Pumpkin WHoopie Pies

What You Need

1 pkg. (2-layer size) yellow cake mix

1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding

2 tsp.pumpkin pie spice

1 cup canned pumpkin

1/3 cup oil

1/3 cup water

3 eggs

1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1 jar (7 oz.) JET-PUFFED Marshmallow Creme

1/3 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger

1/4 tsp.ground cinnamon

1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed

1/2 cup Halloween sprinkles

Make It

HEAT oven to 350ºF.

BEAT first 7 ingredients with mixer until well blended. Scoop into 32 mounds, 3 inches apart, on baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray, using about 2 Tbsp. for each.

BAKE 12 to 14 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool on baking sheet 2 min. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.

BEAT cream cheese, marshmallow cream, ginger and cinnamon in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Whisk in COOL WHIP. Spread 3 Tbsp. onto flat side of 1 cake; top with second cake, flat-side down. Roll edge in sprinkles. Repeat with remaining cakes. Keep refrigerated.

http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/pumpkin-spiced-whoopie-pies-ginger-119258.aspx?cm_mmc=eml-_-rbe-_-20111103-_-1014&cm_lm=B8CEAD05A76A71C2C76CDA63B6608CA6

Belgian Waffles

Just in time for the weekend! 

Ingredients

• 2 egg yolks
• 5 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 3/4 cups self-rising flour
• 2 cups warm milk
• 2 egg whites

Directions

1. In a large bowl, beat together egg yolks and sugar. Beat in vanilla extract, butter and salt. Alternately mix in flour and milk until blended well.
2. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until they have formed soft peaks. Fold egg whites into batter and let stand for 40 minutes.
3. Spray preheated waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray. Pour mix onto hot waffle iron. Cook until golden brown and fluffy.

Football and Chili

The weather has finally changed and instead of being in the 80s we are in the 60s...so I made a pot of chili and we'll enjoy (relative since we are 2-4 this season with not much hope) some Louisville Cardinal Football tonight (against Rutgers)

 Diana's Chili

Brown about 1 1/3 pounds of ground beef
Add some diced onions to the pan and cooking until translucent.
Drain grease
Add 4 cans kidney beans (I like both dark and light for the color contrast)
Add one large can petite diced tomatoes and one large can tomato sauce (28 ounce cans)
Season with salt and pepper, cayenne pepper and a liberal sprinkling of chili powder.
Allow to simmer (not boil) for a couple of hours
Enjoy with cooked spaghetti, diced onions, grated cheese and sour cream plus some oyster crackers.


GO CARDS!

Tortilleni Diablo

I made this last night after cross country practice and had it on the table on 40 minutes.

1 package fresh cheese tortellini, cooked according to package direction, drained

3 Tbs butter
2 small boneless chicken breasts, sliced
3 links Johnsonville andouille sausage
package mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, sliced
2 cups heavy cream
red pepper flakes to taste, salt and pepper to taste

Heat a large skillet and melt 4 TBS butter
saute one package of sliced mushrooms until tender and beginning to brown. Add a teaspoon of minced garlic.  Add 3 links Johnsonville andouille sausage, sliced and allow to begin to brown.  Add 2 small boneless chicken breasts, which you have sliced.  Add 1/4 cup sliced dehydrated sun dried tomatoes (sliced and rehydrate according to package directions)
Add 2 cups heavy cream and heat to reduce. 
Add tortellini and 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper flakes & salt and pepper to taste.  Allow sauce to thicken and coat the pasta.  Top with Parmesan cheese and sliced green onions (if desired)
Serve immediately.  Yummy!

This makes a nice lunch and can be served cold if desired.

Beef Stroganoff

It's been cold and rainy here (cold is relative, since it was 103 degrees a week ago) 63 degrees feels cold!
So I pulled out the trusty crock pot and we'll have beef stroganoff for dinner tonight

Cubed steak, at least 1 cutlet per person (Frozen works well for this dish!)
Package, dry onion soup mix (I use Lipton or Walmart brand)
2Tablespoons water
salt and pepper to taste
i cann mushroom pieces
1 container sour cream
1 package egg noodles

Salt and pepper frozen cubed steak cutlets
Place in crock-pot
sprinkle with dry onion soup mix
add drained mushrooms
Cook for 6-8 hours on low

Turn up to high
add container of sour cream and mix well allow to warm up

Meanwhile, prepare noodles according to package directions, when done, drain well
Top with meat mixture.  Delicious!

