Pumpkin Cornbread

1 cup Flour
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
½ teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
¼ teaspoons Ground Nutmeg
½ cups Brown Sugar
1 cup Cornmeal
2 whole Eggs
1 cup Pumpkin Puree
¼ cups Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Molasses

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and grease an 8×8″ baking dish.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, spices, brown sugar, and cornmeal.

In a small bowl, lightly beat the eggs, and then stir in the pumpkin, oil, and molasses.

Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until combined, and then pour the batter into the pan, smoothing out the top as much as possible.

Bake 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm (with honey-butter!).

(Source: www.tastykitchen.com)

Pumpkin Soup with Chili Cran-Apple Relish

I haven't contributed in a while because I haven't had anything that was devastatingly good. Things have changed. This is the PERFECT fall dinner. We just added some buttermilk biscuits and WHAM! NOTE: I made this with fresh pumpkin, NOT canned pumpkin. Mine was a little runnier than I'd have preferred. That can be fixed by adding more flour at that stage. However, I think if you use canned pumpkin, you'll probably be fine. I also substituted 1 of the cups of cream for greek yogurt so it'd have more protein in it.

Pumpkin Soup with Chili Cran-Apple Relish

Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 1 fresh bay leaf

• 2 ribs celery with greens, finely chopped (save time and purchase celery already washed, trimmed and cut into sticks, this makes chopping fast work)

• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

• Salt and pepper

• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning or 2 teaspoons ground thyme

• 2 teaspoons hot sauce, or to taste

• 6 cups chicken stock

• 1 (28-ounce) can cooked pumpkin puree

• 2 cups heavy cream

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

•

Relish:

• 1 crisp apple, such as McIntosh or Granny Smith, finely chopped

• 1/4 red onion, finely chopped

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries, chopped

• 1 teaspoon chili powder

• 2 teaspoons honey

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

Heat a medium soup pot over medium to medium high heat. Add the oil and melt the butter. Add bay, celery, and onion. Season the veggies with salt and pepper. Cook 6 or 7 minutes, until tender. Add flour, poultry seasoning and hot sauce, to taste, then cook flour a minute. Whisk in chicken stock and bring liquid to a bubble. Whisk in pumpkin in large spoonfuls to incorporate it into the broth. Simmer soup 10 minutes to thicken a bit then add in cream and nutmeg. Reduce heat to low and keep warm until ready to serve.

While soup cooks, assemble the relish: combine apple, onion, lemon juice, cranberries, chili powder, honey and cinnamon.

Adjust seasonings in soup and relish and serve soup in shallow bowls with a few spoonfuls of relish.

This recipe is from Rachel Ray, found here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/pumpkin-soup-with-chili-cran-apple-relish-recipe/index.html

Harvest Vegetables with Roasted Ginger & Cumin

1 tsp Ground Ginger
1 tsp Sea Salt
1 tsp Thyme Leaves
1/4 tsp Cumin
1/4 tsp Black Pepper, Coarse Grind
8 cups assorted cut-up vegetables (1-inch chunks), such as carrots, red onions, butternut squash, parsnips and red potatoes
2 Tbls olive oil
2 Tbls orange juice


Preheat oven to 450°F. Mix roasted ginger, sea salt, thyme, cumin and pepper in small bowl. Toss vegetables with oil and orange juice in large bowl. Sprinkle seasoning mixture over vegetables; toss to coat well.

Spread vegetables in single layer on foil-lined 15x10x1-inch baking pan.

Roast 30 to 35 minutes or until vegetables are tender and golden brown.

(Source: www.mccormick.com)

Pumpkin Pie Squares

I warned you I love pumpkin, and that I've been on a pumpkin kick lately. To prove it, here's another pumpkin recipe (a dessert, of course!) that I've recently discovered, made, and loved.

