Glazed Pork Chops

I know, I know. I am behind. It isn't that I am not cooking. I am just not posting.  (Ironically, I do have about five posts started, just not completed)

But this is a recipe I do want to remember. I found it here.  I have made it twice now and have loved it both times. Plus it is easy and fairly quick. My favorite combination.

Ingredients:

• Pork Chops (originally recipe called for 4 thick cut; we typically get 6 thinner chops due to family size)
• 1/4-1/2 cup brown sugar (depending on how many pork chops you use)
• 1/2 tsp of the following:  garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, cayenne, salt
• 2 Tbsp olive oil

Directions:   

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Mix brown sugar and spices/seasonings.  Rub the sugar mixture into the pork chops. I just put the mixture into a bowl then kind of "dredge" the chops in it.
• Heat olive oil in a skillet at medium/high heat.  I use a cast iron skillet because it can go into the oven.
• Once the oil is hot add the pork chops to the skillet. Cook about 5 minutes on each side until they are browned.
• Place in the oven for an additional 5-10 minutes (if you are NOT using a cast iron skillet, transfer to something oven safe) to thoroughly cook the pork chops.
• Enjoy!

Note:  I don't do paprika or cayenne due to food issues for one of my kiddos. So I just add a little of my own choices like a little onion powder and white pepper).

We ate this meal with half baked potatoes (completely baked but halved :) ) and French bread.  It is quite simple, quite good!

More soon.  Really. :)

Reba

Beefy Nachos

This past week I was trying to think of what I wanted to make for our "Mexican" food (which we typically have once a week). The only problem is I am out of tortillas and tostada shells that I typically use for those meals.  So I thought, "What about nachos?"

Then I found this recipe.

It reminds me a lot of the tostada recipe I use but with chips instead (and quicker).  So I decided to give it a try.

I am happy to report that we have a new "easy go to" recipe!

Ingredients:
1 lb browned ground beef (I always use 1.5 because that is how it comes packaged)

1 envelope Taco seasoning (or a homemade version which is what we do)

1 can refried beans (in the future, I will use two...I only had one on hand this time)

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 cup cheese (I use a Mexican mix)

Tortilla chips

Optional: Sour cream, salsa, tomatoes, avocado, lettuce, olives, etc.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400.  

Add taco seasoning to ground beef according to package directions. Since I use homemade seasoning, I just added about 1/2 cup water.  Simmer for just a little bit.

In a casserole dish (or in a cast iron skillet which is what I did), spread the refried beans. 

Sprinkle the onion on top. I also added some cilantro just because I love cilantro.

Spread ground beef on top. 

Bake for 15 minutes.

Top with cheese.

Bake for an additional 5 minutes.

The original recipe suggests tucking the chips around the edges of the mixture for the last 5 minutes but we ended up just putting some of this on our own chips.

Like I said, simple but good.

As you can see, I added avocado, sour cream, and salsa. 

Yum!

Fried Pork Chops

I feel like I have neglected this blog.  Not on purpose.  Just been busy.

But I am still cooking.  Well, mostly.  I haven't cooked dinner for the last two nights but that is because I have some other food projects going on.

However, the other night hubby was out of town, and I still cooked a real meal.

I think that should count for something...a gold star or a pat on the back at least.

Fried pork chops and roasted potatoes, rolls...

Yum.

I fry chicken on occasion but haven't fried pork much.

This week that changed.

I am pretty sure I went up like five notches in my oldest child's eyes...fried pork.  He was smiling from ear to ear.

This is the recipe I followed...

Note that the original author is cooking like 14 pork chops.

I cut that about in half.

Unfortunately I forgot to cut the rest of the recipe in half.

Not a big deal but I wasted some ingredients.

Oops.

So here is my recipe for 6 or 7 pork chops...

Ingredients:
6 or 7 thin boneless pork chops

2 eggs

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce (I used a homemade version)

3/4 to 1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 Tbsp salt

1 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp pepper (I used freshly ground peppercorns)

About 1 cup oil

Directions:

 Heat oil over medium high heat in a skillet.

Prepare egg wash by stirring eggs and Worcestershire sauce in a shallow bowl.

In another bowl, mix the flour and seasonings.

Dip pork chops in egg wash then coat both sides with flour mixture.

Place in skillet (do not crowd) and cook for 3-5 minutes on one side until it begins to brown.  Flip over and cook for another 3-5 minutes until gold brown.  You don't want to mess with them much; you will lose the coating.  And of course, the coating is the good stuff.

Remove from oil and drain on a paper towel. 

Obviously, this is not something you want to eat frequently nor is it healthy.

But once in a while, it is a treat...

Enjoy!

