Biscuit mix is your best friend in the kitchen . . .

The one thing I try to never run out of is a box of the dry biscuit mix. Even as a little girl, I remember seeing my mother go to it when she wanted to get a fast dinner on the table or even to make a quick treat. Just using the recipes on the side and back of the box will set you up for success for several days. Even as  I type, there is a gooey coffee cake of sorts baking in the oven. Thought I'd share it with you so you can impress your family some evening unexpectedly. I call it "Sloppy Cake"! Sloppy Cake 2 cups dry biscuit mix 2 eggs 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Enough milk to make a sort of thick batter Mix the first four ingredient in a bowl. Gradually add the milk until you have a thick but pourable batter. Spread it in a greased 8x8-inch baking pan. Topping 1 cup dry biscuit mix 1/2 cup butter, slightly softened 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1/2 cup packed brown sugar Mix these ingredients together to form a lumpy, crumbly mixture. Scatter the topping over the batter and bake in a 350 degree oven for approximately 15-20 minutes until the batter rises up and turns golden. The topping will be swirled in and a bit gooey. Cool for a few minutes before serving. It is also very good cold the next day with a cup of coffee!

Fried potatoes in a slightly different manner . . .

I have an unusual son. He doesn't care for potatoes! He will eat French Fries but any other way, he will take a nibble and pass on it. I was in my usual, pre-payday scramble for making dinner, last week. I had some pork . . . and three aging potatoes. I prepared the potatoes, as follows, and not only got rave reviews from my son, he had three helpings. Fried Potatoes (my way!) 4-6 Russet or baking potatoes. 1 large onion, finely diced 5 peeled cloves of garlic, smashed and minced Peel and cube the potatoes and put them in a pot of cold water. Add the onions and garlic. Add a tablespoon of salt to the water. Bring the pot to a boil and then turn down and simmer until potato cubes are almost done. They will finish cooking in the frying pan. Drain the potatoes/onion/garlic from the cooking water. In a large frying pan, add 1/4 cup olive oil and 1/4 cup butter. Melt and almost bring it to a bubble. Add the potato mixture and increased heat. Taste for salt and add pepper. Keep gently stirring to get a slight brown to the edges. Taste for doneness and seasoning and serve. This goes great with grilled sausage like Bratwurst, etc. and red cabbage. Makes for a very Germanic meal. If you want to increase the flavor profile, 1/2 cup of finely chopped bacon thrown in for the frying time is good.

The Link Between Nutrition and Learning: 20 Critical Facts - check it out!

“The Link Between Nutrition and Learning: 20 Critical Facts”   http://www.bestcollegesonline.com/blog/2011/08/29/the-link-between-nutrition-and-learning-20-critical-facts This link was just shared with me and it is helpful reading for all of us who are trying to cook/bake well for our family while keeping nutrition and good eating in mind. Fast food should be an occasional treat not a daily meal!

Decadent Chocolate Cobbler

I’ve seen similar recipes called lava cakes but this one seems even more simple and it all goes into one pan so you don’t have to bother with baking individual dishes . . . unless you want to do so! I like the fact that the ingredients are usually to be handily had in the cupboard. Nothing like getting a fancy dessert from available ingredients. Decadent Chocolate Cobbler1 cup flour 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon salt ½ cup sugar 2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup baking cocoa, divided ½ cup milk 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 cup packed brown sugar 1-3/4 cups hot water In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar and 2 tablespoons cocoa. Stir in milk and oil until smooth. Pour into a greased 8-in. square baking pan. Combine the brown sugar and remaining cocoa; sprinkle over batter. Pour hot water over top but do not stir! Bake at 350° for approximately 40 minutes or until top of cake springs back when lightly touched. Serve warm. Ideas . . . 1/4 cup finely ground nuts in the first batter would be interesting. 1/4 cup peanut butter chips scattered over the cake just before putting it in the oven. 1 tablespoon of freshly grated orange zest.

