Monster Cookies

Printable Recipe

I'm sure everyone has seen or tried a Monster cookie before.  These are pretty versatile and you can add just about anything you want ... raisins, (chocolate-covered raisins would be good), nuts, anything that suits you.  And they contain no flour! 

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 tsp corn syrup
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
4 1/2 cups oatmeal
2 tsp baking soda
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1 cup M&Ms

Cream the butter, sugar, brown sugar and corn syrup until well mixed. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.  Beat in the peanut butter.  Beat in the oatmeal, baking soda, chocolate chips and M&Ms until thoroughly combined.  Scoop onto cookie sheets and bake 350 degrees for 9-12 minutes, or until browned.  Length of baking time will depend upon the size of the cookie.  Larger cookies may take up to 15 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack.

Chocolate and Mint Chip Cookies

Printable Recipe

I found this recipe on Two Peas and Their Pod.  They are very good, and very fudgy.  There is no egg, but the dough is not crumbly.  Don't use a cookie scoop to scoop out the dough, or else the will turn craggy and look not so appealing.  Roll them into balls.  No need to flatten them.


1-1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup dutch-process cocoa-make sure to use dutch process for a rich/dark flavor
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cubed and room temp
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/3 cup milk
1 (12-oz) bag of Nestle Dark Chocolate & Mint Chips (Original recipe calls for Guittard Mint Chips, but I can't find them anywhere, so I used the Nestle chips)

Stir together the flour, baking pwd, salt and cocoa and set aside.  Cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Add the vanilla, mixing in well.  Add the flour mixture and milk alternately, until combined.  Add the dark chocolate and mint chips.  Chill for at least 15 minutes.  Bake on ungreased cookie sheets 325 degrees for 14 - 15 minutes.  Cool completely on the cookie sheet so that they can firm up.  Store in an airtight container.

Candied Sweet Potatoes

8 medium sweet potatoes (or 2 cans)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup mini marshmallows

Prepare, cook sweet potatoes until tender. Drain, peel and cut into 1/2" slices and place into a greased 1 1/2 quart casserole dish.  Layer 1/2 of each of the first 4 ingredients. Repeat layers. Bake uncovered, 375 degrees 30 - 40 minutes or until glazed.  Sprinkle with the marshmallows.  Bake 5 minutes or until browned.

Italian Roast Beef Sandwiches

First, a little rant .... My camera sucks!  It devours batteries like you would not believe!  I put brand new batteries in it, and can take maybe one picture, and then the batteries die!  I am not kidding.  Other times, they will last accordingly.  So for now, I will have to post recipes without any pictures.  Can anyone recommend a good camera for not a lot of money?

Now onto the recipe:  I combined two recipes for this one.  It's very versatile and you can make it as spicy as you'd like.  This can be made in the crock pot, on top of the stove, or in the oven.


Printable Recipe

a 3-4 pound chuck roast, trimmed of fat
a bit of olive oil
dried thyme leaves
dried oregano leaves
dried basil leaves
salt
pepper
1 can Swanson Beef broth
1/2 to 1 whole (14 1/2 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup water
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp dried red pepper flakes, or more if desired
beef boullion granules, optional

Brown the roast in a heavy skillet in a bit of olive oil on both sides. Sprinkle on the thyme,oregano, basil, salt and pepper (enough to cover the surface of the meat) on both sides and brown again on both sides, for just about a minute, or so.  Place roast in a crock pot. Pour the beef broth, tomatoes and water into the skillet and bring to a boil.  Use a rubber spatula and scrape the bottom of the pan, scraping up the browned bits of meat.  Pour over the meat in the crock pot.  Add the bay leaf and red pepper flakes.  Cover crock pot and cook on LOW for 8 hours, or HIGH for 5 hours; or until meat is tender.  Turn roast over halfway through cooking.  When meat has finished cooking, shred it using two forks and then return it to the broth in the crock pot.  If you want a beefier flavor, add the beef boullion - maybe a tsp.  Serve on buns or kaiser rolls with the broth on the side for dipping your sandwiches into.