Chicken Enchiladas in White Sauce

My family loves Bubble Up Enchiladas. And I love easy chicken enchiladas. 

However, about a year ago, we realized that one of our kiddos has some food sensitivities.  And unfortunately, one of those sensitivities includes tomatoes.  He/she can handle them in small doses but we really just steer clear for the most part. I have even learned how to make an "untomato" spaghetti/pizza sauce using pomegranate juice and carrots.

The other day I was cruising on Facebook and happened upon a recipe for chicken enchiladas in a white sauce. The recipe wasn't quite what I wanted (or had on hand) but it inspired me to do a little Googling to find others.

And finally I found one that worked for us.

So last night I made them.

And today they are gone.

They were a hit.

Actually, probably more than the easy chicken enchiladas I usually make...

I had one leftover enchilada for lunch today. I was actually counting down until lunch to eat it. And then I was sad when it was gone.

Ingredients:
10 tortillas (I used flour)
4 cups cooked, shredded chicken (I browned my chicken tenderloins in a skillet with just a little oil)
2 cups shredded cheese (I used a Mexican blend; Monterrey Jack would be good too)
3 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
4 oz can green chilies (my food sensitive kiddo doesn't eat chilies, so I just added a little cumin instead)

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350.

Grease a 9 x 13 inch pan.

I did not do this but I would start the sauce NOW.  It takes a little time to thicken.  You can thicken the sauce as you assemble the enchiladas.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan.  Add the flour.  Stir.  Cook for 1 minute.  Add the chicken broth.  Whisk until smooth.  Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly.  Once it is thick and bubbly, remove from heat and whisk in the sour cream.

As the sauce thickens (before adding the sour cream), assemble the enchiladas.  Mix together the shredded chicken and half of the shredded cheese.  Put a couple spoonfuls in the middle of each tortilla and roll up.  Place in the baking dish.  (Mine were in there pretty tight)

Pour the sauce over the top and then add the remaining shredded cheese.

Bake for about 20 minutes.  Place under broiler for just a few minutes to brown the cheese a bit.

Enjoy!

We at ours with chips (and I added guacamole for me :).

Good stuff.

Reba

Pancake Squares

So sorry I have been MIA. I started back to school this week.  Life has been a bit hectic.

Anyway, I try to make a breakfast of some sort about two times a week just to break up the cereal/granola bar/oatmeal routine.  I had pinned this recipe once upon a time on Pinterest and decided to give it a try last weekend. 

What is it?

Basically, pancakes in a casserole dish form.

I love pancakes and make them fairly often (usually homemade).  But usually when I make them, it is for dinner.  Mainly because who has time to make them for breakfast? I don't have a lot of time in the mornings to stand in front of the griddle, flipping pancakes. 

If my kids get pancakes for breakfast, it is only because we had some extras and we froze them.

Until now.

Now that I know about this, we will have them more often.

No, they don't look like pancakes. They aren't circles.

But they taste pretty close. AND they are quick and easy.

Perfect for mornings!

Ingredients:
3/4 cup milk

2 Tbsp melted butter, slightly cooled

1 large egg

1 Tbsp sugar (granulated)

1 cup flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350.

Slightly grease or spray an 8 x 8 baking dish.

In a mixing bowl, pour the milk, butter, and egg.  Beat together.  Add the sugar.  Next, add in the flour, a little at a time.

Stir in the baking powder and salt.

Pour batter into the greased baking dish. Bake for about 25 minutes.

Enjoy!

I topped it with melted butter, and we used syrup if we chose to the top of it.

It was good stuff.  Easy and good.

Reba

Taco Pie

 

The other night, I needed a quick and easy recipe.  I was kind of craving Mexican food but didn't have the time or energy to make tacos or tostadas.  And though my kids LOVE Taco Pasta Bake, they had had it not that long ago.  Then I remembered a dish that we had when I was a child.  Taco Pie.  I rummaged through my family cookbook and found the recipe.  Easy.  Quick.  Perfect for us.

One little note:  This is very similar to Easy Cheesy Beefy Crescent Squares but with a Mexican twist.  One of the kids noticed that right away.

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef, browned

1 packet taco seasoning prepared according to directions on package (I just use a homemade version and 1/4 cup of water)

8 oz sour cream

1-2 cups cheddar cheese (I actually used a Mexican blend)

1 cup crushed corn chips

1 tube crescent rolls

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375.

Roll the crescent rolls out (and up the sides of) into a pie dish.  (I sprayed cooking spray so it wouldn't stick)  Honestly, next time, I think I will roll this out into a bigger dish like a 11x7.  My crescent rolls puffed up a LOT, leaving little room for the meat. The crescent rolls wouldn't necessarily go up the sides of the dish like it does the pie dish but that is okay with me...