CRUST:
1 box yellow or spice cake mix, reserve 1 cup for topping
1/2 cup melted butter
1 egg

FILLING:
1 29oz can pumpkin (pumpkin, not pumpkin pie mix)
1.5 cups evaporated milk
1.5 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 t. salt
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. vanilla
1 t. ginger
1/4 t. cloves

TOPPING:
Reserved 1 cup dry cake mix
1/4 cup sugar
1 t. cinnamon
1/8 cup butter

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly spray a 9×13 pan with non-stick cooking spray. In a mixing bowl, mix together cake mix (reserving one cup for the topping), melted butter and egg. Spread into greased pan. For the filling, mix all ingredients well and pour over crust mixture in pan. For the topping, mix together reserved cake mix, sugar, cinnamon and butter. Mix until crumbly and sprinkle on the pumpkin filling mixture. Bake 1 hour or until a nice inserted in the middle comes out clean. (I just poke it with a knife and make sure it comes out clean). Chill and serve with real whipped cream.

(Source: www.thesisterscafe.com)

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars

I basically love Fall because it means LOTS of pumpkin. And I love pumpkin. And anything with pumpkin AND chocolate chips is just amazing. Like these bars. You must try them. Today.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin-pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

With a stand or electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth; beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Add pumpkin puree and mix well. The mixture will look somewhat curdled. Reduce speed to low, and mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake bars for 35-40 minutes or until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached.

Cool bars completely in pan. Cut into squares and serve.

(Source: www.marthastewart.com)

Banana Banana Bread

We basically love banana bread at our house. Dickson asks for it quite frequently, but it's usually the "getting the bananas to last long enough to actually make banana bread out of them" that's a problem. It rarely happens. But it did last week, and this lovely banana bread came as a result. I already have a banana bread recipe posted on here, which I love, but this one is amazing too. You must try it. It is so delicious and banana-ie.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 1/3 cups mashed overripe bananas

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

Beef with Peppers

12 oz. angel hair or linguine pasta
1-1/2 pound Flank Steak, Sliced Very Thin Against The Grain
1/2 cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce
2 Tbls Oyster Sauce
1 Tbls sesame Oil
3 Tbls Apple Juice
3 Tbls Packed Brown Sugar
2 Tbls Cornstarch
1 Tbls Minced Fresh Ginger
2 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 tsp Red Chile Paste (or A Few Dashes Red Chile Oil)
2 Tbls Canola Oil
1 whole Medium Yellow Onion Sliced
2 whole Red Bell Peppers, Cored And Sliced Into Rings
Red Pepper Flakes, For Sprinkling

Mix together soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, apple juice, brown sugar, cornstarch, ginger, garlic, and chili paste (or chili oil.) Place sliced beef in the mixture and toss to coat. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high to high heat. When it is very hot, throw in the onions and cook for less than a minute. Remove to a separate plate. Return skillet to flame, allow to reheat, and add bell peppers. Cook for a minute, tossing, until peppers have brown/black bits but are still firm. Remove to a plate.

Return skillet to heat and allow to get hot. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add 1/3 of the meat mixture, evenly distributing over the surface of the skillet. Allow to sit for 20 to 30 seconds, then turn with tongs. Cook for another 30 seconds, then remove to a separate plate. Repeat with remaining meat until all brown.

Reduce heat to low. Add all meat, onions, and peppers to the skillet and toss to combine. Pour in remaining sauce (the sauce the meat marinated in*) and stir. Allow to simmer on low for a few minutes. Sauce will slowly thicken. Turn off heat.

Cook pasta noodles. Drain, then add 1/2 the noodles to stir fry. Toss together, then add more noodles to taste. Add very hot water if needed to thin.

(source: adapted from www.thepioneerwoman.com)

Honey Bun Cake

I made this for our Sunday family dinner, and it was a big hit. It really did taste just like a honey bun! Quite delicious. And super easy.

