Tag Archives: recipe

It’s Sugar Coma on Day 4 of Christmas

28 Dec

Cookies, cookies and more cookies. Starting around Thanksgiving I start stocking up for my cookie marathon for Christmas. It’s a tradition to bake at least six different kinds and mix it up with chocolate covered pretzels and chex mix.

For 25 years I’ve made cookies to share and give as gifts. It’s what my kids know and have come to depend on during the holidays. This was especially evident in the excitement I heard as my youngest Marine Corp opened his care package the week before Christmas.

I took a full container  to work (Hamilton Color Lab) everyday the week before Christmas to and shared them with my co-workers and customers. Every night I came home with an empty container.  I swear some customers came in just for the cookies. Which made my day!

Peanutbutter Kiss cookies

This is the easiest recipe you will find, and I should really make them year round, but then they wouldn’t be so special around the holidays.

Ingredients (I believe this is even gluten free)

  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • Hershey kisses

Directions

  1. Combine the peanut butter and  sugar. Add egg and mix well.
  2. Mixture will will thicken as it sits but can be refrigerated to ease handling
  3. Roll into 1″ balls
  4. Bake at 350F for 8 minutes (this results in a really nice soft cookie)
  5. Remove from oven and press a Hershey Kiss into the middle
  6. Let set on cookie pan and remove to rack to cool
  7. The chocolate will soften from the heat of the cookie but will return to it’s normal consistency within a few hours so give them some time before packaging or bagging.

Some of my favorites over the years include (it’s my goal to include recipes for all of these)

  • Cake Sugar Cookies
  • Chocolate Chip
  • Double Chocolate Chip
  • Molasses spice cookies
  • Oatmeal chocolate chip
  • Candy Cane
  • Lemon Sugar Cake Cookie
  • Chocolate Peppermint
  • Butter Spritz Cookies

Homemade Christmas Cookies

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RumChata Eggnog Sundae

9 Dec

I just created a new favorite dessert with my favorite drink, introducing the RumChata Eggnog Sundae. It is the perfect Holiday drink and your Christmas party guests will be in heaven over this cup of creamy deliciousness.

RumChata Eggnog Sundae

RumChata Eggnog Sundae

I’ve been on a RumChata kick for the past six months of so, first making RumChata Cupcakes, then french toast and mixing it with rootbeer and plain eggnog.

However, I just outdid myself. This RumChata Eggnog Dessert is divine. The recipe came to me while I was at the grocery aisle picking up ice cream. I thought, hmmm I need to find some Egg Nogg ice cream, I wonder who makes it? Edy’s Limited Edition came to the rescue.

That got me thinking of the RumChata and how well it went with the egg nog at Thanksgiving (picture yet to come) and I put a few ingredients together in my head and headed for the pop aisle for Sprite or Sierra Mist.

Ingredients and Directions

After you fix a glass, sit down in front of your Christmas tree, gaze at the twinkling lights, relax, and enjoy the moment. What a wonderful way to unwind at the end of the day.

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Honey-Lime Chicken Skewers

16 Oct

Honey Lime Chicken Skewers

Yum, they smell so good

More and more I turn to Pinterest for recipes. I think it’s a visual thing, I love pictures of food, just makes me hungry.  I had limes (left over from Margaritas) and I had honey, so into the Pinterest search I went for honey lime chicken and this is what I found. Very easy and tasty. My only regret? I didn’t make more.

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • juice of one lime
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1-2 teaspoon Siracha (didn’t have any, left if out)
  • red pepper flakes, to taste
  • 2 tablespoon cilantro
  • 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, combine your ingredients, through the cilantro. Mix thoroughly.
  2. Pour marinade over chicken breasts and turn to coat. Cover and allow to marinate for at least 1 hour. (I marinated overnight)
  3. Grill on medium high heat for 6 to 8 minutes per side, until juices run clear.
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This is Truly the Best Margarita Recipe, Ever!

15 Oct

This title claiming to be the BEST Margarita recipe should be hard to live up to, but it’s not. This recipe is not “just” another Margarita recipe, but one served in a national restaurant chain. Which one? I’ll get to that, but first a little history.

I really enjoy a good Margarita, but ordering them in a bar, or restaurant is like rolling the dice and taking a chance. Shaken or stirred, on the rock, or crushed? Most of the time the drinks come from a premixed package and range from horridly sour, super strong and even bitter. So, I don’t order them unless I have a good recommendation. Round the Bend Steakhouse in Ashland is one that will put you on your back after just one.

So where does this Top Shelf Recipe hail? Of all places, Red Lobster! I can’t believe it either. My husband ordered the Margarita and I ordered a peach sweet something drink. Like all good husbands he asked if I would like a sip. Sure why not. I was more than surprised. It was a mix of sour, sweet, and salty all wrapped into one lip smacking drink.