Bake at 375 for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the taco seasoning/water to the ground beef.  Simmer for a few minutes.  Remove from heat and add in the sour cream.

Once the "pie crust" is baked, layer with 1/2 of the crushed chips, 1/2 of the cheese, the ground beef mixture, the remaining chips, and the remaining cheese on top. 

Bake for another 10-15 minutes.

Enjoy.

Like I said, very simple, very quick.

I think we had 1/2 of a serving left at the end of dinner; I ate it the next day for lunch. :)

Reba

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars

 On occasion, I make "breakfast energy bites" which usually Child 4 and I eat ourselves.  But this week I saw this recipe (very similar but cooked and in "bar" form and gave it a try. 

Well, all I can say is that they were gone really fast.  And it was NOT just because of Child 4 and me.  The whole family (minus Dad who was gone) chowed down on them. I WILL be making them again, especially during the school year. They are quick, fairly healthy, and can be made ahead of time then just reheated (if preferred). 

Ingredients:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup peanut butter (I used creamy/natural)
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour (the original recipe used whole wheat, I just had all purpose on hand)
1 cup old fashioned oats (I am not sure how it would work with quick oats)
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup other add in (original recipe used raisins, I used flax meal)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray an 8 x 8 baking dish with cooking spray.

With a mixer, mix the peanut butter and brown sugar on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. The original recipe called for using the paddle attachment.  My mixer does not have that so I just used the regular beaters and they worked fine.

Mix in the vanilla.

Continue mixing on medium speed, adding in the flour, oats, baking soda, and salt.  It will be thick. Just be patient. :)

Slowly pour in the milk.  Mix until a dough forms.

Fold in the chocolate chips and the other add in.

Once all is combined, press into the baking dish. 

Bake for about 17-20 minutes until gold brown. 

Allow to cool completely before cutting. 

I stored them in the fridge, but I am guessing they would be fine on the counter.

Enjoy!

Smores Bars

I am not a big marshmallow fan.  I can do without Rice Krispie treats.  And Rocky Road ice cream is NOT my favorite.

But Smores.

Oh, how I love smores.

In fact, I have a whole Pinterest board dedicated to them.  "More Smores". 

The unfortunate thing is my hubby is not the smores fan I am.

So I don't try out the smores recipes nearly as much as I want.  Well, due to that and the fact that I would weigh a LOT more if I did.

But every now and then I figure out a way to do it.

Like when we are going to a cookout.

Perfect time.

So this past week, I decided to try Smores Bars.

They looked easy.  Required little preparation.  And they could be made ahead of time.

The only "warning" I feel like I should give is to let people know ahead of time that they are cold.

My kids all complained a little at first because they think "smores" and think "warm".

Yet it didn't stop one of them from eating the bars.

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted (plus a little more for greasing purposes)

1 cup graham cracker crumbs (I just threw a "sleeve" of crackers into the food processor and whirled away), plus 2 graham crackers broken into large pieces

3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk (not quite a whole can)

1 1/3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

pinch of salt

1 cup mini marshmallows

Directions:
Line an 8 x 8 baking pan with aluminum foil and butter/grease.  I did do this but I actually think next time I would just grease the baking pan itself with the butter or cooking spray.

Mix the melted butter and the graham cracker crumbs together in a bowl with a fork until moistened. 

Press firmly into the bottom of the baking dish.

This is the only area I had trouble. I pressed as much as I could but my crumbs just never stuck together. I don't know if I should have used more butter, pressed more, or what.  Don't get me wrong, it was still tasty.  I just couldn't get it to gel.  I think next time I make these, I will do something similar to what I do with the pretzels for pineapple fluff.  I think I will "bake it" at 400 degrees for 5-7 minutes...just enough to make it a bit crunchier/more together.  I will let you know how that goes. :)

Next, heat the chocolate chips and the condensed milk over medium heat, stirring constantly until smooth.  Once smooth, remove from the heat and add in the salt and vanilla.

Quickly, pour over the graham cracker and spread. You have to work quick or it will start to harden.  I found that if I held the spatula vertically and started in the middle to spread to the sides, it worked much easier. Otherwise the graham crackers try to go with the chocolate. :)

Next, pour the marshmallows over the top and push down into the chocolate.

Finish by pressing in the broken pieces of the 2 graham crackers in the "holes" left by marshmallows.

Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or so before cutting/serving.

Enjoy!

Cinnamon Sugar "Donut" Muffins

I try to make breakfast a couple times a week.  I have been eying this recipe on Pinterest for a while and decided to give it a try. 

It didn't take long to assemble them and then it was a short time to bake and then breakfast time.

