My first recipe is a really delicious dessert! If you love toffee this is a true keeper! The texture of the pecans and toffee is incredible! It is a sweet treat for praline lovers and is a great treat on a cold fall or winter day!
It is easy to make and is a great treat for company or special dinners!
DESSERTS AND TREATS:
PRALINE MINI BUNDT CAKES
CAKE
1 package Betty Crocker SuperMoist Yellow cake mix
1 1/4 cups water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup English toffee bits
BROWN SUGAR GLAZE:
1/4 cup butter (DO NOT USE MARGARINE)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tbl. corn syrup
2 Tbl. milk
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup English toffee bits
1. Heat oven to 350. Generously grease 12 mini fluted tube cake pans or 12 jumbo muffin cups with shortening (DO NOT SPRAY WITH COOKING SPRAY!) and Lightly flour.
2. In large bowl beat cake mix, water, oil and eggs with electric mixer on low speed for 30 secs. Geat on medium speed for 2 minutes more , scraping bowl occasionally. Fold in peacans and 1/2 pecans and 1/2 cup toffee bits. Divide batter evenly among mini pans.
3. Bake 18-23 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes then remove from pans to a wire rack. Cool completely for about 1 hr.
4. In 1 quart saucepan melt butter over medium high heat. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and milk. Heat to rolling boil over medium high heat stirring frequently and remove from heat. Immediately beat in powdered sugar and vanilla with a wire whisk until smooth. Immediately drizzle about 1 Tbl. glaze over each cake. Sprinkle each with 1 tsp. toffee bits. Store loosely covered at room temperature. Makes 12 mini cakes.
(from Betty Crocker Super Moist Party Cakes edition!)
How about some sweet and buttery homemade carmel corn! I've made this one time and am planning to make it again soon. It is a true people pleaser! Simple to do and quick! This is great gift for a friend or snack for yourself! Smells delicious as it tastes!
CARMEL CORN
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup dark brown corn syrup
1 cup butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 small amount(pinch)
of cream of tartar
salt to taste
1 tsp. of baking soda
8 qt of popcorn popped
Combine brown sugar, corn syrup, and butter in saucepan. Bring to boil and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla, cream of tartar, salt and baking soda. Cook until it turns a lighter color and increases in volume. Pour the mixture over the popped popcorn and toss until the popcorn is mostly covered. Place in roasting pan and bake at 200 degrees for 1 hour stirring 2-3 times while it is cooking. Once finished lay it out on wax paper and separate to cool. Makes 8 quarts.
(author unknown)
I love peanutbutter and have always wanted to make peanutbutter icing that didn't taste like powdered sugar. I have looked and looked and experimented with many a recipes to find one that didn't say "powdered sugar" after I was finished! I then ran into Ina Garten's version, (Barefoot Contessa), of peanutbutter icing and finally found one that is the most delicious peanutbutter icing recipes and you don't just taste the powdered sugar. I've made this many times and it always turns out yummy! Even to the point of having your tongue stick to the top of your mouth ...LOL She has a chocolate cupcake recipe also but I used to put this icing on a boxed cake mix cupcake instead. I'm sure the cupcakes are just as tempting but, haven't as of yet, tried it myself!
The recipes from the Foodnetwork are copyrighted so I have left you a link to take a look at this recipe from the Foodnetwork website. Copy and paste this recipe into the search area and enjoy!
PEANUTBUTTER ICING
www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/chocolate-cupcakes-and-peanut-butter-icing-recipe/index.html
(author: Ina Garten)
The next recipe is from NorthwindStars Blog. This sounds like a delightful Fall dessert and who doesn't go for pumpkin anything...this time of year! I plan to make this for the holidays and just know that is sounds delectable!
