Caramel Apples with Peanuts

6 Granny Smith apples
6 wooden sticks
1 14-oz. pkg. individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped
2 Tbs. water
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 C. peanuts, chopped

Insert wooden sticks 3/4 of the way into the stem end of each apple and then place on a cookie sheet covered with lightly greased aluminum foil.

Combine caramels and water in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring often, until caramel melts and is smooth. Stir in the vanilla and cinnamon.

Spread the peanuts, or topping of your choice, out on a dinner plate. Hint: by putting some peanuts on the cookies sheet you won't have to worry about them sticking as badly.

Dip each apple into the caramel and gently run apples around insides of saucepan to scrape off some of the caramel. Scrape excess caramel from the apple bottoms using the side of the saucepan. Place on the aluminum foil and chill. Refrigerator until ready to serve.

Blueberry Lemon and Cream Trifle

I will have to admit that the cake version of this is better but I wanted to try something new because my parents came to dinner. It was worth it though, tastes good. Enjoy.


Blueberry Lemon and Cream Trifle

1 box white cake mix
1 cup blueberries
1 tsp. flour
1 tsp. lemon extract
1 jar lemon curd
1 tub cool whip, thawed

Prepare a boxed white cake mix according to package directions, adding 1 tsp. lemon extract. Toss blueberries with flour and fold into cake batter. Bake according to package directions and cool completely, doesn't have to be fancy you're going to crumble it anyhow.

Layer 1/2 of cake, crumbled into bottom of trifle dish, top with one jar of lemon curd, 1/2 whip cream, rest of cake and then rest of whip cream. Cool in fridge until ready to serve.

XOXO,

Smothered Chicken with Cream Cheese

Here's another quick weeknight meal for everyone and it is a great one. I got the recipe off of KraftFoods.com but it was a heathly recipe (changed that a bit) and it had way too many steps, so I simplifed it and here it is in all it's glory. Try this one I beg you, sooooo yummy.

Smothered Chicken with Cream Cheese


6 slices Bacon, chopped
6 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1-1/2 lb.)
1 large onion, chopped
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 or 1 1/2 cups frozen carrots
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
8 oz. pkg. PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, cubed
3 cups hot cooked brown rice
seasoning salt/blend (y'all know the one I use)

Cook bacon in large nonstick skillet on medium heat 5 min. or until crisp. Remove bacon from skillet; drain on paper towels. Discard drippings from skillet.

In first (bacon) skillet add chicken, seasoned with pepper, cook until chicken is done and then turn off heat and cover.

In second skillet; add 2 tablespoons EVOO, onions and your pick of seasoning to the skillet, saute about 5 min. or until tender. Stir in 1/2 cup broth and carrots simmer 10 min. or until carrots are heated through.

Pour remaining broth, 1 cup, in and add cubed cream cheese, stir to melt and combine all ingredients. Cook 2 min. or until thickening. Add Chicken to sauce mixture and heat 2 minutes longer, until heated through. (Sauce won't be super thick but it will thicken a bit, look exaclty like a sauce.)

Spoon rice onto serving plate; top with chicken, sauce and bacon.

So Yummy! My husband wants me to keep this one in the files and I have to agree. Oh my goodness.

XOXO,

Almond Peach Sweet Bread

Okay, this one is a process but having just tasted it- oh my goodnesss. I improvised ,and added this and that, and will, I pray, remember everything.


Take 2 peaches and peel, discard seeds and chop into chunks, 1 inch by 1 inch sqaures, roughly. Place peaches, 1/4 cup sugar and 3 tablespoons water in saucepan. Cook over Medium High for 15-20 minutes, strain/drain peaches from syrup but reserve in bowl. Set aside both drained peaches and syrup.

Use Amish bread starter (1 cup) and mix in, no metal, all the below ingredients. Hint: seems to work better if you use a wooden spoon and if you mix each ingredient in at the time not dump it all and then try to mix. (I am still learning you know, first loaf I ever made just about killed my arm, not that this is really that much easier.)

1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup cinnamon apple sauce
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoon almond extract
3 eggs, beaten in a seprate bowl
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 large box instant vanilla pudding
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 cups flour
2 cups drained peaches
1 1/2 cups finely chopped toasted almonds
1/4 cup peach syrup

Divide evenly between 2 (regular) or 3 (smaller) loaf pans, greased and coated with cinnamon sugar mixture, and sprinkle top with 1-2 tablespoons of raw sugar each. Bake for about an hour and 15 minutes at 325 F.