And...

YUM.

They taste JUST like cinnamon sugar donuts.

In muffin form.

And baked.

(I calculated the calories and they were not horrible)

I made a double batch:  one mini muffin batch and one regular muffin batch.

Here is the recipe for one batch...

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 cup milk

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon.

In another bowl, stir/whisk together vegetable oil, sugar, egg, and milk.

Pour the flour mixture into the oil mixture and stir just until mixed.

Coat the "cups" of the muffin tin or use muffin liners. I used liners.

Divide the batter evenly among the cups.  (I did one 24 mini muffin tin and one 12 cup regular muffin with a double batch)  I used my cookie scoop to put the mixture into the cups.  It was almost even/level with the tin.

Bake for 15-18 minutes.  (I think mine was close to 20 minutes)

Remove the muffins from the muffin tin and cool on a wire rack.

Topping recipe:
1/4 cup melted butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp cinnamon

Directions:  
Put melted butter in one bowl.  Mix cinnamon/sugar in another bowl.

Now, in the original recipe. they dipped the whole muffin in the butter and then the cinnamon sugar mix.

I only dipped the top.  (In fact, I did NOT double the topping and had JUST enough for two batches) 

Either way, my kids have raved about them.  My son came in and said, "Thanks for the donuts, Mom!" 

Enjoy!

Reba

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Usually if I make mashed potatoes, I use this recipe. 

But the other day I decided to try something new that didn't require so much planning ahead.

So I did a little Googling and found this recipe.

Very simple.  Few ingredients.  Little time involved other than peeling the potatoes.

And guess what?

Hubby declared they were his favorite mashed potatoes I have made.

Well, guess it was a winner then!

Ingredients:
5 or 6 large Russet potatoes, peeled and cut (I rarely dice, I usually just cut into smaller chunks)

1 Tbsp kosher salt

2-4 Tbsp butter (I think I used 3)

1/4 tsp white pepper or black pepper

1 or 2 cans evaporated milk

Directions:
Boil potatoes in a large pot of water with salt added.

Okay, you really should bring the salted water to a boil before adding the potatoes but I kind of just did it all at once.

Boil until fork tender (15+ minutes...a little longer if you don't bring the water to a boil first :).

Drain the potatoes and mash.  I just used a mixer because I have a ricer, not a masher.  I now have a hand masher on order... :)

Add in the butter and pepper.

Add in the evaporated milk slowly until the desired creaminess is reached.

I only used 1 can; it was just right for us.

Enjoy!

Reba

Hot Fudge Brownie Pie

I don't make dessert often though I have a BUNCH of them pinned on Pinterest.

It isn't that I don't like desserts.

It is actually the opposite.

I love them.

Too much.

So it is better if I don't make it often.

Because if I do, I eat them.  :)

However, once in a while, I splurge.

Like last night.

This is one I have pinned not once but twice. And possibly even three times.

It just looked oh so yummy.

So last night I got dinner in the oven then turned my attention to this recipe.

It is labeled as "hot fudge pie" but other than baking it in a pie dish, there is nothing really "pie" about it. 

We had great discussion about what it truly is.

And our answer?

A cross between a brownie and a molten chocolate lava cake.  

Except this was even easier the chocolate lava cake (which is pretty simple).

And what I love is that the portion size is that much easier to control.

With a hungry teenager in the house, I didn't have to worry about eating too much. :)

Ingredients:
4 oz unsalted butter
1 1/2 squares unsweetened chocolate (1.5 oz)
1 cup sugar (granulated)
2 eggs beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp milk
1/4 cup all purpose flour

Directions:
Pre-heat the oven to 350. 

Grease a pie pan (use butter or a cooking spray).

Melt butter and chocolate together.  I suppose you could do this stove top. I went the microwave route.  I put them together in a large measuring cup and headed for 30 seconds, stirred slightly, then heated 30 seconds more. The chocolate wasn't very melted at this point but the butter was. So I just took it out and stirred it for a few minutes.  Then it was a silky chocolate mess... :)

Let it cool while you stir the sugar into the beaten eggs.  Note: A hand mixer is not necessary. You just need a good spatula or spoon and a little elbow grease.  Stir until the sugar is fully incorporated into the eggs.

Once the chocolate mixture has cooled (and not before then or you will cook the eggs :), add it to the egg mixture.  Stir together.

Next add the vanilla  and milk.  Stir together.

Last, fold in the flour until no white is showing.

Do NOT overmix.

Pour the mixture into the pie pan and bake for 25 minutes.

Let it cool a few minutes.

I HIGHLY recommend eating this with ice cream on the side.

YUM.

Enjoy!