Simple Custard Puff Pastry

This is a favorite recipe of mine that I just keep forgetting to make more often! It is great for having a dessert with the topping all come out of the oven at the same time. CUSTARD PUFF PASTRY ½ cup  butter, softened 1 cup all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons water ½ cup margarine or butter 1 cup water ¾ cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon almond extract 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup all-purpose flour 3 eggs Powdered sugar Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut ½ cup margarine or butter into 1 cup flour until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons water over flour mixture; mix. Gather pastry into a ball; divide into halves. Form each half into a rectangle, 12 x 3 inches on ungreased cookie sheet. They should be about 3 inches apart. Refrigerate Heat ½ cup margarine or butter and 1 cup water to rolling boil; remove from heat. Quickly stir in extracts and 1 cup flour. Stir vigorously over low heat until mixture form a ball, about one minute; remove from heat. Place mixture in mixing bowl and beat int eggs and sugar until smooth and glossy. Spread topping over each rectangle. Bake until topping is crisp and brown, about one hour; cool. Topping will shrink and fall, forming the custard top. Dust with powdered sugar before cutting and serving. Ideas . . .  Sometimes, I like to spread a very thin layer of jam on the dough just before I add the topping. Toasted coconut in the custard topping is nice.

Cranberry Nut Bars

Cranberry Nut Bars
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1/3 c. butter, melted
1 1/3 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon, grated orange rind

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease an 8" square baking pan.

Beat eggs in medium bowl until thick. Gradually add sugar, beating until thoroughly blended. Stir in flour and melted butter; blend well. Add cranberries, nuts, vanilla and orange rind mixing gently until just combined. Spread evenly in prepared pan. Bake 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. Ice while warm in the pan.

Icing:

Combine one cup powdered sugar with enough orange juice to make a spreadable icing. Glaze the warm cookies. let cool completely and cut into bars. Makes about two dozen cookie bars.

Apple Spice Pound Cake

The nice thing about   apples is that they seem to be in the stores most all the time. Even when they are a bit on the pricy side, it doesn't take many to turn out a good dessert. For some reasons, the smell of apples and spices always makes me feel happy!


Apple Spice Pound Cake

2 cups sugar
1 ½ cups vegetable oil
3 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ teaspoon Vanilla
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
3 cups apple; peeled, cored & finely diced (tart, green apples work best.)
1 cup walnuts, finely chopped

Mix sugar and oil, add eggs and beat well. Combine flour, soda and salt. Add flour mixture to beaten egg mixture. Stir in vanilla, apples, spices, and walnuts. Mix well. Spoon batter into a greased tube pan. Bake at 325 F for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Allow cake to cool to room temperature before removing from pan.

Never happen!

An optimist is a person who starts a new diet on Thanksgiving Day. Irv Kupcinet

Homemade Applesauce

Applesauce is the finishing touch to many main dishes. The smell of baked ham or pork chops can only be enhanced when there is a drift of apple scent in the air. And home made applesauce is another one of those impressive accomplishments you can make happen with only a little foresight.   Homemade applesauce begins with six to eight apples, peeled, cored and chopped coarsely. Green apples work best but using a combination of different varieties makes a unique and equally delicious applesauce. If you are like most busy mothers, the contents of your cupboard don’t always reflect what you might want or need come meal preparation time. Combine the prepared apples in a saucepan with the juice and zest of one lemon, ½ cup water, 1/4 to ½ cup sugar, tablespoon of brandy (if you have it), one generous teaspoon of cinnamon, dash of powdered cloves and a bit of nutmeg. Simmer gently on low flame until apples soften. Stir ever so often to prevent scorching. Also makes a good snack by itself Years ago, I ventured into home canning. There had been a bumper crop of apples that year and the prices in the store had dropped to very, very affordable. I spent an enjoyable albeit hectic morning, canning chunky apple sauce. The twelve jars were finally sealed and cooling on the counter. As I was working on the dishes, my daughters said my apple sauce was great. I whirled around to see them eating from a newly opened jar! I never had to worry about whether I had achieved a good seal on the jars. They never got to the point of having a shelf life!