1 package yellow cake mix
3/4 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
1 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

2 cups confectioners' sugar
4 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract


Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, oil, eggs and sour cream. Stir by hand approximately 50 strokes, or until most large lumps are gone. Pour half of the batter into a greased bundt pan. Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon, and sprinkle over the batter in the cake pan. Spoon the other half of the batter into the cake pan, covering the brown sugar and cinnamon. Twirl the cake with a butter knife or icing knife until it looks like a honey bun.

Bake for about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Frost cake while it is still fairly hot. Serve warm.

To Make the frosting: In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioner's sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth.

(Source: www.allrecipes.com)

Pasta with Artichoke Hearts & Tomatoes

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 whole medium onion, finely diced
1 can artichoke hearts (14.5 Oz. quartered or whole) drained
1 can diced tomatoes with juice (14.5 Oz.)
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chicken broth (more as needed)
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Salt & pepper to taste
1 pound spaghetti noodles
1 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
2 Tablespoons fresh chives (or other herbs) chopped

Cook spaghetti until al dente. Drain and set aside.

Melt olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Add artichoke hearts and tomatoes. Stir and cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Stir in cream and chicken broth. Add salt and pepper to taste (do not undersalt!) Cook over low heat until heated through, then turn off heat.

Place drained pasta in a large bowl. Sprinkle with 1 cup Parmesan. Pour sauce over the top. Add chives. Toss lightly to combine and coat; add a tiny bit of reserved pasta water if sauce seems too thick.

(source: www.thepioneerwoman.com)

White Bean Chicken Chili

2 large chicken breasts
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans diced green chilies
4 cups chicken broth
1-1/2 Tablespoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt & pepper to taste
1 can Great Northern Beans, Rinsed
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese

Put chicken, onions, garlic, chilis, spices, and chicken broth in the crockpot and cook on high for four hours, or on low for eight hours. Shred the chicken.

Add the beans, milk, and cheese to the crock pot. Check seasoning and adjust, adding cayenne pepper and paprika if desired. Stir, and cook on high for another hour.

Serve in a bowl. Garnish with cilantro, sour cream, extra cheese, pico de gallo and guacamole. (You could also roll everything up in a warm corn tortillas.)

(adapted from Pioneer Woman's "Simple, Hearty White Chili")

Thai Honey Peanut Chicken

Although I like peanuts, peanut butter, peanut butter cookies, and Reeses Pieces, I generally don't like anything cooked in a peanut sauce. But I needed to make something for dinner and found this recipe. I was desperate, so I made it. It was yummy!

The original recipe had half of the amount of sauce as what is written below; I usually double sauce recipes because I'm just a saucey kind of a girl. I also added some vegetables into the mix.

1 pound Chicken, In Chunks
1/2 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, diced
1 cup mushrooms, diced
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 Tablespoons honey
2 Tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 heaping Tablespoons natural peanut butter
1 teaspoon curry powder

Cook chicken in a little bit of olive oil; add onions, peppers, and mushrooms and cook for a few minutes, until the chicken is no longer pink. Put in the rest of the ingredients for the sauce, and stir so there aren't any chunks. Cook on medium-low for 7-8 minutes. Serve topped with sesame seeds.

(Source: adapted from www.tastykitchen.com)

Linguine with Peppers and Sausage

Gina made this for family dinner last night, and it was delicious!

1 (8 ounce) package linguini pasta
1/2 pound Italian sausage, casings removed (Gina used flavored sausage--the kind you can find at Costco)
2 red bell peppers, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup white wine (you could substitute white grape juice)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente.
While the pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce. Saute sausages in a heavy skillet over medium high heat until light brown, breaking up clumps with back of spoon. Add peppers, onion, and garlic; saute until tender. Add wine and simmer until liquid is slightly reduced, about 6 minutes.
Drain pasta, and add to the skillet. Toss to combine. Add cheese, and toss to blend.

(Source: www.allrecipes.com)

Pernil (Puerto Rican Pork Roast)

Mom made this pork for Sunday dinner, and it was a big hit. We had to give her a hard time because she found the recipe in an AARP magazine. That's not just funny because MOM gets...and apparently READS....her AARP magazine, but because she was brave enough to make a recipe she got from a magazine that is made for people old enough to have dentures and live in a rest home. But I must admit, it was delicious.

