Raspberry Zinger Cupcakes

This is a recipe I have had since high school that tastes similar to the Hostess Zingers they sell in the stores, or at least before Hostess went out of business.. which means this recipe is even more valuable now!   This would be a fun rainy day recipe to make with the kids:)

If you prefer a whole cake instead of a cupcake then just spread the filling on one cake layer, and then top with the raspberry and coconut.  (see picture)

Raspberry Zinger Cupcakes

1 yellow cake mix

2 cans coconut or 1 bag

1 cup raspberry jam or preserves

1/4 cup sugar

For filling:  1 batch of whipped cream made with unflavored gelatin or continental frosting **recipe follows**

Bake cupcakes according to package.

Slice cooled cupcakes in half and put a spoon of whipped cream in the middle of each.

Replace the cupcake tops and chill.

Heat jam and sugar in a saucepan and boil 1 min while stirring. Spread top and side of cupcake with jam and press in the coconut.  Eat and enjoy!

**Continental Frosting**

5 Tbsp Flour

1/8 tsp salt

1 cup milk

1 cup shortening or margarine

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

In a pan blend flour and salt and then add milk slowly while stirring over low heat.  Cook while stirring until it thickens.  Cool completely.  

Combine shortening and sugar and blend at high speed for 5-10 minutes or until smooth.  Add cooled flour mixture 1 Tbsp at a time and beat at high speed.  Add vanilla extract and blend through.  When well creamed it should be the consistency of whipped cream. 

Frosting can be used as cream puff filling, cake frosting, or jelly rolls.

Acini Fruit Salad

Acini Fruit Salad

Ingredients:

One container of Cool Whip

2 quarts sliced strawberries, half of them mashed

4 bananas

2 Tbsp flour

2 eggs beaten

3/4 c sugar

1 box strawberry jello

1/2 box Acini di pepe pasta, cooked, rinsed and cooled

Instructions:

Cook mashed berries, jello, flour, eggs and sugar until thick. Let cool.

Mix with cooled acini.

Add sliced berries, mix and chill.

When ready to serve, add sliced bananas and cool whip. Mix through and serve.

**note: This is one of those desserts that is delicious but doesn't always look very sophisticated.. we've had to talk people into trying it before to get them over the idea of "pasta in a fruit salad", but most people agree it's yummy.**

Dirt Road Sopapilla Cheesecake

Sopapilla Cheesecake




2 cans crescent rolls

2 (8 oz) cream cheese, softened - not low fat - go for the good stuff!

2 C sugar (divided)

2 tsp vanilla

1/2 C butter

ground cinnamon



*Roll one can crescent dough into bottom of greased 9x13 baking pan.

*Stretch dough and pinch seams together to form crust.

*Blend together cream cheese, 1 C sugar and 1 tsp vanilla

*Spread over dough - not too close to edge

* Stretch second can of crescent rolls over cream cheese layer to form top crust

*Melt butter and 1 C sugar and 1 tsp vanilla and pour over crust

*Sprinkle with cinnamon

*Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes

Jalapeno Popper Pizza

Jalapeno Popper Pizza




1 can of pillsbury crescent rolls

2 8oz packages of softened cream cheese

2 cloves of garlic, minced

3/4 cup of real bacon bits

1 8oz package of shredded cheese (I prefer Monty Jack or a Monty Jack mix but Mozz works too)

3 jalapeno peppers, seeds removed and chopped



Spread crescent roll dough on the bottom of a 13x9 casserole dish. Pinch together to make a crust and bake at 375* for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.



While that's baking, mix up cream cheese, bacon bits and garlic. When the crust comes out of the oven, spread the cream cheese mixture on top evenly. Sprinkle the peppers all over, and then cover with shredded cheese. Bake for about 15 minutes at the same temp, or until the top is bubbly and melted. Cut and serve.



