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Apple Crisp

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Hi everyone!

It’s What’s Cookin’? Wednesday!

I don’t think there’s anything that screams FALL like APPLES do… apple cider, apple butter, taffy apples, apple pie, and apple crisp!

There are TONS of recipes on the Internet for apple crisp… and I think I’ve probably tried a good portion of them over the years.  A lot of recipes use rolled oats, and even though that’s now a staple in our home, it wasn’t in the past.

That’s one of the reasons why I love THIS recipe!  The ingredients (minus the apples, of course) are something I always have on-hand!

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Apple Crisp

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook/Bake Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

For best results, use a couple different variety of apples... sweet, sour, juicy... mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm... they're ALL good!

Ingredients

  • 4 cups sliced apples (3-4 apples, depending on size)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup butter ( softened )

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  2. Coat an 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish with cooking spray
  3. Peel, core, and slice apples
  4. Layer apples in the prepared baking dish and drizzle with 1/2 cup water
  5. Sprinkle half the cinnamon (3/4 teaspoon) over the apples
  6. Cream butter and sugar with mixer - gradually add flour to create a "crumbly" mixture
  7. Distribute crumbled mixture over the apples
  8. Sprinkle with remaining (3/4 teaspoon) cinnamon
  9. Bake uncovered until apples are tender and crust is golden brown (about 30-40 minutes)
  10. Cool slightly and serve warm
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This simple recipe is just packed with flavor… and makes the house smell ohhhhhhhhh so good!  I normally double the recipe for a 9×13 baking dish and it’s always gone the next day!

And whoever invented that little handy-dandy contraption to peel, slice, AND core the apples in one-shot is a GENIUS!  It sure does make all these apple recipes sooooooooooo much easier to throw together 😉

Enjoy!

Lynn

 

Banana (Nut) Bread

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Hi everyone!

It’s What’s Cookin’? Wednesday!

Banana nut bread has to be one of my all-time favorite comfort foods! I could easily eat an entire loaf all by myself! I absolutely love eating it straight from the oven or warming it up a little in the microwave and smearing butter (the real stuff!) all over it…. mmmmmmmm…..

My first taste came from my grandma’s kitchen. She always seemed to have a loaf sitting on the counter and another one in the freezer every time I came to visit. Over the years, I’ve baked many loaves of banana bread- some using her recipe, and some using other recipes… but mine never seemed to turn out as well as hers did for some reason.

A few years ago, my niece and I were talking about how much we both love banana bread. She remembered having a recipe that her grandma used, and I figured I would give it a try.

This recipe made the PERFECT loaf of banana bread… each and every time. It’s sooooooo moist and full of flavor! I almost feel like a traitor when I say it’s my new “favorite” recipe for banana bread (sorry, Grandma 😉 )

Most of the recipes I’ve used in the past listed butter as the “fatty” ingredient, but this one uses shortening. I really think that’s what makes this bread so much different than the others.

AND… this recipe will make TWO loaves of banana bread instead of one! So now when I make it, not only do I get to “stash” a loaf away for myself, but now my family can enjoy it, too… It’s a win/win!!!

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Banana (Nut) Bread

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook/Bake Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3-1/2 cups flour
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt (I use popcorn salt for ALL my baking, but that's just a personal preference)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 cups ripened bananas - mashed (the riper, the better!)
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
  • 3/4 cup shortening
  • 1-1/2 cup sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1 to 1-1/2 cup chopped walnuts- OPTIONAL

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Grease and flour TWO loaf pans
  3. Sift flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda together in large bowl
  4. Mash bananas in a small bowl and blend in lemon juice
  5. Cream shortening, sugar and eggs together in a large bowl
  6. Slowly add the sifted ingredients, alternating with milk, to the creamed mixture
  7. Fold in banana mixture (and walnuts, if using)
  8. Pour half the batter into each prepared pan
  9. Bake for approximately 1 hour, depending on your oven
  10. Let cool for 5 minutes or so, then remove from pans and cool on wire racks
  11. Hide one loaf and share the other with your family OR wrap and freeze for later... haha!
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Actually, since my husband prefers it without walnuts and I prefer it with, I usually pour half of the batter into the first pan, and then add the chopped walnuts to the remaining batter before pouring it into the second pan…

If you like banana bread, then this is definitely a “must-try” recipe!