To cook on the stovetop, simmer in a covered pan for about 2 hours.

To cook in the oven, cook in a covered roasting pan at 300 degrees for 5 hours.

Crock Pot Chili

Have you tried any of the new McCormick Slow Cookers Seasoning mixes?  I've only tried two so far, but they are pretty tasty!  If you don't like your chili spicy, add 1-2 cans of tomato paste.

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1 pkg McCormick Slow Cookers Chili Seasoning mix
2 lbs hamburger
2 (14 1/2 oz) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
2 (16 oz) cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 1/2 oz) can tomato sauce
1-2 (6 oz) cans tomato paste, optional

Brown the hamburger and drain. Place in crock pot, and add the remaining ingredients.  Stir well and cover.  Cook on LOW for 8 hours, or on HIGH for 4 hours.  Stir well before serving.

Apple Crisp

Printable Recipe


2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups oatmeal
1-2 tsp salt
1 cup butter, cut into small chunks

6 cups peeled and cored apple slices
1 cup granulated sugar
4 tsp cinnamon

Mix the brown sugar, flour, oatmeal, salt and butter until resembles coarse crumbs. Press 1/3 of this mixture into a greased 9 x 13" pan.

Peel, core and thinly slice apple. Place in a large bowl, and add the sugar and cinnamon. Stir until well coated. Layer the apples over the crust in the pan. Top with the remaining 2/3 of the crumb mixture. Bake 375 degrees for 40 - 45 minutes, or until the apples are tender and the crust, golden brown.

Good & Easy Beef Stew

Printable Recipe 

This is a very good recipe.  The extra ingredients of lemon juice, allspice and Worcestershire give it a different flavor from your traditional beef stew recipes.  Try it - you won't be disappointed!

2 lb stew meat, or chuck roast cut into 1" cubes
paprika, optional
4 cups hot water
2 tsp beef bouillon granules
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 bay leaf
1/2 - 1 tsp salt, or more, to taste
1/4 pepper
pinch allspice
1 tsp sugar
1 medium onion, cut up
6 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
3-5 potatoes, peeled and cut up

Brown the meat in a bit of oil in a heavy skillet.  Do this in batches, if necessary. Drain.  Add the water, bouillon, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, salt, pepper, allspice, sugar and half of the onion.  Bring to a boil and cover.  Reduce flame and simmer for 1 hour 45 minutes, or until the met is almost tender.  Add the vegetables and bring to another boil.  Cover and simmer for another 20 - 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.  Thicken for gravy with a mixture of flour and cold water.

Additional bouillon may be added, if you want a beefier flavor.

Crispy Oven-Roasted Potatoes

Printable Recipe


I've discovered this recipe for Roasted Potatoes in Cooks Country Magazine quite a while ago, and they are very, very good. The cornstarch is what helps to make these so crispy.  I use new potatoes, the little red ones, but the large red potatoes should work just as well.

 
2 lbs large red potatoes (I use new potatoes) scrubbed, dried and each cut into 8 wedges (I just cut into smallish chunks)
1 tbsp cornstarch (This is key to them turning out so crispy)
1/2 tsp garlic pwd (I'm not real fond of garlic, so I don't add it)
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp butter
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 tsp minced fresh parsley
1/8 tsp grated lemon zest

1. Adjust the oven rack to upper-middle position, place a rimmed baking sheet on rack, and heat oven to 450 degrees.

2. Meanwhile, toss potatoes, cornstarch, garlic pwd, salt and pepper together in a large bowl. Carefully remove preheated baking sheet from oven, add oil, and tilt baking sheet to evenly coat with oil. Place potatoes, cut side down in single layer, on baking sheet. Roast until browned around the edges, about 30 minutes.

3. While potatoes roast, mix butter, garlic, parsley and lemon zest together in a medium bowl. Remove baking sheet from oven and, using a metal spatula, turn potatoes skin side down. Roast until potatoes are crisp and deep golden brown, 10 - 15 minutes.

