Peach Dumplings and Tutorial

Made with lemon-lime soda and crescent rolls, Peach Dumplings are a fun and interesting dessert!

Peach Dumplings

2 (8 oz.) cans Pillsbury Original Refrigerated Crescent Rolls (8 rolls per can)

16 frozen peach slices

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

1-1/4 cups sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

Ground cinnamon

1 cup lemon-lime soda (Sprite, Mountain Dew, or 7-Up)

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9x13 baker with cooking spray.  Roll each peach slice in a crescent roll starting at widest end of roll.  Arrange in baker.  Melt butter, then add sugar and slightly stir.  Add vanilla, stir a couple of times, and then pour entire mixture evenly over the rolls/peaches.  Pour lemon-lime soda along the edges of the baker and between the dumplings.  (Do not pour on top of dumplings.)  Dust with cinnamon and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.  Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

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Peach Dumplings 101:  Arrange dumplings in baker, top with sugar/butter mixture, and pour soda along the edges of the baker and between the dumplings.  Bake and enjoy!

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Fried Green Tomatoes

Crisp, a golden crust, and hot-from-the-skillet. Could it get any better than classic fried green tomatoes?  Served with feta cheese and red chili ranch sauce, it’s fried green tomatoes with a touch of heat.

Optional feta cheese crumbles not shown.

Optional Red Chili Ranch Sauce ingredients

Fried Green Tomatoes

3 green tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch slices
  2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon black pepper, divided
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour, divided
2 cups vegetable oil (approximately)

Salt to taste

Optional toppings:  feta cheese crumbles and/or Red Chili Ranch Sauce (recipe below) 

In a broad bowl, combine eggs and buttermilk. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1 tablespoon flour; mix well. Place tomato slices in the egg and buttermilk mixture. Set aside to rest. (You may be able to soak only a few tomato slices at a time, and that is fine.)

Preheat about 1-inch of oil to 350° in heavy skillet or electric skillet. In a medium-sized bowl, mix remaining flour, salt, and pepper. Remove tomato slices from egg/buttermilk mixture one at a time and dredge in the seasoned flour shaking off any excess.  Place tomato slices in heated oil and fry until brown; turn 2–3 times. Keep tomato slices separate from one another during frying as they will stick together if they touch. Cook until crisp, and drain on paper towels. Salt to taste. Serve immediately with optional feta cheese crumbles and/or Red Chili Ranch Sauce.

Frying Tip:  Between batches of tomatoes, check the oil temperature and allow to heat to 350 degrees before adding more tomatoes. 

Red Chili Ranch Sauce

1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Dressing & Seasoning 

1 cup whole milk
1 cup mayonnaise
3 tsp. Huy Fong Chili Garlic Sauce

Mix first three ingredients well. Cover and refrigerate. Chill 30 minutes to thicken. Stir in the chili garlic sauce. Serve.

You can find the Huy Fong Chili Garlic Sauce in the Asian food section of Wal-Mart and Target.

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Banana Pudding

Made with real whipped cream, this banana pudding recipe is so good...and so easy!

Banana Pudding

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

1 1/2 cups cold water

1 (3.4 oz.) box instant vanilla pudding mix

1 pint (16 oz.) heavy whipping cream

1 box vanilla wafers

5 or 6 medium-sized bananas

Chill large mixing bowl and beaters or whisk attachment.  In a separate large bowl (I use a 3 qt), whisk together the sweetened condensed milk and water.  Add pudding mix, and whisk for 2 minutes.  Mixture will be thinner than normal pudding.  Chill for 5 minutes.  Meanwhile, in the chilled mixing bowl, whip cream at high speed until stiff peaks form. (See note below.)  Gently fold the whipped cream into the pudding mixture with a spatula.  

Spoon 1 cup pudding mixture into a 2.5 qt. serving bowl or trifle bowl.  Top with one layer of vanilla wafers laid side by side (I leave a little space in between the wafers.)  Slice bananas into 1/4-inch slices.  Layer one layer of sliced bananas on top of vanilla wafers (lay side by side closely together). Top with half* of the remaining pudding and another layer of wafers and bananas.  Top with the rest of the pudding and garnish as desired.  Chill for four hours before serving.  Store in refrigerator.

*My serving dish and trifle bowl both widen at the top, so I use two cups of pudding for the second pudding layer and the remaining pudding (about three cups) for the top layer.