Oniony Potatoes

I needed a quick side dish to accompany a smoked chicken the DH had prepared over the weekend
Cut potatoes into bite size pieces (I had new potatoes on hand but you can use any potatoes you have in your pantry)
Place in a plastic bag
Add 2 tablespoons olive oil
Add one packet of dry onion soup mix
Toss to coat potatoes

Bake at 400 degrees until done (about 25 minutes)
Serve immediately.

Chicken Fajitas

If your garden is producing an abundance of peppers, this is a good recipe to use up a couple of them.  This took about 15 minutes to prepare (out side marinating time) and cooks up in less than 10 minutes. 

1 tsp chile powder
1 tsp salt
1.2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 TBs cornstarch
1/4 cup water
3 TBs olive oil, separated

1 green pepper cut into thin strips
1 red pepper, cut into thin strips
1 onion, sliced
1 lime, cut into wedges

2 chicken breasts, sliced into thin strips

In a resealable bag, place all spices and mix well.  Add the water and 2 Tbs of oil.  Add chicken, and peppers.  Seal bag, toss to coat and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes. 

Heat the remaining oil.  Empty the contents of the bag into the skillet and cook over high heat until vegetables are crisp-tender and chicken is cooked through.  Allow to blacken if desired.  Remove from heat and squeeze 1/2 the lime over the mixture.
Serve with soft tortilla shells, cheese, salsa, sour cream and remaining lime wedges.

Belgain Waffles

We hosted the Ironman competition in our community on Sunday.  Because the bike portion of the race uses the roads in an around our home, Church was rescheduled for Saturday night--so we took full advantage of that and slept in (until 8:10am, which is SO late for us as we usually arise at 5:30am).  Since I had the morning at home I decided to make waffles.  This recipe feeds our family of 4 and I cook up the remaining batter and freeze the waffles. 

My favorite is to add fresh raspberries and chopped pecans to the batter after I've placed it in the waffle iron.  You can make each waffle to order with any variety of add-ons or just PLAIN!

Ingredients

• 2 egg yolks
• 5 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 3/4 cups self-rising flour
• 2 cups warm milk
• 2 egg whites
• Add-ins (berries, mini chocolate chips, chopped pecans, etc.)

Directions

1. Beat the egg yolks and sugar together. Add vanilla extract, butter and salt. Alternately mix in flour and milk until blended well.
2. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until they have formed soft peaks. Fold egg whites into batter and let stand for about 40 minutes or so.
3. Spray preheated waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray, spoon the mix onto hot waffle iron and cook until golden brown and fluffy.
4. Serve with bacon or sausage
5. I serve each waffle as it comes out of the iron so we don't really eat together-but a waffle hot off the press can't be beat!
6. Cook the remaining batter, allow cool, cut in half, place on a baking sheet and freeze. Place the leftovers in a freezer bag and reheat for a delicious breakfast during the school week.

Barbequed Shrimp

This delicious dish is easy to prepare and can be used as a main course or an appetizer
Serves 4

2 pounds unpeeled large fresh shrimp
3/4 cup butter
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cut catsup
2 bay leaves
1 lemon, thinly sliced
2 Tsp Old Bay seasoning
1 Tbs Italian seasoning
2 Tbs Asian garlic-chili pepper sauce
2 tsp hot sauce

Spread the shrimp in a shallow foil lined broiler pan
Stir the butter and remaiing ingredients together in a  saucepan over low heat until butter melts.  Pour mixture over shrimp.
Bake at 325 degrees for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally to coat shrimp evenly.

Serve with french bread for dipping up the sauce and a fresh ear of corn.  Can also be served over rice or boiled smashed new potatoes. 

Stock the Spice Cabinet

Every cook needs to rely on her spice rack to enhance the flavors of the meals she prepares.  Here are some of the things I CAN'T be without in my spice cabinet. 