5 or more cloves garlic, peeled
1 onion, quartered
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 tablepoon olive oil
1 tablespoon wine vinegar
lime, juiced
1/4 cup orange juice
1 pork shoulder (3 to 4 pounds)
8 tortillas

Combine the first 11 ingredients in a food processor and blend.

Score the meat with a crosshatched pattern and marinate in the mixture overnight in the refrigerator.

The next day bring the meat to room temperature, place on a rack in a pan with a little water, and roast for 3 hours at 300˚ F until tender. Let meat rest for 10 minutes before serving, shredded, in a tortilla.

(Instead of baking it for three hours, you can put it in a crockpot on high for four hours, or on low for eight hours.)

(Source: AARP magazine-http://www.aarp.org/food/recipes/info-08-2011/barbecue-without-the-grill.2.html)

Buttermilk Lime Shortbread Bars

Crust:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) butter, cold, cut into 8 pieces

Filling:
4 large eggs
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup lime juice, freshly squeezed
1 tablespoon lime zest
1 teapoon vanilla extract

Powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the crust, in a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt and vanilla extract. Sprinkle the butter pieces over the top of the dry mixture and using a pastry blender, two knives or your fingers, cut the butter into the dry mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Pour the mixture into the bottom of a 9X9-inch pan and press the crust firmly to form an even layer. Bake the crust for 16-17 minutes, until lightly browned around the edges.

While the crust is baking, prepare the filling by whisking together all of the filling ingredients in a large bowl until evenly combined. Pour the filling mixture over the hot crust when it comes out of the oven and return it to the oven to bake for 18-20 more minutes, until the filling is set (it will not jiggle if the pan is shaken slightly).

Cool the bars in the pan completely before dusting with powdered sugar, slicing and serving. These bars also taste excellent after they have been chilled.

(Source: www.bakingbites.com)

Apple Rhubarb Bread

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon all spice
2 large eggs
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped rhubarb
1 cup chopped apples, skin removed (I used Granny Smith)

Cinnamon Sugar Topping:
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8 by 4 loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and all spice. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the eggs and beat on medium speed for about 30 seconds. Add in canola oil, applesauce, and vanilla. Mix until combined. Add sugars and beat until smooth.

Slowly add in the flour mixture and mix on low speed until just combined. Gently fold in rhubarb and apple chunks. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.

In a small bowl, mix together cinnamon and sugar. Sprinkle evenly over the batter. Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until loaf is golden and a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool bread in pan for 10 minutes. Loosen sides and remove from pan. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

(Source: www.twopeasandtheirpod.com)

Ginger Chicken & Rice

Quick, easy, and delicious. Just the way a dinner should be.

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
2 Tb oyster sauce
1 tsp corn starch
3 c cooked rice
1 Tb ginger, minced
1/2 lb snow peas (or 8 oz pkg frozen snow peas, thawed)
2 Tb soy sauce
1 Tb sesame oil
3/4 c chopped green onions
2 c bean sprouts

Stir chicken, oyster sauce and cornstarch together. Saute chicken mixture in 1 Tb oil in a large skillet until cooked through, about 3 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside. Add 1 Tb oil to skillet; cook rice and minced ginger for 3 minutes. Add snow peas and cook 3 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients plus the chicken and cook for another 5 minutes.

(source: www.thesisterscafe.com)

Rhubarb Cake with Vanilla Sauce

Cake:
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups chopped fresh or frozen rhubarb

Streusel Topping:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
4 tablespoons butter, melted

Vanilla Sauce:
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x9 baking dish and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar for the cake. Beat in the egg. In a smaller bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed butter/sugar mixture alternately with the buttermilk, beating just until moistened. Fold in the chopped rhubarb. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

In a medium bowl, combine the streusel topping ingredients; mix until coarse and combined. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the batter. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and the top of the cake is lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

For the sauce, melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add the sugar and milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2-3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in the vanilla. Serve warm with the cake.