PUMPKIN CAKE ROLL WITH TOFFEE FILLING AND CARMEL SAUCE
*For the Cake Roll*
Nonstick vegetable oil spray 3/4 -cup cake flour 1 -1/2 -teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 -1/4 -teaspoons ground ginger 3/4- teaspoon ground allspice 6- large eggs, separated 1/3 -cup sugar 1/3 -cup (packed) golden brown sugar 2/3 -cup canned solid pack pumpkin 1/8 - teaspoon salt Powdered sugar
*For the Filling*
2 -tablespoons dark rum (I would assume, you can use rum flavoring if you prefer) 1 - teaspoon unflavored gelatin 1 -cup chilled whipping cream 3 - tablespoons powdered sugar 10- tablespoons plus 1/2 cup English toffee pieces (or chopped English toffee candy; about 7 ounces) Additional powdered sugar 1 -1/2 cups-purchased caramel sauce, warmed
*For Cake:*
Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray 15x10x1-inch baking sheet with vegetable oil spray. Sift flour, cinnamon, ginger and allspice into small bowl. Using electric mixer, beat egg yolks, 1/3 cup sugar and 1/3 cup brown sugar in large bowl until very thick, about 3 minutes. On low speed, beat in pumpkin, then dry ingredients. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites and salt in another large bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold egg whites into batter in 3 additions. Transfer to prepared pan. Bake cake until tester is inserted comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Place smooth (not terry cloth) kitchen towel on work surface; dust generously with powdered sugar. Cut around pan sides to loosen cake. Turn cake out onto kitchen towel. Fold towel over 1 long side of cake. Starting at 1 long side, roll up cake in towel. Arrange cake seam side down and cool completely, about 1 hour.
*To make Filling:*
Pour 2 tablespoons rum into heavy small saucepan; sprinkle gelatin over. Let stand until gelatin softens, about 10 minutes. Stir over low heat just until gelatin dissolves. Beat chilled whipping cream and 3 tablespoons powdered sugar in large bowl until firm peaks form. Beat in gelatin mixture. Fold in 6 tablespoons English toffee pieces. Unroll cake; sprinkle with 4 tablespoons English toffee pieces. Spread filling over. Starting at 1 long side and using kitchen towel as aid, roll up cake to enclose filling. Place cake seam side down on platter. Cover with foil and refrigerate if you are not going to use immediately. When ready to serve: Trim ends of cake on slight diagonal. Dust cake with powdered sugar. Spoon some of warm sauce over top of cake. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup toffee. To serve, cut cake crosswise into 1-inch-thick slices. Pass remaining sauce.
Read more: http://northwindstar-primitives.blogspot.com/2009/09/pumpkin-roll-with-toffee-filling-and_17.html#comment-form#ixzz0RNbDCbLn
Visit the below link to actually read the recipe from her blog and visit her site today! She always has a great recipe to copy in her posts and love to see what is next on her list of great new foods!LOL
(author unknown)
This next dessert is from the Foodnetwork website also! I have to admit I have never made this but it just sounds so ooey and gooey yummy. I'm going to have to try it soon! If you like smores this would be a great recipe for you! It is called smore brownies!
BROWNIE SMORES
4) www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/smore-brownies-recipe/index.html
Copy and paste this into your search and enjoy!
(author Foodnetwork staff)
The next recipe if for a Spice cakes that was made into a work of art for us one day for dinner by my sister Amy....Winterberry Creek! With her icing she made her cakes into pumpkins and showed her artistic ability by putting faces on them and making them up as if drawing her idea on a piece of paper. Amy is a great cook and can find recipes like no one else and is always so willing to share the recipes she has with others. A great place to find some great recipes is from her blog. I would love to live in her home for she knows what to eat and bake anything that would make your mouth water. Visit her blog today!
http://www.winterberrycreek.blogspot.com
She is not only my sister she is a very talented artist that I share my ETSY experiences with and we share in our talent for creativity! You'll have to see her altered art works and her doll creations while you are there! Here is a recipe I got from her...
PUMPKIN BUNDT CAKES
Make spice cake from a mix according to box recipe.
Spray inside of mini Bundt cake pans with non-stick cooking spray and pour
into molds, filling about 1/2 full. Bake according to cupcake recipe times.
When done, cool 10 minutes in pan. Put on wire rack to cool.
When completely cool drizzle with butter cream frosting.
BUTTER CREAM FROSTING
8 Tbsp. butter, room temperature
3-3/4 confectioners' sugar
3 to 4 Tbsp. milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
Blend butter in mixing bowl. Add confectioners' sugar, milk, and vanilla
extract slowly. Blend until mixed. Add red and yellow food coloring until
desired shade of orange. Put in microwave bowl and microwave about 35
seconds or so on HI until desired pourable consistency. Drizzle over cooled
cakes and decorate with green gum drop and green leaves made out of
frosting.
Thank you Amy! This is a fall special that is only seen in the fall...but thanks to you have a new way of making an old favorite!