4. Transfer potatoes to bowl with the butter and toss until evenly coated. Season with additional salt and pepper.

Note: I do not use the flavored butter at all, but just serve them as is.

BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches

My sister told me about this recipe and I made them yesterday. They are very good, and quite easy to make. It uses a seasoning packet and is made in the crock pot, so the meat turns out very tender. You could easily use your own homemade sauce, or a bottled one, but this is very good, too. It has a nice, smokey flavor to it.

Printable Recipe

3 pounds boneless pork shoulder, well trimmed of fat (I used a boneless pork loin roast)
1 pkg McCormick "Slow Cookers BBQ Pulled Pork Seasoning"
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

Place pork in crock pot. In a bowl or saucepan, mix together the seasoning packet, ketchup, brown sugar and vinegar and pour over the roast. Cover. Cook on LOW for 8 hours, or on HIGH for 4 hours. Remove pork from crock pot and using two forks, shred meat. Return meat to crock pot and continue cooking for about 5 - 10 minutes to heat the meat back up. The sauce is quite thin, so you may want to add a little bit of bottled bbq sauce if you desire a thicker sauce. However, if allowed to sit for several minutes, the meat will absorb much of the sauce. Serve on buns.

The roast I had was closer to 5 pounds, so I cut it down to 3 pounds. If your roast is larger, you will need to cook it longer than the specified time.

Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Cookies

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I browse a lot of cooking blogs and recently found this recipe on
Elle's New England Kitchen.  These cookies are very good!  They stay soft and still taste fresh, even a few days later!  I cut the recipe in half, and they still made quite a few cookies.  You mix together a mixture of butter, peanut butter, and honey that you then add to the cookie dough.

Note: The recipe calls for 4 oz. of honey in the peanut butter mixture, and I wasn't sure if it means by weight or by volume, and if it even makes a difference in the way you measure it out.  I will have to contact Elle and ask her.  I did measure it by weight and the peanut butter mixture seemed a little runny, but in the end, the cookies still tasted great.  However, they did seem a little on the thin side and I had to cool them completely on the cookie sheets before removing them.  Maybe next time I will use a measuring cup instead of weighing it, and see if that makes a difference.  Perhaps chilling the dough before baking will help, too.

I divided the dough in half and used Reeses Pieces in half, and milk chocolate chips in the other half.  These are definitely a new favorite!

See the original recipe here.


2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter, room temp
1/4 cup shortening, room temp
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
Peanut butter mixture (see below)
1/2 (10 oz) bag Mini Reese's Pieces

Peanut Butter Mixture
1 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter, room temp
2 tbsp honey

Mix together the peanut butter mixture and set aside.

Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream the 3/4 cup of butter, shortening, granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, beating well after each one. Add the vanilla and the peanut butter mixture. Add the flour mixture in thirds and beat on low speed until mixed in.

Roll into large balls and bake 350 degrees for 9-11 minutes, depending on the size of the ball of dough. Do not over bake.  Remove from oven when lightly golden brown.  They will set up nicely as they cool.  Cool a few minutes on the cookie sheets before removing to a cooling rack to cool thoroughly.  Store in an airtight container.

Easy Chicken Tacos

 Printable Recipe

This recipe comes from Cooks Country, the August/September, 2009 edition.  As soon as I saw this recipe, I knew I wanted to make them. The recipe calls for canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce. You can find them in the ethnic section of your grocery store. I've never used them before, so I didn't know what to expect. They have a kick to them, but not too spicy, and the sauce has a nice, smokey flavor to it. These tacos are simple to make and can be ready in under 30 minutes (or so). Next time, I might even double the sauce because I used about 1 1/4 pounds of chicken, rather than the 1 1/2 pounds called for and the sauce gets completely absorbed by the chicken; it would be nice if there were some extra.