*** If you double the recipe, it makes enough for a 9x13 pan, plus nine cupcakes. ***

(Source: www.allrecipes.com)

Apple Bundt Cake with Caramel Glaze

2 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. oil
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
3 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 med, apples, peeled and finely chopped (a little more than 2 cups)
1 c. chopped pecans

Heat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 12 c. bundt cake pan.

Beat sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Stir in flour, salt, and baking soda until smooth. Stir in apples and nuts. Pour into pan.

Bake 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool 20 minutes. Remove from pan; place on wire rack. Glaze prior to serving.

CARAMEL GLAZE

1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
2 tsp. light cream

Heat all ingredients to boiling in 2 qt. saucepan, stirring occasionally.
Boil 2 min., stirring constantly; remove from heat. Spoon over cooled cake.

(Source: www.thesisterscafe.com)

Orange Sweet Rolls

These are so delicious. I sent the recipe to my mom and asked her to make them for me, because they sounded so yummy, but I didn't have time to make them. They turned out great--the right amount of orangey taste, and so soft and fluffy. I ate one before dinner and one after dinner!

*Makes 12-14 rolls/twists

Dough:
¾ cup buttermilk, warm (microwave for 1 minute on 50% power)
6 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
3 large eggs
4 ¼ cups (21 ¼ ounces) flour
¼ cup (1 ¾ ounces) sugar
2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast
1 ¼ teaspoons salt

Orange Filling:
1/2 cup softened butter
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
Grated orange rind/zest from two large oranges (reserving 1/2 teaspoon grated rind for the glaze below)

Orange Glaze:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice from about 1 orange
1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind/zest reserved from the filling above

For the dough, whisk the warmed buttermilk and butter together in a large liquid measuring cup. Combine 4 cups of flour, sugar, yeast and salt together in a standing mixer fitted with dough hook (or you can use a large bowl and mix with a wooden spoon or electric handheld mixer). With the mixer on low speed, add the buttermilk mixture and eggs and mix until the dough comes together, about 2 minutes. Increase the mixer to medium speed and knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes (knead for 15-18 minutes by hand). If after 5 minutes of kneading, the dough is still overly sticky, add 1/4 cup flour 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough clears the sides of the bowl but has a slight tacky feel when pressed between your fingertips. (See this tutorial for a visual.)

Place the dough in a large, lightly greased bowl and cover the top tightly with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled, around 2 to 2 ½ hours, depending on the warmth of your kitchen.

For the filling, combine all the filling ingredients (reserving 1/2 teaspoon orange zest for the glaze) in a small bowl and mix well. Set aside.

When the dough is ready, turn it out onto a lightly floured counter (I use my trusty roul’pat for this step) and press it into about a 16 by 12-inch rectangle (if you have doubled the recipe, split the dough in half and roll out one half at a time). Gently brush the filling mixture over the rectangle, using an offset spatula or rubber spatula.

Lift the longest edge closest to you and begin rolling the dough into a tight log. Pinch the seam closed and roll the log so it is seam side down. Using a serrated knife, slice the log into 12 evenly sized rolls,more or less. You can slice them thinner or thicker as you like. For a traditional cinnamon-roll-look, arrange the rolls cut side down on a lined or lightly greased baking pan. If you want to try the twist method (see the pictures below), one at a time grab each sliced roll and holding on to either end simultaneously pull and twist the roll into a figure eight and place it on the prepared pan. Cover the rolls with lightly greased plastic wrap. Let the rolls rise in a warm place until doubled, 1 to 1 ½ hours.

Bake the rolls at 350 degrees for 22-25 minutes, until the rolls are lightly golden on top and cooked through. While the rolls are baking, mix together the glaze ingredients. Drizzle the glaze over the warm rolls.