MAIN MEALS
Do you like comfort food? I know I do and usually go for something comforting that I can make for meals during the changing season. This next recipe is so delicious ..I can't even tell you! When you are done the chicken will fall off the bone and all the vegetables, and meat, won't need one bit of salt or seasonings. It is absolutely the most amazing meal I have ever made! Again, I found this keeper through my sister and can be found on the Foodnetwork. It is called Garlic Roasted Chicken and is the best meal you will ever eat! It became quickly one of my favorites and hope it becomes one of yours!
GARLIC ROAST CHICKEN
www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/garlic-roast-chicken-recipe/index.html
Copy and Paste this in your search and make this today! You're family will be glad you did!
(Author Ina Garten)
This second comfort food I just stubbled across. It is nothing really special ...but when I was all done it had become a comfort meal for both my husband and myself! This is a Beef Stew but I added dumplings to go ontop and it was like a meal that just fed the soul and have all the items to make it again this week.
BEEF STEW AND DUMPLINGS
1)What you need is a McCormick stew seasoning mix.
2 lbs stew beef cut into 1" cubes
3 TBL. flour
2 TBL. oil
3 cups water
5 cups of fresh vegetables such as potates, carrots, onions and celery
(I used canned)
1. Coat beef with flour and heat oil in deep skillet on medium heat, add beef until browned on all sides.
2. Stir in seasoning mix and water
3. bring to a boil , cover and reduce heat and simmer 1 hour stirring occasionally . Add vegetables, simmer 45 minutes or until beff and vegetables are tender stirring occsionally. Thicken stew with additional flour if desired.
(author McCormick Co.)
DUMPLINGS:
3 TBL. shortening
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup milk
Cut shortening into flour, baking powder and salt until mixture resembles find crumbs. Stir in milk . Dorp dough by spoonfulls onto hot meat and vegetables in bloiling stew (DO NOT DROP DIRECTLY INTO LIQUID) Cook uncovered 10 minutes. Cover and cook about 10 minutes longer until spongy and done.
(Author Betty Crocker Cookbook)
I am a big soup eater and love new soup recipes that are easy and delicious! This week I'm making a homemade Cream of Potato soup and is easy and so tasty that you'll
just have to have it again. This recipe is also a great comfort food and I usually make it as the fall season progresses! Add a favorite sandwich and you have yourself a meal!
POTATO SOUP
4 cups chicken stock
2 1/2 milk
1 1/2 cup half and half
1 medium onion
1 cup celery diced
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 lbs of potatoes , peeled and diced
(I use canned potatoes that are diced)
Cook potatoes in chicken stock until soft.(Or just cook the canned diced potatoes in the stock until hot. In separate pan melt butter, add onion and celery and cook until soft. Add a small amount of chicken stock , than add flour slowly and stir until thick and smooth in with the onion and celery mixture. Add mixture to potates in the hot stock, stirring continuously. Slowly add milk, seasoning and half and half. Heat through, but do not boil.
(author Dianne Souders)
Another soup that I would put under comfort foods is my chicken noodle soup! With all the colds and sicknesses that are going around this is the perfect soup to make as the weather gets colder and is a favorite with my family! I used to make it all the time for my father in law that is no longer with us! It used to be his favorite! It also makes a great gift if you know someone is sick! This is a traditional favorite!
CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP
2 1/2 pounds broiler chicken
1 Quart water
4 medium celery cut into 1/2" slices
1 TBL. salt
3 carrots cut into 1/2" slices
1 TBL monosodium glutamate (optional)
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp pepper
3 chicken bouillon cubes
2 cups uncooked egg noodles
1) Heat ALL ingredients except noodles to boiling in 4 quart dutch oven, reduce heat.
2) Cover and simmer chicken is done but not dried out! (about 45 minutes)
3) Skim fat if neccessary
4) Once chicken it cooked cut into 1" pieces
5) Put pieces back in with vegetables
6) Cook noodles in separate pan to the directions on package
7) Once done drain and put noodles in with chicken and vegetable mixture and stir.
(I usually just go by taste with how many boullion cubes I add. I find that three makes the soup a bit too weak in taste!)
Get yourself some soup crackers and enjoy! This is an American favorite and has certainly been a favorite of mine too!
My grandmother was always an amazing cook! There is a meal she would always make it we liked it so much I grew up and made it myself. It brings back so many memories of being at her house during the summer and enjoying her great meals. This is an old favorite and is also in the list of Comfort foods. It is called Poor Man's Stew!
