Oatmeal Cake

For Garry's Birthday I made his favorite cake from his childhood. I got the recipe from his Mom. I gotta admit, it's my new favorite too. "Try it, you'll like it!"

Cake ingredients:

1 1/4th cup boiling water

1 cup oatmeal

1/2 cup butter, very soft

1 cup sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

Frosting ingredents:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
6 Tbs canned milk or light cream
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1 1/2 cups shredded coconut

Step 1:
Pour boiling water over oats, mix and cover then set aside.
Step 2:
In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar and brown sugar together with a wooden spoon.
Step 3:
Whip eggs and vanilla together with a fork, then add to the butter and sugar mixture.
Step 4:
Add warm oatmeal to the mixture above, stir until smooth.
Step 5:
Mix the dry ingredients together, then add to the mixture above. Mix it all together, pour into a 9x13 greased pan (a round spring form pan works well to), bake @ 350 for 30 to 35 minutes.
Step 6:
Frosting... Melt everything together in a sauce pan. Stirring constantly until it is all melted and bubbly. Poor over the cooled cake and smooth it all out.

Panko Halibut

This is a favorite at our house. Its super simple (so simple I'm not sure why I'm posting it), but also can be time consuming. If you've got the time and the patience to make it, you will be very pleased with the results!

1 box of Panko, Japanese style breading (you can usually find it in the Oriental section in the grocery store.)

flour

2 eggs

1 to 2 tablespoons milk

oil for frying, I use canola

Halibut, cut into 1 inch cubes

Dip the halibut into flour, coat well, shake off the excess. Dip into egg then toss in panko crumbs. Fry until golden brown. Drain onto newspaper or parer towels.

Cinnamon Rolls

I just LOVE this recipe! The frosting, especially, is soooo delicious! These bake up really big and beautiful- very impressive :) I have also made these into Orange Rolls and it turns out marvelous! The dough is the same- just a different filling & frosting (I have included the Orange filling & frosting at the end of the recipe).

Dough:

1 1/4 cup warm milk

1 TBS active dry yeast

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 large egg, well beaten

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp salt

4 1/2 cups flour

Melt butter and allow to cool until warm, add the milk, yeast and sugar. Allow to rise for 10 minutes. Add the beaten egg, vanilla, salt, & flour to form a soft dough. Knead for about 5 minutes. Rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Filling:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

3 TBS cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla

In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. Roll the dough into a 18 inch square. Spread the softened butter over the dough with a rubber spatula and then evenly distribute the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Be careful to leave a 1" edge clean (to seal roll). Wet the clean edge with milk to make it sticky. Roll up and use dental floss or thread to cut into 1 1/2 inch slices (makes 12). Line your baking pan with parchment paper. Place rolls into baking pan 1/2 inch apart. Let rise in a warm place about 20 minutes. Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes until lightly browned.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

4 oz cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt

Cream together and spread over warm rolls.

Orange Rolls- use the same dough, but use this filling instead:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup white sugar

1-2 TBS orange juice concentrate (to taste)

2 TBS grated orange peel (optional)

1 tsp vanilla

Mix butter, sugar, orange juice concentrate, orange peel, and vanilla. Evenly spread over dough. Roll up and slice. Bake as usual.

Orange Frosting:

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 TBS orange juice concentrate (you can add more to taste if you wish)

2 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

Cream together and spread over warm rolls.

Mardi Gras Jambalaya

2 pounds smoked sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices
3 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 cup chopped red onion
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups peeled, seeded, and chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
3 bay leaves
2 cups long-grain white rice (Uncle Ben's works best)
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
6 cups chicken Stock
2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup chopped green onions (green and white parts)
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

Heat the sausage, 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, and the oil in a large stock pot and cook, stirring, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the onions, bell peppers, celery, salt, cayenne, and black pepper and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, garlic, and bay leaves and cook, stirring, until the tomatoes give off some of their juices, about 2 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the thyme & chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender, about 30 minutes. Season the shrimp with the remaining 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning. Add the shrimp to the pot and cook until they turn pink, about 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let sit, covered, for 15 minutes. Add the green onions and parsley to the jambalaya and stir gently. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Adjust the salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste. Serve directly from the pot.

Wheaty dinner rolls

1 TBS active dry yeast

4 TBS sugar

1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup warm milk
1 tsp salt
1 egg
1 TBS olive oil
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups white flour

In a large mixing bowl, combine water, milk, sugar, & yeast. Let stand 5 minutes. Add salt, egg, oil, and wheat flour; beat well. Gradually add white flour to make a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place dough into a greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch down, form small balls. Place on a baking sheet and allow to rise for about 20 minutes. Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Brush with butter.

