Southern Creamy Pralines

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups sugar.
• 1 cup whole fat buttermilk.
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup.
• 1 pinch salt.
• 1 teaspoon baking soda.
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
• 4 cups of pecans.

DIRECTION: 

• Combine sugar, buttermilk, corn syrup and salt in very large pan (it will foam considerably when soda is added) and bring to a rice rolling boil. Add soda, stir and cook until soft ball is formed when dropped in cold water.
• at 235 F on Candy thermometer, the syrup is at the "soft ball' stage. That means that when you drop a bit of it into cold water to cool it down, it will form a soft ball. *** 
• Then remove from heat and add vanilla. Beat until color changes and candy thickens. Stir in pecans. Drop by teaspoon on a Well greased non stick cookie sheet, foil or wax paper. If you do not grease your pan well it will stick (DO IT FAST before the candy hardens) *** I drop mine on foil***.

Chicken Biscuit Casserole

INGREDIENTS

• 1 can (10  3/4 ounces) Cream of Chicken Soup.
• 1/4 cup milk.
• 3/4 shredded cheddar cheese.
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper.
• Chopped onions (if you like).
• Green peas.
• Boiled potatoes.
• Boiled chicken shredded or chunked.
• 1 package (7.5 ounces) refrigerated biscuit dough (10 biscuits).

DIRECTION: 

• Heat the oven to 400 F. Stir the soup, milk, cheese and black pepper in a 3-quart shallow baking dish. Stir in the vegetables and chicken.
• Bake for 15 minutes or until the chicken mixture is hot and bubbling. Stir the chicken mixture top the chicken mixture with the biscuits.
• Bake for 15 minutes or until the biscuits are golden brown.

Hawaiian Ham Roll Sliders

2 pkg Hawaiian sweet dinner rolls.

1 pkg deli sandwich ham.

12 slice, Swiss cheese.

1/2 c butter, melted.

1 tablespoon poppy seeds.

1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce.

1 1/2 teaspoons brown or Dijon mustard.

1 teaspoon onion powder.

DIRECTION: 

Slice top from rolls and place bottoms in baking pan. Layer ham and cheese on rolls. Replace tops. Combine butter, poppy seeds, mustard, Worcestershire, and onion powder and mix well, Drizzle over rolls. Refrigerate until butter is firm or overnight. Cover with foil and bake at 350 F for 30 minutes or until cheese melts. Uncover and cook for 2 additional minutes. Serve warm or cold. 

Pepperoni Roll

per-packaged frozen dough (I prefer Rhodes).

shredded cheese (maxi-blend or mozzarella).

Parmesan cheese.

Pepperoni or whatever other pizza topping you like.

Some herbs.

Olive oil.

DIRECTION: 

Loosely cover the frozen bread dough with plastic wrap.

Allow dough to thaw for a few hours at room temperature.

Roll dough out to approximately 11 x 11 square.

One frozen dough log makes one pepperoni roll.

Brush dough with olive oil or whatever cooking oil you prefer.

Lay pepperoni on dough. covering entire surface. I like to use sandwich pepperoni from the deli. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese.

Next, sprinkle with shredded Parmesan cheese. you can use grated from a can if that is what you already have on hand.. but you can buy the shredded Parmesan in a bag. You'll find it right next to the other bags of shredded cheese.

Wall mart sells it for $1.99 and it is very good. I like using the shredded Parmesan in the bag because the flavor is so much better!.

Lightly sprinkle with Italian herbs.. basically, some dried oregano, parsley and basil. Be careful, not to much.. oregano can be very strong and you don't want too much!.

Add a sprinkling garlic powder. I was all out of garlic powder, so I used garlic salt.

Roll up dough starting at one edge of square.

Place rolls on baking sheet, leaving space between,

Brush some melted butter on top of uncooked pepperoni roll. You do not need to let rise.

Bake it right away. It will rise up in the oven perfectly.

