If you’re knee deep in holiday baking and looking for something really special, this recipe for Cranberry Bliss Bars tastes just like Starbucks.

Lindsay’s favorite has now become a family tradition.  If you make them, cut them into squares and then each square into a diamond, makes them soooooo special.

~ jan

Here’s the recipe>>>

1/2 cup rice vinegar

1/2 cup cranberry juice

1/4 cup minced dried cranberries

1 tablespoon minced shallot

2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

2 teaspoons olive oil

Salt

Cracked pepper

1 pear

1 apple

1 lemon, cut in half

1 endive, sliced crosswise

5 cups mixed salad greens

1/4 cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped

1. Combine the rice vinegar, cranberry juice, cranberries, shallot, sugar, rosemary, olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Let the dressing stand for the flavors to meld.

2. Meanwhile, cut the pear into quarters then core and slice. Place the slices in a shallow dish filled with water and the juice of half a lemon; the liquid should cover the fruit. Cut the apple into quarters, core and slice. Place the slices in a shallow dish with water and the juice of the remaining lemon half to cover.

3. Just before serving, drain the pears and apples. Toss together in a large bowl with the endive and salad greens. Arrange the salad on a platter and sprinkle with the toasted walnuts. Serve the dressing alongside.

Each serving: 250 calories; 1,143 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 7 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 46 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 5.99 grams fiber.


Serves 4


Source:  LA Food Times

Lisa, over at Mommy's Kitchen shared her recipe for her holiday favorite,  Eggnog Quick Bread.

Doesn't it look divine?  Here's the link>>>

Apple Crisp Cocktail
Recipe courtesy Sandra Lee

Prep Time:3 minInactive Prep Time:--Cook Time:--
Level:
Easy
Serves:
1 serving
Ingredients
1 part brandy
2 parts apple cider, chilled
2 parts Champagne
1 apple, sliced into thin slices, for garnish
Directions
In a champagne flute, combine the brandy and cider and stir. Top with Champagne. Garnish with a couple of slices of apple.

Pumpkin Pie Spice Martini
Recipe courtesy Sandra Lee

Prep Time:10 minInactive Prep Time:1 hr 0 minCook Time:5 min
Level:
Easy
Serves:
8 servings
Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
3 cups vanilla vodka (recommended: Smirnoff's)
Cranberry-flavored seltzer, chilled
8 maple leaf hard candies for garnish, optional
Directions
In a small pot over medium heat, mix together the sugar and pumpkin pie spice with 1 cup water. Bring it to a boil, remove from the heat, and allow to cool for 1 hour. The syrup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

To a pitcher, add the vodka and half the simple syrup. Stir until blended. Add the cranberry seltzer and pour into chilled martini glasses. Add more sugar syrup, to taste, if necessary. Garnish with maple candies, if desired.

Williams-Sonoma always has the best ideas. Click here for their recipes, videos, menu’s and tips for your traditional holiday meal.

Yes, dear hearts, it’s a Cherpumple, it’s the dessert version of a turdurken (chicken stuffed into a duck, stuffed into a turkey) which we tried, at Ryan’s insisence, a few Thanksgivings ago.  I was not a fan.

The Cherpumple consists of a cherry, pumpkin and apple pie, all stacked on top of each other, baked into a three layer cake batter and frosted.  Sounds just horrid, doesn’t it, but it’s for real.  Here’s the video…

 

Don’t you just love this set of piecrust cutters for Thanksgiving.  My mother always used a leaf from the yard and cut her own leaves for the top of pumpkin pies.  It’s such a nice memory.  These are just a bit more refined…

If you’re interested – here’s the link>>>

Soaking the shredded potatoes in cold water keeps them from turning gray before cooking. It also rinses off some of the starch. Drain and pat them dry, so they won't stick to the cast-iron skillet.

Okay ladies, I never steer you wrong, do I?  Nope, I never do.   Law-dee, let me tell you, these things are pure heaven, nectar of the gods, bone tingling delicious. The kind of thing you take a bite, roll your eyes and go, OMG, OMG, this is delicious!  For real they are.

I picked up a pack of Caramel Creme.  One taste and and you won’t miss dessert, pinkie swear.  The taste is unbelievably good.  Reminiscent of a tart, tangy creme brulee. 

Next I’m trying the Lemon Torte,  then the Chocolate Raspberry.  The Triple Berry Creme doesn’t do it for me as much, but I’ll eventually get around to those as well.

Check them out here, all are 100 calories of pure decadence.  Trust me on this one, they are to-die-for.

~ jan

.

Slice tops from 16 (1-oz.) hearty round dinner rolls, and then let guests hollow out centers and spoon chili into them.

Total: 27 minutes
Yield: Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

• 2  pounds  lean ground beef
• 2  tablespoons  chili powder
• 1  tablespoon  Creole seasoning
• 1  teaspoon  ground cumin
• 2  (16-oz.) cans diced tomatoes with green pepper and onion
• 2  (16-oz.) cans small red beans
• 2  (8-oz.) cans tomato sauce
• Toppings: shredded Cheddar cheese, sliced green onions, diced tomatoes

Preparation

1. Brown beef in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring often, 6 to 8 minutes or until beef crumbles and is no longer pink; drain well. Return beef to Dutch oven; sprinkle with chili powder, Creole seasoning, and cumin, and sauté 1 minute.

2. Stir in diced tomatoes and next 2 ingredients, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes. Serve with toppings.