Best way to eat your 'apple a day' . . .

Okay, perhaps, this isn't the absolutely best way to eat your apple a day but it is the best tasting way to eat your apple a day. I've seen many versions of this recipe over the years. I always forget about it . . . until my thoughts and my perspiring body start dreaming about Fall and the upcoming apple season.

Easy, one-bowl, apple cake

2 cups granulated sugar 1 cup vegetable oil 4 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 3 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking soda 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 3 cups diced  apples - the green apples work the best but you can do a combination. 1 cup chopped nuts 1/2 cup raisins - optional (I prefer dried cranberries!) Directions: Combine all the ingredients except apples, nuts, and raisins. Gentley stir in apples, nuts, and raisins. Pour into well-greased and floured pan.  You can bake this as a sheet cake, use a bundt pan, or an angel food tube pan. I haven't tried it but loaf pans would probably be okay, too. Bake at 325 degrees for  approximately 1 1/2 hours. Ideas . . . Soak the raisins and apples in a bit of brandy before stirring into the cake ingredients. A tablespoon of either freshly grated lemon or orange zest brightens the taste. A lemon or orange glaze over the almost-cooled cake is wonderful!

Peanut Butter Parfait Freeze

As with most families, anything with peanut butter will usually get rave reviews. This is a simple dessert you can make in the morning and put away in the freezer until needed. The only requirement is that if you freeze it for longer than four hours, it needs to sit out for 15-20 minutes before serving. Peanut Butter Parfait Freeze 8 ounces of cream cheese, softened to room temperature 1 cup confectioner's or powdered sugar 1/2 cup peanut butter, creamy is best 1/2 cup milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon orange extract Pinch cinnamon 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream, whipped Can of whipped cream Salted peanuts, roughly chopped Chocolate sprinkles, colorful candy-coated chocolate candy . . . be imaginative! Beat the cream cheese until smooth and fluffy. Gradually add in the sugar and beat until well combined. Blend in the peanut butter. Stir in the milk, extracts, cinnamon. Fold in your stiffly beaten whipping cream. Divide your mixture into 4-6 pretty cups, small bowls, etc., your choice. Freeze for about 3 hours. When serving, top with a generous spritz of the whipped cream and sprinkle with the peanuts or toppings of your choice. You could even drizzle a bit of chocolate syrup on them. My kind of dessert - no oven involved!

Quick treats that taste like you fussed . . .

When I make biscuits, I really make biscuit with all the measuring and mixing involved. You will seldom find the refrigerated rolls of biscuits in my shopping cart . . . However, one never must say never because when they are on sale, there are interesting way to use them and they will not resemble biscuits anymore. If you can get the tube of flakey biscuits, you can present a real surprise to your family some morning. All you need is a medium pot of hot oil, some favorite jam, and a couple tubes of these biscuits. Separate the biscuits and place on a working board. Gently open each biscuit on one side to form a pocket. Fill the pocket with a teaspoon or two of jam and seal the dough shut. Carefully lower each newly-born biscuit into the hot oil and cook on both sides until a deep, golden brown, Drain on paper towel and when still quite warm, roll in sugar to coat. Call your family to the breakfast table! A tip: The oil should be hot enough to cook but not so hot that it cooks the outside of your  treat long before the middle gets done. Another fun way to get something with cinnamon and sugar into the breakfast offerings also uses the tubes of biscuits. This time, you need a frying pan with 1/4 cup oil ready to heat in it. Take one biscuit at a time, roll it out about 1/4-inch thick. Remember, the size should be in relation to the size of your frying pan! When you are halfway through the rolling out, get the oil heating. Carefully lay one of your flattened ex-biscuits into the hot oil. Turn when it is browned on one side. Remove to drain on paper towl and then dust with powdered sugar or cinnamon and sugar. You can also take these prepared biscuits, press out a hole in the middle and fry them like donuts. Sugar, powdered sugar, or even a chocolate glaze would go over well with your family. Need a bread to go with dinner and biscuits are too much of a breakfast food your our particular meal? Take each of the tube biscuits, cut in half across and roll each into a breadstick. Place on a greased baking sheet, brush with butter, and sprinkle with garlic salt . . . or whatever sounds good to you. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown and enjoy.

