Traditional Bread Stuffing

What's a turkey without stuffing?

I guess we can call this the "all-time" favorite side with turkey! If we had just this and a heaping pile of mashed potatoes and gravy, my family would still be thrilled with their Thanksgiving dinner.

I usually make two different kinds of stuffing, this traditional one and an Italian one my mom always made. We call it Italian Stuffing (made with meatball mix-  mushrooms, chunks of mozzarella, parmesan and veggies) because she never had a name for it. I guess I could call it Meatball Stuffing or Meat Stuffing...anyway, I've gone off track a bit. LOL!

You can increase or decrease the herb seasonings to your taste.  You can also add plain sausage, mild Italian or even apple sausage. They all add a savory bite. Want crunch? Try adding nuts, like pecans, pine nuts or walnuts. Dried fruit add flavor too, try cranberries, currants, raisins, apricots or cherries. Fresh chopped apples or mushrooms do well in it too. 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter

2 sticks celery, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 (12 oz.) pkg. cubed bread for stuffing (serves 14)

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

2 cups chicken broth (approx.)

1 tsp. dried parsley

1/2 tsp. sage

1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning

1 egg

Preheat oven to 350'F.  Prepare a 2 quart casserole dish or 9x13" pan.

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add celery and onions and sauté until tender, about 8-10 minutes. Stir in sage, poultry seasoning and parsley, until fragrant, about another minute. 

In a large mixing bowl place cubed bread, chicken broth and egg. (Add chicken broth to desired consistency. Some like a drier stuffing, some a more moist stuffing.) Stir in the sautéed vegetables and mix well.

Spoon into prepared casserole dish.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake 35 minutes or until hot. Uncover 20 minutes before done, ladle a bit of turkey drippings over top and leave uncovered until top is golden brown.

A Tip from Grammy:

-Make the day before and write the temp and time on the aluminum foil. You won't have to look it up the day of baking it.

-Just before placing your turkey in the oven, put a heaping spoonful of stuffing into the cavity for flavor.

-And, of course, NEVER stuff your turkey the day before!

 

Be encouraged!

"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." -Jeremiah 29:13

Vanilla Butter Melt-Aways

Yes, they really do "melt-in-your-mouth"
 

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These little gems showed up on my Facebook page, they're from The Taylor House blog.  Let's face it, anything that says "melts in your mouth" is begging to be baked, right?

They were a hit with everyone who tasted these wonderful, delicate and very yummy little cookies.  My piano students gave them a "thumbs up" so I just had to share this recipe with you all.

My granddaughter and I made a batch of these for Easter.  We divided the frosting and used different colors. They looked so festive! It's always fun to bake with your kids and grandbabies!

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 350' F.  Prepare baking sheets by lightly greasing with shortening or use cooking spray.

In a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until it's light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, mix until combined.

Add the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda and mix well.

Roll cookies into 1-inch balls and place on the prepared cookie sheet. (I use the small cookie scoop.)

Using the bottom of a glass, lightly flatten cookie balls. (not too flat)

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Bake in 350' oven for 7-8 minutes depending on your oven. Take them out when they look almost cooked. They will continue baking after you take them out.

Vanilla Butter Frosting

1/2 cup butter at room temperature

1 lb. confectioners' sugar (3 cups)

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

3 Tablespoons milk

Cream together all ingredients until light and fluffy.  

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You're ready to frost these delicious cookies!

Yields: approximately 24 cookies

A Tip from Grammy: 

- Exchange the vanilla for other flavors, lemon, almond, peppermint.  They're all delicious!

-Add coloring to the frosting for different occasions 

-Add sprinkles onto the tops of the frosting.

Be encouraged!

"May the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way." -2 Thessalonians 3:16

Chocolate Lasagna

An impressive no-bake dessert!

