Cherry Chocolate Cake

1 chocolate cake (I use Devil's Food)
1 cup water
1 egg
1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling

Mix cake, water and egg for 2 minutes. Fold in pie filling. Bake in a bundt pan at 350 for 35 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream. It's delish room temp with whipped cream, too.  Yum and yum!

Chicken and Potato Chowder

Mmmmmmmmmm. Still thinking how good this was!! Kind of like a chicken pot pie without the crust. Eat this while you watch the snow fall. Or rain, whatever you got! Perfect eaten with Cheddar Bay Biscuits dipped in.

Half stick butter
1 onion, chopped fine
3 carrots, peeled, sliced or small dice
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 tsp dried thyme
1/4 cup flour
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups milk (May need more if too thick)
2large or 4 smallish russet potatoes,peeled, diced to bite size
2 cups cooked chopped chicken(rotisserie is so good!)
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar
Salt and pepper to taste
2 T chopped fresh parsley
Melt butter in large heavy pot. Add onion, carrot, celery. Cook about 4 minutes stirring occasionally. Add thyme, cook 1 minute. Whisk in flour, stirring 1 minute or so till starts to brown. Add broth and milk, whisking till slightly thicker, 2-3 minutes. Add potatoes and parsley. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer till potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in cheese, a little at a time to thoroughly melt. Add chicken, season with salt and pepper. If chowder is too thick, add more milk(I added about 3/4 cup more). Serve hot with additional cheese and/or parsley on top. * if you have leftovers, pour into a pie plate! stick a pie crust on top and freeze or have next day as a pot pie! Bake at 350 till golden and bubbly.

Meatloaf Muffins

Meatloaf is the ultimate in comfort food if you ask me. These are a fun way to have a personal-size chunk-o-meat on your dinner plate! Add whatever veggies you want, but here's what i did:
1 T olive oil
1 small onion, chopped fine
2 carrots peeled, grated on large grater
1/2 bell pepper (red is my fave), chopped fine
1 tsp dried oregano
3 cloves garlic, minced
1- 1 1/2 cups ketchup
2 1/2 lbs ground beef
40 saltine crackers, crushed to crumbs
1-2 T mustard
2 tsp worcestershire sauce
fresh ground pepper to taste
1 tsp salt
3 eggs
Heat oven to 350. heat oil in skillet, add onion, carrot, bell, oregano and garlic. cook 3-4 minutes. Set aside to cool. In a large bowl combine 1/2 cup ketchup, cooked veggies and all other ingredients. Mix well with bare hands or spoon. Grease muffin tins (this makes 24 muffins). Fill muffin tins with meat mixture but do not overflow. Just about level with the top. Top each muffin with 2 tsp ketchup (I mix a tablespoon or so brown sugar with my ketchup first to make a sweeter sauce). Bake 25-30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes in tin before you serve.
*I served these next to some mashed potatoes. For the gravy, i used a packet of Au Jus once it boiled I added 1 Tbl cornstarch to about 1/4 cup cold water, stirred, then added to boiling gravy. It thickened just enough to make a yummy gravy to drizzle over the potatoes. We were in comfort heaven! These freeze well in a freezer ziplock!

Pioneer Woman's Chicken and Noodles

PERFECT dinner or lunch on a frigid day. This is my new favorite recipe.

3 lb whole chicken
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
1 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, diced
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp thyme
16oz bag Homestyle noodles, as close to homemade looking as you can!
3 T flour
1/4 cup half and half
1 T fresh parsley, chopped
Cover chicken with water in large pot. Simmer 45 mins. Remove and take meat off the bones. Put bones back in water in pot and boil bones 20 mins. Remove bones and to broth add chicken meat, celery, onion, carrots, salt, pepper, thyme. Simmer 10 mins. Add noodles. Mix flour with half and half and add to pot. Add parsley. Simmer 15 mins till noodles are just tender. Serve with a slab of squishy bread or biscuits and butter.

One Pot Chicken and Rice

Perfect weeknight meal! So comforting too. 