Chicken Club Stuffed Onion Bread

BREAD:

1/2 cup chopped onion
1 TBS olive oil
2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup warm milk
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 TBS sugar
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
3 1/2 - 4 cups flour

In a skillet, saute onion until it starts to carmelize, set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine water, milk, sugar & yeast. Let rest for 5-10 minutes until it puffs up. Add 1 egg, salt, butter, oil, & 1 cup flour. Beat until smooth. Gradually add remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch down dough, roll out into a rectangle. Put filling in the center and slice the dough on either side into strips- leaving the slices attatched to the center. Pull dough slices over the top, alternating sides to create a braided look. Beat remaining egg and brush over the top. Sprinkle with slivered almonds, poppyseeds, sesame seeds, or leave plain. Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.

CHICKEN CLUB FILLING:
3 cups cooked, cubed chicken
5 slices chopped, cooked crispy bacon
1/2 cup cubed ham
1 1/2 cups shredded swiss cheese
1/2 cup mayo
1 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
2 TBS chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp chopped garlic
2 plum tomatoes, chopped

Gently mix until combined.

Swiss Chicken

This is a very easy dinner and can feed a crowd. The swiss cheese is delightful!

In a 9X13 inch pan, lay 8 chicken breasts. Place a slice of Swiss Cheese on each breast. Mix 2 cans of Cream of Chicken Soup with 2/3 cup water; pour over meat. Top with 2 cups (or more) dry seasoned stuffing. Drizzle 1/3 cup melted butter on top. Bake at 350 for 1 hour uncovered.

White Bean & Chicken Chili (soup)

White Bean & Chicken Chili
This was called a "chili" in the recipe that I found, but it was really more of a soup. It sounded really plain, (and therefore boring) but I tried it anyway. It got great reviews form Garry and Parker, the girls wouldn't try it. All in all, it was much better than I thought it would be, I will make it again and again. I altered the recipe a bit, and will post it as such.

1 lb chicken, cut into small cubes
1 can diced Green chilies
olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 tsp cumin
2 cans white kidney or navy beans, rinsed and drained
3 cups chicken broth

Toppings: Shredded cheese, sour cream and minced fresh cilantro

Saute chicken and green chillies over medium heat, until cooked through. Season with salt and pepper, (I actually used "Weber's Kick'n Chicken" seasoning). Pour the chicken and chillies into a 3 quart slow cooker. In the same pan used to cook the chicken, saute the onions, garlic and Jalapeno. Sprinkle in the oregano and cumin. Cook for 1 or 2 min, until the onions are tender. place into the slow cooker. In a small bowl, mash 1 cup of the beans, then stir in 1/2 cup broth, stir until blended. Add to the slow cooker with the remaining beans and broth.
Cover and cook on low for 3 1/2 hours. Stir before serving. (I'm sure that this could also be done in a pot on the stove, everything is already cooked when it goes in.)
Sprinkle on your choice of toppings, enjoy.

Oreo Cookies

These are a new favorite!!!!!

Oreo Cookies:
2 pkg's cake mix (any chocolate, I liked using Devils Food Cake)
1 cup oil
4 eggs
Mix and roll into balls, place on baking sheet. Bake at 375 * for 10 minutes.

Filling:
1 pkg 8 oz cream cheese
4 c powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
(to add some color try dying the filling!) Here I have it dyed light green for Easter.

Once cookies have cooled, add filling! This simple recipe is delicious!!!

Loaded Pasta al Forno

Okay, today I tried something new and it turned out absolutely delightful! My family LOVED it! I'm not sure what to call it, though, besides "Pasta al Forno", which just means "baked pasta". So here's how you make it:

Ingredients:

6TBS butter

3TBS flour

1 cup cream

1 1/2 cups milk

2 lightly beaten egg yolks

1 1/2 cups shredded Asiago cheese

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp salt

13 oz frozen broccoli florets

2 chopped green onions (about 1/4 cup)

2 chopped fresh tomatoes

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 cup chopped onion

1-2 TBS chopped garlic

1 1/2 cups cubed ham

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 lb rigatoni pasta

In a large pot, boil water and cook pasta "al dente", about 9 minutes. In a medium pot, melt butter and whisk in flour to make a roux. Whisk in cream, milk, egg yolks, asiago cheese, nutmeg, salt, & pepper. Cook over medium heat until mixture gets creamy and cheese is completely melted and mixed in- DO NOT BOIL. In the large pot, combine the cooked pasta, sauce, frozen broccoli, green onions, tomatoes, parsley, onion, garlic, and ham. Pour into a 9X13 baking dish and evenly sprinkle shredded mozzarella over the top. Bake at 375 for 35 minutes.