There are times in our lives that seem to be unsurmountable, times that break our hearts so badly we think there's no way to recover. Such a time was when my beloved and cherished husband, the man I had loved since I was a teenager, the man with whom I had spent 53 years loving, went home to the Lord. 

I have to admit, I lost interest in many of the things I enjoyed, this blog being one of them. But, thankfully, because of all the encouragement and support of my friends and followers, I feel renewed and ready to get back to a hobby that my husband felt was so important for me to do.

The reason I started with something that seems a "downer" is the reason for sharing this wonderful recipe for Chocolate Lasagna. You see, God has blessed me with many friends and neighbors who cared for us, and also sent over delicious food during that time.

Lisa, one of my very special neighbors, (remind me to tell you what her friendship means to me and the many ways she has supported all of my family) brought over this dessert. It was so appreciated and loved, that when more family came down the following week, she made us another one!  See what I mean about my blessings?

Ingredients:

1 lb. Cool Whip topping (5 cups, divided)

8 ounces cream cheese

8 Tbsp. butter (1 stick)

1 (14.3 oz.) pkg. Oreo cookies (36 total)

3/4 cup confectioner's sugar

3 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. whole milk, divided

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 (9 oz. pkg.) Famous chocolate wafer cookies (44 total), divided

2 (about 4 oz.) packages instant chocolate pudding mix (not cook & serve)

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate morsels

Instructions:

Thaw 1 pound Cool Whip (5 cups) according to package instructions.

Place 8 ounces cream cheese in a stand mixer bowl (or large bowl) if using an electric hand mixer). Let sit at room temperature until softened, about an hour. Meanwhile, make the crust.

Melt 1 stick butter in the microwave or on the stovetop. 

Crush the 36 Oreo cookies in a food processor, blender or place them in a plastic baggie and crush with rolling pin or meat mallet. Transfer crumbs to a large bowl and stir in melted butter. Press crumbs into the bottom of a 13x9" pan and chill in refrigerator while you work on the other layers.

Mix the softened cream cheese with a mixer until light and fluffy. Now, add the confectioner's sugar, 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla; mix well. Fold in 8 ounces of the Cool Whip (2 1/2 cups) until well blended. Spread mixture over cookie crust.

Place 22 Famous Chocolate Wafer in an even layer on top of the cream cheese layer, overlapping them as needed. Refrigerate while you prepare the next layer.

In a bowl, combine 2 boxes of chocolate instant pudding with 3 1/4 cups cold milk; whisk for several minutes until pudding begins to thicken. Spread mixture over previous layer, and let rest for 5 minutes until firm. Top with remaining chocolate wafers in an even layer. Again, overlapping them as needed.

Spread the remaining Cool Whip over the top. Garnish with chocolate shavings or mini chocolate chips. Cover and place in freezer for 1 hour or in refrigerator for 4 hours before serving.

Yields: 12-16 servings

Be encouraged!

"The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." -Deuteronomy 31 8-9

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Green Bean Casserole

The classic holiday side dish! 

This classic holiday side dish is a favorite and takes only minutes to prep. I know, because I've made it every year since I was a teenager, and that was a lot of years ago. This is the original recipe from last century...oh, my, did I just say that? Okay, gonna stop explaining now. LOL!

Green Bean Casserole is the perfect side dish with turkey or ham and, in my mind, makes the perfect addition to any holiday meal. It's only 6 ingredients and takes just minutes to prepare.

My computer still won't upload my own photos, so again, I had to search the net. This is a great picture of this famous and delicious casserole. 

Ingredients:

2 cans (14 oz.) cut green beans

1 can (10.5  oz.) condensed mushroom soup

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp. soy sauce

1/8 tsp. black pepper

1-2 cups crispy fried onions (canned) divided

Preheat oven to 350' F.

In a 1.5 qt. casserole, combine soup, milk soy sauce and pepper. Stir in green beans and half of the onions.

Bake for 25 minutes or until hot throughout.

Top with remaining onions. Bake 5 minutes more.