3 tbsp butter
4 garlic cloves, minced (I did not use)
2 tsp minced canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
1/2 cup orange juice (not frozen concentrate)
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 tsp prepared yellow mustard (I am not a fan of mustard, and even though this is such a small amount, I could still taste it, so I may not use it next time - I don't think it would be missed)
salt and pepper, to taste

12 (6-inch) flour tortillas

Warm the flour tortillas, wrap in foil and place on a baking sheet. bake in 350 degree pre-heated oven for about 15 minutes. (Do this, as they get nice and warm and steamed and it tasted better than if they are warmed in a skillet on the stove, or even eaten cold.)

To poach the chicken, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and chipotle and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the orange juice, Worcestershire, and 1/2 cup of the chpd cilantro and bring to a boil. Add the chicken and simmer, covered, until meat registers 160 degrees on a meat thermometer, about 10-15 minutes, flipping chicken over halfway through cooking time. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil.

Increase heat to medium-high and cook until liquid is reduces to 1/4 cup, about 5 minutes.  Off heat, whisk in the mustard. Using 2 forks, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces and return to the skillet. Add the remaining 1/4 cup chpd cilantro and toss until well combined. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve with shredded lettuce and chpd tomatoes, grated cheese, and sour cream. If you like, add a little additional chpd chipotle chilies, as well.

UPDATE:
I just made these again for a second time, and I did just a couple of minor things differently: I pounded the chicken into an even thickness, which really helped them to cook more evenly; so they turned out more tender than they did the first time around.

Secondly, I doubled the sauce and did not add the mustard. I did not reduce the sauce before adding the shredded chicken, but I added it immediately. I then let it all cook a few minutes uncovered, until the sauce was thickened and absorbed by the chicken.

Certainly, add the mustard if you want - I just don't like the taste of it and I didn't miss it any (but then why would I? :] )

Rosemary Sirloin Steak

I made this steak again a few weeks after posting this recipe, so I wanted to post a photo of the entire steak. 

I made this steak for Mother's Day, and it was excellent! I've always marinated sirloin steak in a Teriyaki marinade, but I wanted to do something different this time. I wanted something that would add a little flavor though, so I searched the web and I found this wonderful website called Grilling Companion. Check it out. You will find a wealth of information and recipes. One thing, is that because my steak was so thick, I had to grill it much longer than is called for on the website. It turned out very flavorful and juicy, and with grilling season coming up, you must try it! It would make a wonderful meal for Memorial Day!

By the way, I served the steak with onion rings that I bought at Sam's Club. A box is quite expensive, but you do get a LOT of onion rings, packaged in 5 separate bags inside the box, so in the long run, it is worth it. Even though I just bake them, and don't deep-fry them, they still taste like what you'd get at a restaurant.

For the steak recipe, click  Here

Hawaiian BBQ Shredded Chicken Sandwiches

 

Printable Recipe

I found this recipe on Tasty Kitchen, and also from My Retro Kitchen  and they really are very good. I've made a bbq chicken sandwich before, but wanted to try a different recipe. These are very easy to make. I followed Aime's suggestion to use just half a can of pineapple, and I'm glad I did. If you want to use a whole can of pineapple, I would suggest using a bold and spicy BBQ sauce. It so happens that I bought the same sauce that Aime used when she first made these sandwiches (Sweet Baby Ray's - Original), and I found it to be a little bland. I did have another bottle of Sweet Baby Ray's Hickory and Brown Sugar BBQ Sauce, and ended up adding the whole bottle. Next time though, I will try a different sauce. At any rate, this is a very tasty sandwich and it makes a lot.

3 to 3 1/2 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken breasts and thighs

chopped onion (I did not use the onion, because my kids wouldn't eat it if I had)

1/2 to 1 whole can of crushed pineapple (I used half a can)

1 bottle BBQ Sauce

Hamburger Buns

Place the chicken in the crock pot and pour the pineapple over the chicken and pour the BBQ sauce over all. Cover and cook on high for 4-6 hours. An hour before it is done, take the chicken out and shred it and put back in the sauce in the crock pot, so the chicken can absorb the sauce. Be sure to cook it long enough so that the chicken is tender. Serve on hamburger buns.