Top Shelf Margarita Recipe from Red Lobster

Top Shelf Margarita Recipe from Red Lobster

So impressed, I asked our waiter if the bartender would share the recipe. When he returned we were told it was a proprietary sour mix. Compliments can do wonders and I was full of them.  I pretty much begged that I would be willing to buy the sour mix, it was so good, the best margarita I had ever had. Do believe this helped, that and it was our waiters second day on the job and I think he was trying to score points with the staff.

The bartender came to the table, thanked us for the compliments and proceeded to tell us the mix was a concentrate and made quite a bit. I didn’t care I said. “I’d love to be able to buy some if I could.” So, for $10.00 I walked out with a quart of Red Lobster Sour Mix, the recipe, and a smile on my face.

Next stop, Hy-Vee to pick up the ingredients. ($100 later!!!, mix was the cheap part) There is a reason it’s called “Top Shelf”

I have mixed margaritas for various friends during the past six months. They all start off skeptical about the accolades I pile on, but as I watch them take the first sip their faces light up and they all agree, it’s the best margarita they have ever had.

So, here you go, the recipe, compliments of Red Lobster.

Recipe

Dip glasses upside down in about quarter to half inch of water, then in margarita salt.

Hint: Don’t use the “fancy” plastic Margarita glasses from Walmart and the like. The salt will NOT stick to them. Talk about disappointing.

I rarely drink this by myself, it’s always better to share. So I mix a pitcher at a time. For instance if I have one of my best friends over for a summer night drinks I’ll multiple this by four (two drinks a piece) and mix in a pitcher.

  • 44 oz of total mix (11 oz of sour mix, 33 oz water)
  • 6 shots Tequila
  • 4 shots Triple Sec
  • 2 shots Grand Marnier

Since Valentines Day (the occasion for our date) I have gone through a gallon of mix, that’s four gallons of margaritas for anyone who would like to know. But they have been shared with friends, as they should. So Enjoy!!!

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RumChata Cupcakes, Oh Yeah!

13 Oct

RumChata cupcakes

RumChata cupcakes

It was only this spring I found the joy in Rumchata, a tasty creme based treat that taste like drinking Cinnamon Toast Crunch, yes really. Can you say yum yum. I’m not really a drinker, but I do enjoy margaritas and sweet drinks. You know the ones, they go down smooth and taste oh so good.

I’ve learned that Rumchata is not available everyone in the country, but it’s spreading fast and the mix recipes are popping up everywhere from Rumchata French Toast to a yummy sounding RumChata Rootbeer float.

There is even an app for Rumchata recipes!

Rumchata app

According to the official Rumchata page, this oh so yummy drink originates from a concoction the ancient Egyptians made for the Pharaohs from the tigernut. It’s been extremely popular in Spain, “Antonio Banderas popular”, so that says a lot.

Since the tigernut is hard to come by in the Americas, rice based horchata is now served extensively throughout Mexico and Central America, where the recipe is often passed down generation to generation. These authentic recipes include varied mixtures of rice, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and either water or dairy.

I’m not a proponent of encouraging people to drink, but ladies (yes it’s a ladies drink) this stuff is awesome!! I haven’t tried any of the mixed drinks yet because I love it the way it is, cold over the rocks. Lip smacking good.

So when I saw this recipe for Rumchata Cupcakes (where else, Pinterest) I just had to try them. I would say this was my inspiration for a Pinterest party as I can’t (ok won’t) eat 20 cupcakes all by myself.
Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup butter (1 stick, at room temperature)
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 2 cups flour
  • 4 egg whites
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 cup RumChata
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions:
  • Preheat oven to 350*
  • Combine sugar & butter and beat until fluffy
  • Mix together flour, baking powder, salt, & cinnamon, set aside
  • Mix the RumChata & vanilla together, set aside
  • Alternating, add in the flour mixture and RumChata mixture in to the butter and sugar. Start and end with the flour mixture.
  • In a clean mixing bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form (this will be easiest in an electric mixer)
  • Fold egg whites in to the batter – do not do this in an electric mixer, use a spatula
  • Fill cupcake liners
  • Bake for 20 minutes or until cake “bounces back” when touched.
RumChata Cream Cheese Frosting
This makes A LOT of frosting. I cut the recipe in half since I don’t smother my cupcakes in frosting.
Ingredients:
    • 12 ounces of cream cheese (1 1/2 packages, at room temperature)
    • 1/2 cup of butter (1 stick, at room temperature)
    • 1/2 tsp of vanilla
    • 5 tbsp of RumChata
    • 1 package of confectioners’ sugar (2 lb. bag)
Directions:
    • Combine butter and cream cheese until smooth
    • Add vanilla
    • Slowly add confectioners’ sugar
    • Mix in RumChata (use more or less based on the thickness of the frosting. The more you use, the more flavor)
    • Frost the cupcakes

Reviews were mixed, the cupcakes tasted like spice cake, a little heavy, but,…the frosting took the “cup”cake, so to speak. It’s a very sweet, vanilla flavor with a touch of cinnamon. Since the alcohol bakes out of the cake, and there is very little in the frosting these were not 21 and older restricted. My daughter loved them and could have eaten just the frosting.