Don’t forget to CLICK ON THE LINK ABOVE and LEAVE A COMMENT to let me know what you think…

Enjoy!

Lynn

Cauliflower Salad

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Hi everyone!

It’s What’s Cookin’? Wednesday!

I have the BEST side dish for you to make for your next cookout!

I can’t take any of the credit for this one… since I kinda “borrowed” this recipe from my mom… who “borrowed” it from my aunt. Usually I’ll tweak a recipe that’s been shared (just enough to make it my own), but this one was perfect from the start.

No matter how it made it’s way into my little recipe box (or ummm…pile), it’s still a GREAT recipe!

And the best part?!? It has BACON! mmmmmmmm…………

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Cauliflower Salad

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook/Bake Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 head cauliflower- washed and separated into smaller bite-sized pieces
  • 1 head lettuce- washed and chopped
  • 1 lb. bacon- cooked and crumbled
  • 1 cup walnuts (optional)- chopped
  • 1 small to medium onion- diced
  • 1 small block of your favorite cheese- diced or cubed (I've tried cheddar, pepper jack, and colby with great results!)
  • 3/4 - 1 cup Miracle Whip
  • Sugar- to taste

Instructions

  1. Combine cauliflower, lettuce, bacon, walnuts, onion, and cheese in a large bowl.
  2. In a smaller bowl, mix Miracle Whip with 1-2 tablespoons of sugar (depending on your taste preference) to achieve a slightly sweet, but still somewhat "tangy" dressing.
  3. Pour the "dressing" into the large bowl and toss until all ingredients are coated. (I usually stir the ingredients together enough to distribute the dressing, and then seal the bowl with a tight-fitting lid and shake, shake, shake!)
  4. Refrigerate at least one hour prior to serving for best results.

Notes

If I make this dish several hours ahead of time, I usually omit the lettuce before refrigerating, and then add it just prior to serving so that it still has a little "crunch" to it.

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I’ve also added diced cucumbers and/or diced tomatoes to this dish and it STILL tastes amazing!

Try this for your next cookout… I’ll bet you won’t have any leftovers 😉

Don’t forget to CLICK ON THE LINK ABOVE and LEAVE A COMMENT to let me know what you think!

Enjoy!

Lynn

Sugar Cream Pie

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Hi everyone!

It’s What’s Cookin’? Wednesday!

I was feeling a little nostalgic recently and suddenly developed a craving for a that pie my grandma used to make whenever I went to visit… she called it “Poor Man’s Pie”.

She would pour each of the ingredients directly into the pie shell and then let ME to do the FUN part… mix it all up… with my hands! Afterwards, we would put butter pats on top and bake it. I couldn’t wait for it to chill enough to “set up” so we could dig in… it was really good after dinner on a warm summer night.

I couldn’t remember the exact ingredients or measurements and had no idea which “safe place” I put her recipe, so I began searching the Internet to see if it was indeed an actual recipe, or just another one of her fabulous “creations”.

There were many different variations of a recipe called sugar cream pie, but one particular recipe seemed to be spot-on for the pie I fell in love with so many years ago. (It also happens to be the official pie for the State of Indiana!) I’ve made this a couple of times in the past few months, and my family LOVES it!