Mandarin Orange & Almond Salad

Printable Recipe

This is a very tasty salad. The caramelized almonds are really what make this so good. It is quick and easy. Just do not add the dressing until just before serving, otherwise it will become soggy.


Salad
1/2 head inceberg lettuce, or hearts of romaine (I used hearts of romaine)
1 tbsp chpd fresh parsley (I did not use)
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 can (chilled) mandarin orange slices, drained

Combine the salad ingredients in a chilled bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Dressing
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp cider vinegar
1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil

Combine the dressing ingredients and set aside until ready to serve. Toss salad with the dressing and either top with the caramelized almonds or serve alongside.

Caramelized Almonds
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1/4 cup sliced or slivered almonds

In a dry skillet, combine the sugar and almonds and turn burner onto medium to medium-low. Stir until the sugar is melted, and caramelizes and browns the almonds. Stir frequently. You want to have the burner on high enough that it will melt the sugar. Once it starts melting, the almonds will brown quickly, so keep a close eye on them. You may want to turn the burner down a little as they begin to caramelize. Place on a wax paper-lined plate and allow to cool. Break apart.

Quick Chicken Parmesan

Adapted from Fine Cooking


Printable Recipe

This recipe comes from a Fine Cooking magazine, and I've been wanting to try it ever since I saw it.  I made it tonight, and it is delicious!  Panko bread crumbs make for a very crisp crust, and fresh Mozzarella  and Parmesan cheeses, make all the difference in the world, particularly the fresh Mozzarella.  You should be able to find it in almost any larger grocery store.  Look in or near the Deli department.  You should be able to find Panko crumbs with the other dry bread crumbs, probably in the baking aisle and if not there, check the ethnic foods section (they are a Japanese-style bread crumbs).

5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to an even thickness
1/2 cup flour
salt
pepper
2 eggs
1 tbsp water
1 1/2 cups Panko bread crumbs
about 5 tbsp olive oil, more if needed
4 oz fresh Mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced, more if desired
1/4 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated on a small box grater

Sauce

(I used doctored-up Ragu sauce, but only because I didn't have the tomatoes on hand. I will definitely try making this sauce the next time I make these.)


1 (15-oz) can crushed tomatoes, preferably Muir Glen fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
1 tbsp olive oil
chpd onion, optional
2 medium cloves garlic, finely chpd, optional
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup packed fresh basil, chopped (1/2 oz)


Mix the flour, salt and pepper together on a plate. In a shallow bowl, beat together the eggs and water. In another shallow bowl, pour in the Panko bread crumbs.

Between 2 sheets of waxed paper, pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness, about 1/2 inch. This will make them quite large, depending on the size of the breasts.
Dip the breasts in the flour mixture, coating both sides. Dip them in the egg mixture, coating them on both sides. Then dip them in the bread crumbs, coating them on both sides and pressing down the bread crumbs on both sides.

Brown the breaded chicken in a heated skillet in the oil, one at a time. Use about 1 tbsp of oil for each breast. Brown well on both sides. You can brown them until they are almost cooked through, and have a shorter baking time; or you can brown them just until browned and bake them longer. I did the latter, and ended up having to guess how long to bake the chicken, but they still came out very moist and delicious. Repeat the browning process with each chicken breast, adding about 1 tbsp of oil for each one.

Place the chicken on a rack inside a large roasting pan that is lined with foil. At this point, I grated some fresh Parmesan cheese on top of the chicken, thinking they would bake through more quickly than they did. Since the chicken took longer than I thought, the cheese ended up browning, but this may have contributed to the crispness of the breading - which ended up being very good. You could wait until  the chicken is closer to being done, to add the Parmesan cheese.

Bake 425° for about 20 - 25 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken pieces. About 5 - 7 minutes before the end of cooking time, place the fresh Mozzarella cheese on each piece of chicken and continue baking until the cheese is melted. It does not need to brown.

Spoon some of the sauce over the chicken, just before serving and then top with some more freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

If you brown the chicken in the skillet until they are cooked about halfway through, the baking time may take as little as 5 -7 minutes, according to the recipe. If this is the case, top right away with the fresh cheeses before baking.