Southern Living, FEBRUARY 2010

 

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Here is the original recipe:

3 cups French bread, cubed
⅔ cup 1% low fat milk
¼ cup canned pumpkin
1 egg
1 egg white
8 packets SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener with Fiber
¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS

   1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray four (4 oz) ramekins with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside until ready to use.
   2. Cut bread into one-inch cubes. Set aside.
   3. Mix milk, pumpkin, egg, egg white SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener with Fiber, spices and vanilla together in a medium mixing bowl. Add bread chunks and stir until bread is coated. Allow bread to soak up moisture for 10-15 minutes.
   4. Spoon bread pudding into the prepared ramekins. Top with chopped pecans. Place ramekins on a cookie sheet and cover with foil. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10-15 minutes or until firm to the touch. Serve warm or chilled.

Serving Size: 1 ramekin (about 4 oz)

                    ************************************************

And here are my changes to make it even lower in calories

I used 4 slices of cubed 100% Whole Wheat Nature’s Own bread instead of the french bread the recipe calls for.

I didn’t have Splenda with Fiber, I just used 8 packets of regular Splenda

I doubled the pumpkin pie spice to a heaping 1/2 teaspoon and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

If you have almond milk, this will pull the calories down even further, but I didn’t have it so I used skim milk.

Weight Watcher Calculations for the entire recipe –

• Wheat bread – 2 points for 4 slices
• Pumpkin – 0 points
• 1 egg and 1 egg white – 2 points
• Skim milk – 1 point

That’s 5 points for the entire recipe.  So that comes to 1.25 points per serving, if you add a few pecans and Cool Whip, you will still have less than 2 Weight Watcher points per ramekin.

If you are one of those people who doesn’t care for Splenda, you can substitute sugar or brown sugar, but of course your calories are going to increase.

This would be great with a sauce on it, I personally didn’t think it needed it, and I didn’t want to add the calories. 

I served this with just a dollop of Cool Whip Lite…

The original recipe came from the Splenda web site, check out the original recipe and other great ideas using Splenda here>>>

Badass ginger molasses cookies photo from jellypress.com
Nancy Gail Ring copyright 2010. All rights reserved."

When John and Ryan were little boys, I baked these cookies a lot.  They were one of our favorites, and I sometimes substituted sorghum if I didn’t have molasses.  If you like a moist, chewy, spicy cookie, this one is awesome.  So good that they’re going in the Tried ‘n True Hall of Fame, as well as the cookie category.

I didn’t have a photo of these cookies, but the ladies at Jellypress allowed me to use theirs.  They are using a different recipe, but the cookies look very similar to mine.

Try a batch, your family will love them, pinkie swear!

~ jan

Silver Palate Molasses Cookies

Ingredients:

12 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 eggs
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Melt butter; add sugar and molasses, and mix thoroughly. Lightly beat egg and add to butter mixture, blend well. Sift flour with spices, salt and baking soda, and add to first mixture; mix. Batter will be wet. Lay a sheet of foil on a cookie sheet. Drop tablespoons of cookie batter on foil, leaving 3 inches between the cookies. These will spread during baking. Bake at 350 degrees until cookies start to darken, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven while still soft. Let cookies cool on foil, but remove foil from cookie sheet. Makes 24 very large flat cookies. These soft, chewy, spicy cookies will stay moist, in an airtight tin, for at least a week.

Note - It is easy to overbake these cookies. Remove them from the oven earlier than you think.

We didn’t have non-stick foil when this recipe was printed, but it would work great.

Source:  Silver Palate Cookbook

Check out Jellypress – Old Recipes Modern Life, it’s a bookmarker, ladies.  Very visual and arty, these ladies did a great job!

Ingredients
   
1/2 gallon(s) apple cider
1/3 cup(s) dark brown sugar
2 stick(s) cinnamon
5  whole allspice berries
1  (1/2 inch by 1/2 inch) chunk fresh ginger, peeled
3  whole cloves
8 slice(s) orange

Directions
In a 3-quart saucepan, combine cider, sugar, cinnamon sticks, allspice berries, ginger, and cloves. Heat to a simmer and allow to cook 20 minutes. Strain into a punch bowl and garnish with orange slices. Serve warm.

Source:  Country Living

This is on my “must try” list.  My family are huge fans of Mac and Cheese, and we’re always searching for the perfect recipe.  This one, adapted from Paula Deen sounds great, nobody does this kind of dish better than Paula.

~ jan

Ingredients
4 cups cooked elbow macaroni, drained (we’re a fan of shells, I would substitute Creamettes large shells for the elbow macaroni
2 cups grated cheddar cheese, or half Velveeta, half cheddar
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk

A butter/crumb topping on this would be excellent

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Once you have the macaroni cooked and drained, place in a large bowl and while still hot and add the cheddar.

In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and add to the macaroni mixture. Pour macaroni mixture into a casserole dish and bake for 30 to 45 minutes.

Top with additional cheese if desired. Makes 6 to 8 servings

Source:  Paula Deen

This recipe got fantastic reviews.  I would adapt it a bit by adding roasted pecan pieces to the top, and omitting the rum in the glaze.  Orange juice would be a nice substitue.

~ jan

Ingredients:
1   pinch salt
1   9 ounce box raisins
2   Eggs, beaten
2   4.5-oz cans fruit cocktail (undrained)
1   14-oz can Sweetened Condensed Milk (not evaporated)
2 dozen Krispy Kreme Donuts
1 or 2 teaspoon cinnamon

Butter Rum Sauce:
1 stick butter
1 pound box confectioner’s sugar
Rum to taste

Directions
Cube donuts into a large bowl.  Pour other ingredients on top of donuts and let soak for a few minutes.  Mix all ingredients together until donuts have soaked up the liquid as much as possible.

Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour until center has jelled.  Top with Butter Rum Sauce.

Butter Rum Sauce:

Melt butter and slowly stir in confectioner’s sugar.  Add Rum and heat until bubbly.  Pour over each serving of Krispy Kreme Bread Pudding.

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

Adapted from a recipe by Paula Deen

Ingredients:

2 lbs cut-up chicken or whole bone-in chicken breasts

Sauce mixture:

4 eggs
1/3 cup water
1 cup hot sauce ( I use Louisiana Hot Sauce, Tabasco might be hotter)

Seasoning blend:

1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Dredging mixture:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

I will add 1/2 cup of cornstarch to the dredge mix.  Cornstarch makes crust extra crispy.

Never cover chicken when it’s frying if you want that deep, crispy crust.

Directions:

Heat peanut oil in a large deep pot to 350°F (do not fill more than half full--you don't want a hot-oil spill-over accident!).

For sauce mixture: in a medium-sized bowl, beat the eggs with the water.
Add hot sauce and whisk together well.

Source:  Food Network

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons red decorator sugar

1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated sugar cookies

2 tablespoons miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Black string licorice, cut into 1-inch pieces

• Heat oven to 350°F. Cut 17x12-inch piece of plastic wrap; place on work surface. Sprinkle red sugar evenly over plastic wrap. Roll cookie dough in sugar to coat. Wrap in plastic wrap; freeze 30 minutes.
  
• Remove half of dough from wrapper; freeze remaining dough until needed. Cut dough into 1/4-inch slices. On ungreased cookie sheets, place slices 2 inches apart. Place 3 chocolate chips in center of each slice to resemble seeds. To form slice shape, make 2 indentations on 2 opposite sides with fingers. Repeat with remaining half of dough.
  
• Bake 8 to 9 minutes or until unsugared edges are light golden brown. Insert 1 licorice piece on top of each cookie to resemble stem. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks.

Source:  Pillsbury

Doesn’t this look amazing?  Learn how to make it here>>>

When I was a little girl, mother picked up hickory nuts every fall, cracked them into a Ball fruit jar and saved them to make Hickory Nut Cake.

She made it at Thanksgiving and Christmas,and it was the best cake you ever tasted.

I never had her recipe, but was thrilled to find this one from Midwest Living.

This one’s for you, mom…

Ingredients

5    eggs
1  cup  butter
2  cups  all-purpose flour
1  tsp.  baking soda
1/4  tsp.  salt
2  cups  sugar
1  tsp.  vanilla
1  cup  buttermilk
1  cup  flaked coconut
1  cup  chopped hickory nuts or pecans, toasted
    Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)
Directions

1. Separate eggs. Allow egg yolks, egg whites and butter to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grease bottoms of three 9x1-1/2-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms of pans with waxed paper; grease and lightly flour pans; set pans aside. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt.

2. In a very large mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar; beat until well combined. Add the egg yolks and vanilla; beat on medium speed until combined. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Fold in coconut and nuts.

3. Thoroughly wash beaters. In a medium mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight). Fold about one-third of the egg whites into cake batter to lighten. Fold in remaining whites. Spread batter evenly into the prepared pans.

4. Bake in a 350 degree F oven about 25 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near centers comes out clean. Cool cake layers in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove cake layers from pans. Remove waxed paper and discard. Cool cake layers thoroughly on wire racks.

5. Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread with about 1/2 cup Cream Cheese Frosting. Top with second cake layer. Spread with 1/2 cup frosting. Place the remaining cake layer on top; spread top and sides of cake with remaining frosting. Store cake in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving. Makes 16 servings.

Cream Cheese Frosting: In a large mixing bowl, beat one 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened, 1/4 cup softened butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in one 1-pound package powdered sugar (about 4 cups) and 1 to 3 tablespoons milk to reach spreading consistency. Makes 2-1/2 cups frosting.

Source:  Midwest Living

This is it, the chocolate chip cookie that I’ve been searching forever for.  They are so good, thick and chewy, not flat and thin like most chocolate chip cookies.

I’ve tried so many recipes, tried to fiddle with The Original Toll House Cookie recipe, too, by adding more flour, and could never get it right.  These are hands down, the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever made.  I’ll never try another recipe, I’ve found perfection!

I made these because of 750 positive comments on the Food Network site, and I was thrilled with the results.  It’s the bread flour, I believe, that makes them puffy not flat.  If you never make anything from my site, and you’re a chocolate chip cookie lover, than make these.  You will not be disappointed, pinkie swear you won’t!

The only adaptation I made was not using parchment paper.  I baked them on a cushioned,  air cookie sheet, it worked perfectly.

I chilled them for a half an hour, then scooped them into big balls with an ice cream scoop, the rest I baked off the next day after being in the refrigerator all night. 

~ jan

Ingredients

    * 2 sticks unsalted butter
    * 2 1/4 cups bread flour
    * 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    * 1 teaspoon baking soda
    * 1/4 cup sugar
    * 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
    * 1 egg
    * 1 egg yolk
    * 2 tablespoons milk
    * 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    * 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Hardware:

    * Ice cream scooper (#20 disher, to be exact)
    * Parchment paper
    * Baking sheets
    * Mixer

Directions

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom medium saucepan over low heat. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside.

Pour the melted butter in the mixer's work bowl. Add the sugar and brown sugar. Cream the butter and sugars on medium speed. Add the egg, yolk, 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Chill the dough, then scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets, 6 cookies per sheet. Bake for 14 minutes or until golden brown, checking the cookies after 5 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet for even browning. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Source:  Food Network

Ina’s recipe has over 200 rave reviews.  It’s the traditional way of making fried chicken, browning in oil, but she then puts it in the oven on a baking rack to fry.  So much easier than standing over a stove, turning and frying chicken for 30-40 minutes.  I’ve soaked chicken in buttermilk for years, it gives it an awesome flavor.