Note:  For a great whipped cream visual guide, click here.

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Oreo Ice Cream Dessert

Oreo Ice Cream Dessert is the perfect summertime treat.  Three ingredients, no-bake, and can be made ahead of time...how easy is that?

Oreo Ice Cream Dessert

1 (1.75 qt.) carton vanilla ice cream

1 (14.3 oz.) package regular Oreo cookies (not Double Stuff)

1 (8 oz.) container whipped topping, thawed

Soften ice cream in a very large bowl.  Crush entire bag of Oreo cookies using a food processor, or you could also place them in a large zipper seal bag and crush them with a rolling pin.  Reserve 1 cup of Oreo crumbs.  When ice cream has softened, stir in the remaining Oreo crumbs.  Spread in a 9x13 baker and freeze.  When frozen, spread the container of whipped topping on top, and then sprinkle with desired amount of reserved Oreo crumbs.  Freeze until ready to serve.  Allow to sit out for 5-10 minutes before serving.  Warm a knife with hot water to make cutting the dessert easier. 

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This recipe was shared with me by friend Linda Henson.

Slow Cooker Pork Chops

Meat that literally falls apart?  Delicious gravy?  Quick and simple?  This is your recipe!

Cornstarch and salt for gravy not shown.

Slow Cooker Pork Chops

6 boneless thick-cut pork center cut or thick-cut loin chops

1 (10-3/4 oz.) can condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 packet pork gravy mix
1 packet onion soup mix

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

4 tbsp. of cornstarch for the gravy

Salt to taste

Put pork chops in a 6 qt. slow cooker.  In a medium bowl, combine cream of chicken soup and packets.  Slowly add chicken broth stirring well.  Pour soup mixture over pork chops.  Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Gravy:  30 minutes before you're ready to serve, in a small bowl, mix 4 tbsp. of cornstarch with just enough cold water to make the mixture a liquid.  Remove pork chops from slow cooker, and stir in the cornstarch mixture.  Salt to taste.  Put the pork chops back in and cover until ready to serve.

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Strawberry Lemonade Muffins

Tartness from the lemon contrasts well with fresh, sweet strawberries in these muffins.  

Strawberry Lemonade Muffins

MyRecipes is a great site to find just the recipe for which you're looking!  Strawberry Lemonade Muffins can be found there as well as many others:  https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/strawberry-lemonade-muffins

Notes:

*If using ceramic muffin pans, allow muffins to cool in pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes.  Run a knife around the muffins, and then remove the muffins from pans to a wire rack for further cooling.

*Baking Tip:  When you need freshly squeezed lemon, lime, or orange juice for a recipe, microwave the fruit first to making juicing easier.  Place the lemon, orange, lime, or other citrus fruit in the microwave.  Heat on high for 20-30 seconds.  Remove from the microwave and let it rest for about half a minute. Cut the citrus fruit in half and squeeze. The juice will flow easily. 

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Chicken Pizzaiolo

Chicken Pizzaiolo is an easy, pizza-inspired dish that can be served alone or over a bed of pasta.

Chicken Pizzaiolo

1 (24-oz.) jar marinara sauce 

1 tsp. dried oregano

6 (4 oz.) boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or you can use 4 (6 oz.) breasts)
Black pepper to taste
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Pepperoni (turkey or regular)

Mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 450. Spread the marinara sauce in a 9x13 glass or ceramic baking dish. Crumble the dried oregano, and sprinkle it over the sauce.
 

2. Cover the chicken breasts in plastic wrap and gently pound to ½-inch thickness. Sprinkle the chicken breasts with desired amount of black pepper.
 

3. Spread the Parmesan in a shallow dish. Roll the chicken in the Parmesan, and lay the breasts on top of the marinara. Bake for 15-25 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
 

4. Remove the chicken from the oven, top with desired amount of pepperoni slices and Mozzarella cheese, and bake for another 5 to 7 minutes.

Candied Carrots

Baby carrots are coated in a buttery brown sugar sauce for a colorful side dish perfect to serve with savory entrees.

Candied Carrots

2 (1 lb.) bags baby carrots
1/4 cup butter
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt + salt for carrots while cooking
1/8 tsp. pepper
Snipped parsley

Place carrots into a large saucepan.  (I use a 5 qt. Dutch oven.) Pour in enough water to cover the carrots by about an inch.  Lightly salt water.  Bring water to a boil; cover and reduce heat to a high simmer.  Cook 20-30 minutes until tender but firm; do not overcook.  Drain carrots well.