Yields: 10 servings

Be encouraged!

"The Lord watches over you - the Lord is your shade at your right hand." Psalm 121:5

Chocolate Ribbon Pie

 A Quick and Easy Dessert

This past Sunday, we celebrated my daughter's and her husband's birthdays, and this year I decided to bake two pies...my daughter's favorite Banana Cream and an experiment for my son-in-law! Don't worry, I love him, and he loves to try new desserts I make. LOL!

This pie looked so pretty in this picture I saw online (left) and chocolate is a favorite of Mike's. I knew right away that was the perfect "new" pie for him! I was right (yay) he loved it and so did everyone else. That's always a relief!

There are many different flavored puddings to try on this recipe...and I'm thinking I'm gonna try them all! LOL! You can also use a cookie crust, refrigerated pie crust or graham cracker one. Any one of those choices will make a delicious pie.

(Disclaimer) I did take photos, but something is wrong with my computer and it won't let me download them. Ugh! The above pic is pretty much how mine looked, except my crust was a homemade one.  I also have a picture of my daughter and son-in-law holding their pies. I'll keep trying to figure out what's wrong and change the above picture to my own.

Ingredients:

Use your favorite 9" pie crust, or make your own.

Cream Cheese Layer:

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

2 Tbsp. sugar

1 Tbsp. milk

1 cup whipped topping

In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and milk until smooth. Fold in 1 cup whipped topping. Spread evenly onto crust. 

Pudding Layer:

3.9 oz. pkg. instant chocolate pudding mix

1 3/4 cup milk

In a small bowl, whisk pudding mix and milk for 2 minutes. (I use a wire whisk)  Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Pour over the cream cheese mixture and chill until set.

Just before serving, garnish with remaining whipped topping and chocolate shavings for sprinkles.

Yields: 6-8

Be encouraged:

"In the world you will have tribulation, but take heart; I have overcome the world."   -John 16:33

Crescent Cheese Danish

Hooray for those versatile crescent rolls!

With this recipe, you'll be able to safe yourself a trip to the bakery and still have delicious semi-homemade Cheese Danish.  I found this recipe partly on the Pillsbury website and another called "My Incredible Recipes". They both looked great, so I combined what I like best about each.

Anyway, this is my version and I hope you'll give them a try for your family and friends on a chilly, Autumn weekend. Danish and a cup of coffee or tea sounds like the perfect way to start the day!

Ingredients:

1 tube of refrigerated crescent rolls
4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1 tsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp. butter, fully melted and 1 Tbsp. light brown sugar, mixed together

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350F

In a medium bowl, use a mixer to combine the softened cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract and lemon juice until well combined. Set aside.

Remove dough from can; do not unroll. Using serrated knife, cut dough into 8 equal discs. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Press each slice into 3-inch round, leaving ridge around outer edge. Use your fingers or a small measuring cup to create a small wall around the edge (to hold the filling).  

In a small bowl, mix cream cheese spread and 3 tablespoons powdered sugar. Spoon about 2 teaspoons cream cheese mixture on center of each dough round; spread slightly. 

Using a brush, take the melted butter and  brown sugar mixture and brush over each Danish. Dollop equal amounts of the filling into each of the Danish.

(OPTIONAL) Top the cream cheese with lemon curd, cherry, blueberry or strawberry filling! If using a raspberry jam, a few slivered almonds on top would be nice too.

Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes or until slightly golden brown.

Let cool and add drizzles of glaze.

Glaze:

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1 1/2  Tbsp. milk

In a small bowl combine all 3 ingredients and stir until smooth, then drizzle over each warm Danish.

Yields: 8 delicious Danish
 
Be encouraged:

"He restores my soul." Psalm 23:3

Blueberry Hand Pies

A New Favorite Dessert

My neighbor loves to bake and share her goodies with the neighborhood. So, a couple of weeks ago, she showed up at my door with Blueberry Hand Pies!  I had never had a hand pie before and blueberries are a favorite fruit of mine, so how could I refuse?  I mean, I would never want to offend...LOL!  I found this photo online because I ate mine before I thought of taking a picture, sorry!