The main difference between this recipe and my grandma’s recipe is that her ingredients were all dumped into an unbaked pie shell, and this one uses a pre-baked shell. Obviously, that meant that hers baked a little longer, but it sure does taste exactly the way I remember! I can still hear her say, “careful now… mustn’t tear the shell” as I was blending the ingredients together… but, of course, that’s usually what ended up happening anyway 😉

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Sugar Cream Pie

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook/Bake Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • Single crust 9" pastry pie shell (I STILL have not been able to master the art of making my own pie shells :( )
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 2 cups milk (I used 2% and it came out just fine)
  • 1/2 cup butter, sliced
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven and bake your pie shell according to the directions on the package or your pie crust recipe. Cool on wire rack when crust is light brown.
  2. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F.
  3. Stir sugar and cornstarch together in a large saucepan.
  4. Slowly stir in milk until smooth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat.
  5. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until it's thick and bubbly.
  6. Remove from heat; add butter and vanilla. Stir until most of the butter is melted.
  7. Pour mixture into pre-baked pie crust and sprinkle with cinnamon.
  8. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until pie is golden brown.
  9. Cool on a wire rack and then refrigerate until completely chilled. (It's best to let it sit overnight in the refrigerator, but should be ready to cut in about 4-5 hours.

Notes

If the pie "runs" when you slice it, it either didn't cook long enough, or it didn't chill long enough... but, you could always just eat it with a spoon!

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This is absolutely one of the best pies I’ve ever had! Try it, and see if you like it!

Don’t forget to CLICK ON THE LINK ABOVE to LEAVE A COMMENT and let me know what you think!

Enjoy…

Lynn

Stuffed Green Peppers

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Hi everyone!

It’s What’s Cookin’? Wednesday!

I have to admit… I’ve never been a fan of stuffed peppers. I always loved the filling, but would never actually eat the pepper because they always seemed to taste so bitter. That’s probably why stuffed peppers have never been a “regular” on the dinner menu in our house.

Last year my husband and I decided to try our hand at gardening… again. He loves green peppers, so naturally we put in a few plants. Little did I know that we were going to end up with a TON of green peppers… more than I thought we would EVER use! So, rather than pawning the majority of them off on friends and family, I researched recipes and decided to give stuffed peppers another chance.

Boy am I glad I did, because these stuffed peppers are absolutely amazing (even the pepper)!!!

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Stuffed Green Peppers

Ingredients

  • 6 green bell peppers
  • 2 lb. ground beef
  • 3/4 cup chopped onion
  • 1/2 cup diced sweet peppers
  • Celery salt
  • Pepper
  • Oregano
  • 1 (14.5) can diced tomatoes, chopped
  • 3 T Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 cup uncooked rice
  • 2 beef bullion cubes
  • 1-2 cups shredded cheddar and/or mozzarella cheese
  • 2 cups tomato juice OR spaghetti sauce (your preference)

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cut the tops off the peppers and remove seeds. Cook peppers in the boiling water for 5 minutes, then drain. Cut 2 or 3 slits in the bottom of each pepper to allow for any grease drainage. SALT THE INSIDE OF EACH PEPPER (This is KEY because it removes the bitter taste from the pepper), and sprinkle a little bit of cheese in the bottom of each pepper.
  2. In a medium sized microwave safe bowl, combine uncooked rice with 1 cup of water and the beef bullion cubes. Cover with plastic wrap and cook according to the directions on the box (or bag). Half-way through the cooking process, remove from the microwave and CAREFULLY remove the plastic wrap (that steam gets HOT!). Stir with a fork to distribute the bullion flavor. Re-cover and return to microwave for the remaining cooking time. Fluff with fork and set aside. The rice and beef bullion mixture gives the hamburger SUCH a good flavor!
  3. In a large skillet, saute the beef, onions and sweet peppers until beef is browned. Drain the excess fat and season with celery salt, pepper and oregano (to taste). Stir in the diced tomatoes, rice and Worcestershire sauce. Cover and simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in about 1 cup of shredded cheese.
  4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Stuff each salted pepper with the beef mixture and place them open side up in a baking dish. Pour the tomato juice OR spaghetti sauce over the peppers.
  5. Cover with foil and bake for approximately 25 minutes.
  6. Remove from oven and sprinkle a little cheese over each pepper. Return to oven for 5-10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
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I always have enough filling to completely STUFF 10-12 half peppers AND fill up a quart sized bag to freeze for later (which will usually fill up another 6 half peppers or so). Last year we planted 3 or 4 green bell pepper plants… this year we have 26 (still not quite sure how THAT happened)! I guess I’ll be looking for some more recipes… 😉

Don’t forget to click on the link above to LEAVE A COMMENT and LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!