In the same saucepan over medium heat, melt butter.  Stir in brown sugar, salt, and pepper.  Transfer carrots into brown sugar sauce; cook and stir until carrots are glazed with sauce--2 to 3 minutes more.  (Sauce will liquify.)  Using a slotted spoon, transfer carrots to a 1.5 qt. serving bowl pouring a small amount of the sauce over the carrots.  Sprinkle with snipped parsley before serving.

*Carrots will stay warm for several minutes if kept on low and covered.  Do not sprinkle with snipped parsley until ready to serve.

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I have always loved Cheddar's cooked carrots, so I set out to find a copycat recipe but found that none existed.  So I experimented with batch after batch of cooked carrots (to which my friends and family can attest...lol) until I came up with a recipe very close to Cheddar's.

Cheeseburger Pie

This recipe has been on the Bisquick mix box for years, but I had never tried it.  Imagine my surprise when I finally did, made a few tweaks, and found that it tastes just like a cheeseburger—right down to the pickles! 

Cheeseburger Pie

1 lb. lean (at least 80%) ground beef

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 tsp. salt

Black pepper to taste

Garlic powder to taste

Onion powder to taste

Chopped dill pickles

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese + more for topping

1/2 cup baking mix (Bisquick, Jiffy, etc.)

1 cup milk

2 eggs, beaten

Condiments:  ketchup, mustard, lettuce, tomato, barbecue sauce, bacon, etc.

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a deep-dish pie plate with cooking spray.  In a 10-inch skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until beef is brown.  Drain, and stir in salt.  Stir in desired amounts of pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.  Spread in pie plate.

Cover beef layer with desired amount of chopped dill pickles.  (I use 1.5 cups.)  Sprinkle with one cup cheddar cheese. 

In a small bowl, stir the baking mix, milk, and eggs with a fork or wire whisk until blended.  Pour into pie plate.

Bake about 25 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  Top with desired amount of extra cheddar cheese and bake for a few minutes more until the cheese melts.

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Cheeseburger Pie 101:  Here are three photos showing the amount of dill pickles I use (about 1.5 cups), what the pie looks like before you bake it, and what it looks like when it's ready to serve:

Slow Cooker Sausage and Kraut

Slow Cooker Sausage and Kraut is the easiest meal you will ever make...and so delicious!

Slow Cooker Sausage and Kraut

2 (13 oz.) packages fully-cooked smoked sausage, kielbasa, or turkey sausage

1 (32 oz.) bag or jar refrigerated sauerkraut, undrained

2 (15 oz.) cans whole new potatoes, drained*

2 tsp. caraway seeds

Slice sausage to desired size and add to a 6 qt. slow cooker.  Add undrained sauerkraut, drained potatoes, and caraway seeds.  Carefully stir to combine so as not to break the potatoes.  Cover, and cook on high for about 3 hours or low for about 5 hours.

Variation:  Add 1/2 cup apple juice and 2 tbsp. of sugar to mixture before cooking.

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*Canned potatoes are great for any slow cooker recipe.  They are perfectly cooked (never hard or the opposite...mushy) and hold their shape during cooking.

Irish Soda Bread is a great accompaniment to sausage and kraut, and I have a wonderful recipe for it!  

Easy Irish Soda Bread:  http://easyaspiecanbe.blogspot.com/2016/03/irish-soda-bread.html

**Recipe adapted from bakeatmidnite.com:  http://bakeatmidnite.com/bavarian-bratwurst-with-kraut/ 

Banana Bread Snack Cake

You know that one banana that is just too ripe to eat?  Well, it is perfect for this tasty snack cake that is a combination of a cake and a bread.  Banana Bread Snack Cake uses pantry ingredients and is so quick and easy to make.  It's perfect for breakfast, too!

Banana Bread Snack Cake

Taste of Home has amazing recipes, and one of them is the Banana Bread Snack Cake recipe found here:  http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/banana-bread-snack-cakes?cpi=1&sort=

Pizza Dip

Pizza...everyone's favorite food.  Now in a dip that's cheesy, warm, and gooey!

Pizza Dip

Center Cut Cook features some really good recipes...and this is one of them!  😀 

http://www.centercutcook.com/pizza-dip/

Note:  We like this dip served with Stacy's Pita Chips available at most grocery stores including Wal-Mart.