I have a corner cupboard that I use--so if your space is smaller, find another location for some of these items (and once opened, some of these items MUST be stored in the refrigerator).  I also store fresh herbs in the freezer if I can’t use them all before they’ll deteriorate.
  sauce
Baking powder
Baking soda
Balsamic Vinegar
Basil
Bay Leaves
Cayenne pepper
Chili Powder
Cinnamon
Cloves, ground
Coriander
Cumin
Garlic Powder (I only use Lawry’s)
Hot sauce
Italian bread crumbs
Lawry’s season salt
Minced Garlic
Nutmeg
Old Bay Seasoning
Onion powder
Onions, dehydrated
Oregano
Oyster sauce
Paprika
Parsley
Pepper corns
Rosemary
Thyme
Sage, rubbed
Salt (Kosher and iodized)
Sesame oil
Soy Sauce
Thyme
Worcester
Yeast
Oil (vegetable and olive)

I have a lot more stuff than this (saffron, lemon grass, etc.) but don’t use them with great regularity.  You’d go broke buying these all at once…so if you are just starting out add a new spice to your spice rack monthly! 

Spices lose their potency over time…so you’ll have to replace periodically to get the most flavor from them.  Purchase the highest quality spices you can afford.  Keep your spices in a cool, dry space (NOT over the stove!) for the best flavor and the longest shelf life.

Cajun Pasta

A delicious Pasta Dish!

Fettuccine, prepared according to package directions

1/2 green pepper diced
1 red onion, divided
     mince 1/2 onion
     reserve other half, sliced for garnish
2 Tablespoons celery, minced
2 Tablespoons sliced black olives, for garnish (if desired)
6-8 broccoli florets

6 sea scallops
12 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 link andouille sausage, pan fried  and drained of grease

1 pint heavy cream
butter
Cajun seasoning
salt and pepper to taste

Pan fry the sausage until browned, drain and set aside
Cook pasta according to directions
add 1 TBS butter to the pan and saute green pepper, celery and onions for 2 minutes until tender
Return sausage to pan
add sea scallops and shrimp and saute 2 minutes until done
add cream, turn up heat and allow sauce to thicken
Add Cajun seasoning to taste
Once sauce has thickened, add broccoli and pasta
Top with black olives and onion slices. 

Not healthy, but sure is tasty!

Chicken with Gnocchi

I made this at the request of DD2 for dinner on the first day of school yesterday.  It was delicious and not as complicated to make as the recipe may seem

Gnocchi (I used store bought potato gnocchi)

1 chicken breast per person, seasoned with salt and pepper, sliced into think strips

Marinate chicken in
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 clove garlic, minced,
2 stalks rosemary
Marinate chicken for at least an hour for the best flavor (overnight works too)

Julienne
1 medium zucchini
1 red pepper
1 medium onion cut into large slices and halved

Sauce:
Mix together the following
1 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup ricotta (I used low fat cottage cheese)
1 pint heavy cream

Prepare gnocchi according to package directions (place in boiling water for about 3 minutes or until the float to the top)

In the mean time,
Saute vegetables in a couple of tablespoons olive oil until tender, do not brown
Add chicken, turn up the heat and allow to cook until browned on all sides
Add cheese sauce and allow to thicken,
add drained gnocchi
Serve immediately!

The family declared this was delicious and I agreed!

Smashed Potatoes and Shrimp

This is a lovely summer dish which is fairly easy to prepare and can be modified to use the produce you have on hand

New potatoes (I prefer red)
mushrooms
asparagus (trimmed)
raw Shrimp, peeled, deveined

bacon grease (or olive oil)
Cayenne
2 (or more) cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper
1/3 cup white wine

Prepare a skillet with the bacon grease,
Boil the potatoes until tender, drain and add to the skillet.  Add garlic, Cayenne, salt and pepper to taste
Allow potatoes to brown
Add mushrooms, cook for about 5 minutes, allow to brown if you desire
add asparagus and allow to cook for an additional 5 minutes
Add shrimp, cook for 3 minutes or until done
deglaze pan with white whine and allow sauce to thicken slightly.  Serve immediately

Marinated Flank Steak

We're heading out of town for a wedding and getting ready to send DD1 back to college early next week so we needed a delicious, quick meal this evening:

Marinated Flank Steak

Score the flank steak for maximum tenderness
Place the meat in a gallon Zip lock bag and add the following
(Measurements are approximate)
2 TBS olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup red wine
1 clove garlic minced
1 tsp. oregano
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp capers

Allow to marinate overnight (or for at least an hour) and grill as desired.
We're serving this with corn on the cog, marinated cucumbers and fresh red ripe tomatoes!