Reba

Chocolate Glazed Chocolate Doughnuts

I have been wanting to make some doughnuts for a while. The other day I checked out my "Breakfast Goodies" bulletin board on Pinterest and saw this recipe I had pinned. 

The best part was that the only "special" ingredient I don't always have on hand is the plain yogurt. But thankfully this time, I did.

So this morning I went to work.

This is a fairly quick recipe (which was a treat for the kids...not much waiting). It was easy.  And when I calculated the calories, it wasn't too bad.  I don't feel very guilty that I ate two.  Even though I wanted to eat like 12.

By the way, I have a doughnut pan, otherwise the circles wouldn't be so "circlish".  :)

Oh, I doubled the recipe and I did NOT use a mini doughnut pan...even with doubling the recipe, I got 15 doughnuts.  So next time I may have to triple if we want to have any left over. That being said, there is not really any reason to double the glaze. I did, and I ended up with WAY too much.

Doughnut ingredients: (recipe is doubled from original)
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
2/3 cups white granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 Tbsp plain yogurt
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
6 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375.

Mix the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl.  I just used a whisk.

Add in the remaining ingredients (yogurt, milk, eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla).

Stir until smooth.

Grease a doughnut pan.  I read on the original site that someone used a mini muffin pan instead...that is a great idea if you don't have a doughnut pan.

Fill the circles about 3/4 full. Mine was kind of thick so I just kind of "spooned" it in.

Bake for 7 minutes.  A good test is to press a doughnut. If the indention springs back immediately, it is ready.

Let them cool on a wire rack.  I probably didn't let them cool quite long enough before glazing but I had a hungry crew. :)

Glaze Ingredients: (not doubled)
2 Tbsp unsalted butter (I didn't have any on hand so I used salted which works okay)
3/4 tsp light corn syrup (I am not a big corn syrup person so I substituted with honey)
1 Tbsp milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used my favorite Ghirardelli)
1/2 cup powdered (confectioner's) sugar

Optional:  Sprinkles for decoration (I did half with, half without.  My kids loved the sprinkles touch but I have to use some pricey all natural ones :)

Directions:
Over low heat, add the butter, corn syrup or honey, milk, and vanilla extract to a small sauce pan.  Stir constantly until butter melts. Once melted, add in the semi-sweet chocolate chips.  Again, stir until melted.  Then add in the powdered sugar.  Stir until smooth.

Glaze doughnuts.  I just held the doughnuts and dipped them halfway into the glaze.

Add sprinkles immediately if desired.

Enjoy!

I have tried a few doughnut recipes and this has been one of my favorites. It is a cake like doughnut...yum!

Reba

No Yeast Cinnamon Rolls

I so wish I was a good food photographer.

Maybe it is because I need a new camera.

Or maybe it is because we are always in a hurry to eat.

Or MAYBE it is because I am just not good about taking food pictures.

Do you think they have classes for that?

Anyway, yesterday I wanted to make a special breakfast since it was Father's Day and all.

I had seen this recipe on Pinterest and thought it was just what I was looking for.

I love yeast and use it often.

But it requires patience. And time.  And frankly I am not all about getting up early in the morning just to make breakfast.

So when I saw "no yeast", I knew that was more my speed for morning time...

It took me just a few minutes to assemble them then about 15 minutes to bake.

I followed the recipe fairly closely. I never have buttermilk on hand so I use the Saco powdered buttermilk instead.  It does cut down on calories but gives that buttermilk taste.  Next time I would also cut the icing down a little...it makes a lot.

Otherwise, I stuck to the recipe.

By the way, delicious.  I really didn't find them much different than yeast rolls. Just much quicker to make!

Ingredients:
 Filling-
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp butter, melted

Dough-
2 1/2 cups flour (all purpose), more for dusting
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk (I use the Saco powder which is 4 TBSP powder, 1 cup water...you can also add lemon juice or vinegar to milk to make a "quick buttermilk")
5 Tbsp butter, melted (4 for the dough, 1 for brushing on top before baking)

Icing-
3 oz cream cheese softened
4 Tbsp buttermilk
1 cup powdered sugar (I did add a little more to thicken my icing up)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 450.

Mix all of the filling ingredients in a bowl with a fork until well blended.  Set aside.

In a larger bowl, mix the dough dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt).  In another bowl (or measuring cup), mix together the buttermilk and butter.  Pour the buttermilk mixture into the middle of the dry ingredients.  Stir together but do no overmix.  Knead to form a ball.  Then divide the ball in two.

Take one half of the dough and place on a floured surface.  Roll out (I just kind of pushed it down into a rectangle then used a mini rolling pin to flatten it).  It should be just a little bigger than a piece of paper.

Sprinkle half of the filling mixture over the dough, leaving about a half inch border.