*if you like it hotter, add more peppers, if you like it milder cut them smaller and use less of them.. but for heaven's sake, do not forget to remove the seeds and don't handle them with your bare hands. They sting when they get in your skin and you don't want to chance rubbing your eyes with that juice in your skin..*

Summertime Strawberry Jello

Strawberry Jello Salad




Ingredients:

2 Large boxes Strawberry Jello (reg or sugar free)

2 cups boiling water

2 Large Cans crushed Pineapple, drained well, juice reserved

Whipped Cream

Sour Cream (fat free)

quart of Strawberries, sliced

chopped walnuts, if desired



Instructions:

Dissolve jello in boiling water, add pineapple juice. Cool slightly and stir in pineapple. Chill til slightly set, stirring often. Stir in strawberries. Chill until set. Spread a thin layer of sour cream over the top, and then a thin layer of Cool Whip. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts.



**Note: The men in this family really like this jello.**

Grandpa's Favorite Apple Pie

This is a recipe I found using macintosh apples that are my husbands favorite. They are a less tart, quicker cooking apple.

Mix:
5 cups sliced peeled Macintosh apples
1 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
3 tbls.minute tapioca

Measure in a bowl:
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
Cut in with pastry cutter:
2/3 cup crisco
Measure :
6 level tbls. ice cold water and blend in with
the flour mixture
Divide into 2 balls and roll out one crust on floured
board. Place bottom crust in pie pan
Add apples evenly and dot with butter.
Roll out top crust and place over the pie.
Trim ,seal edges together and then crimp .

Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

My Spaghetti Sauce

I remember a young bride calling me once to tell me she had been thinking about my spaghetti sauce all night. If you use your crockpot leave cover on to retain the heat the first few hours. Hope you like it.

3 large cans Hunt's or home canned whole tomatoes,blended in processor
1 medium can tomato paste
1 medium chopped onion
2 cloves minced garlic or 2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tbls. brown sugar
1 tbls. italian seasoning
1 bay leaf
1 tap basil
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
2 tbls. grated parmesan cheese
Browned Italian Sausage or Meatballs

Cook in a crockpot all day or over low heat
on stove all day stirring occasionally.
Serve over pasta.

Milk Onion Gravy

This was a recipe my mother used to make when she wanted something other than butter for our potatoes with a meal. I remember as a teen coming home from high school dances and making this to have over toast all the time.

Place 3 Tbs.s butter in a deep pan over medium heat.

Stir in: 1 large chopped onion and cook stirring until transparent.
Sprinkle 2 Tbs. flour over the onion and stir over low heat
until mixed well.
Slowly add 2 cups milk while stirring constantly until mixture
comes to a boil.A drop more milk can be added if it seems too thick.
Add salt and pepper.

Fried Apples

This is a great recipe for those yummy fried apples you get at the great homestyle restaurant with the rockers on the porch :) . Yes I know even Paula might be shocked at the butter content but portions are supposed to be served sparingly along side a meat dish such as pork chops :)

6 firm peeled thick sliced apples

1 cup sugar

1 cup real butter (this is important!!!)

Melt 1 cup butter in a large fry pan. Add apples and cook stirring for about 10 mins. Stir in the sugar and cook till apples become transparent but not mushy and hold their shape.

Cheddar Stuffed BBQ Meatloaf

Hello everyone! A while ago we made an awesome cheese filled meatloaf and had a pic ready to post along with the recipe but things got really hectic around here so we never got around to it. Well we made it again so I decided today was the day to get back in the swing of things so without further delay.... lol

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Blend together well in bowl with your hands:
2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 med. minced onion
2 eggs
1/2 cup oatmeal
1 cup bread crumbs
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 cup catsup
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp Italian seasonings
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp. dry mustard

Divide meat mixture in half and pat one half into a 9 by 13 in pan.

Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese generously over the top of the meat in pan.

Carefully pat the other half of meat over the cheese pressing the edges down into other meat to help seal the cheese center.

Bake about 40 mins in 350 oven while you prepare the sauce for the top.


