Honey Mustard

Honey Mustard

Ingredients:

1/2 C Mustard

1/2 C Mayo

4 Tbs Honey

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in a bowl until well blended.

Honey may stick to spoon or sides of dish so make sure it is mixed into the sauce.

Sloppy Joes

Sloppy Joes

Ingredients:

Ground beef

1/2 Onion Minced

2 Tbs Minced Garlic

1/2 C Kethcup

1/2 C Mustard

3-4 Tbs Brown Sugar

Directions:

Brown the meat with the onion and garlic in a skillet. 

Once the meat is fully cooked add the ketchup, mustard and brown sugar. Taste as you go and add ingredients to acquire the perfect taste you want. 

Serve on buns warm.

-We use any left over meat in tomato sauce with pasta.

Cornflake Chicken

Cornflake Chicken

Ingredients:

Chicken Tenders

1-2 Eggs

1 Tbs Paprika

1 Tsp Garlic Powder

1 Tbs Chili Powder

Salt

Pepper

1/4 C Parmesan Cheese

1-2 C Cornflakes

(Spicy)

1 Tbs Cayenne Pepper

1 Tbs Hot Sauce

Directions:

Oven: 350°

In a small bowl beat the eggs with paprika, garlic powder, chili powder, salt and pepper. For a spicier chicken include the cayenne pepper, and hot sauce.

In a separate bowl mix crush the cornflakes and mix with parmesan cheese. (I use the parmesan container to crush the cornflakes...it works pretty well)

Dip the Chicken tenders in the egg mixture. Then coat with cornflake mixture.

Place the coated chicken on a baking sheet and place in oven. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked.

Breakfast Ring

Breakfast Ring

Ingredients:

Pillsbury Crescent Dough

5 Eggs Scrambled

5 Pieces of Bacon crumbled

1 c Shredded Cheese

Directions:

Oven: 350°

Cook the eggs and bacon and place in bowls or on plates on the side.

on a sheet of foil place the crescent pieces, long side out, into a circle slightly overlapping the ends. once the ring is formed, first put a layer of cheese on the inner most part of the ring.

Next layer the bacon pieces on top of the cheese. Placing the bacon on the cheese will help hold it in the ring once the cheese is melted.

On top of the bacon place the scrambled eggs. They do fall off so it takes a little ingenuity to make them stay in place.

Once the eggs seem to want to stay put begin wrapping the crescent pieces up and over the insides. When wrapping the crescent dough over the eggs be sure to slightly angle the ends of the dough each time. Pinch the ends of the dough to the center to form a tight seal. 

Once the ring is assembled place in the oven for about 10-15 minutes or until the dough is lightly tanned. 

The breakfast ring can be served immediately or put in the fridge and warmed later on. 

Stuffed Loaded Potato Skins

Stuffed Loaded Potato Skins

Ingredients:

6 Russet Potatoes

Bacon

2 Cups Shredded Cheese

Butter

Milk

Salt

Directions:

Cook the potatoes either in the oven or in the microwave. 

Clean each potato and poke with a fork all around the potato.

I suggest the oven because it makes for a nicer skin on the potato. 

In the oven you cook the potatoes for about 1 hour or until soft. If you chose to cook them in the microwave it's about 8-10 minutes for 2 potatoes. 

While the potatoes are cooking you can also put the bacon in the oven on a separate rack to cook.

Once the bacon is finished let it cool and drain on a plate lined with paper towels.

When the bacon is cooled crumble into pieces.

Once the potatoes are cooked let cool for about 5 minutes or until you are able to handle the potatoes.

Slice potatoes in half long ways.

Scoop out most of the potato insides leaving some still in the skins and place the insides in a separate bowl. 

In the bowl add a little bit of salt, butter and milk. Using a large serving fork or a hand mixer create mashed potatoes. As you mix continue to add salt, butter and milk until the potatoes are at the desired consistency. Once you have achieved the mashed potatoes mix in a small portion of the shredded cheese.

Spoon the mashed potatoes back into the potato skins.

Top with the remainder of shredded cheese and bacon pieces.

Replace the skins into the oven for 5-10 minutes to crisp the skins and melt the cheese on top and in the potato skins.

Hurricane Sandy Grilled Egg Sandwich

Grilled Egg Sandwich

Ingredients

English Muffins

Eggs

Cheese

2-3 Tbs Butter

Directions:

On the grill place some foil.

Put water in a pot on the grill, or on a grill burner and bring to a boil.

Split the english muffins and place them inside down. This will toast it and heat it up.