POORMAN STEW:
1 regular can chopped potatoes
1 regular can peas
1 lbs hamburger
bisquick
1/2 cup water
2 TBL flour
1)Open can of canned peas and potatoes, drain and put into baking dish.
2) Brown hamburger and put that in with vegetables
3)Add water to come up to about middle of pan and add flour to thicken
4) Make bisquick biscuits from box recipe
5) Place biscuits onto of vegetables and water/flour mixture to bake.
( Or make the biscuits separately and add to top of mixture once everything is cooked)
6) If putting the biscuits directly onto the vegetable, meat mixture put oven on 350 and cook until biscuits are done and meal is hot. Butter the biscuits and your about to taste down home cooking! It is a fantastic meal to make when you want something that will stick to your ribs ...but doesn't take hours to make!
I love homemade bread and one of my favorites is a recipe that my mother has made of years. It is a very simple banana bread. It is a true treat to go to her house when she has made it ....but I got her recipe and it is one that you will need to try for it is the very best!
BANANA BREAD
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 twp salt
1 eggs
1/4 cup butter
3 mashed ripe bananas
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cups walnuts
1)In a small bowl combine the flour, baking power, soda and mix.
2)In a medium bowl combine the sugar, shortening, eggs milk and bananas until well blended. Fold in walnuts.
3)Slowly add the flour mixture into the sugar mixture and combine.
4)Grease and lightly flour a bread pan and fill with mixture.
5)Bake at 325 until done, 45-50 minutes, and when a toothpick is inserted, comes out clean.
Another favorite of mine is an English muffin bread! For this recipe you will need a bread machine. This bread is amazing because the texture is exactly like english muffins and has all the nooks and crannies! UMMMMMM! I can almost smell a loaf cooking right now!LOL
ENGLISH MUFFIN BREAD
1 1/4 cups Water
2 teaspoons Sugar
1 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Baking soda
3 cups Bread flour
3 tablespoons Nonfat dry milk
2 teaspoons Yeast
(This is great to put on the timer to have first thing in the morning)
Follow the instructions for your bread machine for putting each item in your machine. This recipe is a definite keeper!
There is nothing better than an apple dessert during the colder seasons. One of my favorite is making apple fritters! I don't know why when I run into a great recipe I have a habit of making it only once or twice but that is the case with this next recipe. I have only made this recipe once but I remember is well for we bought a bag of our first seasoned apples from a local orchard and I tried this apple fritter recipe and for some reason just haven't made it a second time. My husband is a diabetic and I have greatly reduced how much of the sweets that I make him at home or bring into the house. I know apple deserts are his favorite and don't try to tempt him ...but give this recipe a try! I can see is with a carmel topping and icecream for a pure treat!
APPLE FRITTERS
1 1/3 cup sifted all purpose flour
1 TBL sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 TBL salad oil
2 eggs beaten
2/3 cup milk
3 cups of apples cut into small strips
Sift dry ingredients together.
Blend eggs , milk and salad oil.
Add dry ingredients all at once and mix just until moistened.
Stir in apple strips
Drop from tablespoonfulls into deep, hot fat (375 degrees)
Fry until puffy and golden (3-4 minutes)
Turn once
Drain on paper towels
While warm sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Serve at once!
These are crunchy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside and are just so tasty! They are a delectable treat!
During the colder seasons...I don't know about you but I get a hankering for fresh fruits and veggies. I know that ranch dressing is a great dip for veggies but I never knew of a really good fruit dip until I went to a home decoration party a number of years ago and the hostess had this great dip. I asked her what was in it and this is the fruit dip recipe that she gave me.
FRUIT DIP
1/4 cup fluffernutter
1/4 cup cream cheese
Cream the cream cheese and add the fluffernutter. It is a lightly sweetened dip that is great on apples, bananas, kiwi or any fruit. Great for parties!
My last recipe is for a all time favorite chocolate chip cookie. I have never tried them but they sound delicious and may get out the bowls and cookware soon and give them a try for when my boy and his wife come home for a visit. Chocolate chip cookies have always been their favorite. I have left you the link to go and see the recipe because of copyright laws. Just copy and paste into your search! Enjoy!
CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Best-Big-Fat-Chewy-Chocolate-Chip-Cookie/Detail.aspx?src=etaf
I have just added a few new recipes for all readers to make note of. I hope you can something here that sounds delicious to you and would be a good meal, snack, or treat to make for your family this fall season. Until tomorrow happy cooking!