Bake at 375 degrees of approx. 15 to 25 minutes. oven temps. and times may vary.

When done, top of roll should be golden brown and you should be able to make a tapping sound on the crust with you fingernail.. just the same as when baking bread. Make sure you allow pepperoni roll to cool completely before serving.

Better-than-mom's Stovestop Goulash with Macaroni, Tomatoes, and Ground Beef

2 teaspoons, olive oil.

1 lb. extra-lean ground beef (less than 10% fat).

1 large onion, chopped.

2 teaspoons minced garlic.

1 1/2 cups water.

1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce.

1 can (15 oz.) petite diced tomatoes with juice.

1 T Italian Herb blend (I love the mix from The Spice House, but any Italian seasoning blend will work.).

2 bay leaves.

2 T soy sauce.

1 tablespoon garlic powder.

1 teaspoon Montreal Steak Seasoning (or use your favorite purchase steak seasoning).

Salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste.

1 cup macaroni (I used Dream field's Macaroni, although after it cooks in the sauce for 30 minutes it's not really a low crab macaroni.).

Low-fat sour cream for serving, optional.

DIRECTION: 

In a large non-stick pan, heat the olive oil, add the ground beef, and cook until it's well-browned, breaking apart with the turner as it cooks. Push the beef to the side of the pan, add the onions and cook until the onions start to brown, about 5 minutes. add the minced garlic and cook about 2 minutes more.

Add the water, tomato, sauce, petite dice tomatoes and juice, Italian herb blend, bay leaves, soy sauce, garlic powder, Montreal steak seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir the mixture together, then cover the pan and simmer about 20 minutes.

Add the macaroni, cover the pan again, and simmer 30 minutes. Remove from the heat, discard the bay leaves, and let the mixture sit for a few minutes before serving. (We only made it about 10 minutes, which was fine.).

Serve hot, with a dollop of low-fat sour cream if desired.

30- Minutes Mozzarella Stuffed Turkey Meatballs with Homemade Marinara Sauce

1 pound ground turkey meat.

5 garlic doves, minced, divided.

1 egg.

1/2 cup freshly grated Romano cheese.

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning.

2 teaspoons fresh parsley, chopped.

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste.

1 cup whole wheat panko bread.

1/2 cup lukewarm water.

4 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into bite sized cubes (you can use 4 (1 ounce) string cheese pieces, too).

6 tablespoons olive oil, divided.

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes.

1 teaspoon salt.

1/2 teaspoon sugar.

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning.

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes.

DIRECTION: 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees (F). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

Heat 4 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Allow the oil to simmer (you want it very hot) while you prepare the meatballs.

In a large bowl combine ground turkey meat, half of the minced garlic, egg, cheese, parsley Italian seasoning, salt and pepper, and panko. Slowly add the water, a few tablespoons at a time. The mixture should be very most but still hold its shape when rolled into meatballs.

Scope one tablespoon of meat into a small ball. Press a piece of cheese in the center, then cover it with another piece of meat, roll to seal in the cheese. Repeat with all meat/cheese.

Fry meatballs in batches in the hot oil, 2  minutes on each side.

Place semi-cooked meatballs on prepares baking sheet. Once all meatballs have been panfried. place the baking sheet in the oven to bake for 10-12 minutes, or until they're cooked through.

While the meatballs bake, make you marinara.

Add remaining oil to the same pan the meatballs were in, then add the remaining garlic and saute for one minute, or until the garlic is golden and fragrant. Add the crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper, sugar, seasoning and crushed red pepper flakes, mix well to combine. Simmer the sauce for 9 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. 

When meatballs are done cooking, add them to the sauce, stir to coat.

Country Apple Fritter Bread

Ingredients

Bread Loaf

1/3 cup light brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2/3 cup white sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup milk or almond milk

2 apples, peeled and chopped (any kind), mixed with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon old-fashioned Creme Glaze

1/2 cup of powdered sugar

1-3 tablespoons of milk or cream - (depending on thickness of glaze wanted).