 10 pieces chicken on the bone, drums and thighs

 1 onion, chopped 

1 green, 1 red bell peppers, chopped 

1 large clove garlic, minced 

1 1/2 cups raw rice 

3 cups chicken broth 

Oil for browning 

Season chicken with garlic salt, pepper, and cumin. In a large pot brown chicken in oil till brown on both sides but not all the way cooked. Remove from pot and set aside. In same pot, adding more oil if needed, cook onion and peppers. When soft add garlic for 1 minute. Add broth and rice, then nestle chicken down in. Cover pot and simmer 30-35 mins till rice is tender and chicken is cooked. Serves 6.

Plum Pudding Cake

My sister and I have a lot of plums laying around. I personally got a little overzealous while picking. (I do that all the time. I love to pick, hate to process! Haha!) Anyway, she found this recipe on Tammysrecipes.com. (go to her site and see the lovely pic!)  It is SSSOOOO delish. It makes the house smell like Christmas and then eating it is a real treat. If you remember plum pudding from childhood this is a fantastic version! Everyone in my family loved it. Even my picky one.

Yield: 9 servings

Ingredients: 

1 cup all-purpose or cake flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
3 tablespoons oil
2 cups washed and halved plums (pits removed, too!)
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup boiling water

Instructions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

2. Beat in the milk and oil. Spread mixture in an ungreased 8x8-inch baking dish. Layer the halved plums on top.

3. Whisk together the brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the plum-topped batter. Pour the boiling water over everything!

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour, until cake is browned on top. (The top layer should test done with a fork with only a few crumbs, if you're unsure.)

Serve warm or cold. Perfect with ice cream or all by itself! :)

I doubled this and put in a 9x13. It cooked in exactly 1 hour and was perfect. (my sis did the same thing and had same results)

A Better Granola

This is the heavenly granola that Mom has at her house. It's from the magazine Bon Appetit. I found this online because I lost the recipe Mom copied for me.  I love this stuff. The hubby and kids love this stuff. It is the best. We eat it with milk or yogart or just by the handful. Enjoy!

• Preheat oven to 300°. Combine 1 large beaten egg white, 3 cups old-fashioned oats, 1 1/2 cups chopped nuts (such as almonds, pistachios, pecans, or walnuts), 1 1/2 cups coconut shavings, 1/2 cup agave syrup, 1/4 cup olive oil or warmed coconut oil, 1/4 cup sesame seeds, 2 tablespoons (packed) light brown sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon in a large bowl; toss to combine. Spread out on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Bake granola, stirring every 10 minutes, until golden brown and dry, 40-45 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet (it will crisp as it cools).
• Mix in 1 cup dried cherries or cranberries. DO AHEAD: Granola can be made 2 weeks ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

• Coconut shavings (chips) are strips of unsweetened coconut and are available at many natural foods stores and some supermarkets.

Customize it

• Swap maple syrup or honey for the agave to get a subtle flavor shift.
• If chocolate chips mean your kid will love it, throw ‘em in at the end.

This granola's great out of hand, but for added protein, serve over low-fat yogurt. Or layer it in a glass with yogurt and fresh fruit

Butternut Squash Cavatappi Bake

Isaac had 3rds!! Excellent way to hide vitamins in your food!!

3 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash
8 oz cavatappi pasta, or any pasta shape
2 T butter
1 cup sliced mushrooms
3 green onions, sliced
2 T flour
1 cup milk
2 cups shredded cheese (I used cheddar/jack mix)
cooked bacon
parmesan cheese
salt & pepper
heat oven to 375. grease a 2 qt baking dish. Cook pasta. while that's cooking, put squash in a microwave-safe bowl with 2 T water, cover with plastic wrap and poke a couple small holes to vent. cook 4 mins. stir, then cook 4 mins more till tender. Mash, and set aside. In a pan cook mushrooms and onions with butter till soft, then add flour, stir 1 minute, then add milk and salt & pepper to taste. cook till bubbly and thickened. Add squash and pasta, mix well. Pour in dish. sprinkle with cheeses and bacon. bake 25 mins. Serves 6.