Olive Gardens Zuppa Toscana Soup

This soup blends the flavors of potatoes, Kale (its a green leafy veggie found by the lettuce), and Italian sausage in a slightly spicy chicken & cream broth.

5 1/2 cups chicken stock or broth

1/2 cup heavy cream (evaporated milk can be used in place of cream)

4 cups chopped kale

2 medium Russet potatoes

1 lb spicy Italian sausage

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (I leave these out, too spicy for the kids)

*Saute sausage. In a sauce pan combine cream and broth over med heat. Slice potato into 1/4 inch slices, the quarter the slices and add to the soup along with the sausage and kale. Add spices, and let simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. (Do not let it boil, the cream will curdle.)

Top with shredded Parmesan cheese. Makes about 4 servings as a main dish.

Quick Cinnamon Rolls!

These are a quick version of my 4 hour recipe, yet just as yummy! They only take about an hour, instead of four.

1/3 cup sugar
3 Tbs yeast
1/2 cup oil
1 1/4 cup warm water
2 beaten eggs
5 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp salt

Filling
1/4 cup melted (preferably unsalted) butter
cinnamon
Dark brown sugar

*In a large bowl, mix 1/3 cup sugar, yeast, oil and warm water until dissolved. Cover and let stand in a warm place for 15 minutes. (Yeast will grow rapidly.) Blend eggs into yeast mixture. Add salt to the flour, then gradually add to yeast mixture to make a soft dough. Knead dough about 5 minutes on a floured surface. Roll dough into a rectangle brush dough with butter, sprinkle with cinnamon and brown sugar. Roll up the dough and cut 1 inch slices with dental floss. Place in an ungreased pan. Let rolls rest about 15 minutes. Bake @ 350 degrees until golden brown. Glaze while warm, or frost when cool.

Glaze

powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon butter
milk
vanilla
mix together and pour on top of warm (not hot) rolls.

Zucchini Bread

3 Eggs Beaten
1 3/4 cup sugar
1 cup oil
3 tsp vanilla
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup choc chips (i've never added them, they are optional)
3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp soda
2 tsp cinnamon

Add sugar to eggs. Stir in oil and add zucchini. Add dry ingredients (if you can sift them that would be best, but its not required), and add any other ingredients. Bake at 350* F for 50-60 minutes.
Tip- for a sweet crust add cinnamon sugar to the bottom of the pan, or sprinkle it on top of the loaf.

Ultimate Cheesecake

This is my version of a turtle cheesecake. I made the original recipe and added some pecans, Carmel and mini chocolate chips.

Ingredients for the crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 TBS sugar
1/4 cup margarine or butter, melted
*Combine graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Add melted butter and stir. Press into a 9 inch spring form pan. Chill 30 minutes.

Ingredients for the filling:
5 pkg. cream cheese (8 oz. each)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/3 cups sugar 2 tsp.
finely grated lemon peel (omit if not making a plain new york style)
3 TBS white flour
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
5 large eggs

*Preheat oven to 325. In a large bowl, beat softened cream cheese on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add sugar and mix well. Gradually add flour; mix until combined. On low speed, beat in eggs, one at a time, until just blended. Add sour cream, lemon peel, and vanilla; beat until just blended. DO NOT OVER BEAT! Pour into crust. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until there is a 3 inch circle in the middle that is still wobbly. For less cracking, place a pan 1/2 full of water on the bottom rack of the oven while baking. Remove cake from oven and cool completely. Chill, loosely covered, at least 24 hours before serving.
Variations:
Oreo- use Oreo crumbs in place of graham crackers for the crust. Swirl Oreo bits into the batter before baking.
Hot fudge and/or caramel- Swirl hot fudge into batter before baking and drizzle with hot fudge or caramel just before serving.
Fruit- use any flavor pie filling, or jam, swirl into batter before baking. You may also use fruit puree & mix it with batter before baking.
Mint chocolate- use Oreo crumbs in place of graham crackers for the crust. Flavor all or part of the batter with mint extract and green food color. Stir in Oreo bits or chocolate pieces before baking.
Pumpkin- use gingerbread crumbs in place of graham crackers for the crust. Separate 1 1/2 cups of batter into a bowl. Add 2/3 cup pumpkin, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice and 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla. Pour batter into crust and swirl in pumpkin batter.

Killer Chocolate Cheesecake

Crust:
9 oz. chocolate wafers, broken into large pieces
6 TBS unsalted butter, melted
Pulse the wafers in a food processor until finely ground. With the motor running, slowly add the butter, and process until just blended. Press the mixture onto the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan. Bake the crust for 8-10 minutes at 350 until it is set. Cool on a wire rack. Tightly wrap the pan with aluminum foil. Put 6 cups of water on to boil.