Meat ball soup and more . . .

I like this recipe because it is relatively simple yet filling and happily enjoyed by the family. If you only have an hour or so until dinner, you can actually get this meal on the table in a timely manner. Your family will think you are amazing. Meatball Soup    Two to three pounds of ground beef 2 teaspoons salt Pepper to taste 1 teaspoon dried dill ½ teaspoon dried chili flakes ½ cup white or red wine 4-5 cups beef or vegetable broth, canned or homemade ½ cup freshly grated Romano or Parmesan cheese. Combine ingredients through chili flakes and form into desired sized meatballs. Roll the meatballs in flour to coat. In a large pot, brown the meatballs in a tablespoon or two of olive oil. Turn down the heat and slowly add the wine and broth. Simmer approximately 20 minutes until thoroughly hot and meatballs are cooked through. Salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the cheese over the soup, mix in until melted and soup thickens slightly. Can be served alone or with rice. Ideas . . . Want a bit more nutrient substance in your soup? Add a defrosted cup of frozen mixed vegetables to your soup. A large potato, peeled and diced will omit the need for the rice. Just cook the soup (after the meatballs are done) until the potatoes are tender. You have small children, make smaller than normal meatballs. No time to simmer soup? Brown the meatballs thoroughly and then pour in a can of cream of mushroom soup with 1/2 cup milk or cream and gently cook until meatballs are done. Goes well over rice or spaghetti or pasta.

Simply pancakes . . .

You find yourself out of pancake mix and panic. Why? Pancake mix is convenient but you can save money and have even better-tasting ones from ingredients that are probably already in your pantry cupboard.

Simple Pancake Recipe 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
6 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoon sugar
2 large egg
4 tablespoons oil or melted shortening
2 cups milk

Combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Add the egg and oil (or shortening) and milk. Mix well. Grease griddle or large frying pan. When hot, pour batter, about 1/4 cup at a time. When it bubbles, turn over an cook other side. Makes about 24 medium pancakes.

If you are fortunate enough to possess a waffle iron, this recipe works perfectly for that, too. Waffles always seem to taste different because of their crispness. Remember that besides being a breakfast treat, fruit and whipped cream will make it welcome after a light dinner. It will be light on the budget, too!

Fruit Bread Pudding . . .

This is a good way to use up leftover bread, rolls, etc. No one will complain about eating leftovers when it is presented like this. In fact, I have a version just out of the oven for my family this evening. My husband likes it because it never turns out the same but it is always good.

Fruit Bread Pudding
 Approximately 4 cups cubed bread
1 cup finely chopped apple
1 small package frozen blueberries
3 well-beaten eggs
½ cup packed, brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
½ cup fresh orange juice
Juice and zest of one lemon
1/4 cup brandy (optional - you can use apple juice)
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Place bread in large mixing bowl, add everything and combine well. Mixture should be very moist but not waterlogged. Add more juice, if necessary. Arrange in a buttered baking dish and bake approximately 30 minutes until golden. Tastes good hot, warm or cold. Ice cream, whipped cream, or just a dribble of heavy cream can only upgrade your creation.

Bread pudding can also be made with peaches, other berries and even canned pineapple, and such. You have to take a moment to consider your family's tastes, the state of your budget, and your creative barometer for the day.

Soup from a jar . . .