Starting at the short end, roll it up into a log (so it will be a long log :).

Trim the ends.  Cut the "log" in half.  Then cut those halves in half.  Then cut THOSE halves in half so you have 8 "rolls".

Place in a greased baking dish (I used a 9 x 13).

Repeat with the other half of the dough/filling.

Brush the rolls with melted butter.

(I ended up combining a couple of smaller rolls into one so I ended up with 15 rolls.)

Bake for about 15-20 minutes until they are golden brown.

Meanwhile,  mash together the cream cheese and the powdered sugar for the icing.  Add the buttermilk a Tbsp at a time until creamy.  That is where I made a mistake. I just dumped all of it in there and it was WAY too runny. So I had to add more powdered sugar to thicken it.  I did have way too much though.  Next time I will cut back a little on the ingredients and add the buttermilk correctly. :)

Once the rolls are out of the oven, spread the icing over them.

Then, enjoy!

Reba

Butter Dip Biscuits

Okay, I am obviously not a food photographer.

Especially when I have a hungry mass at the table waiting for their dinner.

Then I just grab my phone and click.

Thus the blurriness.

And I really am capable of writing about more than just bread.

But this was good.

I want to remember it.

Plus my nephew said I MUST share this recipe with my mom so she can make it sometime. :)

The ultimate compliment.

Last night I made Amish Chicken (recipe coming soon). I didn't have a lot of time to get some bread together.

So I hit Pinterest.

And I found this recipe.

Easy.

And NO rising time.  In fact, no yeast.

Sold!

So I threw them together.

And hoped for the best.

And that is what I got.

Yum.

Yum. Yum.

I will say that I had a piece warmed up today and I just have to say it again.

Yum.

Ingredients:
1 stick unsalted butter (I have to admit...I only used half a stick. I just could NOT bring myself to use a whole stick, especially since the chicken dish had a cup of heavy whipping cream in it...)

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour (I did stick with all purpose; I usually do for the first recipe. I would like to try half all purpose, half white whole wheat some time)

4 tsp granulated sugar

4 tsp baking powder

2 tsp Kosher salt (I am guessing you could use regular salt but I highly recommend Kosher for this)

1 3/4 cup buttermilk (I use the Saco powder and add water to equal this amount)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450.  Unless your chicken is baking at 350.  Then you compromise with 400.  :)

Place butter in an 8 x 8 square baking dish OR a cast iron skillet.  I went with the skillet. Stick in the oven as it preheats which will melt the butter.  Or you can do it in the microwave. I just like doing it in the skillet so I don't waste any...

Meanwhile, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and buttermilk.

Use a sharp knife to cut your pieces before baking. (No big deal if you don't...I didn't the next time and they were fine and cut easily)

Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Enjoy!

I didn't even add any butter last night after they cooked. I did add a little today...yum!  I think these would be really good with breakfast too (like with jam or jelly).

A very basic bread but with this crusty outside, soft inside, and a bit of sweetness...

YUM!

Reba

Garlic Toast

I have been looking for a good garlic toast/bread recipe. I have tried a few but none have quite worked for me.  I used to buy a certain frozen brand but with my food sensitive kiddo, I can't do that anymore.  Thus my quest...

Anyway, last week I was really craving some so I tried yet another recipe.

And this one worked for me...

What I really like about this recipe (though I haven't done it yet) is that I can make it ahead of time and freeze the pieces then pull them out to toast when ready.

That is a goal of mine this summer.

Anywho, here is the recipe.  It calls for French bread. I used a frozen homemade version I had. (I only used half which made plenty!)

Ingredients (for a whole loaf...I halved the whole recipe):
French bread, cut into 1 inch slices

1/2 cup softened butter

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I used finely shredded)

1 tsp dried parsley

1/2 tsp garlic powder

Directions:
Mix butter, cheese, parsley, and garlic powder.

Arrange bread slices on a large cookie sheet.

Spread butter mixture over each slice.

If you want to freeze it, now is the time to stick that cookie sheet in the freezer for about an hour to let the bread freeze. Then throw them in a freezer bag and pull out as needed.

When ready to cook (from frozen or just made), preheat oven to 425.

Bake/toast for 5-7 minutes.

Enjoy!

Reba

Sesame Beef Wraps

We have become quite a fan of "Asian inspired" foods.  Toasted Sesame Oil is one of my new favorite ingredients forever. I LOVE the way it smells and tastes...worth every cent.

So when I saw this recipe (I think on Pinterest but I am not totally positive), I knew I had to try it.

I happened to have some flank steak in the freezer, not enough to make a steak dinner but enough for a meal like this. So I pulled it out for this recipe.