This recipe is a must try in our house, I bet some of you will like it also.  ~ jan

I modified Ina’s recipe a bit, I would never fry two chickens at once…

1 chicken or four chicken breasts with the skin and bone.
Enough buttermilk to cover the chicken
1 cup of all-purpose flour
1-2 teaspoons of kosher salt
1-2 teaspoons of freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil or shortening

Put the chicken pieces in a large bowl, pour buttermilk to cover, cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine flour, salt and pepper in a large plastic bag.  Shake chicken pieces in the flour mixture. 

Pour the oil into a large heavy-bottomed skillet to a depth of 1-inch and heat to 350 degree’s on a thermometer.

Working in batches, place several pieces of the chicken in the skillet, being careful not to crowd it.  Brown on both sides for about 3-4 minutes each side until it’s golden brown.  Remove the chicken from the oil and place on a metal baking rack (a cookie cooling rack works great for this) set on a sheet pan. 

Check oil to make sure it’s at 350, fry the next batch of chicken.  When all is fried, bake 30-40 minutes until chicken is no longer pink inside.

My friend, Veronica, was telling me last week about vodka pie crust.  A friend of hers made it and said it was the best pie crust ever.  So I did a search for it, the recipe came right up on Serious Eats.  Here’s the link if you want to check it out.  Read the comments, others seem to love this as well…

Cook’s Illustrated Foolproof Pie Dough>>>

Ingredients

• 3  pounds  Yukon gold potatoes
• 3/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1  (16-ounce) bottle olive oil-and-vinegar dressing, divided
• 8  cups  mixed salad greens
• 2  large avocados
• 1  tablespoon  fresh lemon juice
• 3  large tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 12  small green onions, sliced
• 2  cups  (8 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 4  ounces  crumbled blue cheese
• 6  to 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• Freshly ground pepper to taste

Preparation

Cook potatoes in boiling salted water to cover 30 minutes or until tender. Drain and cool slightly. Peel and cut into cubes.

Sprinkle potatoes evenly with 3/4 teaspoon salt. Pour 1 cup dressing over potatoes; gently toss. Set aside remaining dressing. Cover potato mixture; chill at least 2 hours or overnight.

Arrange salad greens evenly on a large serving platter. Peel and chop avocados; toss with lemon juice.

Arrange potatoes, avocados, tomatoes, and next 4 ingredients in rows over salad greens. Sprinkle with pepper. Serve with remaining dressing.

Source:  Southern Living, JUNE 2003

For an extra-crispy crust, use stone-ground yellow cornmeal, if available. Serve with lemon slices and your favorite tartar sauce. The secret to this recipe is maintaining an oil temperature of 360° to ensure a crispy, golden crust.

Yield: Makes 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
1 1/2  cups  buttermilk
1/4  teaspoon  hot sauce
6  (4- to 6-oz.) catfish fillets
1/3  cup  plain yellow cornmeal
1/3  cup  masa harina (corn flour)*
1/3  cup  all-purpose flour
2  teaspoons  salt
1  teaspoon  ground black pepper
1  teaspoon  ground red pepper
1/4  teaspoon  garlic powder
Peanut oil
Preparation
1. Whisk together buttermilk and hot sauce.

2. Place catfish in a single layer in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish; pour buttermilk mixture over fish. Cover and chill 8 hours, turning once.

3. Combine cornmeal and next 6 ingredients in a shallow dish.

4. Let fish stand at room temperature 10 minutes. Remove from buttermilk mixture, allowing excess to drip off. Dredge fish in cornmeal mixture, shaking off excess.

5. Pour oil to depth of 2 inches into a large, deep cast-iron or heavy-duty skillet; heat to 360°.

6. Fry fish, in batches, 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack on a paper towel-lined jelly-roll pan. Keep warm in a 225° oven until ready to serve.

*All-purpose flour or plain yellow cornmeal may be substituted.

Southern Living, JULY 2010

Hubby wanted a strawberry pie, I baked off the crust, he fixed the berries and added the glaze, Cool Whip wasn’t thawed yet, but this was just calling my name.

I love my red pie plate, it’s Rose’s Perfect Pie Plate.  It comes in a great gift box, similar to a hat box, and you can get it on Amazon.  It’s a bit spendy, but it’s wonderful, definitely worth the money.  Makes a pretty pie, flutes with no effort, too. 

Here’s the click if you’re interested>>>

My buddy, V, told me about this recipe years ago.  Neither of us have made it,  but it’s on both of our “to do" lists.

~ jan

Makes 9 servings

9 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
12 cups (2 1/2 bags) miniature marshmallows
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
6 cups Cap'n Crunch cereal
6 cups Froot Loops cereal
Vegetable-oil cooking spray

Directions

Lightly spray a 9-by-9-by-2-inch baking pan with vegetable-oil cooking  spray; set aside. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add salt and  marshmallows; stir with a wooden spoon until melted. Remove from heat. Add Rice  Krispies, Cap'n Crunch, and Froot Loops, and stir until combined.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan. To prevent sticking, coat your  hands with vegetable spray, and press the mixture evenly into the pan. Let cool,  about 30 minutes.