Once toasted, flip and butter the inside.

Place cheese on the muffins and allow to toast the bottom and melt the cheese.

Once the water starts to boil crack and drop the entire egg into the water. Cook until hard boiled or soft yolk.

Remove from water and place on the english muffins.

Enjoy right away or wrap in foil and reheat on an open flame later on. 

Hurricane Sandy Sandwich Melt

Hurricane Sandy Sandwich Melt

Well when hurricane sandy came my family and I lost our power for about a week. No heat, no electricity, NOTHING. When it came to cooking we had to get a little inventive to use up our food before it went bad, and to not starve. Luckily for us we did have our grill working with propane, and a fire place with a cast iron insert which heated the house nicely even without the electric blower working. 

Late one night my sister, friends and myself got a little inventive with our hunger pangs. I do have to give most credit to my sister on this though.

Ingredients:

Foil

Bread

1-2 Tbs Butter

Cheese

Tuna Salad

(Or whatever you like)

Directions:

On a piece of foil spread some butter about the size of two pieces of bread.

Place the bread on the foil with the cheese on top.

Place the foil with bread and cheese on top of the stove/fire/grill.

Let it heat up and toast the bread. (The sizzling sound this made just urged our stomachs to growl even more.)

Once toasted to where you like add the tuna salad (or whatever filling you like) and enjoy.

Butter Cookies

Plain Butter Cookies

Ingredients:

2/3 c Sugar

1 c Soft Butter

1 Egg

2 1/2 c Flour

1 Tsp Almond Extract

Directions:

Oven: 350°

In a large bowl cream together sugar and butter until blended.

Add extract and egg and blend completely.

Blend in flour until all ingredients have created a dough.

Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly browned on edges.

Variations:

1. My family for as long as we can remember would make this recipe and use it at christmas with a cookie press. With my younger cousins I would use food coloring in the dough and twist or layer it in the cookie press for some fun.

2. Orange/Lemon Butter Cookies-

Zest from 1 Orange/Lemon

Juice from 1/2 Orange

1/2 - 3/4 c Sugar

Add the zest to the butter and sugar when blending. 

Create the dough the same as always.

Scoop into small balls, lightly flatten.

Dip one side in orange juice, and then in the sugar.

Place on baking sheet and bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

3. Flavors

Instead of almond try these flavors. They totally change the cookies.

-Vanilla

-Peppermint

-??? Suggestions

Pumpkin Poppers

Without Glaze

With Glaze

The original recipe called for a glaze using a stick! of butter. UGH. I was only able to get 40 mini muffins out of the batter, and an entire stick of butter for a recipe with no pure sugar, and no butter seemed a bit ridiculous. So I made my own and they are still absolutely delicious! The best little treat for a cool fall day while sipping a hot tea and reading a good book wrapped up in your favorite blanket. I might actually miss these days once I move to the desert.(By the way, I still get to enjoy my baked treats and my warm tea) Enjoy!

Pumpkin Poppers

Ingredients:

1 3/4 c Flour

2 Tsp. Baking Powder

3/4 Tsp Cinnamon

3/4 Tsp Nutmeg

3/4 Tsp Ginger

3/4 Tsp Cloves

1/3 c Vegetable oil

1/2 c Brown Sugar

1 Egg

1 Tsp Vanilla

3/4 C Pumpkin

1/2 c Milk

Glaze

2-3 Tbs Confectioners Sugar

Cinnamon

Nutmeg

1 Tsp Sugar

Milk

Directions:

Oven: 350°F

Mix flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and brown sugar in a bowl. Make sure to get the clumps of brown sugar out.

Mix in pumpkin, vanilla, egg, oil, and milk. Mix until blended.

Using small muffin pan, grease and fill each half full with batter.

Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Mix glaze ingredients in a small bowl. Remember the more milk the thinner it is. Taste to make sure it's how you would like it. 

Dip the top of the muffins in the glaze and let them dry on a cooling rack.

These are really great without glaze as well!

Serve them warmed with some tea...mmmm =)

Banana Pudding

Banana Pudding

Ingredients:

3/4 c Sugar

2 Tbs Corn Starch

3 c Milk

4 Eggs Yolks

Vanilla

1/2 Stick Butter

3 Medium Bananas

Directions:

In a double boiler mix the sugar and cornstarch. Gradually add the milk and stir until thick.

Spoon a little of the milk and sugar mixture into the yolks to temper before adding to the custard pot.

Once the yolk is added mix for another 2 minutes.

Take off the double boiler and add the butter and vanilla.