(source: www.melskitchencafe.com)

Salmon with Brown Sugar & Mustard Glaze

3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon finely grated ginger
olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 salmon fillets, 6 ounces each

On the side burner, melt the brown sugar, honey and butter in a small saute pan over medium-high heat. Remove from the heat and whisk in the mustard, soy sauce, olive oil and ginger. Let cool.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a 9x13 pan with foil; lightly coat the foil with cooking spray. Put the salmon on the foil, skin side down. Brush salmon with olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Coat the flesh of the salmon fillets with the brown sugar mixture. Cover the fish with foil and bake for 25 minutes.

(www.foodnetwork.com, adapted slightly)

Oatmeal Butterscotch Bars

Bars:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butterscotch chips
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) butter
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Glaze:
1/4 cup butterscotch chips
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon water
1/8 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and adjust an oven rack to the middle position. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking pan

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking soda, and salt. Place the 3/4 cup butterscotch chips in a large bowl. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat and let the butter cook until golden brown in color, about 10 minutes, taking care not to burn. Pour the hot butter over the butterscotch chips and whisk together until melted and smooth. Whisk in the brown sugar until combined. Whisk in the egg and vanilla. STir in the lfour mixture, just until incorporated.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top, spreading the batter evenly to the edges. Bake the bars until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs, about 16-18 minutes.

While the bars bake, place the 1/4 cup butterscotch chips, brown sugar, water and salt in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave the mixture until melted and smooth, about 2 minutes on 50% power. Whisk to combine well.

Drizzle the glaze over the warm bars. Let the bars cool completely in the pan.

(source: www.melskitchencafe.com)

Chicken Pillows with Creamy Parmesan Sauce

Filling:
4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 1/2 – 3 pounds)
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt

Rolls and Coating:
2 containers buttery crescent rolls, uncooked (like Pillsbury)
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 cups bread crumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Parmesan Sauce:
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 chicken bouillon cube
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup sour cream, light or regular

Put the chicken breasts in 2 cups chicken broth seasoned with salt and pepper in the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours. When the chicken is cooked and cooled slightly, shred or cut into small pieces. In a medium bowl combine the chicken, cream cheese, garlic powder and salt and mix until well combined. Set aside or refrigerate until ready to use.

Take out the crescent dough from each container, leaving it all connected in one big piece (so you'll have two big pieces-one from each container). Pinch all of the seams together, so there are no "dividing lines" where the crescent rolls would usually be broken apart. Cut each large crescent dough into four equally sized rectangles, to make eight total dough rectangles. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the chicken/cream cheese mixture into the center. Fold up all the sides and pinch them together to seal well.

When all the chicken pillows have been formed, combine the bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese in a bowl or flat dish. One by one, dip each chicken pillow in the melted butter and roll in the panko/Parmesan mixture. Place seam side down about 2 inches apart on baking trays lined with parchment paper, a silpat liner or lightly greased.

Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees F for 18-20 minutes, until the chicken pillows are lightly golden brown and the dough is baked through.

While the rolls are baking, prepare the sauce. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour, cooking over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture is golden and bubbly. Slowly whisk in the milk, stirring in the chicken bouillon, salt and pepper once the milk has been completely added. Stir constantly over medium heat until the sauce thickens and bubbles, about 5-10 minutes, taking care to adjust the heat accordingly so the sauce doesn’t burn on the bottom. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and cook, stirring, until the cheese is melted. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the sour cream. Thin the sauce with a little milk if needed.

(Slightly adapted from: www.melskitchencafe.com)

Key Lime Pie

I had to make a pie for a church activity, and decided to make a kind I hadn't made before, which is always good and bad... Good because it makes me try something new and branch out of the norm, and bad because it's a pie, so I couldn't taste the final product before I took it to the activity. It wouldn't look good if I took a pie that had a slice already missing from it!

I was nervous the whole time, hoping it turned out and people would like it. And they did! A few people actually told me it was their favorite pie in the mix (there were about 12 others). I was able to sneak a piece once other people had dug into it, and I wasn't disappointed. It was quite delicious!