Cut into 3-by-3-inch bars. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

  Carlene gave me this recipe, she thinks it tastes like Juicy Fruit Gum.  I made it this weekend, it’s a winner,  ladies.  You won’t believe how moist this bread is, and there is only 4 tablespoons of butter in it!  It’s going into the Tried ‘n True Hall of fame it’s so good.  If you can let it sit for a couple of days, it gets so moist it’s soggy.  Oh, is this a yummy summer dessert bread!  Both of us tweaked the recipe, of course, changes follow the recipe… ~ jan

adapted by Our Best Bites from Cooking Light and further adapted by Jan and Carlene

2 C flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 C sugar
1/4 C (4 Tbs) real butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 1/2 C mashed ripe bananas (about 4 large bananas)
1/4 C sour cream or plain yogurt
3 Tbs apple juice or milk*
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 C coconut

Topping: 2 Tbs additional coconut

Glaze: 1/2 C powdered sugar whisked with 1 1/2 Tbs fresh lime juice
*as in: don't go buy apple juice just for this recipe.  If you don't already have some, just use milk!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until blended.  Add eggs and beat to combine.  Add banana, sour cream or yogurt, apple juice (or milk), and vanilla.  Beat until blended.

Add flour mixture and beat at a low speed until just combined.  Stir in 1/2 C coconut.
Pour batter into a 9x5" loaf pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray.  Sprinkle additional 2 Tbs coconut on top. 

Bake in the oven for about 1 hour or until a knife or skewer inserted in center comes out clean. Note: Check bread after about 40 minutes.  If the top has browned and the coconut pieces are looking toasty, cover top of bread lightly with a piece of foil.  Continue baking until done.

When done, remove pan from oven.  Let cool on a cooling rack for about 10 minutes and then carefully remove from pan.  Whisk powdered sugar and lime juice together for the glaze and then drizzle over top.    Cool for another 15 minutes before slicing.
Carlene’s tweaks:  If you use a glass pan, add 10-15 miutes to baking time.  She also used greek style pineapple yogurt instead of the sour cream or plain yogurt, and she added coconut flavoring extract and vanilla.  She also used 3 tablespoons of coconut milk and 1 tablespoon of fat free half and half.  She added lost of lime zest along with the juice in the icing….
Jan’s tweaks:  I baked this in an insulated metal pan, and it took quite a bit longer than an hour to bake.  I still underbaked a bit, I like my breads that way.  I tented the bread with foil with holes poked in it after an hour, as the coconut on top was starting to get golden and I didn’t want it to burn.  I used light sour cream instead of the pineapple or greek yogurt.  I used 3 heaping Tablespoons of Thai unsweetened coconut milk (in the Asian section of the supermarket, this is really thick like condensed milk. Make sure you buy the unsweetened, and I used the full fat, not the light version).  Oh, and the most important change, I added a small can of crushed pineapple to the batter, well drained and blotted with paper towel.  I love anything banana/pineapple, and this was a great addition to the original recipe.
I used RealLime concentrate in the glaze.  Omg, I bet Carlene is rolling her eyes, ;o).  It worked great, though…  Fresh lime and zest would have been better I’m sure, but I used all my limes in the ginger beer and didn’t want to go back to the store.
My bananas were extremely ripe.  So ripe that they were black on the outside, but it helped give this such a moist texture, I think.

In the 1950's, the only pie at the legendary Joe's Stone Crab in Miami Beach was apple pie. "But a visiting food critic from Chicago mistakenly mixed Joe's up with another restaurant and praised the Key Lime Pie," wrote Geoffrey Tomb of the Miami Herald after an interview with Jo Ann, the creator. Requests came flooding in, and Bass's father told her to develop a recipe. After a few modifications from new chefs at the restaurant, here is today's signature pie.

For the Filling:

5 egg yolks
2 can(s) (14-ounce) sweetened condensed milk
1 cup(s) fresh lime juice Zest of 1/2 lime

For the Graham Cracker Crust:

10 graham crackers, crushed
1/4 cup(s) sugar 5 tablespoon(s) melted butter

Whipped cream, optional

Directions For the filling: Mix yolks, milk, juice, and zest.

For the crust: Mix crackers, sugar, and butter. Form the crust in a 12" pie pan. Bake 8 minutes at 375 degrees F. Remove and let cool.

Pour in the filling and bake another 8 minutes at 375 degrees F. Remove and let cool. Once cool, place in the freezer until ready to use. Before serving, remove from the freezer and let thaw at room temperature for 15 minutes. Top with whipped cream if desired.

Robin, at Big Red Kitchen, gave me permission to post this.  I just had to enlarge this
picture so you could see the details.  This is pancakes, ladies, pancakes!

Is this not the most clever thing, ever?   What a great weekend idea.  Gotta try these at our house, soon.  ~ jan

For the Cinnamon Filling...
In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, mix until smooth:
1 stick softened butter, almost melty
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 T. cinnamon

Using a rubber spatula to scrape the sides, pour this mixture into a large pastry bag that had been opened and stood up in a tall tumbler. A large ziptop bag with the edges folded over the tumbler would work too.

For the Cream Cheese Icing...
In the same bowl that you used for the cinnamon filling, mix together, using the hand mixer again:
2 cups powdered sugar
2 ounces cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
4 T. milk

Mix until smooth and pour into a second pastry bag just like you did with the cinnamon mixture above.