Anyway, a week or so went by and she invited me over to help make Apple Hand Pies.  Oh yes, without hesitation, I was at her house by 9 AM the next morning. We made the pies a little differently by filling and folding them corner to corner, then crimping. We ended up with 16 of these wonderful pies! 

She had the filling all ready to go, and said she used 2 apples, chopped up with cinnamon, a little nutmeg and sugar. My brain immediately started thinking of adding caramel, walnuts, raisins...well, you get the picture. Heehee.

This recipe is from the King Arthur Baking Company, and let me tell you, that site has a lot of tasty looking food on it.  I encourage all my fellow "foodies" to take a look!  

Invite a friend over to make these with you, they are so fun to do together! 

INGREDIENTS:

Pastry:

2 cups unbleached flour
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
16 Tbsp. butter, cold (2 sticks, cut up)
1/2 cup sour cream

How to Make the Pastry:

Whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder.  Add the butter, working it in to make a coarse/crumbly mixture. Leave most of the butter in larger, pea-sized pieces.

Add the sour cream, and stir until the mixture starts to come together in chunks.  Turn out onto a floured work surface and bring it together with a few quick kneads.

Pat the dough into a rough log and roll into an 8"x 10" rectangle.  Dust both sides of the dough with flour. Then starting with the shorter end, fold it in three...like a business letter.

Flip the dough over, give it a 90 degree turn on your work surface and roll it again into an 8"x 10 rectangle. Fold it in three again.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes before using.

Filling:

2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen                              

2 Tbsp. corn starch or 1 Tbsp. Instant ClearJel

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/8 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

To Make the Filling: (This can be made the day before)

 

If you're using fresh berries, rinse and drain well.  Place fresh or frozen berries inn a saucepan. Whisk the cornstarch with the sugar, and pour over the berries. Add the salt and lemon juice, stirring to combing.

Place the saucepan on a burner set to medium-high and cook, stirring, until the small amount of liquid in the bottom of the pan comes to a simmer.  Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture starts to thicken...about 5 minutes. Transfer the cooked berries to a bowl and let cool to room temperature.  You can make the filling ahead of time, and refrigerate until you're ready to use it.  

Preheat oven to 425'F; place a rack on the middle shelf.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

To Assemble the Pies:

Roll dough into a 14"x14" square. With a straight edge and pastry wheel, or a 3 1/2" square cutter, cut out sixteen 3 1/2" squares.

Divide the fill among eight of the squares, using about a heaping tablespoon for each; a slightly heaped tablespoon cookie scoop works well here. Brush some of the beaten egg along the edges of each filled square.

Use a knife to cut a vent into each of remaining eight squares; or use a decorative cutter of your choice.

Top each filled square with a vented square and press along the edges with the tines of a fork to seal.

Brush the top of each pie with the remaining beaten egg, and sprinkle with sparkling sugar. Transfer the pies to the prepared baking sheet . (If at any time during this process the pies become sticky and hard to work with, simply refrigerate them for about 20 minutes or until firm.)

Bake the pies for 18-20 minutes, until they are a light golden brown. Remove them from the oven and let cool for 20 minutes before serving.

Store pies, lightly wrapped, at room temperature for a couple of days; freeze for longer storage.

Yields: 8 delicious hand pies!

Be encouraged!

"You are chosen and loved" Ephesians 1:4

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Pignolata Soup

Best Italian Soup Ever!!!

Probably, you've never heard of this soup...maybe you can't even pronounce it.  Don't worry, though, you don't have to speak Italian to enjoy this fabulous holiday soup that my family lovingly calls "The Soup Trap"!  Why?  What would make it a "trap"? 