White Chicken Chili

How about serving up something different from traditional chili made with beef and tomatoes? White Chicken Chili is a flavorful blend of tender chunks of chicken, white beans, and just enough zip.

White Chicken Chili

3 tbsp. olive oil
3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
3/4 cup chopped onion
3 cups chicken broth
3 (4 oz.) cans chopped green chilies, undrained
1 tbsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano leaves
1 1/2 tsp. dried cilantro leaves
1/2 tsp. ground red pepper
3 (14.5 oz.) cans great northern beans, undrained
Salt to taste
Garnishes:  sour cream, Monterey Jack cheese

Heat oil in a 5 qt. sauté pan over medium heat.  Add cubed chicken, stirring often, until chicken is cooked through.  Remove chicken to a 5 qt. or larger Dutch oven.  Cover, and keep warm.  Add onion to the drippings in the sauté pan, and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes.  Stir in broth, green chilies, garlic powder, ground cumin, oregano leaves, cilantro leaves, and ground red pepper.  Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.  Pour this over the chicken that's in the Dutch oven, and add the beans.  Cover and simmer for at least an hour.  Salt to taste.  Garnish with sour cream and Monterey Jack cheese if desired.  Serve with corn bread or corn chips.

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Cornbread is a good side for this chili, and I have an easy, delicious recipe for it!

Cornbread:  http://easyaspiecanbe.blogspot.com/2014/02/cornbread.html

I adapted this recipe from the original recipe shared with me by my friend Lori.

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Pecan Pie Bars

Pecan pie as a bar cookie...buttery, rich, decadent, easy, and foolproof!  It doesn't get much better than that.

Pecan Pie Bars

Crust:
2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, cut up

Filling:
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
4 large eggs, beaten
2 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl; cut in 3/4 cup butter thoroughly with a pastry blender until mixture resembles very fine crumbs.  Press mixture evenly into a 9x13 baker sprayed with cooking spray.  Bake at 350 degrees for 17-20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Combine brown sugar, corn syrup, and 1/2 cup butter in a 3 qt. saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium heat stirring gently.  Remove from heat.  Gradually stir 1 cup of hot mixture into beaten eggs then add to remaining hot mixture.  Stir in pecans and vanilla.  Pour filling over crust.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until set.  Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.  Cut into bars.

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This recipe was shared with me by one of the best cooks I know--my sister-in-law, Christi Wilson.

Christi's Sweet Potato Casserole

My sister-in-law Christi makes the best sweet potato casserole I have ever eaten.  The soufflé-like texture and non-traditional Rice Krispies/pecan topping really send it over the top.

Christi's Sweet Potato Casserole 

4 lbs. (about four large) sweet potatoes

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

3/4 to 1 cup evaporated milk

1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 eggs, beaten

Topping:

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup crispy rice cereal (Rice Krispies)

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Scrub sweet potatoes cutting off woody portions and ends.  Peel, cube, and cook in enough boiling water to cover till tender--about 25-35 minutes.  Alternately, potatoes may be cooked using a pressure cooker.  Link to the website of the method I use provided below.  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Drain potatoes and mash in a large (I use a 4 qt.) bowl.  Add butter and stir/mash until melted.  Stir in evaporated milk, sugar (to taste), and cinnamon.  Add eggs.  Spread in a 3 or 3.5 qt. ungreased baker.  Mix the topping ingredients until crumbly and sprinkle over the top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.

How to pressure cook sweet potatoes:  https://www.pressurecookrecipes.com/instant-pot-sweet-potato/

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My sister-in-law Christi is a fabulous cook.  For as long as I can remember, she has made this sweet potato casserole for my family's Thanksgiving, and we look forward to this tradition each year!

Apple Brickle Dip

Toffee bits in a sweetened cream cheese mixture is the perfect dip for apples!  Apple Brickle Dip is perfect for all your holiday gatherings whether it's a Halloween get-together, a Thanksgiving buffet, or a Christmas or New Year's Eve party.

Apple Brickle Dip

Taste of Home has amazing recipes, and one of them is the Apple Brickle Dip recipe found here:  http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/apple-brickle-dip

Notes:

*Neufchâtel cheese can be substituted for cream cheese. 

*I use 1 (8 oz.) package of Heath Bits O' Brickle toffee bits.

*I use 3 or 4 medium-sized tart apples like Granny Smiths, cut into wedges or chunks

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