For the Pancakes...
In the same bowl that you used for the filling and the icing- no need to be using or washing too many bowls now- mix together:
2 cups pancake mix- I used Bisquick's Heart Healthy
3 eggs
1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 T. powdered sugar
1 1/4 cups milk

Using the hand mixer, blend until smooth. In a large non-stick skillet, over medium to medium-low heat, and using a 1/4 cup dry measuring cup, ladle 2 pancakes. Snip the tip off the pastry bag containing the cinnamon filling so that the opening is a scant 1/2 inch wide, swirl over cooking pancakes in a circular motion- 3 go-a-rounds should do. Continue to cook the pancakes until bubbles form evenly through each cake. Gently flip each pancake over and cook another 30-45 seconds, remove to a serving platter and serve immediately or keep warm covered in a warm oven. Continue with the rest of the batter. Place 2-3 pancakes side by side (too pretty to stack!) on each person's plate and drizzle each one with icing. Serve maple syrup, bacon or sausage, and fruit on the side. Makes 18 pancakes.

Note- Using a damp paper towel, wipe your skillet after each pancake is made. This will keep the next pancake from sticking to any of the cinnamon filling that has leaked onto your skillet or griddle.
After I swirled each pancake with the cinnamon filling, I returned the pastry bag, tip down in the tumbler. This kept it from leaking all over.
Store any leftover icing in the refrigerator for future use.

If you link to her site, you can see step by step instructions on how to make these.  While you’re there, poke around in her recipe archives – she has some really good stuff!

Here’s the link>>>

The idea of this totally fascinates me.  Completely, totally unhealthy, of course, but it looks awesome!  Would I make this, probably not, but I would love to taste it, just once.  ~ jan

FRIED BACON

1 lb thick sliced bacon, cut in half
1 egg
1/2 cup milk (or cream or half & half)
1/2 cup flour
spices (optional)
oil (for frying)

CREAM GRAVY

3 tablespoons drippings or butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons heavy cream (whipping)
salt and pepper, heavy on the pepper

Directions

1. Heat oil in a frying pan over med-high heat.
2. Whisk egg and milk together in a bowl.
3. Place flour in another bowl - season it if you'd like (garlic, pepper, salt, lemon, cajun, etc.).
4. Double dip - first in the egg mixture, then into the flour and repeat.
5. Fry in oil until golden brown.

Serve with cream gravy for dipping; also good served with steak.

To make cream gravy:

Put drippings or butter in a sauce pan over med-high heat. Whisk in the flour until well blended; cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until bubbly. Remove from heat and gradually add milk whisking constantly; return to heat & whisk until the gravy thickens; Whisk in the cream, salt & pepper.

Source:  RecipeZaar

Dear SOS: I need a recipe from Café O'Lei in Kihei, Maui.

We had the best Kona coffee crème brulee and would kill for this recipe. Would you be able to get it?

Laurie Selwitz
Irvine

Dear Laurie: Café O'Lei was happy to share their recipe for this smooth custard with rich coffee flavor. These desserts are perfect for company; bake them ahead and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve, then brulee as needed. Mahalo!

Servings: 6

Note: Adapted from Café O'Lei restaurants in Maui. To make the coffee syrup, simmer 2 cups brewed coffee until reduced to one-quarter cup, about 7 to 10 minutes.

 

2 1/4 cups heavy cream
1/2 vanilla bean, split
1/2 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, plus extra for bruleeing
5 egg yolks
1/4 cup coffee syrup (reduced from 2 cups brewed coffee, preferably Kona)
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large saucepan, heat the cream and vanilla bean over medium-high heat until the cream almost comes to a boil.
2. While the cream is heating, in a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and egg yolks until blended.
3. Slowly whisk the hot cream into the eggs to temper, until all of the cream is incorporated. Discard the vanilla bean.
4. Stir the coffee syrup into the custard, then strain, removing any lumps.
5. Divide the custard among 6 (5-ounce) ramekins and place the ramekins into a large baking dish. Fill the dish with boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
6. Gently place the baking dish in the oven. Loosely cover the top with a sheet of foil and bake until the custards are set (they will form a skin and jiggle slightly when tapped), about 25 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
7. When the ramekins are cool enough to handle, place the custards in the refrigerator to chill completely. The custards will keep for 2 to 3 days, refrigerated.
8. Place a little sugar on top of each custard and brulee with a torch before serving.
Each serving: 433 calories; 4 grams protein; 23 grams carbohydrates; 0 fiber; 37 grams fat; 22 grams saturated fat; 298 mg. cholesterol; 20 grams sugar; 43 mg. sodium.

Source:  Culinary S.O.S. LA Food Times

Fresh strawberries team up with blueberries and bananas for a triple-layered ice cream treat. The big surprise? Crushed waffle cones are the secret ingredient in this fun crust. For super-sharp slices, remove the frozen pie from the spring-form pan, and place on a cutting board. Using a large chef’s knife, cut the pie in half; cut each half into the desired number of slices, and serve immediately.

Ingredients

• 1  (7-ounce) package waffle cones, broken into pieces
• 6  tablespoons  butter, melted
• 1  tablespoon  granulated sugar
• 2  (1-quart) containers premium vanilla ice cream, divided
• 1  (16-ounce) container fresh strawberries (1 quart), stemmed
• 1/4  cup  powdered sugar, divided
• 1  pint fresh blueberries
• 2  ripe bananas
• Garnishes: waffle cone pieces, fresh whole strawberries, fresh blueberries

Preparation

Process first 3 ingredients in a food processor until finely crushed. Firmly press mixture onto bottom of a lightly greased 10-inch springform pan.

Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

Let vanilla ice cream stand at room temperature 20 minutes or until slightly softened.

Process strawberries and 2 tablespoons powdered sugar in a food processor until pureed, stopping to scrape down sides; remove strawberry mixture, and set aside.

Process blueberries and 1 tablespoon powdered sugar in food processor until pureed, stopping to scrape down sides; set aside.