Mix well:
1 cup catsup
1/2 cup brown sugar
pinch of nutmeg
1/4 tsp garlic powder

Remove from the oven and spread the sauce over the top of the meatloaf and bake another twenty mins. Let set for 5 mins before serving.

Pumpkin Spice Latte (who needs Starbucks??)

This recipe is great because not only does it taste like one of the expensive seasonal lattes from a coffee shop, but it's also available year round so if you find yourself missing autumn flavors in the middle of spring you can feel free to whip one up.  Plus you never have to go out in the cold on a coffee run if you don't want to!

Pumpkin Latte

1 1/2 c. Half & Half Cream

2 Tbsp Canned Pumpkin

2 tspn Vanilla

1 tspn Pumpkin Pie Spice

2 Tbsp Sugar

Very Strong Coffee or Espresso (one big mug's worth.. this recipe makes 2 mugs of latte)

whipped cream (optional)

In a small sauce pan stir together Half & Half, pumpkin, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice and sugar over medium heat until blended and hot. (but not boiling) Remove from heat and whisk quickly until it gets foamy.  Split between two large mugs, and then fill them the rest of the way with the extremely strong coffee.  Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Peanut Butter Cup Cake

This recipe is a favorite, and while I've made it "by scratch" before, when I do it's never the same because I end up just altering any homemade chocolate cake recipe.  Because of this, I decided that in order to post it, I'll stick with the original recipe, which is essentially a doctored cake mix recipe but it's delicious just the same.

Peanut Butter Cup Cake

1 Box(18 25oz) cake mix --

(devil's food)

1 pk Instant pudding mix --

Chocolate, 4-serv

1 c Sour cream -- (1/2 pint)

1 c Vegetable oil

4 Eggs

1/2 c Water

30 Mini chocolate peanut butter, crushed

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, with an electric beater, combine all the ingredients except the crushed candies; mix well. Stir in the crushed candies and mix well. Pour into a well-greased 10-inch Bundt pan and bake for 60-65 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cake slightly, about 15 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan and continue to cool thoroughly on a wire cooling rack. Yield: 10-12 servings

I usually drizzle on a glaze of some sort, in the picture above I opted for a Peanut Butter Glaze.

Peanut Butter Glaze:
 3-4 tsp water (add until thin enough to drizzle)
2/3 c. powdered sugar
1 Tbsp Creamy Peanut Butter

Stir ingredients together until smooth and drizzle over cake. 

Oh, and in case you were wondering, I normally don't decorate it quite as intricately as I did this one.  This particular cake was baked in honor of my daughter's dedication which happened on a beautiful fall day, hence the fall theme.  The "harvest fruits" were made of marzipan that I had dyed and shaped appropriately, and the autumn leaves were actually made from spreading melted chocolate discs on top of wax paper using a maple leaf stencil and then letting it harden.

A recipe-less cookie post

I normally don't post "personal" posts on this blog.. but considering the content of the pictures, I decided to do it anyway.  This is what happens when you decide to bake some Autumn cookies for some special out-of-state family.  First you bake the cookies and let them cool on the rack:

Then you hear the pitter patter of little feet who have used their sense of smell to track down something that they've figured out they're missing out on:

And since they look so cute you agree to let them "help" which turns into more eating than helping so you send them on their way, each having consumed a satisfying amount of both sprinkles and frosting:

And after they are banished from the kitchen you finish frosting them yourself, equipped with fall colors.

And by late that night you'll be able to package up delicious little apples, maple leafs and acorns to take on your weekend visit which shall include a great-grandson's soccer game, lunch at Sonic, and whatever other surprises show up along the way.

Squash Apple Bake

Many, many moons ago I worked at a grocery store called Wegmans.  If you live on the east coast you may very well have shopped at Wegmans, but otherwise you wouldn't recognize it... yet.  (they are expanding at a fast rate)  Wegmans prides itself as being a shopping experience.  They often have great prices, but they also make sure they carry a huge variety of foods and they will make sure that incredible effort goes into the environment and quality of their stores and customer service.  Part of this customer service is to have a chef cooking during the day, giving out samples and teaching techniques. 