Well, no one can seem to eat just one bowl of this soup, it's like you're "trapped" into having seconds, maybe even thirds.  But, when served as the first course of an Italian holiday dinner, beware!  You'll be too full to eat the rest of the wonderful holiday dishes coming your way!  

The first time they used the term "soup trap" was when we had company, and they asked for another bowl.  My son and grandson-in-laws both exclaimed at the same time, "Noooo!   It's the soup trap!"   Okay, I practically fell off the chair, laughing.  But, our guests still went for that second (and third) bowl, bless them!   

I can't explain how good this is because it's not like any other soup I've ever had, and my mom and her siblings were the only ones in our family that made it, that I know of.  This is NOT the Italian Wedding Soup...it's so much better!

*Before you start, look it over because there are quite a few things you can prepare in advance.  I do!  Make the noodles, fry them and freeze up to 3 months ahead, boil, chop and freeze the escarole weeks/months in advance.  I mix all the meatball ingredients the day before and make about 50-60 little meatballs to drop into the boiling soup.

This recipe probably isn't for the novice cook, but, how will you learn if you don't try?  LOL!   A "mom-ism" from long ago!   The one thing I can promise is that you won't be sorry you've learned how to make this soup! 

Directions:

Pignolata "Noodles"  (pictures below) I double this for my crew.

2 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups flour 
4 Tbsp. water

In a medium bowl, combine flour and salt.  Make a well in the flour, add the slightly beaten eggs and water; mix.  Mixture should form a stiff dough. 

On a lightly floured surface, knead dough for about 3-4 minutes.  Cover dough ball with plastic wrap while you work with small pieces.  Cut off a small piece at a time.  Shape small portions of the dough into long ropes, about the width of a crayon.  On a floured surface, cut into half-inch pieces and lay on a floured board until ready to fry.

Preheat 1 " of oil to 350'F. in frying pan (I use a deep fryer).   Then, carefully fry dough a small amount at a time.  (If the oil is too hot, the noodles will pop like popcorn...not a good thing.)

These can be done weeks before and frozen in a plastic bag after they've been fried and cooled.




A beautiful dough

Rolled into 1/4" wide strips

Cut into small pieces

It's a process...

Fry until golden...do not let brown.  You can use a deep fryer or a pan.

Soup:
3-4 lbs. beef from short ribs, or chuck and a soup bone, if you can find one!  Sometimes I just used the scraps I've trimmed from steaks. and had frozen, just for this soup.
Water to cover beef and up to 1/2 the pan (about 8-10 cups).  
Bring water to a boil and skim across the top, to remove scum from meat, until clear.  

Add to beef broth: (You can add more of anything here, celery, carrots...etc)
2 large stalks celery
2 large carrots
1 medium onion
1 can beef broth (or more depending how much soup you're making)
1/4 cup tomato sauce or 2 whole tomatoes, cut into quarters
1 bunch of escarole (cleaned, pre-boiled, drained well and chopped)
salt and pepper to taste

Add celery, carrots and onion, tomato sauce/tomatoes and broth to cover all.  Simmer for 2 hours on low.  When meat is tender, place on a plate to cool; take out celery and carrots, set all aside.  When cooled enough to cut, dice the celery and carrots, and beef.

Strain the broth into another pot, then add the chopped vegetables, cut up pieces of beef; and the escarole.

Bring back to a low boil, and add your pignolata noodles, and let simmer until they are tender.

*You can add more beef broth, tomato sauce or veggies, depending on your family's tastes.

Meatballs: (add these last)
1 lbs. ground beef
1/4 lb. ground pork
2 Tbsp. finely minced fresh garlic (sometimes I use Granulated  Garlic)
1 large egg
1/2 c. grated Romano Cheese or Parmesan
1/2 Tbsp. dried parsley
3/4 c. bread crumbs with 1 c. water (approx.) to make soft, not soupy
salt & pepper to taste

Mix ground beef, pork, garlic, eggs, cheese, parsley together in a large bowl until blended. (Use your hands to mix meatballs, never a mixer.)