And it was good stuff.

We will have this again (though not too often; I can't afford flank steak very often).

Ingredients:
2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tsp sugar

2 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp sesame oil (YUM!)

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp rice vinegar

1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Freshly ground black peppercorns

1 lb flank steak cut thinly against the grain

oil

Butter lettuce leaves (I had a hard tine finding them...I had to buy a LIVE lettuce plant from the grocery store, roots intact. That being said, these are great leaves for wraps!)

Optional toppings:  Shredded carrots, brown rice (cooked), green onions, etc.

Sauce ingredients:

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 tsp sugar

3 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp rice vinegar

1/2 tsp sriracha chile sauce (I omitted due to food issues here)

1 tsp sesame oil

1 Tbsp green onion, chopped

1/2 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds

1 Tbsp water

Note:  Since many of the marinade ingredients AND the sauce ingredients are the same or similar, I would make them both at the same time. I didn't pay attention to that part when I made it. :)

Directions:
Mix together the garlic, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, rice vinegar, sesame seeds, and peppercorn.  Pour into a large ziplock bag and add the flank steak. Refrigerate 1-3 hours (or longer if needed).  Like I said above, it would make sense to go ahead and mix the sauce ingredients and refrigerate until needed.

 When ready to cook, heat about 1/2 Tbsp oil in a large skillet.  Put about half the meat in the skillet and brown. 

Once it cooked through, place that meat in a serving dish.

Add about 1/2 Tbsp more oil to the skillet and cook the remaining meat.

I just put all of the foods on the table and let the family build their own. Some don't like lettuce, so they just put the meat on top of rice. I put some rice on lettuce then added the meat and carrots and dipped in the sauce. 

Very quick, very good!

Reba

Sweet and Spicy Chicken

I saw this on Pinterest not long ago and thought it looked like a good (and quick) meal to make.  Then last night was the perfect opportunity.  We had been hiking all day.  I needed something quick. I had corn in the crockpot (I have decided that IS the way to cook it) and rolls rising.  And I had chicken in the fridge, needing to be cooked. Perfect.

So when I got home, I started the rice, then turned my attention to the chicken.

And in 30 minutes or so, I had a complete meal.

And a good one.

This will be going into our rotation...

I loved my son's perspective on it.

He said it was "Masian" food.  He said it was like Mexican and Asian food combined in one.

And in a way he is correct, though I don't think the original recipe had that intention.  But I changed out one of the ingredients which did indeed give it a Mexican flair. :)

Lots of flavor, a short cooking time, the perfect combination for me.

Ingredients:
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (the original recipe called for 2, I used five.  And this recipe will be based upon that; I doubled the recipe.  I actually cut mine into smaller pieces like tenderloins...next time I will just BUY tenderloins which will cook even a little faster!)

2 tsp Kosher salt

2 tsp paprika (we can't/don't do paprika right now due to a child's food sensitivities, so I did cumin instead which is probably where the Mexican taste came from :)

2 Tbsp sugar (granulated) 

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp onion powder

2 tsp dried parsley

4 tbsp butter

2 tbsp olive oil

(I doubled the butter and olive oil, but I think next time, I would stick with 2 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp olive oil...we had MORE than enough for the skillet)

the juice of one lemon

Directions:
Flatten the chicken with mallet for even sizes.  I put mine in a large ziplock bag to do this.

Combine all of the spices/herbs (salt, paprika/cumin, sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley).  Coat chicken with mixture.  (I dumped the spices/herbs into the ziplock bag with the chicken and just gave it a few shakes...it was covered :)

Heat the butter/oil in a large skillet on medium heat.

Once the oil is hot, add the chicken to the skillet.  The original recipe calls for letting it cook about 6 minutes per side.  I just eye it and always check the inside of a chicken piece to make sure. I think mine took a little longer because it was still fairly thick even after using the mallet on it.

Partway through cooking, squirt the juice from the lemon over the chicken.

Cook until done.

We ate ours with basmati rice, Rhodes rolls, and corn on the cob.  (I also had a salad that was wonderful :)

It was good stuff.  Easy and good.

Happy cooking!

Reba

Buttermilk Pancakes

The last time I made these, I thought, "I need to post this recipe..."

But part of me thought, "For pancakes?"

I have a confession.

Ready?

I have always made pancakes from a mix.  Like a box mix.  Sometimes I use the ones you add water to, other times I actually add the eggs and oil.

But recently I have been trying to do more "home cooking".  So I have been searching for just the right recipe.

I have tried one or two that were so so.

Then I decided to try this one. 

I will admit: It is labeled as an IHOP copycat recipe. I am sure I have eaten at an IHOP.  I think.  Maybe once or twice a LONG time ago?  Not in any recent memory.  So I can't really compare.