I was that person.  (back when I did it, they didn't require a culinary degree)  It was... interesting.  But I learned a lot, and picked up a few recipes along the way.  Often the recipes that they'd want taught were those that stretched the boundaries of how food is typically prepared in a home kitchen.  (I remember when I spent a month teaching how to properly braise different meats.. and you'd be shocked how many people don't do it effectively) 

One of the recipes that I taught was a Squash Apple Bake.  While I may not remember the exact recipe due to my habit of tweaking things along the way, I do know what I put in it now.  It's a butternut squash recipe, and the squash itself is sliced and cooked, giving it a slightly different texture than the mushy squash that you would typically find when one thinks of "sweet" winter squash. 

The other good things about it: butternut squash isn't hard to grow, keeps on the shelf for a long time, and is fairly inexpensive at roadside stands. The downside?  Squash is hard to "peel".  You have to take a really sharp knife and just slice off sections of the outside until all you have is the orange inside.  Don't cut yourself.  And then slice the pieces off, throwing away the stringy seedy section in the bottom.  It would confuse the texture of the dish if you kept the "guts" in there.

Try this recipe, you'll be glad you have.

Squash Apple Bake

Ingredients:

1 large butternut squash, peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch thick pieces (discarding the stringy core)
2-3 McIntosh apples, peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch thick pieces
1 small onion, sliced
1 stick of butter
1 cup of brown sugar, split in half
1 cup of apple cider (can substitute water)

Preheat your oven to 375*

In the bottom of a 13x9 pan, put a layer of squash, layer of onion, layer of apple and then scatter pats of butter on top.  Sprinkle one half of the brown sugar over this.  Repeat the process.  If you haven't used up all your ingredients after two tiers you can add a third.  It's not an exact science.  Then pour the cider over the top of it all.

Cover with foil.  Bake at 375 for about an hour, or until the squash is fork-tender. 

Halloween Hayride Cheesey Noodle Soup

Since it's that time of year again when the nights turn cool and crisp I thought of this soup. I love Fall with nature's warm array of colors and harvests more than any other season. My memory always takes me back to when our children were young and we would have huge parties and need a cup of something hearty when we would come in from a cold hayride. This was always a crowd pleaser. Enjoy !

3 cups water
3 pkt.s chicken flavored seasoning broth
1 med. minced onion
1 bunch chopped broccoli with trimmed down stem
1 cup noodles
1+1/2 cups cubed Velveeta cheese
2 Tbs. butter
2 Tbs. milk

Bring water and broth
to a boil. Add broccoli,onions,and
noodles and cook till tender.
Stir in cheese, butter, and milk and heat through.
Soup should be of a thinner consistency so add
another Tbs. of milk if it becomes thick.
Serve with your favorite topping s if desired such
as oyster crackers,slivered almond, real bacon, or chopped ham .

Orange and Maple Cream Truffles

These homemade filled chocolates were my raffle item at the family picnic this year. 

Yes, they were as good as they looked.

I made two varieties.  The one that is dusted with confectionary sugar had an orange cream center and the walnut topped candy is maple cream filled.

The recipe is what I adapted from a peppermint patty recipe that I use at Christmas.

Cream Filled Truffles

1 8 oz block of cream cheese, softened

1 bag of confectionary sugar

2 bags of chocolate chips, I prefer dark

Extract/oil of your preferred flavor (I obviously had orange and maple extracts in the cupboard but peppermint obviously works as would a bunch of others.. if you use orange you can throw in some orange zest too.)

Food Coloring if preferred

1 Tbsp shortening

Blend the cream cheese and the powdered sugar together, and then blend in extract a few drops at a time until the flavor is as strong as you prefer.  Then add a few drops of food coloring to make it look like the flavor that it is. 

When it's all well blended and flavored, roll the mixture into bite size balls.  Cover and refrigerate for an hour. 

Then combine the chocolate chips and shortening and either melt in a double boiler, or microwave for thirty seconds at a time, stirring in between until smooth and melted. 

