Pickle Roll Ups

This is an appetizer I have been making since the 90s...it is sooo good. Super Bowl is coming up and these would be perfect.

Ingredients

1	8 oz container of cream cheese softned
8 lg	dill pickles
2 pkg	deli meat ( ham, or roast beef ) 4oz each

Directions

Dry pickles off. You can use small dill pickles instead. The portions will just be smaller.

Spread a layer of cream cheese on a slice of meat.

Wrap the meat around the pickle. If the pickles are really large then use 2 slices of meat.

Slice and arrange on a platter with toothpicks.

Caramel Apple Salad

Summer time will be here soon and here is a great cool refreshing salad to make. Even your kids will love it.

Ingredients

1 pkg	frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 pkg	instant butterscotch pudding, dry
1 can(s)	crushed pineapple
3 c	diced apples
1 c	dry roasted nuts
1 c	marshmallows                       Mix all ingrediants together.

Peachy Peach Cake

I am in love with peaches. From peach cobblers to just eating them right out of the can. Here is a delicious peach cake that is flavorful and moist.

Ingredients

1	yellow cake mix, or white is ok to use
3 lg	eggs beaten
2 stk	softened room temp butter only, . . not margarine (= 1 cup)
2 tsp	vanilla extract
1/4 tsp	cinnamon
1 pkg	sugar free peach jello
6	sliced & peeled fresh peaches
	apple pie spice sprinkled over peaches (optional)
	cool whip, whip cream or powdered sugar sprinkled on top

Directions

Heat oven to 350 Flour and Grease 9 X 13 pan

Mix first 7 Ingredients, until well blended about 2-3 minutes

Spread mixture evenly into greased and floured pan.

Evenly line & place sliced peaches over the top of the batter mixture.

Sprinkle top of peaches with apple pie spice.

Bake: 350 -35-40 min.
Serve with vanilla ice cream, or whip cream.

NOTE: Not recommended to use canned peaches, But if you do like I did you must be sure they are drained very well, or pat dry on paper towels then use. 

Tiramisu Cheesecake

I have a favorite dessert.( Well...I have many lol )  If I go to an Italian restaurant I just have to have Tiramisu after dinner. It is so good. If you like cream and coffee you will love it. This recipe is an easier version made with vanilla wafers instead of lady fingers. Some stores don't carry lady fingers so this is a pretty good substitute.

Ingredients

1 pkg	nilla waters, (about 88), divided
5 tsp	instant coffee, divided
3 Tbsp	hot water, divided
4 pkg	cream cheese, (8 oz.) each
1 c	sugar
1 c	sour cream
4	eggs
1 c	cool whip whipped topping, thawed
2 Tbsp	unsweetened cocoa powder

Directions

Line a 9 x 13 inch pan with foil, with the edges of the foil extending over the sides.

Line half the wafers into the bottom of the prepared pan.

Add 2 tsp. coffee granules to 2 Tbsp. hot water, stir until dissolved.

Brush half of it onto the wafers in the pan. Set aside the remaining instant coffee.

Beat the cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl with a mixer until well blended.

Add the sour cream and mix well. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each egg.

Remove 3 1/2 cups of batter and place it in a medium bowl.

Dissolve remaining coffee granules in remaining hot water. Stir into the removed batter and spread over the wafers in the pan.

Top with the remaining wafers and brush with the remaining dissolved coffee.

Cover with the remaining plain batter.

Bake for 45 minutes or until the center is almost set. Cool. Refrigerate for 3 hours.

Use the foil as handles to lift the cheesecake out from the pan.

Frost with the Cool Whip just before serving. Sprinkle with cocoa powder.

Green Bean Gratin

Most of us have tried the traditional Green Bean Casserole. You know the one with the Durkee Fried Onions in a can. Don't get me wrong I loooove that casserole. But sometimes it's nice to change things up a bit and this maybe the new green bean dish to serve for the holidays.

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb	fresh green beans cleaned
3 oz	of blue cheese
1 pt	heavy cream
1/2 c	plain bread crumbs
1/4 c	melted butter

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Bring salted water to a boil and add the green beans and boil for 6 mins.

Drain in a colander lined with a paper towel.

Mix butter and bread crumbs together until crumbley.

In a casserole dish sprinkle about a third of the bread crumb mixture on the bottom of the dish.

Then place the beans on top.

Crumble the blue cheese and add that next.

Pour the cream over the beans and cheese.

Sprinkle the remaining bread crumbs over the top and bake for 15 mins. When you take it out of the oven let it rest until the cream settles. 

For those who just love blue cheese this is a wonderful dish.