Enjoy…

Lynn

Tunnel of Fudge Cake

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Hi everyone!

It’s What’s Cookin’? Wednesday!

If you love chocolate, then this is definitely the cake for you! The only downside to this cake is the waiting time while it cools… oh, and maybe the calories 😉

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Tunnel of Fudge Cake

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook/Bake Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

  • 1-1/2 cups butter (not margarine)
  • 6 eggs
  • 1-1/2 cups sugar
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 boxes Jiffy chocolate fudge frosting mix
  • 2 cups chopped walnuts

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Cream butter with mixer at high speed
  3. Add eggs- one at a time
  4. Gradually add sugar
  5. Continue beating at high speed until batter is light and fluffy
  6. By hand- fold in flour, frosting mix, and walnuts until well blended
  7. Pour batter into a greased Bundt pan or a 10" tube pan
  8. Bake for approximately 60 minutes (depending on your oven)- the top of the cake should be "brownie-like" when done. You canNOT use the "toothpick test" on this one!
  9. COOL in pan for 2 hours
  10. Remove from pan and COOL COMPLETELY before slicing
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This recipe has always been a hit or miss for me, but when it does turn out like it’s supposed to, then it’s WONDERFUL! There is a gooey “tunnel” of fudge surrounded by moist cake that just seems to make my eyeballs roll back into my head with every bite… sooooooooooo chocolatey good!

My family (ok… me, too 😉 ) is usually too impatient to wait for it to cool completely, so we end up with a “gooier” than normal “tunnel”, but that’s okay- it NEVER goes to waste (but beware… because it always seems to go to waist!). If you over-bake it, then you’ll have less fudgy “goo” and more cake… so you may have to experiment with it a couple of times to find the perfect baking time for your oven.

Try it and let me know how you like it!

Enjoy!

Lynn

Baby Back Ribs

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Hi everyone!

It’s What’s Cookin’? Wednesday!

I don’t know about anyone else, but I’ve never had any luck when it comes to preparing ribs for dinner.  If I bake them, they come out dry… if I put them in the crock pot, they are just a sloppy mess of grease… and if I put them on the grill, they always burn.

And then…. I found this awesome fool-proof recipe.  Now my ribs ROCK!

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Baby Back Ribs

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook/Bake Time: 3 hours

Total Time: 3 hours, 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 slabs baby back ribs (I’ve tried using other cuts, but baby back is the absolute BEST!)
  • 1 package onion soup mix
  • BBQ sauce

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 275 degrees.
  2. Line a large baking sheet with foil- shiny side out.
  3. Remove the white membrane from the bony side of each slab.
  4. Rub the dry onion soup mix on both sides of each slab of ribs.
  5. Place ribs meat side down and cover tightly with foil.
  6. Bake for approximately 2-1/2 hours, or until meat begins to pull away from the bone.
  7. Remove ribs from the oven and slice into serving sized portions (3-4 ribs).
  8. Brush each section generously with BBQ sauce.
  9. Return to oven (uncovered) for about 15 minutes.
  10. Remove from oven and turn ribs over to meaty side up. Brush generously with BBQ sauce.
  11. Return to oven (uncovered) for another 15 minutes.

Notes

***Baking times are approximate and may need to be adjusted depending on your oven.

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That’s it!  These ribs are so tender that they literally fall off the bone- just like at your favorite restaurant. They taste sooooooo good, require minimal effort, and there’s virtually NO MESS to clean up!

Please click on the link above to leave a comment and let me know how you liked them!

Enjoy!
Lynn