Dip each ball of filling into the chocolate  until covered and place on wax paper.  Then you can either refrigerate them as is, or top them with crushed nuts, sprinkles, etc. 

Keep refrigerated, and try not to eat them all yourself.  Seriously, they're that good.



Home Made Rice-A-Roni

I like Rice-a-Roni once in awhile for a side dish and had a craving for it. I didn't have a box in the house so I improvised and it turned out good. I made it from what I had in my cupboard but I'm sure it would be good with chopped veggies or anything you would like to add for flavor. Or you could use canned chicken broth in place of the liquid and add salt and pepper and add your own seasonings.


2 cups Uncle Ben's Converted Brown Rice
1 cup spaghetti broken in small pieces
1/2 stick butter
2 cups water
2 packets instant chicken broth seasoning
1/2 tsp pepper

Melt butter on med. heat on a large fry pan.
Add dry rice and spaghetti and brown in the
butter while stirring it so it becomes golden brown.

Add liquid and broth mixes and cover.
Simmer about 20 mins. until rice is tender.
If it looks like you need more water add 1/2 cup
while it's cooking.

Skillet Macaroni and Beef

Calling all you busy home makers out there... Does the thought of a one pan dinner interest you? Years ago as a new home maker myself I found this recipe for mac. and beef that didn't require precooking the macaroni and of course I had to try this one :) I was pleasantly surprised at how it turned out, and that I could make it in a flash with very little clean up involved. Hooray for that! It reminds me of those box hamburger meals with all those preservatives in them that you add the meat to that I never preferred to serve in our house.(Plus I sampled a bite once somewhere and was not impressed !!!) We like it made strictly with the can tomatoes though recipe says tomato sauce will work too.The green pepper is a MUST too!!!! Pre -cooking the macaroni in the beef drippings first before adding the liquid helps to remove some of the starch as well.


1+1/2 lbs. ground beef
1/2 lb. uncooked macaroni
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup minced onions
1 cup water
1+ 1/2 Tbs. Worcestershire
2 cans whole tomatoes put through a food processor or
2 8oz. cans tomato sauce
1tsp. salt
dash pepper
Parmesan cheese.

Brown ground beef in large deep skillet.
Remove beef and set aside .
Add g. peppers, onions, and the macaroni and cook
on low heat until the macaroni is yellow.
Stir to prevent sticking. If beef is very lean
add a pat of butter or tsp of oil.
Return the beef back to the pan along with all the
rest of ingredients and cover.
Simmer on low heat about 25 mins. or until macaroni is done.
Stir once in awhile.
Serve with the cheese.

Fussy Day Crockpot Chicken

I found this while thumbing through a relative's (Thanks again Teresa)cookbook one day and the simplicity of it intrigued me so much I had to try it. I used a homemade B.B.Q sauce but what ever you fancy will work. This recipe sounds like it may have been created by a poor Mama of some fussy babies who had to come up with ideas to free herself up in the kitchen :)

1 whole chicken
1+1/2 cups B.B.Q sauce
salt
pepper

Preheat a crock pot to low.
Rinse and pat dry chicken.
Place breast side up in crock pot.
Pour B.B.Q sauce over top and in cavity.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.
Don't peek!
The meat will fall off the bones easily.
The fat can be skimmed from sauce and
then you can turn sauce into a gravy.
This can be served with potatoes,rice or noodles.

Golden Baked Chicken

I found this easy recipe for chicken in the 1970's and have been making it since then. I throw in a few cut up potatoes around these sometimes to save time and mess.

2 halved skinless chicken breasts
4 tsp. soft butter
2 Tbs. dry minced onion
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp paprika
2 Tbs. snipped parsley

Heat oven to 425 degrees.
Place chicken in an ungreased baking pan.Spread 1 tsp butter on each piece. Sprinkle with the onion,garlic power,salt and paprika. Bake uncovered for 35 minutes or until tender and sprinkle with parsley.