Oatmeal Bread

Does anyone else feel guilty feeding their kids squishy white bread? I do! I can just see their little blood sugars spiking as they swallow that stuff! Well, this recipe has eased my mind...a little anyway!  It is yummy white bread, but with a secret ingredient kids will never expect! A serving of oatmeal! So, bake and eat away, my friends. I got this from an awesome blog I follow, All Things Delicious. Go check it out. She has beautiful photos to show every step of the process!  You can also find Hannah on Facebook, same name.

Here's what you'll need:

4 C. warm water

1 Tbsp. yeast (I like to use SAF instant yeast)

2/3 C. sugar

1/3 C. oil

1 individual packet REGULAR instant oatmeal (not the flavored kind), cooked to package directions OR 1 serving of unflavored oatmeal, cooked to package directions

12 1/2 C. flour

3/4 C. dry powdered milk

1 Tbsp. salt

Cook the one serving of unflavored oatmeal, as directed on the package and set aside.  In a Bosch or other stand mixer, combine the warm water, yeast, sugar, oil, and oatmeal.  Mix with a dough hook on Low speed just until combined (for about 10 seconds). Then add the flour, powdered milk, and salt. Knead on High for 10 minutes. If you are using a Bosch  mixer, you can immediately divide the dough into four loaves.  If you are NOT using a Bosch mixer, place the dough into a lightly greased bowl and cover and let rise until doubled.  Then divide into four loaves.  Cover the loaves with a towel and allow to rise for about an hour... Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.  

Perfect Ham & Bean Soup

I finally found the perfect ham and bean soup recipe. This is one of my most satisfying meals to make, not to mention comforting. Takes me back to yonder years. It is very economical and makes a lot, so either freeze or have as leftovers, the choice is yours. Perfect with a loaf homemade bread.

2 T olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
64 oz chicken broth (bouillon is great)
32 oz water
1 lb dry navy beans
3-3 1/2 lb ham with bone in (or just use leftover ham itself, chopped)
2 lbs potatoes, peeled and cubed (this is what makes this so good)
1/4 t pepper

~Rinse beans in a colander. Set aside.
~Heat a very large stock pot over medium heat and add olive oil. Add onion. Cook for 4-5 mins until soft, then add garlic and cook for 30 seconds more until fragrant. Throw in ham and beans, then add chicken stock and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, then cover and let cook for 4 hours (mine cooked in 3).
~After 4 hours, add the potatoes. Cover again and cook for 2-3 more hours, stirring occasionally. Towards the end the potatoes should break down causing the soup to become starchy and thickened somewhat. The ham should fall right off the bone. Remove the bone before serving and shred any ham chunks with forks. Season with salt and pepper if needed. I did not need to add salt.
~Can store in freezer for up to 6 months.
~Can also use canned beans, just shorten cooking time.
~Serves at least 12 people.

Ham Rolls with Apricot-Pineapple Sauce

Don't let the long name fool you.  This recipe is quick, simple and delish!  I got it from a great little food blog called All Things Delicious.  Go there for more great recipes and for step by step pictures!

This is Hannah's picture, by the way.

Here's what you'll need:

Thick sliced ham lunch meat (I used a whole 1lb. package which had 16 slices in it)

Sliced Swiss cheese (one slice per slice of ham, so I needed 16 slices of cheese)

1 box Stove Top Stuffing

Apricot-Pineapple Sauce:

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 C. water

1 C. pineapple juice

1/4 C. apricot-pineapple preserves

1 Tbsp. butter

Mix cornstarch and brown sugar in a saucepan. Add water and juice.  Bring to boil, then boil for 2 minutes.  Take off heat and stir in butter and preserves. (mine was thin. I guess it was supposed to be)

Prepare the stuffing as directed and set aside.

Place the ham on a plate and top with a slice of cheese.  Then put about 1/3 cup stuffing on top of that.  Roll it up and secure with a toothpick.  Put the rolls in a pan with sides.  Pour the sauce over rolls and bake for 20-25 minutes at 350.  

So quick.  So easy.  So good!  Got rave reviews from the whole fam.