Serve with cooked thin spaghetti noodles and a nice, crusty bread and a crisp green salad and you will have a most, delicious meal!



For the Sauce
In a clean skillet, over medium heat, saute the onion and garlic in 1 tbsp olive oil, stirring often, until onion is tender and slightly browned about 3 - 4 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 4 - 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the fresh basil. Serve the sauce over the chicken.

Breaded Pork Chops

 

Printable Recipe

So easy and so moist! I didn't really follow any recipe and didn't measure anything, either, but I'll give you approximate amounts. I used plain bread crumbs, but next time I will use Italian bread crumbs for the added flavor. If you're able, bake them on a rack in a roasting pan so they will brown on both sides and remain crisp.

6 - 7 boneless pork chops, about 1/2" thick
1/2 cup flour (or more, if needed) seasoned with salt, pepper, and paprika
3 eggs
2 tbsp milk
1 - 2 cups dry bread crumbs (I used plain, but net time will try Italian bread crumbs - I might even add some Italian seasoning to the bread crumbs, as well)


a little olive oil


On a plate, mix together the flour,salt, pepper and paprika. Set aside. Beat together the eggs and milk in a shallow, large bowl and set aside.  Place the dry bread crumbs on another plate and set aside.

Dredge the pork chops in the seasoned flour, coating both sides well. Dip in the egg mixture, coating both sides then dip them in the dry bread crumbs, coating both sides well.

Fry the pork chops in a little bit of oil in a heated skillet, just until browned on both sides. This will only take a few minutes. Place the chops on a rack in a roasting pan and bake 375° for about 15 - 18 minutes, or until no longer pink in the middle. The thickness of your chops will determine how long they need to bake. Turn them over halfway through baking so both sides brown evenly.

Spice Cake with Spiced Vanilla Buttercream

This is a dense and spicy cake that is so good! It is somewhat a lengthy process to make, but it is so worth it! You can top it with a cream cheese frosting, or use a regular Vanilla Buttercream as I've done below.

 

Adapted from Cook's Illustrated

Printable Recipe


Cake
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting the pan
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
16 tbsp butter (2 sticks), divided
1/2 tsp baking pwd
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp table salt
2 large eggs, plus 3 large egg yolks, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1  3/4 (12 1/4 oz) granulated sugar
2 tbsp molasses
1 tbsp grated fresh peeled gingerroot
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 x 13" pan. Combine the spices in a small bowl and reserve 1/2 tsp for the frosting.

Heat 4 tbsp of the butter in a small skillet or saucepan over medium heat until melted. Continue to cook, swirling pan constantly, until butter is lightly browned and has a faint nutty aroma, about a couple of minutes. Add the spices and continue to cook, stirring constantly, for 15 seconds. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.

Whisk flour, baking pwd, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. In another bowl, gently whisk together the eggs, egg yolks and vanilla and set aside. With an electric mixer, cream the remaining 12 tbsp butter with the sugar and molasses at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add the cooled butter and spice mixture, grated ginger, and half of egg mixture; mix for about 15 seconds. Add the remaining egg mixture and beat for another 15 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl.

On low speed, add one-third of flour mixture and half of the buttermilk, mixing just until incorporated, about 5 seconds. Add half of the remaining flour mixture, with remaining buttermilk and mix until incorporated, another 5 seconds. Add the remaining flour mixture and mix for about 15 seconds. Fold batter once or twice with a rubber spatula to incorporate any remaining flour.

Pour batter in prepared pan and run a knife through the batter  and then lightly tap bottom of pan on counter-top a few times, to remove any air bubbles.

Bake 130 degrees, about 32-37 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool cake on a wire rack and frost.

Frosting 
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups pwd sugar
reserved spice mixture
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tbsp milk or more, if needed

With an electric mixer, cream butter until light and fluffy. Add the pwd sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the remaining ingredients and beat until smooth.

