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Cookie Dough Truffles

I did half the recipe and it made 2 dozen.

Cookie Dough Truffles

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup semisweet mini chocolate morsels
• 1 cup finely chopped walnuts
• 1 1/2 pounds chocolate bark candy coating, melted

Directions

In a large bowl cream butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy. Add vanilla. Gradually beat in flour and add milk. Add chocolate morsels and pecans, mixing well. Use a small cookie scoop or shape into 1 inch balls. Place on waxed paper; freeze 2 hours.

*Cook's Note: Since the dough is sticky, roll your fingers into flour. This will make it easier to roll.

Melt chocolate bark candy coating in a double boiler. Using 2 forks, dip cookie balls into candy coating to cover. Place on waxed paper and chill to set. Store in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

If you have a mini crockpot, you can put the melted chocolate in there so it stays melted.  That's what I started doing, makes  a big difference.

 

Pumpkin Cranberry Bread

 

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 1 can (15 ounces) Pure Pumpkin (Libby's)
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup orange juice or water
• 1 cup sweetened dried cranberries

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Grease and flour two 9 x 5-inch loaf pans.

COMBINE flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Combine sugar, pumpkin, eggs, oil and juice in large mixer bowl; beat until just blended. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture; stir just until moistened. Fold in cranberries. Spoon batter into prepared loaf pans.

BAKE for 60 to 65 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Recipe makes two loaves.

FOR THREE 8 x 4-INCH LOAF PANS:
PREPARE as above. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes.

FOR FIVE OR SIX 5 x 3-INCH MINI-LOAF PANS:
PREPARE as above. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes.

 

Refrigerator Pickles

My Mother-in-law found this recipe on Tasty Kitchen and altered it a little bit, its so awesome.  If you like Pickles that is.

 

• 2 whole Cucumbers
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 1 cup Vinegar
• 1 cup Water
• ⅓ cups Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Dill, Dried
• 1 pinch(es) Red Pepper Flakes

Use cucumbers with no wax residue on the peels.

Slice cucumbers in 1/4″-1/8″ slices.

Cut garlic cloves in quaters, then smash them a bit.

Put cucumbers and garlic in a bowl.

Heat vinegar (I like apple cider vinegar, but white works also), water, sugar, salt, dill, & red pepper flakes in a small sauce pan until sugar and salt are dissolved.

Pour over the cucumbers and garlic.

Cover and let marinate in refrigerator for at least two hours.

Serve cold

Cajun Meatloaf

 

Cajun Meatloaf

2 pounds Lean Ground Beef

1 pound Ground Pork

3 whole Bell Peppers, Any Color

2 whole Medium Onions

5 stalks Celery

8 cloves Garlic

3 whole Eggs

6 Tablespoons Butter

2 cups Breadcrumbs

1 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg

1 teaspoon Black Pepper

1 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes 

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire

½ cups Whole Milk

2 cups Ketchup

2 Tablespoons Honey

Chop all of the fresh vegetables (peppers, onions, celery) into a small dice and mince the garlic.

Over a medium-high heat melt 6 tbsp. butter. Once butter begins to start browning, add the diced vegetables and garlic. Add about 1 tbsp. salt.

After these have cooked for a few minutes add 2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp. black pepper, 1 tsp. red pepper flakes, and 1 tsp. ground nutmeg. Next, add in 1/2 cup of ketchup. Continue cooking and stirring for a few more minutes and then remove from heat.

After allowing the mixture to cool for a couple of minutes add about 1/2 cup of milk. Stir until combined.

Next, add at least 1 cup of bread crumbs. Continue adding bread crumbs and stirring until mixture is a nice, thick paste.

In a large mixing bowl place the ground beef and pork and combine.

Whisk 3 eggs and add to the meat mixture. Add vegetables. Keep working all of the Cajun-veg mix into the meat until all is blended well.

Spray a sheet pan with some non-stick cooking spray. Next, using your hands, form your meat mixture into a loaf on the sheet pan. Make the loaf around 6-8 inches wide and about 1 1/2 inches tall.  Or you can do like I did and make 2 loafs and put one in the freezer for later. 

In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix together 3/4 cup of ketchup with about 2 tbsp. of honey. Slather this sauce over top of the whole meatloaf.

Place into a 400 degree oven for 40-50 minutes.