If my directions seem wompy it's because so am I- it's late and that was alot of work after coming home from work, so anyhow, don't be afraid to ask questions.

Oh yeah and next time I'll use this dough to make Blueberry and Cream Bread.

XOXO,

Fried Sweet Butter Corn

You know, this is not something I grew up with, although both my Daddy and I's favorite veg is corn. No, this is a recipe a ex-boyfriend of my Maggie made one night when he decided to grace us with his talent in the kithen (instead of letting us do it all) and am I so glad he did. This is one I'll be making for years to come. In the words of my Mag's 12 year old son Nathan, Nom nom nom. (Grin)

I served this with boudin and a green salad. Michael was tres happy.

Fried Sweet Butter Corn


1 bag frozen sweet corn
2-4 tbs. butter
1 shallot, roughly diced
a BIG shake or so of Morton Nature's Seasons Seasoning Blend (yellow bottle with blue lid, no MSG)

In a saute pan, over medium heat, melt butter (sometimes I add more when I get the corn in there, I know, so Paula of me) and brown shallots. When they are good and carmalized add corn and seasoning blend (to suit your own tastes). Cook over Medium/Medium High until corn is lighly browned and carmalized too.

You will make this dish over and over again, I promise.

Dilled Ranch Dressing

I love dill, I love ranch dressing, combine the two and you have heaven. Yum!


Dilled Ranch Dressing

Step 1:
15 saltines
2 cups dry parsley flakes, minced
1/2 cup instant minced onion
2 tablespoons dry dill weed
1/4 cup onion salt
1/4 cup garlic salt
1/4 cup onion powder
1/4 cup garlic powder

Step 2:
2 cups mayo
1 1/2 cups milk
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Step 1:
Dump all ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until completely powdered.

Step 2:
Combine 1 1/2 Tbsp. dry mix and all ingredients from step 2. Let chill in the fridge overnight to let flavors marry.

Serve over a crisp green salad.

Sweet Citrus Chicken Bake

I am always on the lookout for easy and quick week night suppers, ones that my husband will love the taste of as much as I love the easy clean up. I have found one and here it is...


Sweet Citrus Chicken

1-2/3 cups hot water
1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken
6 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1-1/2 lb.), pounded to 1/2-inch thickness
2/3 cup orange juice
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
3 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted

Heat oven to 400ºF.

Add hot water to stuffing mix; stir just until moistened.

Place chicken in 13x9-inch baking dish. Mix juice, sugar and butter until blended; pour over chicken. Top with stuffing.

Bake 30 min. or until chicken is done (165ºF).

I make this on a regular basis. It is that good!

Cinnamon French Toast and Bacon Candy (or Maple Roasted Bacon)

I try to cook breakfast at least once on the weekends. Most of the time it is plain old fried or scrambled eggs, biscuits and sausage, you know classic breakfast. Then sometimes it my personal favorite of French Toast. Nom, nom, nom!

This weekend I tried making it with Cinnamon Raisin Bread and it worked but I most likely won't use it again (note the almost burnt look in the picture, it's not burnt, it's raisins). So without further ado- the recipe.


Cinnamon French Toast

1 cup whipping cream
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons honey, warmed in microwave for 20 seconds
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 (1/2-inch) slices day-old or stale bread, your choice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
splash good vanilla extract
4 tablespoons butter

In medium size mixing bowl, whisk together the cream, eggs, honey, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. You may do this the night before. When ready to cook, pour custard mixture into a pie pan and set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Dip both sides of bread into mixture and place in prepared pan (read below directions), you do not want to let the bread sit in liquid.

Over medium-low heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a saute pan. Place 2 slices of bread at a time into the pan and cook until golden brown. Remove from pan and place on cooling rack. When all bread it done place cooling rack in the oven for 5 minutes.

Serve warm with butter and syrup. Yum.

Maple-Roasted Bacon

3/4 pound thick-cut smoked bacon (16 slices)
1 to 2 tablespoons good maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place a baking rack on a sheet pan and arrange the bacon in 1 layer on the baking rack. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the bacon begins to brown. Remove the pan from oven and brush the bacon slices with maple syrup and bake for another 3 to 5 minutes, until the bacon is a warm golden brown.

Serve warm.