Add enough water slowly to the bread crumbs to make them moist and soft, but not soupy!   Mix bread crumbs into meat mixture 1/2 at a time.  (Use more or less for desired texture.  It's all about how it feels to the touch.)   Mix should be soft, but firm enough to form a nice round ball.

Do not fry these meatballs, but take small amounts (approx. 1/2 teaspoonfuls) and roll into bite-size balls.  Drop them into the simmering soup.  They'll cook in the soup, plump up and rise to the top when done.  Make sure to add these the last hour. If cooked too long, they tend to fall apart. 

Hint:  I get my soup cooked and ready the night before, then into the fridge until our holiday dinner.  It's even better warmed up and a lot less hassle on the big day...after all, you probably are preparing tons of other yummy foods too!



Be encouraged:
"But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble."  -Psalm 59:16

Cream Cheese Swirl Brownies

Rich, Chocolatey, Fudgy...with a Cheesecake Swirl!

Yesterday was a fun day baking with my granddaughter, Sarah. Two of her favorite desserts are brownies and cheesecake, so we decided to combine the two and were thrilled with the outcome! 

Now, I've made German Chocolate Cream Cheese Brownies for years, but they do have a distinctive taste from the sweet chocolate and almond flavor...which I never complained about because I love almond! And it's hard to find someone who doesn't like sweet chocolate, right? 

Anyway, I saw many recipes for these brownies, but I already had our favorite brownie recipe, so decided to go with it. There's always safety in what you already know is the best! Haha! 

(Full disclosure) I put Sarah in charge of the cream cheese filling. She does a great job helping me, but kind of lost control of the hand mixer and ended up with an extra chore...cleaning cream cheese mixture off of a lot of the kitchen. LOL! We lost about on third of it, but kept going...after we finally stopped laughing! The good news is that the brownies were still delicious and you could taste the yummy cream cheese in every bite! 

Cream Cheese Filling: 

Ingredients: 

8 oz. cream cheese 

4 Tbsp. butter 

1/2 cup sugar 

2 eggs 

2 Tbsp. flour 

1 tsp. vanilla 

Cream 4 Tbsp. butter with cream cheese in small bowl. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar, cream until fluffy. Blend in 2 eggs, 2 Tbsp. flour and 1 tsp. vanilla; set aside. 

Brownie Batter: 

Ingredients:

1 cup butter 

2 cups granulated sugar 

4 eggs 

2 tsp. vanilla extract 

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 

1 cup flour 

1/2 tsp. salt 

1/2 tsp. baking powder 

Preheat oven to 350'F. Grease a 9x13 pan. Melt butter. Remove from heat and add ingredients in the order listed, stirring carefully by hand, just until all ingredients are blended. Do not over-stir or brownies will get tough. 

Spread 1/2 chocolate batter in greased 9x13" pan. Top with cream cheese mixture, and carefully spread over chocolate. Spoon the rest of the chocolate batter all over top. Zigzag a knife through batter for marble effect. (You can sprinkle the top with Chocolate Chip Morsels if you'd like.)

Bake at 350'F for 30-35 minutes. 

A Tip from Grammy: 

1.) If you want those wonderful clean edges, use a plastic knife to cut them (best brownie trick ever). 

2.)You can keep these cream cheese brownies on the counter for a couple of days, then in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week. They are delicious chilled or at room temperature.

Be encouraged! 

"Faith is not believing that God can, it's knowing that He will!"

Double Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Quick, easy cake mix cookies!

I was craving chocolate the other day and couldn't find even the smallest piece of candy or cookie in the house. But, I did find a chocolate cake mix! Yep, I decided to make cake mix cookies...this way I'd have plenty of chocolate "something" in the house in case of another craving, and there's always "another" craving. LOL!