What to do with the leftover Rumchata? Drink and be merry of course.

Delicious RumChata

Cheers!

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Garlic Knot Bread

9 Oct

Garlic Know Bread RecipeA little over a month ago we had a BBQ and party. Why? Just because we could. It was a combination Pinterest party, BBQ, and excuse to feed my oldest Marine son who was home on leave. We started at noon with hamburgers and hot dogs and progressed throughout the day, moving through the meat groups. Here is just a start of the various foods we served.

My friend Beth brought fixed this wonderful delight, recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray, who else, her favorite chef.

Italian Garlic bread with marinara sauce

Ready to eat Italian Garlic bread with marinara sauce

My son came outside while it was cooling and said “What is that wonderful spectacle on top of the stove? I want to eat it!” In no time at all it was gone.

Recipe

  • Nonstick cooking spray
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 pound store-bought pizza dough, cut into 1-inch balls
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped rosemary
  • Coarse ground sea salt
  • Black pepper
  • 1 cup shredded provolone
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan
  • Tomato sauce, homemade or store-bought, for dipping
  • Pieces of cooked bacon (optional, but we added it, bacon is good with EVERYTHING)

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Prepare a bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray.

In a small saucepot, melt butter with garlic. Pour into a large mixing bowl and toss together with pizza dough balls, rosemary, sea salt and black pepper. Place half of the dough balls into the bundt pan, top with half of the cheeses. Top with remaining dough and finish with remaining cheese. Bake 30 minutes.

Serve with tomato sauce alongside

*This reminds me of the dessert treat monkey bread with butter and cinnamon. I’m sure thawed dinner rolls could be used in replacement of pizza dough

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Prepping Tomatoes for Salsa

27 Aug

Tomatoes are in season and ripening at an amazing rate. Time for me to break out the stew pots and start cooking up some salsa, stewed tomatoes and chopped tomatoes for future recipes.

Deskinning tomatoes

Step one to any tomato based recipe is to prep the tomatoes properly in a hot and cold water bath.

Step 1: Clean the tomatoes, cut off the stems and bruised spots

Step 2: Dunk in boiling water for about 30 seconds until the skins start to wrinkle

Step 3: Remove from boiling water and dip in a bowl of cold water

Step 4: Skins should then easily slip off the tomatoes

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Cucumber Sandwiches Are Not Just for Tea Parties

21 Aug

A simple cucumber sandwich was one of my Dad’s favorite summer treats. This wasn’t a dainty sandwich typically served at tea parties as an appetizer, but a hearty manly sandwich with substance.

Cucumber Sandwich

Cucumber Sandwich

Cucumber Sandwich

Cucumber Sandwich

He would slowly peel the cucumbers, slice them lengthwise, spread mayonnaise (had to be Hellman’s) then liberally sprinkle with salt and pepper. Then he would share with me. The middle of the sandwich was my favorite. I didn’t like the crust.

My garden yielded in great abundance this year and when I didn’t make pickles I was eating cucumber sandwiches.

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Sweet Corn Season

14 Aug

It’s the start of the sweet corn season and I really need to make room in my freezer. Our first batch was ten dozen ears. I’ve been putting up sweet corn ever since I was little and shucked corn in the garage with my Mom.  It’s easy, shuck, brush off the silk with a handy little brush, rinse and put in bags.

I’ve heard that some people boil, cook, blanch, add sugar, salt etc. But there really isn’t a need for the extra work. Even nine months later corn on the cob taste just like it was picked out of the field.

Sweet Corn

Sweet Corn

Sweet Corn

Sweet corn kernels ready for bagging

Sweet Corn bagged and ready for the freezer

Sweet Corn bagged and ready for the freezer

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Homemade Sweet Pickles

7 Aug

Homemade sweet pickles

Homemade sweet pickles

Our cucumber crop this year was amazing and I’ve been making pickles several times a week. For the first time I tried refrigerator pickles instead of canned. I’ve always avoided refrigerator pickles due to the lack of refrigerator space. But, we’re eating them so fast it doesn’t make a difference.

Even my daughter who only likes dill pickles likes these. She said they are sweet, but different.

The recipe is very easy and fast.

Ingredients

  • Sliced cucumbers (about 4 large)
  • Sliced sweet peppers
  • Sliced onion
  • 2 cups vinegar
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 TBSP salt
  • Ground Garlic and pepper seasoning. (to taste about 1 TBSP)

Directions

  1. Pack cucumbers, peppers and onions tightly  into jars. Mix all ingredients into saucepan and bring to a boil until sugar dissolves and liquid is clear (about 10 min)
  2. Pour into packed jars, seal and store in refrigerator.
  3. Let soak for 24 hours before eating to let the vinegar and flavors combine.
  4. Store up to three months (but they won’t last that long)
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