Graham Cracker Crust:

1 package of graham crackers, crushed
1/3 cup sugar
6 Tbls melted butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)

Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, melted butter and cinnamon until well blended. Press into an 8 or 9 inch pie pan.

Bake on 375 for 7 minutes. Cool for about 30 minutes before filling with the key lime mixture.

Key Lime Filling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3 cups sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup key lime juice
1 Tbls grated lime zest

In a medium bowl, combine condensed milk, sour cream, lime juice, and lime rind. Mix well and pour into graham cracker crust.

Bake in preheated oven for 9-11 minutes, until tiny pinhole bubbles burst on the surface of pie. DO NOT BROWN! Chill pie thoroughly before serving. Garnish with lime slices and whipped cream.

(source: www.allrecipes.com)

Chili Verde (Mexican Stewed Pork)

2 tablespoons canola oil
5 pounds boneless pork roast, trimmed of as much fat as possible
Salt and pepper for seasoning roast
2 yellow onions, chopped
5 cloves garlic, finely minced or crushed
1 (15 oz.) can green enchilada sauce
2 (4 oz.) cans diced green chiles
2 (14 oz.) cans diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 beef bouillon cube (or 1 teaspoon beef bouillon granules)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon black pepper

Cut the roast into 3-4 large chunks. Season the pork generously with salt and pepper on all sides. In a large heavy pot, the oil over medium heat until the oil is shimmering and hot. Add the pork, being careful not to crowd the pot (brown the pork in shifts, if needed). Brown the pork on all sides until golden and well-browned, about 30 seconds to a minute on each side. Leave the roast in the pot and add the onion and garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring often. Place the pork and garlic and onions in the slow cooker (read below for oven-roasting method). Stir in the rest of the ingredients to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours. After the roast has cooked for the allotted time, remove the roast. Shred it into bite-size pieces and set aside, covered with foil to keep warm. Pour the remaining liquid and ingredients from the slow cooker into a large saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil on the stove, and simmer vigoriously over medium-low or medium heat for 20-30 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking or burning, until the mixture considerably reduced and thickened. Add the pork roast and sauce back to the slow cooker. Stir to coat the pork with the sauce. Turn the crockpot to low or high and allow the pork to heat through again. Serve with warm tortillas and desired toppings, such as sour cream, cheese, avocados, lettuce, tomatoes.

Oven-roasting Instructions: When beginning the recipe, make sure to use an oven-safe pot for the browning (such as a large enameled cast-iron pot). Follow the recipe up until the point of adding the pork to the slow cooker. Instead, keep the pork in the oven-safe pot. Add in all the other recipe ingredients plus 1/2 cup water. Stir to combine. Cover the pot and cook in the oven at 300 degrees for 3-4 hours. When finished cooking, remove the roast as directed in the above instructions. Follow the recipe to reduce the sauce.


(Source: www.melskitchencafe.com)

Split Pea & Barley Soup

2 cups split peas
6 cups water
4 cups chicken broth
1/3 cup onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp parsley
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp thyme
1/2 cup barley
6 cups water
2 carrots, diced
1/4 cup celery, diced
snipped green onion to garnish

Rinse and sort the split peas. Add them to a large pot with 6 cups of water, chicken broth, onion, garlic, lemon juice, salt, sugar, parsley, pepper, and thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1-1 1/2 hours or until the peas are soft.

While the peas are cooking, combine the barley with 6 cups of water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1-1 1/2 hours or until the barley is soft and most of the water has been absorbed.

When the split pea mixture has become a thick soup, use a blender to puree the peas until the mixture is smooth.

Drain the the remaining water from the barley and add the barley to the split pea mixture. Add the carrots and celery and continue to simmer the soup for 15 to 30 minutes or until the carrots are tender, stirring occasionally.

Turn off the heat, cover the soup, and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Garnish each serving with the snipped green onion.

(Source: www.topsecretrecipes.com)