But that isn't what inspired me to try it.

It was the picture, the easy recipe, the basic ingredients.

So I made them.

And they worked for me.

Tonight (breakfast for dinner) we had them again.

And I still liked them.

Which means NOW it is time to post the recipe.

By the way, this recipe feeds all 6 of us with just a few left over.  (Which I freeze...they warm up nicely)  If you want a smaller serving, check out the original recipe.

Ingredients:
3 3/4 cups of flour (I actually rounded up slightly. I used 2 cups of all purpose and 2 cups of white whole wheat flour)

3 tsp baking powder

3tsp baking soda

pinch of salt (or two or three :)

3 eggs, beaten

3 3/4 cup buttermilk (Note: If you don't have buttermilk, you can use regular milk and add 1 Tbsp lemon juice or vinegar for each cup of milk; let it sit for 5-10 minutes)

6 Tbsp butter, melted

3/4 cup sugar

Directions:
Stir together the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt).

Mix the eggs and buttermilk.

Pour the egg mixture into the dry ingredient mixture.

Add the sugar and butter.

Stir until just mixed.

Fry on a greased griddle.  (I used my electric griddle set on 375 degrees F.

We butter them as soon as they come off the griddle.

Enjoy!

(PS Can be frozen; I would separate with wax paper or parchment paper or they will stick together)

Chocolate Caramel Graham Crackers

The other day, a co-worker at school was having a milestone birthday.  We were asked to bring snack foods.  If you know me at all, I don't typically just drop by the grocery store.  I try to go once a week.  That is it.

And this past week was particularly busy.  And exhausting.

What to do, what to do...

I remembered reading a recipe I found via Pinterest using graham crackers. I have lots of graham crackers. That sounded promising.  But when I looked at it, I was short an ingredient or two.

I considered making the brownie bites with peanut butter frosting.  But, alas, there was no cream cheese in the house (how did I let that happen?).

So I did a Google search and found just what I needed.

Chocolate caramel graham crackers.  

Quick, easy, and I had all of the ingredients needed.

I don't know that I totally agree with the title. It had more of a toffee taste to me than a caramel.  But otherwise, it was right on...and delicious too!

Ingredients:
12 (or so) graham crackers (the sheets)

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (3/4 cup)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/8 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped nuts (I used pecans but almonds, walnuts, and probably even peanuts would be good)

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 375.

Line a cookie sheet (15 x 10) with aluminum foil.

Line the bottom of the cookie sheet with graham crackers, breaking apart when needed.

In a small sauce pan, melt the butter.  Add the brown sugar.  Stir constantly (for about 5 months) until it thickens.

Add in the salt.

Pour over the graham crackers, spreading evenly.  Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes until mixture is bubbling.

Remove from the oven and evenly pour chocolate chips over the top.

Return to oven for 2-3 minutes (until chocolate chips are VERY soft).

Remove from oven and use a spatula or a frosting spreader to spread the melted/soft chocolate over the top of the brown sugar mixture.

Press chopped nuts into the top.

Let cool.  (I put it in the fridge overnight to help it set).

Remove foil from the back of the crackers and break into pieces.

Then enjoy!

Reba

Hamburger Gravy

It isn't anything fancy.

And the picture doesn't help advertise it at all.

But it was good.

How do I know?

There was NOTHING left.

Nothing.

I try to do "breakfast for dinner" just about every week. But I don't want to do the same thing over and over again.

Recently on Facebook, someone posted about having "hamburger gravy".  I have had it on my mind ever since.

So last night I rolled out some buttermilk biscuits (a first for me...I need more practice in that department).  I fried up some hashbrown potatoes (need to practice that too).  And I made a little hamburger gravy. Basically it is a white sauce (very similar to the starts of baked potato soup) and I added in some browned hamburger meat.  Then we poured it over the biscuits and the potatoes.

Yum.

It was just right for a cool evening.

(Note: Sausage would be good too...just not everyone in my crew likes sausage)

Ingredients:
6 Tbsp butter (I use unsalted)
6 Tbsp flour (all purpose)
3/4 tsp salt (more or less to taste)
3 cups of milk
1 lb ground beef, browned

Directions:
Melt butter over low heat in a saucepan.

Add flour and salt and stir until smooth and bubbly.

Remove from heat temporarily and add in milk.

Return to heat (I upped it to medium) and stir continuously until thickened.

Add in ground beef when the sauce is thickened as wanted.

It took about 10 minutes for mine to get pretty thick.

The key is to keep stirring so it doesn't burn on the bottom.

Like I said, nothing fancy. But it was good.  Apparently.  Because now it is all gone. :)

Reba