Filling:
1 lb. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
4 lg. eggs
1/4 cup unsalted butter
pinch of salt
2 TBS unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
24 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups sour cream, room temperature

*Melt chocolate with the butter in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of about 1 1/2 inches of nearly simmering water, whisking until smooth. Whisk in the cocoa powder. Remove the bowl from the heat and let the mixture cool to room temperature. Beat the cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one. Beat in the salt. Beat in the chocolate mixture just until smooth, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula as necessary. Add the sour cream and vanilla and beat until smooth. Pour the filling into the spring form pan. Place the pan in a large roasting pan, place it in the oven, and carefully pour in enough boiling water to reach halfway up the sides of the spring form pan. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes, or until the center is almost set but still wobbly- do not over bake! Remove the roasting pan from the oven and allow the cheesecake to cool in the water bath for 15 minutes. Remove the spring form pan from the water bath and cool completely on a wire rack. Remove the foil and refrigerate, loosely covered, for at least 24 hours.

Creamy Cauliflower Salad

3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup ranch dressing
1/4 cup bacon bits
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 head cauliflower, chopped
1/4 sugar

*Mix everything together and serve immediately.

Cream Puffs & Chicken Salad

Cream Puffs
1 cup water
1 cup flour
1/2 cup butter or margarine
4 eggs
touch of salt

*Boil water and add butter & salt. Bring to boil and add flour, stirring constantly. Cook until batter pulls away from sides of the pan. Put into a mixer and add eggs one at a time, beat well between each egg. Drop onto greased cookie sheet with a melon ball spoon. Bake at 375 for 60 minutes. Cool completely. Slice and fill with chicken salad, cream, etc. May be stored frozen before filling


Chicken Salad
cooked, chopped chicken
salad dressing (I use Mayo)
crushed pineapple,
drained celery
small grapes
green onion
slivered almonds
diced apples
cream cheese

*Amounts are relative, use enough to make as much as you want. Use cream cheese to keep salad together and only enough salad dressing to thin it to your desired consistency. This is great in cream puffs!

Monster cookies & Banana cookies

Monster Cookies
3 eggs 1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter 2 tsp. baking soda
2 cups brown sugar 1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cup peanut butter 4 1/2 cups oatmeal
1 cup chocolate chips 1 cup M&M’s
Cream butter, sugars, baking soda, eggs, and vanilla. Add peanut butter, beat until smooth. Add remaining ingredients, mix well. Drop onto greased cookie sheet & bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven while center still appears doughy. Cool completely.


Banana Cookies
2 1/2 cups sugar 4 1/2 cups flour
1 1/3 cups shortening 4 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. vanilla 1/2 tsp. baking soda
4 eggs 1 tsp. salt
2 cups mashed bananas 1 pkg. chocolate chips
Mix and drop onto greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.

Tootsie's Banana Bread

1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter or margarine
4 TBS sour milk (add lemon juice to make it sour)
2 eggs
1/2 cup chopped nuts, optional
3 mashed bananas
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda

Cream butter & sugar. Add eggs, bananas, and then dry ingredients. Mix well. Add milk & nuts. Pour into bread pans and bake at 350 for 60- 75minutes.

Layered Sun-Dried Tomato Dip

1 pkg. (8oz.) cream cheese
¼ cup basil pesto
½ cup sun dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and chopped
¼ cup (1oz.) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 cup (8oz.) sour cream
1 garlic clove, pressed
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
¼ cup pitted ripe olives, sliced (optional)
1 TBS. Finely chopped fresh basil
Additional chopped sun-dried tomatoes (optional)
Preheat oven to 350. Combine half of the cream cheese and pesto; mix well. Spread in the bottom of a small baking dish. Blot excess oil from tomatoes using a paper towel. Dice tomatoes & grate Parmesan. In a clean bowl, combine remaining cream cheese, tomatoes, Parmesan, sour cream, garlic, and Italian seasoning; mix well. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over pesto mixture. Bake 20-25 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Meanwhile, slice olives and chop basil. Sprinkle olives and basil over hot dip, garnish with additional tomatoes if you wish. Serve with toasted French bread slices, crackers, or chips.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

1 pkg. Frozen spinach, chopped & drained
1 can artichoke hearts, chopped
1 pkg. (8oz.) cream cheese
1 cup (8oz.) sour cream
½ cup mayonnaise
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
4 green onions, chopped
1-2 tsp chopped garlic (to taste)
Salt to taste.
Mix everything together very well. Spread into a small baking dish and bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until hot & bubbly. Serve with toasted French bread slices, crackers, or chips.