Soup from a jar? Nope, not talking about a packaged product for your dinner table just some help in getting a hot meal to your dinner table. This is a favorite recipe and you can adapt it to your own tastes on many levels. Soup From a Jar 1/4 pound ground beef 1/4 pound sausage meat 1 onion, chopped 1 26-ounce jar your favorite spaghetti sauce 1 ½ cups water, approximate ½ cup red wine 1 pound frozen, mixed vegetables 1 regular-sized can white beans 2 or 3 cups cooked pasta - you decide! 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon ground, black pepper ½ teaspoon oregano Brown the ground beef and sausage until brown and crumbly. Use a large, heavy-duty cooking pot that has a lid. Add the onion and cook just until onion starts to get limp, about five minutes. Add everything else! If the soup is too thick, add more water or chicken broth. Bring to a simmer. Serve hot bowls of this hearty soup on those miserable, rainy days. Short tempers will start to lengthen and everyone will know mom still loves them. Offer it with bread to sop up the bottom of the bowl and salad for contrast and good health! Use Italian dressing, of course! Ideas . . . You can use any kind of canned bean you like. Black beans or even pinto beans go well with this recipe. I have even used a combination upon occasion. Grate some Parmesan cheese over each serving. Keep the chili flakes at hand for those who might want a little kick to their soup.

Candy Store Competition . . .

One of my favorite sweets to make over the holidays is almond bark. Judging from the prices in the store, it would never be in my budget . . . unless I made it myself! Cruise down the baking aisle of Walmart or most grocery stores and you should find large packages of either white or chocolate melting coating. It is usually in the form of a large square and about one or two pounds.  This is the main ingredient for turning out a great dish of candy for a special event. Anyway, this is one of those estimate recipes so exact amounts are difficult to gauge for each kitchen. I will give the basics and depending on what type of melting coating/chocolate you find, you can ajust it to fit your needs. My favorite is the above-mentioned Almond Bark. I toast about a cup and a half of whole almonds still with the brown skin on them. Toasting is simply. Spread the almonds on a baking sheet and put into a 350-degree oven for about 10-15 minutes or until you start to smell the almonds. You want them to be on the verge of almost too much toasting but not burned. A quick nibble will tell you if it has reached the taste that appeals to you. Remove them from the oven and cool down. While the almonds are cooling, melt the block of white 'chocolate' (It isn't really chocolate.) according to directions. Be careful to not scorch it or let any water near it or it will seize up into a nasty mess. Okay, you now have a wonderful pot of melted white 'chocolate' - stir in the almonds and quickly spread onto a buttered sheet of foil. Spread it out sort of one-almond deep. Let set for 30-40 minutes or hurry up the process in the refrigerator. Break up into serving pieces. If you found the white chocolate stuff, you noticed they also have it in a brown chocolate version. You can go through the same melting routine with that but stir in crushed hard mint candies. The chocolate version is also good with 1/2 cup pecans and 1/2 cup raisins. This faux chocolate coating/melting ingredient is a time saver and can really enhance your parties, or treats for your children, friends, etc. Just don't tell anyone how easy it was to make!

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies - the Easy Way . . .

No time to fool around with the ins and outs of a new recipe? Don't have the exotic spices required to produce a gourmet treat? Here is a fun and easy way to get cookies into the hands of your hungry family, make you look amazing, and not cause you undo stress.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

1 box of spice cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups oatmeal
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all the ingredientss together in a large mixing bowl. Use a spoon, no need for a mixer today!

Vegetable oil spray your baking sheets. Drop walnut-sized balls of dough about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes our until set and light brown. Remove from baking sheet and let cool on a cooling rack.

Icing

1 cup powdered sugar
Enough fresh lemon juice to form a medium thin paste.

Drizzle over the cookies before they get completely cool.

Stove-Top Rice Pudding

Stove-Top Rice Pudding 1 cup rice (not fast-cooking type) 3 cups milk 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg 3/4 cup finely diced, green apple (optional) Zest of one lemon and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. Combine the rice, milk and sugar in a pot. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat, cover and simmer for approximately 20 minutes or until almost all the milk is absorbed by the rice. (If you are going to use the apples, dice them at this time, add zest and lemon juice and set aside.) When the rice is cooked, remove from heat and add spices. Apple mixture can be stirred in at this time. Cover and let rice pudding set about ten minutes to incorporate the flavors. Can be served warm or cold. Makes about six small servings or four hearty desserts. Cooking in the summer heat is not pleasant. This dessert will not take away from your air conditioning and provide a welcome ending to your meal.