If you prefer a Cream Cheese Frosting:
8 oz cream cheese, softened
5 tbsp butter, softened
1 1/4 cups pwd sugar
reserved spice mixture
1/2 tsp vanilla

With an electric mixer, cream the cream cheese until smooth, then add the butter and beat until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients, beating until smooth.

Overnight French Toast Ham (and Cheese) Sandwiches

Printable Recipes

These sandwiches are so easy to make and are pretty versatile as well. You can add cheese, sliced tomatoes, anything that you like! Make as many or as few of these as you need to.

4 slices bread
softened butter
thinly sliced ham (I use ham from the deli)
thinly sliced cheese, any kind, optional
2 or 3 eggs (I use about 1 egg per sandwich, adding one extra egg for every two sandwiches being made. Sometimes I use 2 eggs per sandwich, depending on the size of the bread slices)
2 to 3 tbsp milk (just eye-ball it, about 1 tbsp per egg)
a little salt

Butter one side of each slice of bread, like you would for a grilled cheese sandwich. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray. You don't want a lot of extra space between the sandwiches, so make sure you use a small enough baking dish. Place the bread buttered sides down, and place the sliced ham on top of the bread, and then top with the other slices of bread, buttered sides up. In a bowl, beat the eggs and milk and salt together and pour over the sandwiches. Cover the dish with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or for at least 8 hours. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees until browned, about 30 - 35 minutes. I usually flip the sandwiches over halfway through baking so they brown evenly on both sides. Serve with maple syrup.

Lemon Sugar Cookies

So it gas been a very long time since I've last posted. That's what happens when life suddenly gets so busy! Hopefully I will be able to post more often from here on out.

Printable Recipe 

These are very good. The dough is somewhat dry and crumbly when you are making them, so you wouldn't want to leave the dough in the refrigerator, but once baked, they are a crunchy cookie. A nice twist on the traditional sugar cookie.

Cream:
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
1/2 cup butter, softened

Add:
3 egg yolks, one at a time and blend well
2 tsp pure lemon extract

Stir in:
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
2 tsp salt

Mix well. Roll into balls the size of a walnut and roll in sugar. Bake on parchment-lined cookie sheets at 300 about 20 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Lemon Pork Chops

These pork chops are so moist and flavorful, with the addition of a lemon slice on top of each chop as it bakes. Be sure to save the juices that develop when they are done baking, and add it to the packet of gravy that you will make. You can certainly make a gravy from scratch, but for the sake of convenience, I use a gravy packet.

Brown the pork chops in a hot skillet in a little olive oil. Brown them well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides. Place in a lightly greased 9 x 13" pan and top, in this order, with a thin slice of onion, a thin slice of lemon, 1 tbsp of brown sugar, and 1 tbsp of ketchup.

Bake the pork chops at 350 degrees, covered, for 30 minutes and then another 30 minutes, uncovered. Place the chops on a plate or in another pan.

See those wonderful juices? Save them, because they are very, very flavorful! I even put some extra onion and lemon slices next to the pork chops before baking, so I had even extra juices. I didn't end up using all the juice in the gravy, because it would have made the gravy too thin.

Prepare the gravy mix according to package directions and add some of the extra juice leftover from the pork chops. I made only one gravy packet.

Voila! A delicious meal!


Printable Recipe

4 pork loin chops, boneless - 3/4" thick  
The chops I used were an inch thick, at least
4 thin slices onion
4 thin slices lemon
4 tbsp brown sugar
4 tbsp ketchup

a little olive oil
salt and pepper

1 packet of McCormick Pork gravy mix

Brown the pork chops in a heated skillet in a little bit of olive oil. Brown them well on both sides. Sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides. Place in a lightly greased 9x13" pan. In this order, top each chop with a thin slice of onion, then a thin slice of fresh lemon, then 1 tbsp brown sugar, and finally, 1 tbsp ketchup. Cover pan loosely with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 30 minutes. Remove the pork chops to another plate and save the juices.

Prepare a packet of Pork gravy according to package directions. Add as much of the juices to the gravy as you would like.