant to make this recipe which calls for Grands Biscuits. However, we accidentally got two refrigerated tubes of cinnamon rolls instead. So, we omitted the cinnamon from the recipe and simply added the cream and brown sugar called for in the recipe. It totally worked. These were scrumptious. So, whether you decide to make our Easy Cinnamon Rolls using cinnamon rolls or biscuits, it is up to you. It works both ways!

Strawberries + Pull Apart Bread = Delicious

 

This was a pull apart bread recipe that I found recently that was just too intriguing. We just had to try it. This was fantastic and it got gobbled up quickly.

Vanilla Strawberry Monkey Bread

Ingredients:

18 Rhodes white dinner rolls, thawed, but still cold
1 small box vanilla pudding
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 to 3/4 pound strawberries, rinsed, hulled, and sliced
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter

Directions:

Prepare a bundt pan with baking spray. Place vanilla pudding in a small bowl. Cut rolls into fourths and coat them in the vanilla pudding. Stagger coated rolls inside the bundt pan. Alternately, add slices of strawberries and white chocolate chips. Once all the rolls, strawberries, and chocolate chips have been staggered in the bundt pan, sprinkle any remaining pudding on top of the monkey bread.

Heat the sugar and butter in the microwave for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, or until sugar dissolves and mixture is syrupy. Pour around the edges and on top of the monkey bread. Spray a piece of plastic wrap with baking spray and cover the pan.

Set in a warm place and wait until the rolls double in size and almost reach the top of the pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 25-35 minutes until browned and the bread is done where the pieces touch each other.

IMPORTANT: Place a baking sheet on the shelf underneath the bundt pan to catch any potential spills. Cover the bread with foil the last 10 minutes, if it is starting to get too brown. Immediately after baking, invert onto plate. Serve warm. Refrigerate leftovers.

Source: Rhodes Dough website. You can find it here.

Another Appetizer Night!

You know, sometimes it is just fun to ditch the main course and have appetizers for dinner. We do this every couple of months in our extended family just for fun.

Here is our most recent edition!

Prosciutto and Parmesan Pinwheels

Ingredients:

1 (17.5 ounce) package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed
5 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced
5 ounces Parmesan cheese, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons prepared Dijon mustard

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

Roll the thawed pastry out onto a flat surface. Spread Dijon mustard, to taste, on the pastry sheets. Cover pastry with a layer of prosciutto, then cheese. Roll the sheets, beginning at the long side. Cut into 1 inch thick sections. Arrange the sections on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by MOONSEEME. You can find it here.

Notes: These were really tasty. They were a big hit.

Cheesy Ranch Bacon Potato Nuggets with Ranch Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:

Nuggets:

1 bag (28 oz) frozen potato nuggets (tater tots)
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (8 oz)
1 cup cooked real bacon pieces (from a jar or package)
2 tablespoons ranch dressing mix buttermilk recipe; from 0.4-oz package)
Salt and pepper to taste

Dipping Sauce:

2 containers (5.3 or 6 oz each) plain Greek yogurt
1 package (0.4 oz) ranch dressing mix (buttermilk recipe)

Directions:

Bake potato nuggets as directed on bag.

Meanwhile, in medium bowl, toss cheese, bacon pieces, and 2 tablespoons dressing mix.

Set oven control to broil. Top baked potato nuggets evenly with cheese-bacon mixture. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Broil 3 to 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

In small bowl, stir together yogurt and 1 package dressing mix. Serve potato nuggets with dipping sauce. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Source: Betty Crocker. You can find it here.

Notes: What a great way to dress up tater tots! These were great, and especially a big hit with the kids. They are great on their own, but don't forget to dip them in the sauce!

Ryan's Reverse Popper Dip

Ingredients:

8 slices bacon
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 teaspoon minced sweet onion
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons dry bread crumbs
2 (8 ounce) packages Neufchatel cheese, at room temperature
2 cups shredded reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese
10 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped (you can use bottled jalapeno peppers for a milder dip)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil; place a baking rack atop the aluminum foil.

Lay bacon strips in a single layer on the baking rack.

Bake in the preheated oven until crisp, 25 to 35 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate. Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees F.

Heat canola oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir onion in the hot oil until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add garlic; cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.

Coarsely chop 4 slices bacon; mix with bread crumbs in a bowl. Coarsely chop the remaining 4 slices bacon to mix with dip.

Mix Neufchatel cheese, Cheddar cheese, onion-garlic mixture, chopped bacon, jalapeno peppers, cumin, and oregano in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle. Spoon mixture using a rubber spatula into an 8-inch pie pan. Sprinkle bread crumb-bacon mixture over dip.

Bake in the preheated oven until dip is bubbling and topping is lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by Cat Hill. You can find it here.

Notes: I liked this, but it was spicy. I would substitute the 10 jalapeno peppers with a large bottle of sliced jalapeno peppers, chopped, in the future. Just my personal preference.

Tex-Mex Jalapeno Cheese Ball

Ingredients:

1 pkg. (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 pkg. (8 oz) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup chopped red onions
1 fresh jalepeno pepper, seeded, minced (bottled chopped jalapeno pepper to taste can be substituted)
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided

Directions:

Beat first 3 ingredients in medium bowl with mixer until blended.