Mash bananas with a fork in a large bowl; stir in remaining 1 tablespoon powdered sugar. Set aside.

Place 1 quart of ice cream in a large bowl; cut into large (3-inch) pieces. Fold strawberry mixture into ice cream until blended. Place in freezer until slightly firm.

Divide remaining quart of ice cream in half, placing halves in separate bowls. Stir blueberry mixture into half and mashed banana mixture into remaining half. Place bowls in freezer.

Spread half of strawberry mixture evenly into prepared crust in springform pan. Place pan and remaining strawberry mixture in freezer. Freeze 30 minutes or until strawberry layer in pan is slightly firm. Spread banana mixture evenly over strawberry layer in pan; return pan to freezer, and freeze 30 minutes or until banana layer is slightly firm. Repeat procedure with blueberry mixture. Spread remaining strawberry mixture over blueberry layer in pan, and freeze 3 hours or until all layers are firm. Let pie stand at room temperature 15 minutes before serving. Garnish, if desired.

Note: For testing purposes only, we used Häagen-Dazs ice cream.

Southern Living, APRIL 2005

Yield: Makes 8 servings
Ingredients
1  (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1  cup  powdered sugar
1  (8-oz.) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1  teaspoon  vanilla extract
1  baked Butter Cookie Crust or
baked Pretzel Crust
4  cups  assorted fresh berries, pitted cherries, or sliced fruit
1/2  cup  seedless blackberry jam
1/4  cup  orange liqueur
Preparation
1. Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended. Fold in whipped topping and vanilla; spoon into prepared crust. Cover and chill 8 hours.

2. Arrange fruit over cream cheese filling. Stir together jam and liqueur; drizzle over fruit.

Mascarpone Pie: Substitute 1 (8-oz.) container mascarpone cheese for cream cheese, 1/4 cup granulated sugar for powdered sugar, 2 cups whipped cream for whipped topping, and 1 baked Chocolate Butter Cookie Crust for Butter Cookie Crust. Prepare recipe as directed.

Sandee Kay Downhour, Columbus, Ohio, Southern Living, JUNE 2008

Ingredients

• 21  cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies
• 1/2  cup  unsalted dry-roasted peanuts
• 1/4  cup  butter or margarine, melted
• 3  pints chocolate ice cream,softened
• 8  (1.6-ounce) packages peanut butter cup candies, coarsely chopped
• 1  (8-ounce) jar fudge sauce
• 1/4  cup  strong brewed coffee
• 2  tablespoons  coffee liqueur (optional)

Preparation

Process cookies and peanuts in a food processor until finely crumbled. Add melted butter, and process until blended.

Press crumb mixture into a 9-inch deep-dish pieplate, and freeze 15 minutes.

Stir together chocolate ice cream and chopped candies; spoon into piecrust. Freeze at least 6 hours. Remove from freezer, and let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Heat fudge sauce in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in coffee and, if desired, coffee liqueur. Drizzle over pie.

Southern Living, OCTOBER 1998

More pictures and stories from the French chef>>>

Servings: 4-6

The GMA news anchor, who says she never travels without her "world-famous recipe," was happy to share it."

Here it is:

Ingredients

1/2 cup olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

Cooking Directions

Mix above ingredients in a mixing bowl.

Add salt and pepper to desired taste.

Source:  GMA

Servings: 6-8

Savannah restaurateur and Food Network star Paula Deen joined "Good Morning America" to whip up a few of her favorite home cooking recipes from her book, "Deen Family Cookbook."

"Whip up a bowl of this light and refreshing beauty anytime you want to make salad a little more special than just plain greens. It's just so perfect for brunch on a hot summer day, it'll perk you right up!" she said in the book.

Recipe courtesy of Paula Deen's The Deen Family Cookbook; Simon & Schuster 2009.

Ingredients

Dressing

6 tablespoons buttermilk

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 teaspoons shallots, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon fresh tarragon, chopped

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Salt and pepper

Salad

1 head Boston lettuce, rinsed dried and torn into pieces

2 medium navel oranges

1 pint strawberries, hulled and quartered

1/2 cup pitted dates, thinly sliced crosswise

Cooking Directions

To make the dressing, whisk together the buttermilk, lemon juice, shallot, and tarragon. Slowly whisk in the oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

In a bowl, coat the greens with all but 1/4 cup of the dressing. Arrange the greens on individual serving plates.

Cut off the top and bottom of each orange, just exposing the flesh. With a sharp knife, follow the curve of the fruit to cut away the peel, completely removing the white pith. Slice out each segment of the fruit, cutting along the membrane. Divide the oranges, strawberries, and dates among the greens.

Drizzle each serving with the remaining dressing.

I’m a huge fan of Jello salads, all of them, Perfection,  Orange with Mandarin Oranges, Lime with Pineapple and Cream Cheese, but my favorite of all is the one Mother made when I was a child.  In fact, I whipped up a batch this morning and it’s chilling in the fridge.  I think she originally made hers with raspberry jello, but I’m a cherry girl, so that’s the way I make it.  It’s so simple, here’s the recipe. 

~ jan
Mom’s Apple Pecan Jello Salad
1 large package sugar free Cherry Jello
1-1/2 cups boiling water
1-1/2 cups cold water
2 apples cut into small dice – I use one of my favorite kitchen gadgets for this, my Williams-Sonoma Vegetable Chopper, the full size one, not the mini
chopped pecans
chopped celery (Mother always put this in, I omit it)
Chill all ingredients, occasionally stirring it when it begins to set up so that the apple mixture is distributed evenly throughout the Jello.  This stuff is really addictive!