Lemon Bars

I found this recipe for Lemon Bars by Bakerella at Tasty Kitchen.com.  I'd never had them until my Sister-in-Law's wedding and they're amazing.  I'm totally hooked, one of my new favs.

 

Lemon Bars

Crust Ingredients *

1 cup Butter

1-¾ cup Flour

⅔ cups Confectionary Sugar (plus More For Dusting)

Topping Ingredients

1-½ cup Sugar

¼ cups Flour

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

½ cups Lemon Juice

4 whole Eggs, Slightly Beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 X 13 pan

To make crust:

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and confectioner’s sugar

Cut in butter until combined and crumbly.

Press crust mixture into bottom of pan.

Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.

To make topping:

While crust is baking, prepare topping.

In a larger bowl, add sugar, flour, and baking powder.

Then add slightly beaten eggs and lemon juice.

Mix well and pour on top of warm baked crust.

Bake for 20-25 minutes.

When cool, dust with confectioner’s sugar and refrigerate.

Cut into bars and enjoy them cold!

Recipes!! Are back

Well, hopefully, I'm not going to say that they'll be back every Tuesday, but I'll try. 

Broccoli Cheese Soup (I got this recipe from Tasty Kitchen.com)

1 1/2 Lbs Fresh Broccoli (cut Into Bite Sized Pieces)

2 Cups Water (can Use Chicken Stock)

1 Teaspoon Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper

1/2 Cup Cornstarch Mixed With 1 Cup Cold Water.

1 Pint Half & Half

1 Lb Velveeta Cheese, Cubed

Steam broccoli till tender-crisp.

Place half-and-half and water in a double boiler. (If you don’t have a double broiler, you can use a large metal bowl sitting on top of a large pot of simmering water. This stuff burns and sticks very VERY easily, so I wouldn’t risk cooking it straight in a pot over heat. Been there, burned that!)

Add cheese, salt and pepper.

Heat until cheese is melted.

Add broccoli.

Mix cornstarch and water in small bowl. Stir into cheese/broccoli mixture in double boiler and heat over simmering water until soup thickens.

Serve with a crusty bread and a salad.

Recipe Break

I'm probably going to have a little break away from posting recipes every week.  I need to sort through them, type up some, etc.  With our move 36 days away things are going to be getting pretty hectic and that's one less thing for me to worry about.

I'll still try and post them when I get a chance, but I just wanted to let everyone that looks forward to them every week know what's up.

Potato Salad

 

2 pounds small Yukon gold potatoes, peeled

3 large eggs, hard boiled

1/2 bunch sliced scallions, white and green parts

2 cups mayonnaise

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

1/4 cup dill pickle relish

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/2 bunch dill, chopped

1/2 lemon, juiced

Freshly ground black pepper and salt

Put the potatoes big saucepan of cold salted water. Bring to a simmer. Cook about 15 minutes Drain the potatoes in a colander and let them cool.

 Meanwhile, stir together the mayonnaise, mustard, pickle relish, parsley, and lemon juice in a bowl large enough to hold the potatoes. Peel the cool eggs and grate them into the bowl. Stick a fork into the potatoes and lift them 1 at a time out of the colander. Break up the potatoes by hand into rough chunks, add them to the bowl and toss to coat with the dressing. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Baked Beans

 

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 (28-ounce) cans baked beans

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup molasses

1 cup BBQ Sauce, (I used Sweet Baby Ray's Vidalia Onion flavored) 

1 pound smoked sausage

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.

In a large Dutch oven add the baked beans and remaining ingredients and bring to a low simmer. Cover the beans and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 45 minutes.

Italian Casserole

1 pound extra lean ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 cup bottled reduced-fat pasta sauce
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
1 1/2 cup shredded fat-free mozzarella cheese
8 oz Pillsbury Reduced-Fat Crescent(s)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 Tbsp Land O Lakes Stick Light Butter

Heat oven to 375°F. In large skillet, cook ground beef and onion over medium heat
for 8- 10 minutes or until beef is thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently. Drain. Stir in pasta sauce; cook until thoroughly heated.

Meanwhile, in medium bowl, combine mozzarella cheese and sour cream; mix well.
Pour hot beef mixture into ungreased 8x8-inch (2-quart) glass baking dish. Spoon
cheese mixture over beef mixture.

Unroll dough over cheese mixture. In small bowl, mix Parmesan cheese and butter.
Spread evenly over dough.