Taco seasoning mix

Make your own taco seasoning mix to control the ingredients for better nutrition.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup instant minced onion
• 2 Tbsp. chili powder
• 2 tsp. paprika
• 2 tsp. crushed dried red pepper flakes (if desired)
• 1 Tbsp. instant minced garlic
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1-1/2 tsp. dried oregano (if desired)
• 1/2 tsp. dried marjoram (if desired)
• salt and ground pepper if desired (I don't usually add salt)

Preparation:

I like to use my coffee grinder to reduce all the ingerdients to dust...but this is not necessary.

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and blend thoroughly. Place in a tightly sealed container , store in a cool, dry place.

Makes 6 packages (about 2 Tbsp. each) of mix. 2 Tbsp. equals 1.25-oz. pkg. purchased taco seasoning mix.

Use within 6 months.

Walking Tacos

A couple of weeks ago I made dinner for about 40 middle schoolers attending a church event.  We made Walking Tacos at the request of our daughter, Alayna.

Walking Tacos
taco seasoned ground beef
individual bags of corn chips (we used Fritos)
assorted toppings such as shredded lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, onions, salsa, etc

Each diner opens the bag of chips, spoons in some taco meat and toppings and VIOLA'-a walking taco.

We had a significant amount of the seasoned ground beef left over so I packaged it in a freezer Ziploc bag for use at a later date.  That was last night!  I thawed out the meat, reheated it with a bit of water to "re-sauce" it and had tacos for a quick dinner before another event.

I decided that I am going to purposefully prepare seasoned taco meat and freeze for later use since taco prep seems so laborious when we're in a rush.  I'll use 5 lbs of ground chuck to create 4 packages of seasoned ground beef.  Prepare the meat according to the taco seasoning directions (I'll use 5 packages of  purchased taco seasoning (or look for tomorrows post on making your own seasoning).

Stuffed Chicken Breasts Marsala

Don't let this recipes instructions deter you from making this delicious dish.  It is easy and you can have it ready to cook in about 20 minutes.
I can never get the chicken breasts to be thin enough...so I don't worry about that (I usually slice a standard breast in two and then pound until my arms are tired)
I didn't have any kitchen twine so I used cotton yarn that I use to crochet dishcloths--LOL

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (pound thin)
chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
ricotta cheese.
4 slices prosciutto, THINLY sliced
nutmeg, salt, pepper
mushrooms (fresh is best but canned will do)
Marsala Wine
chicken broth
flour for dredging and thickening
kitchen twine
butter, olive oil

Season breasts with salt and pepper, top with about 2 tablespoons of ricotta cheese, sprinkle with nutmeg, add a small "handful" of spinach, spreading across the surface of the breast.  Top with a very thin slice of prosciutto. Roll up and tie with kitchen twine, dredge in flour
Set aside

Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter and saute mushrooms until tender.  Remove mushrooms from pan, add chicken breasts and cook until golden brown on all sides (adding more butter or oil as needed)
Remove chicken breasts and keep warm
Deglaze pan with 1/3 cup Marsala wine (or to taste)
add 1 can chicken broth (or 1 1/2 cups) and some flour to thicken.  Heat until bubbling and thickened, stirring occasionally.
Add breasts back to pan to re-heat

Serve with rice, couscous or pasta. 
Enjoy!