Once the butter has melted and mixed well allow the pudding to cool.

Fill a 9x9, first half of the pudding on the bottom, layer the bananas, then top with pudding. 

(Some people like using wafers, add them before the final layer of pudding.)

Let cool in the fridge before serving.

Apple Cinnamon Crumb Cake

Apple Cinnamon Crumb Cake

Ingredients:

4 Apples

Cinnamon

Sugar

Brown Sugar

2 1/4 Sticks Soft Butter

(18 Tbs)

3 c Sugar

6 Eggs

2 Tsp Vanilla

1 1/2 c Milk

3 3/4 c Flour

2 1/4 Tsp Baking Powder

3 c Flour

1 c Sugar

Cinnamon

1/2 c Vegetable Oil

Directions:

Oven 350°F

Chop apples into cube pieces.

Mix in a bowl with cinnamon, sugar, and brown sugar.

In a separate bowl blend the butter and sugar until fluffy. 

Mix in eggs, milk and vanilla. 

Once smooth add flour and baking powder. 

Mix well until smooth. 

To add a little flavor sprinkle some cinnamon and swirl into the batter. 

Mix the flour, sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Then add oil and stir until a crumb mixture.

Grease and flour a 9 x 13 pan. 

1st layer a little less than half the batter on the bottom. 

2nd layer of apples spread evenly. leave a slight gap from the edge so the batter layers will bake together and not fall apart.

3rd layer of batter

4th layer, finish with the crumbs on top. 

Bake for 45 minutes or until fully baked.

Pernil

Pernil

Ingredients:

Oregano

Garlic

Adobo

Pepper

Olive Oil

Directions:

Oven: 350°

Combine the oregano, garlic, adobo, and pepper in a pilon. Crush until it forms a paste. Mix in the olive oil.

Poke some holes in the pernil where your fingers can fit in to stuff the seasonings. The holes should be about an inch apart from each other.(Be generous, but don't murder the pig again.)

Line a deep pan with foil. Place the pernil in the foil and close.

Bake for about 4 hours with the foil sealed.

Pump up the oven to 450°F and cook for about 30 minutes until the skin is crispy.

Served with arroz con gandules

Potato Soup

Potato Soup

Ingredients:

5 Large Baking Potatoes Cubed

1/2 Onion chopped

3 stalks of celery chopped

4 1/2 c Milk

3 c Chicken Broth

(3 c water and 3 bouillon)

Salt

Pepper

Parsley

Shredded Cheese

Bacon

Directions:

Cook bacon in pan until crispy. Remove the bacon from the grease and allow to drain on a plate with paper towels. Once cooled crumble the bacon.

Drain the bacon grease from the pan leaving a small amount to saute the onions.

Once the onions are done add 3 c of chicken broth, celery, potatoes, and milk to the pot. Season with salt pepper and parsley.

Boil the mix until potatoes are fully cooked. Spoon out half of the potatoes using a slotted spoon to a separate bowl. Mash these potatoes and place them back into the pot. I like leaving some potatoes still in chunks.

Boil the mixture until to the thickness you would like. If too thick, add some broth and milk.

Serve with a garnish of bacon and shredded cheese.

Lemon Cupcakes

Lemon Cupcakes

I did some experimenting with my vanilla cake recipe. We had a bunch of lemons left over so I thought I'd see how successful it would be to use them to flavor my cake. 

Worked pretty well, I used the zest and juice from 1 large lemon and got a very nice light lemon flavor to my cupcakes. 

Sauteed Cajun Chicken & Shrimp Penne with Red Pepper Alfredo Sauce

Sauteed Cajun Chicken & Shrimp Penne with Red Pepper Alfredo Sauce

Side of garlic bread.

Long name I know, no worries takes about 45-50 minutes to prepare and is absolutely delicious!

Ingredients:

Red Pepper Alfredo

(Prepare according to the recipe)
3 Tbs Butter
1 Medium Onion
Garlic
Parsley
Salt
Pepper
Paprika
Cajun Season Mix
Penne Pasta
3 Chicken Breasts
1 1/2 c Shrimp

Directions:

Cook the penne as per the box.

Prepare the red pepper alfredo sauce according to the recipe.

In a large skillet melt the butter and saute the onions with the garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, paprika, and cajun season mix.

Cut the chicken breasts into strips and add to the onions. cook until the chicken is fully cooked. 

Add the shrimp only for the last 5 minutes before serving.

Plate the pasta with alfredo sauce and top with the chicken and shrimp. Make a side of garlic bread.