Anyway, I used the same basic ingredients as for the Spice Cookies from a few days ago. Except, of course, I had to add more chocolate! 

Ingredients:
1 Devil's Food cake mix (I like Betty Crocker)
1/2 cup butter, softened or 1/3 cup vegetable
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2-1 cup chocolate morsels (I used semi-sweet)
Confectioners' Sugar

Heat oven to 375°F (350°F for dark or nonstick cookie sheets). In large bowl, stir dry cake mix, oil, eggs, vanilla and chocolate morsels with spoon until dough forms.

Refrigerate dough 15 to 30 minutes, or as needed for easier handling. Shape dough into 1.5-inch balls. Roll balls in powdered sugar. On ungreased cookie sheets, place balls about 2 inches apart.

Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until set. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Store tightly covered.

Be encouraged!
Jesus said, "...in the world you will have trouble. But, take heart!  I have overcome the world." -John 16:33

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Spice Cake Cookies

Soft, Chewy and Delicious...made from a cake mix!

I don't know about you, but sometimes I can get a little lazy in the kitchen...like, I want to bake something, but don't want to fuss over it.  Well, I found the perfect way to get "hot out of the oven" cookies without spending a lot of time prepping, baking or cleaning the kitchen. Oh yeah, my kind of cookie!  

They take only 20 minutes to make, from start to finish. Now, don't get me wrong, when I'm in the mood I really enjoy recreating my mom's recipes from scratch, but sometimes....well, you know.  

So, my granddaughter, Sarah, and I love finding new recipes to try.  One day, she felt like baking (I didn't) so we compromised. Seems like good things can happen from "compromise".  Oh, and I watched my daughter (picture below) eat a half dozen all by herself! Look at that happy face!  

INGREDIENTS:
18.25 ounce box spice cake mix
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup granulated sugar (add cinnamon and you have a Spicy Snickerdoodle)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350°F and line two cookie sheets with a silicon mat or parchment paper. Place granulated sugar in a shallow bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine cake mix, oil, eggs and vanilla extract until there are no large lumps left.  If the dough is too soft to roll, refrigerate it for about 10 minutes.

Roll 1 heaping tablespoon of dough into balls and coat in granulated sugar. Place on cookie sheets, leaving about 2 inches for spreading.

Bake for 9-10 minutes, or until the tops have cracked and the tops look set (check the bottoms for a light golden brown color). Let sit for 5 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack.

Serve warm or store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Be encouraged!
"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you." -Ezekial 36:26

Orange Creamsicle Poke Cake

A perfect summer dessert!

Oh my word!  I figured this cake would be a refreshing summer dessert, but I had no idea how delicious it was going to taste!  This was the best poke cake yet...and you know how much I like poke cakes.

The frosting, oh yes, the frosting!  Well, I could just devour the frosting all by itself!

It tastes just like those Orange Creamsicle ice cream bars we used to get on the beach in New Jersey, when I was a little girl.  We spent a week each summer in Wildwood with all the family, and they were some of the best times ever.  The only "not so happy" memory I have of those ice cream bars is the time my tongue got stuck to one.  Ever see "A Christmas Story"?  It looked a lot like that famous scene when they triple-dared that poor boy (minus the flag pole).  I was slightly hysterical...crying, screaming and running around trying to "unstick" my tongue.  Good times, yeah!  Haha!

At least no one will get their tongue stuck to a piece of this cake...I hope!

Ingredients:
Make cake mix as directed on package:
1 (18 ounce) box orange cake mix (Walmart carries Duncan Hines Orange Cake)
  *If you can't find the orange, a yellow cake is perfectly fine to use.
3 eggs (or as called for by your cake mix)
1⁄3 cup oil (or as called for by your cake mix)
1 cup water (or as called for by your cake mix)

Mix together:
1 (6 ounce) box orange Jell-O
1 1/2 cups hot water
1 cup cold water

Frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 (3 1/2 ounce) box vanilla instant pudding mix
1 (3 1/2 ounce) box orange Jell-O
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon orange extract
1 tsp. vanilla extract
8 ounces Cool Whip, thawed

Set out Cool Whip to thaw.