How to Make It

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use a 9x5-inch loaf pan and spray with non-stick spray or line with foil and spray with non-stick spray to get out easily for slicing.

Mix brown sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl. Set aside.

In another medium-sized bowl, beat while sugar and butter together using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.

Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, until blended in; add in vanilla extract.

Combine & whisk flour and baking powder together in another bowl and add into creamed butter mixture and stir until blended.

Mix milk into batter until smooth.

Pour half the batter into the prepared loaf pan; add half the apple mixture, then half the brown sugar / cinnamon mixture.

Lightly pat apple mixture into batter.

Pour the remaining batter over apple layer and top with remaining apple mixture, then the remaining brown sugar / cinnamon mixture.

Lightly pat apples into batter; swirl brown sugar mixture through apples using knife or spoon.

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean, approximately 50-60 minutes.

To make glaze, mix powdered sugar and milk or cream together until well mixed.

Let cool for about 15 minutes before drizzling with glaze.

Simply Great Chicken

Ingredients

About 3 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken (I've used both thighs and breasts)

1(.7 ounce) packet of dried Italian dressing mix (such as Good Seasonings)

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed 

How to Make It

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 12 inch x 9 inch pan and set aside, and / or it may be preferable to line you dish with aluminum foil as the sugar tends to caramelize while baking.

Rinse chicken, pat dry with paper towels.

Combine and the dried Italian seasoning mix and the brown sugar, mixing together well.

Dip and press the chicken pieces into the mixture, coating front and back and place into your prepared pan, topside of the chicken facing up. Any extra coating that remains can just be sprinkled over the chicken.

Carol says to cook for 50-60 minutes or until chicken is done. I do that as well, but during the interim, I turn the chicken over a couple of times and spoon the resultant saucy melted brown sugar mix over the baking chicken allowing, with the final turn leaving the topside facing up for the last bit of baking. I want to get as much of that flavorful coasting as I can.

Fresh Pasta Salad

Ingredients

1 lb. Mueller's Cut Macaroni

1 large cucumber, peeled and cut in small chunks

2 cups diced fresh tomato

5-6 chopped green onion scallions

8 pieces bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

1 cup mayonnaise or Miracle whip

1 package hidden valley ranch dry mix

1.5 cups traditional cut shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain in colander and cold water. Place drained pasta in large bowl.

Combine mayonnaise and dry ranch mix and gently stir into pasta coating well. Add cucumber, tomatoes and scallions and gently blend. Add bacon and cheese and blend all well. Refrigerate until chilled.

Fried Rice

Ingredients

3 tablespoons, butter, divided

2 eggs, whisked

2 medium carrots, peeled and  diced 

1 small white onion, diced

1/2 cup frozen peas

3 cloves garlic, minced

salt and pepper

4 cups cooked and chilled rice (1 prefer short-grain white rice)

3 green onions, thinly sliced

3-4 tablespoons soy sauce or more to taste

2 teaspoon oyster sauce (optional)

1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Directions

Heat 1/2 tablespoon of butter in a large skilled over medium-high heat until melted. Add egg, and cook until scrambled, stirring occasionally. Remove egg, and transfer to a separate plate.

Add an additional 1 tablespoon butter to the plan and heat until melted. Add carrots, onion, peas and garlic, and season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Saute for about 15 minutes or until the onion and carrots are soft. Increase heat to high, add in the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter, and stir until melted. Immediately add the rice, green, onions, soy sauce and oyster sauce (if using), and stir until combined. Continue stirring for an additional 3 minutes to fry the rice. Then add in the eggs and stir to combine. Add the sesame oil, stir to combine, and remove from heat.