Easy Baked Beans

Easy Peasy cooking is something I just love. This recipe for baked beans is just that. They taste like they have been cooking for hours.

Baked Beans Recipe

Ingredients
* 1 small can - kidney beans
* 1/2 cup - molasses
* 1/2 cup - brown sugar
* 2 tablespoons - mustard
* 8 oz. - tomato sauce or ketchup
* 1 small - onion (chopped)
* 1 small - green bell pepper (chopped)
* 2 cans - pork & beans
* 1/2 - 1 pound - bacon crumbled (crisp)
Directions
Mix in large pan and cover the top with strips of more uncooked bacon. BAKE at 350 for 1hour or longer.

Iced Ricotta Cookies

I do love cheese cake and on a trip to Disney World I ate at Alfredos in Epcot in Italy. After dragging myself away from the Capodimonte they had at the shop there I was delighted at the ricotta cheese cake they served us for dessert. I have never had such a wonderful cheese cake before.I had tried to make it a few times but failed.
I found the recipe for these cookies and though its not quite the same they are delicious and reminded me of the nice time I had at Disney.

Ingredients: 1 cup butter, softened 1 cup sugar 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt 2 eggs 3/4 cup ricotta cheese 1 tsp. vanilla 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup lightly salted pistachios, chopped 1/3 dried currants, or golden raisins 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar 1-2 tbsp. whole milk Directions: Preheat oven to 350˚. In a large bowl, beat butter for 1-2 minutes. If using a hand-mixer, beat for about 30 seconds on a medium setting. Add sugar, baking soda and salt. Once combined, beat in eggs, ricotta and vanilla. If well incorporated, mixture will appear lumpy. Using a mixer, slowly add in flour. Once thoroughly combined, stir in 1/2 cup pistachios and currants or raisins. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until bottoms are slightly brown. Cool on wire rack. Icing: Combine powdered sugar with enough milk for a consistency to drizzle. Drizzle icing over cookies. Makes 48 cookies.

String Bean and Corn Casserole

Traditionally we serve that classic green bean casserole. You know the one with the dried onion rings crushed on top. I decided to try something different and made this a few years ago. Its really good and you can add slivered almonds on top if you want to get a little fancy. Here's the ingredients:

Layer each of the following in order in a greased 13-by-9 pan:

1 ½ cups crushed Ritz crackers

2 14-ounce cans French-style green beans, drained

1 14-ounce can shoepeg corn

1 small onion, finely diced and saute in butter until soft

Then mix 1 14-ounce can cream of celery soup with 8 ounces of sour cream. Layer on top of the onions.

Top with:

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1 ½ cups crushed Ritz crackers

1 stick melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 30-35 minutes. Or until top is golden brown. Let set for 5mins.

Easy Yeast Rolls

Years ago I tried making bread for the first time and yeast and me were not friends. My dough wouldn't rise so I kinda gave up baking with yeast. I decided to try it again a few months ago and I'm glad I did. It's really not hard and this is a fool proof recipe to make the best tasting homemade yeast rolls I have ever had! My hunny said they tasted like Quincy's big fat yeast roll. I got the recipe from Yes Divas Can Cook You can find some great tasting recipes there and she has a youtube channel. Here's her recipe:



Ingredients

3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 packet of dry active yeast (rapid rise) (please see bottom note if you are using the highly active yeast)
1 1/4 cups milk
1/4- 1/2 cup sugar 
1/4 cup of butter flavored shortening (Butter flavored shortening makes these rolls taste sooo good. If you use regular shortening the flavor will be really basic and taste like...well...bread.)
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Step 1.) In a large bowl, add 1 1/4 cup flour & yeast. Mix with whisk until combined. Set Aside

Step 2.) In a saucepan, over medium heat, add milk, sugar and shortening.  Stir constantly until shortening has melted. Do not boil.  (check on the back of your yeast package to see how hot this liquid needs to be. It's usually between 115-130 degrees F. USE A COOKING THERMOMETER IF NEEDED )

Step 3.) Pour milk mixture into flour mixture. 

Step 4.) Add in the egg

Step 5.) Beat on low speed for 1 minute and then on high speed for three minutes. (this will help get them light and fluffy)

Step 6.) Next, add in the salt and the rest of the flour (2 cups)

Step 7.) Use your hands or a rubber spatula to mix in the flour until a soft ball of dough forms.

Step 8.) Grease a bowl with vegetable oil and place the ball of dough into it. Cover and refrigerate for atleast  2 hours. 

Step 9.) Remove from refrigerator & punch down the dough with your fist to release the air.

Step 10.) Spread a thin layer of melted butter in the bottom of a 9 X 13 pan. 