A Lovely Summery Scallop dish

A week or tow ago I had DH bring the patio furniture up from the basement as April is usually cool enough to enjoy dinner outside.  Summer is just too hot and humid here in the Ohio Valley...but I've had it with the  less than ideal SPRING Weather (we were in the basement as the result of a tornado warning at 1am this morning!) and am ready for summer!
...Hence this summery seafood dish

Pan-Fried Scallops with Mango Salsa

For the Salsa
1-ripe mango, peeled and diced, reserving as much juice as possible
Diced red onion to taste (I used about 1/3 a medium red onion
1-2 jalapenos (seeded and diced)
1 clove garlic, minced
juice of one lime
Mix well and refrigerate until served

I served 4-5 SEA Scallops per person
Rinse scallops, pat dry and season with salt.
Pan "fry" in a skillet with olive oil, about 2 minutes per side (allow a brown "crust" to form for added flavor.)  Or you could grill the scallops if desired

Spoon the scallops onto a warm plate, top with salsa and serve with fresh broiled asparagus and wild rice. 
Yum! 

Please Hurry Summer! 

Shrimp Tacos--a new recipe!

I am trying a new Recipe tonight--Shrimp Tacos

I am going to cook some thinly sliced onions (and maybe a pepper) with shrimp on the grill
Then I'll toss that with a clove of minced garlic, the juice of a lime and a container of the Santa Fe Blend PHILADELPHIA COOKING CREAM.
Salt and pepper to taste
Spoon into soft flour tortillas and top with a Cole slaw mix and cilantro, maybe some sliced jalapenos, sour cream and salsa...

I think I'll serve it with Mexican rice and fried plantains
Hope it's yummy!  I'll let you know

Chicken Rollups

This is an easy dish when you need a tasty meal fast--which I always do during Track season

Market Day chicken steaks, 1 per serving (I love the size of theses fillets, perfectly sized cutlets)
salt and pepper
garlic powder
paprika
provolone cheese
fresh asparagus, washed and trimmed
wooden toothpicks

Pat chicken to dry
Season chicken with salt, pepper, garlic salt and paprika
Place a layer of cheese on the breast, top with 4-5 spears of asparagus
roll up and secure with a toothpick

Place in a microwave safe baking dish, top with waxed paper
Cook according to your microwaves directions, until juices run clear
Serve with a fresh salad and wild rice and hot rolls

Dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes!

Shrimp and Grits

This is a delicious and hearty meal
Serves 4 with some grits left over for breakfast the next morning

Cheese Grits
Bring 1 half-pint cream, 1-14 oz container chicken broth and 1 1/2 cups water to a boil. (Add 1 clove minced garlic if desired)
Add 3/4 tsp salt and 1 cup quick cooking grits to liquid, simmer about 10 minuets until thickened
add 8 oz shredded SHARP white cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup good quality shredded Parmesan cheese and hot sauce to taste. Keep Warm

Shrimp
Cook 6 slices of bacon in a heavy duty skillet, set aside bacon
in the remaining drippings (remove some of the grease if necessary) saute 8 oz sliced mushrooms, a bunch of diced green onions an 2 cloves minced garlic until tender.
Remove shells from 32 large shrimp (devein if desired)
Salt and pepper shrimp, dredge lightly in flour
Add shrimp to skillet and saute until pink, adding more bacon grease if necessary
add 1/4 -1/4 cup chicken broth and hot sauce to taste
allow sauce to thicken

Spoon grits on to serving plates,
top with a serving of shrimp mixture
top with crumbled bacon (and some extra green onions if desired)
DELISH!
Enjoy with a loaf of crusty french bread and a side salad.

Ranch Chicken over noodles

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
6 slices of bacon
2 TBS flour
1 package dry ranch dressing mix
1 1/2 cup milk
egg noodles

Prepare egg noodles according to package direction, set aside, keep warm

Salt and pepper chicken, cut into bite-size pieces and set aside
Cook bacon, draining off all but 2 TBS grease
Saute chicken in remaining bacon grease
When chicken is nicely browned and no longer pink, sprinkle with the flour and the ranch dressing mix. Toss to coat. Add the milk, stir and allow sauce to thicken. Serve over egg noodles.

New Year Resolutions

I have a well stocked pantry and am known for buying items when they are on sale (Yes, I have 10 jars of marinara sauce on hand--but never pay more that $1.00 a jar for this either. which results in a FULL Pantry but money tied up in inventory)

Therefore, this year I RESOLVE To use what I have on hand rather than buy, buy, buy more. This is going to be a hard one for me to be disciplined enough to NOT purchase when on sale for a period of time and it will also require some creative cooking and new recipes (share yours) but I am up for the task!