Monday, November 29, 2010

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake

CAKE:
1 package yellow cake mix
1 egg
8 Tbsp. butter, melted

FILLING:
8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
15 oz. can pumpkin
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
8 Tbsp. butter, melted
16 oz. box powdered sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.

Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer.  Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 x 9 inch baking pan.  (I like to use a spring form pan.)

To make the filling:  In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth.  Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter, and beat together.  Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mix well.  Spread pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake for 50-60 minutes.  Make sure not to overbake as the center should be a little gooey.  Serve with fresh whipped cream.

NOTE:  I found this recipe on Paula Deen's website when I was looking for a dessert to make for Thanksgiving.  This is DIVINE and I received rave reviews.  This will definitely be on next year's menu.

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Jefferson Sandwich

2 slices of sourdough bread or other hearty variety of bread
Butter
Whipped cream cheese
Sliced deli turkey
Jellied cranberry sauce
Lettuce

This makes one sandwich.  Butter bread on one side and grill in a skillet.  Put as much of the turkey, cream cheese and cranberry sauce as you want.  Add lettuce.  Yum!

Linda's Cheesy Potatoes

2 lb. bag of frozen hashbrowns
2 c. cheddar cheese
2 c. sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
Bunch of green onions- chopped
1 stick butter
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt

Put all in crock pot and cook on high for 4 hours.

Apricot Bars

2  6 oz. packages dried apricots
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. butter or margarine, softened
1 c. sugar
2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. soda
1  3 oz. can flaked coconut
1/2 c. pecans or walnuts

Cover apricots with water; simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.  Drain apricots, reserving 1/4 cup liquid.  Mash apricots or chop finely.  Combine reserved liquid and 3/4 c. sugar in a saucepan; simmer 5 minutes, then stir in apricots.  Let cool.  Cream butter, gradually add 1 cup sugar, beating until light and fluffy.  Combine flour, salt, soda, and stir well.   Add to creamed mixture (mixture will be crumbly).  Stir in coconut and pecans.  Put 3/4 of coconut mixture into an ungreased 11 x 13 pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.  Spread apricot mixture over crust; sprinkle with remaining coconut mixture.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Let cool in pan, then cut into 2 inch squares.  Yields 2 dozen.

Heathy Snack Mix

1  12 oz. bag of dark chocolate chips
1  12 oz. bag of craisins
2  cups of toasted almonds or other nuts or mixed

Toast the nuts in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes.  After they cool, mix chocolate chips and craisins with the nuts.  This is healthier than cookies and candy, but 1/4 cup should be the serving size.

Poblano Sauce for Fish or Chicken

l large poblano pepper
1 fresh jalepeno
1/2 onion
1  28 oz. can of tomatillos (found in the mexican section or you can buy fresh ones and peel and boil)
1 tsp. garlic
Bunch of cilantro
3 oz. cream cheese--Ann uses about 1/2 tub of cream cheese with chives

Grill or roast the poblano, jalepeno and onion.  Drain the tomatillos.  Put everything in a blender and blend until smooth.
To serve this dish, meat can be cooked in butter, baked or grilled.  Serve on top of pasta and pour sauce over all.  The sauce is also good just to eat with tortilla chips.

Spicy Sweet Potatoes

4 sweet potatoes
2 tsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
1/8 tsp. black pepper

Peel and cut potatoes into large french fry chunks.  Mix all other ingredients.  Coat with cooking spray and then in mixed spices.  Bake at 500 degrees for 10 minutes.  Turn and bake for 10 more minutes.

Fideo

1   5 oz. box Fideo Vermicelli
1 Tbsp. oil
1  lb. ground meat or turkey
1 small onion, chopped
1   8 oz. can tomato sauce
1/2 of a bell pepper, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 t. chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Brown meat and onion in a saucepan, set aside.  In a large frying pan heat the oil.  Then add fideo to  the hot oil and stir until browned.  Add meat, bell pepper, tomato sauce and spices.  You will probably have to add about 1 cup of water to the mixture.  Cook covered until the fideo is soft.  You may have to stir it some to make sure that it doesn't stick.  More water and tomato sauce can be added to make it more of a soup. 

Spin Pizza Salad

Spinach
Leaf lettuce
Granny Smith apples
Golden raisins
Goat cheese
Toasted pecans
Red grapes
Vinagarette

Toast the pecans in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes.  Mix all the ingredients for as much salad as you want.  I use Brianna's vinagarette for the dressing.  It is the one with the strawberry on it.  Lightly coat just before serving.  This is Ann's new favorite salad to go with some great pizza in Kansas City.

Almond Tea

1 c. sugar
4 c. water
1/3 c. instant lemon tea mix
1   12 oz. can frozen lemonade
1 T. almond extract
1 T. vanilla

Mix sugar, water, and instant tea in a pot and heat until sugar is dissolved.  In a gallon container combine the lemonade, almond extract and vanilla.  Add the tea mixture and enough water to make one gallon of tea.  Taste to make sure that it is not too sweet.  A friend says that she sometimes uses less sugar and more tea.

El Campanero Sweet Tea

1 family size tea bag
1 crystal light raspberry tea canister
1/2 c. lemonade mix

Brew tea bag in boiling water or microwave.  Put in gallon size pitcher and add other two ingredients.  Makes a great "mexican sweet tea".

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Cap Ranch Casserole

2 pkgs. Jiffy cornbread mix
1 lb. ground meat, browned and drained
1 can diced Rotel tomatoes (not drained)
1 can cream style corn
1 can diced green chiles (drained)
1/4 cup diced onions
2 Tbsp. diced green bell pepper
1/2 cup grated Cheddar Cheese
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix

Combine all ingredients and place in a pyrex dish sprayed with PAM.  Make the cornbread mix according to the package directions and top the meat mixture.  Bake at 350 for 35 to 40 minutes.

This is so yummy on a cool, fall night.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball

Plan ahead……needs to chill!  Serve with chocolate and/or cinnamon grahm sticks.
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 stick (1/2 c.) butter, not substitutes, softened
¼ teaspoon valilla extract
¾ cup confectioners’s sugar (powdered sugar)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
¾ cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
¾ cup finely chopped pecans
In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until fluffy.  Gradually add sugars; beat just until combined.
Stir in EITHER the chocolate chips or the pecans.  (keep reading)
Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.  Place cream cheese mixture on a large piece of plastic wrap; shape into the ball.  Refrigerate for another hour (at least).
Just before serving, roll cheese ball in either the chocolate chips or the pecans that you have left.  I like to stir in the pecans, and roll the ball in the chocolate chips – it looks more like a dessert this way.
Yeild:  about 2 cups (one fairly large cheese ball)
Note:  I also like to stir in both the pecans and chocolate chips and serve this in a bowl as a dip.  I usually sprinkle a few chocolate chips on top just before serving.