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Spray bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with baking spray with flour.

In large bowl, beat cake mix, eggs, 1 cup water and the oil with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour batter into pan.

Bake 28 to 33 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on cooling rack, about 1 hour.

Poke cake all over with fork or wooden skewer. In medium bowl, pour boiling water on 1 box orange gelatin; stir until gelatin is dissolved. Stir in cold water. Pour gelatin over cake. Run knife around edges of pan to loosen cake. Refrigerate 2 hours.

In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth with electric hand mixer (or other); add orange jello, instant vanilla pudding, 1 cup milk, orange and vanilla extract.  

Immediately beat until smooth and well blended.  (Don't let the jello and vanilla pudding sit or they'll get lumpy).   Fold in Cool whip.   

Spread over the cake and keep refrigerated until serving.   Garnish with additional whipped topping and orange peel, if desired. Refrigerate any leftovers.


Be encouraged!

"And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way."  -Ephesians 1:22-23

Pecan Crusted Tilapia

Transforms bland tilapia into something special!

We've always loved a great fish recipe, and this one did not disappoint!  It's quick and easy to prepare...my favorite kind of cooking!

The original recipe called for the seasonings to be blended into the bread crumbs and pecans, but I found that, like most coatings, it doesn't all stick to the fish, so I added them to the flour mixture instead...yay, me, it turned out great! LOL!

I also didn't have the buttermilk and substituted that with half and half mixed with a little lemon juice.  Another great hack.  

Ingredients:
1/2 cup bread crumbs or Panko crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. granulated garlic or garlic powder
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 cup buttermilk (low-fat is fine)
1/2 tsp. hot sauce
4 (6 oz.) tilapia fillets or your favorite fish  (I used founder)
1 Tbsp. oil, divided (add a little butter for a richer flavor)

Combine bread crumbs and pecans in a shallow dish. 

Combine buttermilk and hot sauce (such as Pete's or Tabasco) in a medium bowl.

Place flour in a third shallow dish, add salt, garlic powder and black pepper.

Dredge 1 fillet in flour, dip into buttermilk mixture, then into breadcrumb and pecan mixture. Repeat with remaining fillets.

Heat 1 1/2 tsp oil in a large skillet (non-stick works best) over medium-high heat.
Cook 2 fillets for 3 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily. (If you would rather bake it,  400 degrees for 15-20 minutes is fine.)

Add remaining oil and cook additional 2 fillets. Serve with lemon wedges!


Be encouraged!
"God's word is not just for our information, it's for our transformation."

Chocolate Fudge Pie

A must for chocolate lovers everywhere!

We have a different kind of birthday tradition in our house...it's "Birthday PIE!"  Once my kids started asking for their favorite desserts for their big day, it seemed it was usually some kind of pie...apple, banana cream, pecan, peach and now we've discovered this wonderful, rich, chocolate fudge pie!

My daughter and her husband have birthdays within days of each other and she always asks for her Banana Cream Pie, and Mike's a chocolate lover (like me) so I make him some kind of chocolate dessert every year.  That's how I found this pie and, oh wow, this was delicious!

 

You may want to cut smaller slices, because this is a rich pie, but Your chocoholic friends will think they died and went to chocolate heaven! 

Ingredients:

2 eggs, beaten
1 1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
1 unbaked pie shell

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine all ingredients well and pour into the unbaked pie shell. (Yes, it's that easy!)

Bake until set, about 30 minutes. If not set in that length of time, bake 5 minutes longer and remove from oven, but be careful not to over-bake. Cool before cutting.

Be Encouraged!

"Gentle words are a tree of life."  -Proverbs 15:4