Ingredients
   
2 large lemons, sliced paper thin (do not peel, use rind)
2 cup(s) sugar
5 large eggs, beaten
2  store-bought piecrusts

Directions

For filling: In a medium, non- reactive bowl, mix together lemon slices and sugar; cover and let stand overnight in refrigerator. Bring lemon mixture to room temperature. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Fit 1 crust into a 9-inch pie pan. Stir eggs into lemon mixture and pour into pie pan. Top with remaining crust. Trim excess dough, fold top crust under bottom along rim, and crimp to seal. Bake for 45 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Source:  Country Living

Ingredients
   
2 cup(s) heavy cream
1/2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup(s) brown sugar
1/2 cup(s) granulated sugar
3 tablespoon(s) granulated sugar, for sprinkling
1/2 cup(s) whole milk
1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
1  (9-inch) store-bought piecrust
1 tablespoon(s) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon(s) ground cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. For filling: In a medium bowl, combine heavy cream, flour, brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, milk, and vanilla.
Fit crust into a 9-inch pie pan and dot bottom with butter. Pour filling into crust. Combine cinnamon and remaining 3 tablespoons sugar and sprinkle on top. Bake pie until set and center is firm to touch, about 1 hour. Cool on a wire rack.

Source:  Country Living

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) package corn bread mix
• 10 slices bacon
• 1 (1 ounce) package ranch dressing mix
• 1 1/2 cups sour cream
• 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
• 2 (15 ounce) cans pinto beans, drained
• 3 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1 cup chopped green onion
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 2 (11 ounce) cans whole kernel corn, drained

Directions

1. Prepare corn bread according to package directions. Cool, crumble, and set aside.
2. Place bacon in a large deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble, and set aside.
3. Whisk together the dressing mix, sour cream, and mayonnaise.
4. Crumble half the corn bread in the bottom of a large serving dish. Top with half the beans. Layer the beans with half of the tomatoes, green bell pepper, and green onions. Sprinkle with half the cheese, corn, bacon, and the salad dressing mixture. Repeat the layers. Cover, and chill at least 2 hours before serving.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 580 | Total Fat: 41.5g | Cholesterol: 52mg

Source  AllRecipes

Note:  This recipe got a lot of positive reviews, people love it!

I downloaded this PDF file and it’s a great cookbook.  Here’s the page to snag the download link,  it’s a goodie.  ~ jan

Martha Stewart Grilling Cookbook>>>

Serves 4

• 1 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6 to 8 ounces each)
• Vegetable oil, for grates

------------------------------------

1. In a large bowl, combine buttermilk, rosemary, 1 teaspoon salt, and teaspoon pepper. Add chicken to marinade, turning to coat. Marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes (or refrigerate, up to overnight).
2. Heat grill to medium; lightly oil grates. Lift chicken from marinade, shaking off excess; discard marinade. Grill until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of chicken registers 165 degrees, 5 to 8 minutes per side. Remove from grill. Tent loosely with aluminum foil; let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Source:  Martha Stewart Living

Ingredients

  4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  1 whole fresh beet, cooked, peeled and mashed (about 1/2 cup)
  1/4 cup prepared horseradish
  2 tablespoons lemon juice
  1 tablespoon white vinegar
  1-1/2 teaspoons sugar
  Dash cayenne pepper
  8 hard rolls, split and toasted
  8 teaspoons butter, softened
  1 pound thinly sliced deli roast beef
  8 lettuce leaves
  8 slices tomato
  8 slices onion

Directions

  In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and beet until blended. Beat in
  the horseradish, lemon juice, vinegar, sugar and cayenne.
  Spread rolls with butter and beet spread. Layer with beef, lettuce,
  tomato and onion.

Yield: 8 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1 sandwich equals 356 calories

Source:  Tate of Home

Yield: Makes 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients

12  to 15 fresh peaches, peeled and sliced (about 16 cups)*
3  cups  sugar
1/3  cup  all-purpose flour
1/2  teaspoon  nutmeg
1 1/2  teaspoons  vanilla
2/3  cup  butter
2  (15-ounce) packages refrigerated piecrusts
1/2  cup  chopped pecans, toasted
1/4  cup  sugar
Vanilla ice cream

Preparation

Combine first 4 ingredients in a Dutch oven, and let stand 10 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Bring peach mixture to a boil; reduce heat to low, and simmer 10 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat; add vanilla and butter, stirring until butter melts.

Unfold 2 piecrusts. Sprinkle 1/4 cup pecans and 2 tablespoons sugar evenly over 1 piecrust; top with other piecrust. Roll to a 12-inch circle, gently pressing pecans into pastry. Cut into 1 1/2-inch strips. Repeat with remaining piecrusts, pecans, and sugar.

Spoon half of peach mixture into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Arrange half of pastry strips in a lattice design over top of peach mixture.

Bake at 475° for 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Spoon remaining peach mixture over baked pastry. Top with remaining pastry strips in a lattice design. Bake 15 to 18 more minutes. Serve warm or cold with vanilla ice cream.

*2 (20-ounce) packages frozen peaches may be substituted. Reduce sugar to 2 cups, flour to 3 tablespoons, and nutmeg to 1/4 teaspoon. Proceed as directed.

Note: To make ahead, let baked cobbler cool; cover and freeze up to 1 month. Thaw in refrigerator over-night. Uncover, and reheat in the oven at 250° for 45 minutes.

Southern Living, MAY 2004

Whisk together the egg and milk. Dip the chicken breasts in milk and egg mixture and then in bread crumbs. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken in the hot oil on both sides until golden, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Set chicken in a baking dish.