Do Nothing Cake

Ingredients

Cake:

2 cups all purpose flour

2 cups granulated sugar

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

pinch of salt

1 large can (20 oz) crushed pineapple with juice

Frosting :

1 stick (1/2 cup), butter

1 cup sugar

1 can (5 1/2 ounce) evaporated milk

1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1 cup shredded coconut

How to Make It

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, Whisk together all the batter ingredients until just combine.

Pour into a greased 13x9 baking dish, and bake for 30-40 minutes or until a wooden toothpick, inserted in the middle comes out dean, Don't overbake.

While cake is still baking, prepare the frosting.

Heat the butter, sugar and evaporated milk in a small saucepan until boiling.

Cook and stir for about 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened.

Remove from heat and add in the coconut and pecans.

Remove the cake from oven, and using a kabob skewer or wooden spoon handle, or some similary-sized object, begin poking holes in the cake.

You need holes so that hot frosting has plenty of room to get down and soak the cake.

Pour frosting over the hot cake, spreading it out to make sure it's all evenly dispersed.

Allow cake to cool for a bit before cutting.

Due to the frosting seeping into the cake, it is very moist

Enjoy.

Apple Pie Tacos

Ingredients

4 Apples peeled & sliced

1/2 C Sugar

2 teaspoons Cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg

1/2 C Water

Tortilla's  (flour) 6 size

Oil (for frying tortillas)

1/2 c sugar-cinnamon mixture

Whipped cream

How to Make It

Place apples, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and water is a sauce pan.

Stir until well blended and cover and cook on medium stirring frequently for 10 minutes on until apples are semi soft. If needed, thicken sauce using 1 Tbl of comstarch to 3-4 Tbl of water.

Mix into sauce and stir until thickened. Heat oil on medium heat in a skillet and holding the tortilla folded in half, place the bottom on tortilla in the oil for a few seconds.

Then lay it on one side until browned and then place other side down until browned. Remove from oil and sprinkle browned tortilla with sugar-cinnamon mixture. Fill taco shells with apple pie filling and top with whipped cream, and sprinkle a little more of sugar-cinnamon mixture on top.

Let it set on an upside down muffin bin.

Fried Cabbage With Sausage

Ingredients

1 stick butter or margarine

1 small head of cabbage, chopped

1 small green pepper, chopped or cut into strips

1 small onion, chopped

1 pound polish sausage, sliced into round pieces

1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

hot sauce (optional)

How to Make It

Melt butter in large skillet. Add cabbage, onion and green pepper and cook on medium high for about 5 minutes stirring to keep from sticking to pan, Add remaining ingredients, cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes.

Flour - Less Double Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients

6 tablespoon. coconut oil

6 oz. (170g) chipits semisweet chocolate chips

2 large eggs, room temperature

2/3 cup coconut sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3 tablespoons. arrowroot powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

How to Make It

Preheat oven to 350 F and prepare an 8x8 baking pan by lining it with a sheet of aluminum foil, leaving a few inches of overhang on the sides to allow for easy removal. Grease the foil and set aside.

Add coconut oil and chocolate chips to a small saucepan set over low heat. Stir until oil and chocolate have melted before removing from heat and setting aside to cool slightly.

Using a handheld mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat together eggs, sugar and vanilla extract until smooth and pale, about 2 minutes. Add melted chocolate mixture and mix until well combined.

Reduce speed to low and add cocoa powder, arrowroot powder, and salt, mixing until well combined and scrapping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Batter should be thick and smooth.

Pour batter into prepared pan, spreading it evenly with a greased spatula. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until center is set. Remove from oven and let cool in pan for about 15 minutes before removing and transferring to wire rack to cool completely. Cut into squares and serve.

Melt-In-Your-Mouth Chicken Breasts

Ingredients

4 boneless chicken breast halves 1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1 12 teaspoons seasoning salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

How to Make It

Mix mayonnaise. cheese and seasonings. Spread mixture over chicken breast and place in baking dish

Bake at 375 F for 45 minutes.