Step 11.) Take a chuck of dough and form it into your desired shape. (Dip the dough in butter or brush on the butter. ) and place it into the pan.

Step 12.) Next cover the pan with a thin kitchen towel and let sit in a warm place for atleast 1-1 1/2 hours. (wait to bake them until you are ready to serve your meal so they will be piping hot! They don't mind hanging out)

Step 13.)  Bake for 10-14 minutes or until golden. Keep an eye on them after 10 minutes. When they come out of the oven brush them with butter. I like to use a light mixture of honey & butter. Yummy!

NOTE* If you using Rapid Rise "Highly active" yeast  skip the refrigeration step and let the dough rise in a covered bowl for 10 -15 minutes in a warm place. Proceed with the rest of the recipe. Highly active yeast replaces the first rise.

Layered Salad

I had this salad at my old job many years ago when we had a pot luck get together for Christmas. It looked so pretty in the glass bowl. I couldn't believe how good it tasted. My co-worker gave me the recipe plus there were a few others I had gotten and upon moving I lost them. I forgot about this salad until my mom mentioned this salad that she had a few months ago so I looked it up and found it!

Seven Layer Salad

1 Bag of Salad Greens

1 1/2 cups Frozen Peas, Thawed

1 can Water Chestnuts, drained and chopped

1/2 Red Onion, chopped

1 Green Bell Pepper chopped ( or you can use red or yellow or a combination of all three )

1 Cup Real Mayonnaise

2 TBSP. White Sugar 

1 tsp. Seasoned Salt 

1 Cup Cheddar Cheese, grated

1 Cup  Bacon Real Bacon bits 

4 Hard Boiled Eggs, chopped up

Arrange salad greens in a see-through salad bowl. Layer peas, then water chestnuts, onions and then the red pepper.

Mix together Mayo, sugar, and seasoning salt to taste. Top green pepper layer with the dressing. Sprinkle grated cheese on top of salad. Top with bacon bits and eggs.

You can add or change any of the ingredients. You can added cooked chicken, make it a southwestern salad and add corn and black beans, or mushrooms. This really is just the basis.

Easy Potato Salad ( Southern Style )

I love me some potato salad. I know its winter time now but I still love me some potato salad. Tim loves potato salad too but he likes his warm....so he heats it up a bit in the microwave.

Southern Potato Salad

4 potatoes
4 eggs
1/2 stalk celery, chopped
1/4 cup sweet relish
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
1/2 cup mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes; drain and chop.
Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil; cover, remove from heat, and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water; peel and chop. Or you can buy the eggs already boiled and peeled in the store by the regular eggs.
In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, eggs, celery, sweet relish, garlic, mustard, mayonnaise and salt and pepper. Gently mix together and then chill in the frig for 4 hrs or serve warm like Tim likes..lol.. When you are ready to serve place a few sliced hard boiled eggs on top and sprinkle with paprika. This serves 4 so if you are cooking for a bigger crowd then double or triple the ingredients.

Slow Cooker Stuffing

First I have to praise the person who came up with this little gem.

How many of you hate lifting your slow cooker ( aka crockpot ) to clean it? I even broke one years ago because I dropped it in the sink. It was a little slippery from the soap. Besides taking up your whole sink to soak before you clean it, it's also awkward to rinse off. So thank you so much for making these liners!!! They have made my life so much easier.And they will make yours too. So try these please for the holidays. Ok so on to the recipe. Slowcooker stuffing I must say is also one of those wonderful recipes that you can cook for the holidays and it doesn't take up space in your oven. Please use your slowcookers! Makes life so much easier.

Slow Cooker Stuffing
Ingredients

    * 1 cup butter or margarine
    * 2 cups chopped onion
    * 2 cups chopped celery
    * 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
    * 12 ounces sliced mushrooms
    * 12 cups dry bread cubes
    * 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
    * 1 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
    * 1 teaspoon dried thyme
    * 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
    * 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
    * 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
    * 4 1/2 cups chicken broth, or as needed
    * 2 eggs, beaten

Directions

   1. Melt butter or margarine in a skillet over medium heat. Cook onion, celery, mushroom, and parsley in butter, stirring frequently.
   2. Spoon cooked vegetables over bread cubes in a very large mixing bowl. Season with poultry seasoning, sage, thyme, marjoram, and salt and pepper. Pour in enough broth to moisten, and mix in eggs. Transfer mixture to slow cooker, and cover.
   3. Cook on High for 45 minutes, then reduce heat to Low, and cook for 4 to 8 hours.

Now this is just a bread stuffing but you can add ground sausage and beef to it. Just cook that up with your onions then drain then follow the rest of the recipe.