Add onions, peppers, cumin, and 1/4 cup cilantro; mix well. Shape into ball. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 hour.

Roll in remaining cilantro until evenly coated.

Serve with crackers or tortilla chips.

Source: Kraftrecipes.com. You can find it here.

Notes: Tasty stuff! I think I would use bottled jalapeno pepper in the future though, just to make it a little less spicy.

Red Velvet Cake Batter Dip

Ingredients:

4 oz. cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons butter, softened
3/4 cup dry red velvet cake mix
1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix until smooth and creamy.

Serve at room temperature with graham crackers, vanilla wafers, or fruit.

Source: Jen's Favorite Cookies. You can find it here.

Notes: This was fantastic. Really rich though, so beware! A little goes a long way.

BLT Dip

Ingredients:

2 cups (16 ounces) sour cream
2 cups mayonnaise
2 pounds sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled
6 plum tomatoes, chopped
3 green onions, chopped
Crumbled cooked bacon or thinly sliced green onions, optional
Assorted crackers or chips

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, bacon, tomatoes, and onions. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish with bacon and green onions, if desired. Serve with crackers or chips.

Yield: 6 cups.

Source: Taste of Home. You can find it here.

Notes: The flavor combination was so good. However, I felt that there was more sauce than needed. I would keep all of the ingredients/amounts the same in the future, but I would only use 1 cup of sour cream and 1 cup of mayonnaise.

Roasted Garlic Dip

Ingredients:

3 heads garlic, unpeeled
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 green onion, chopped
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 tablespoon ground black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Cut off the top of the heat of garlic to expose the cloves, trimming about 1/4 inch off the top of each clove. You may need to trim individual cloves along the sides of the head. Brush the cut cloves with a small amount of olive oil, then nestle the head into a piece of aluminum foil.

Bake in the preheated oven until the cloves are tender and nicely browned, about 1 hour. Remove, and allow to cool to room temperature.

Once cool, squeeze the garlic cloves out of their skins and into a mixing bowl. Mash well with a wire whisk, then add the sour cream, mayonnaise, green onions, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Whisk until evenly blended, then refrigerate 2 to 4 hours to allow the flavors to blend.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by chase. You can find it here.

Notes: My opinion? This is the perfect dip to serve with regular ruffled potato chips!

Slow Cooker Curry-Mustard Glazed Meatballs

Ingredients:

1 (12 oz) jar pineapple preserves
1 (8 oz) jar Dijon mustard
1 (8 oz) can pineapple tidbits in unsweetened juice, undrained
1/2 cup firmly packed darm brown sugar
1 teaspoon curry powder
2 1/2 lb. frozen cooked Italian meatballs (about 80 meatballs)

Directions:

In small saucepan, combine all ingredients except meatballs. Bring to a boil. Place meatballs in slow cooker. Stir in preserves mixture.

Cover; cook on High setting for 4 hours, stirring twice. Stir well before serving.

Makes 40 servings.

Source: Betty Crocker. You can find it here.

Notes: These were very tasty and flavorful!

Smoked Sausage Appetizers

Ingredients:

3/4 cup red currant jelly
3/4 cup barbecue sauce
3 tablespoons prepared mustard
2 packages (1 pound each) miniature smoked sausages, drained

Directions:

In a large saucepan, combine the jelly, barbecue sauce, and mustard.

Cook, uncovered, over medium heat, for 15-20 minutes or until jelly is melted and mixture is smooth, stirring occasionally.

Add sausages; stir to coat. Cover and cook 5-6 minutes longer or until heated through, stirring occasionally. Serve with toothpicks.

Yield: 8 dozen.

Source: Taste of Home. You can find it here.

Notes: These were really tasty, and were a big hit with the kids. These went fast!

Grab and Go Breakfast: Muffins

My husband likes to grab his breakfast and head out the door in the morning. I like baked goods because I can freeze them to have a good stock and selection available. I can either thaw them the night before or he can microwave them for a few seconds in the morning.

These muffins were a great find. I love that they make a really big batch of muffins so that I have a well-stocked freezer.

Addictive Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups raising
4 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
4 cups white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
6 eggs
1 (29 ounce) can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 cup unsweetened applesauce (or 1/2 cup vegetable oil)
1 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 C). Grease three 12 cup muffin pans, or line with paper muffin liners. Soak raisins in hot water for ten minutes to plump, then drain.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and ground cloves. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, pumpkin, and applesauce, until smooth. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients and stir thoroughly to make a smooth batter. Stir the raisins and walnuts into the batter. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 

Source: I found this on Allrecipes.com. It was submitted by MIDNITEJASMINE. You can find it here.

Notes: I wondered how I would feel about the raisins in this recipe. I thought about omitting them or substituting chocolate chips (and I actually love raisins!). However, I decided to follow the recipe as-is before tweaking it. I LOVED the raisins in these muffins! However, they could easily be omitted if you hate them, or you could substitute chocolate chips.