Easy OREO Truffles

What You Need

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

1 pkg.  (1 lb. 2 oz.) OREO Cookies, finely crushed (about 4-1/4 cups), divided

2 pkg. (8 squares each) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted

MIX cream cheese and 3 cups cookie crumbs until well blended.

SHAPE into 48 (1-inch) balls. Dip in melted chocolate; place on waxed paper-covered baking sheet. Sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs.
REFRIGERATE 1 hour or until firm. Store in tightly covered container in refrigerator.

as written on KraftRecipes.com

Easy Homemade Gravy

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cups chicken stock
• A palmful of poultry seasoning
• Salt and pepper

Preparation

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and sprinkle with the flour. Let bubble for 30 seconds, then slowly whisk in the stock until smooth. Bring to a simmer, then add the poultry seasoning, salt and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until thickened.

Simple Cherry Salad

Ingredients

• 1 box lemon jello
• 1 box cherry jello
• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 cup crushed pineapple (drained)
• 1 21oz can cherry pie filling

Directions
Disolve jello in boiling water, add pineapple and cherry pie filling. Chill until firm.

Grandma Roberts' Potato Casserole

Ingredients

• 2 lbs frozen hash browns
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1/4 cup chopped onions
• 1/2 cup of melted butter
• 8 oz sour cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese
• 1 cup crushed corn flakes (optional)

Directions
Pre-heat oven to 350
Mix butter, soups, milk, onion, cheese and sour cream. Put potatoes in 9x13 baking dish and pour mixture over potatoes. Bake for 1 hour. (if using corn flakes, bake 30 minutes, sprinkle flakes over potatoes, bake for remaining 30 minutes)

Grandma Roberts' Corn Delight

Ingredients

• 1 can Whole Corn
• 1 can Cream Style Corn
• 1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 egg

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 350.
In a large bowl mix all the ingredients together. Pour into a 9x13 casserole dish and bake for 1 hour. Let stand about 15 minutes before serving.

Monkey Bread

thanks again to the The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

• 3 cans Buttermilk Biscuits (the Non-flaky Ones)
• 1 cup Sugar
• 2 teaspoons (to 3 Teaspoons) Cinnamon
• 2 sticks Butter
• ½ cups Brown Sugar

Preparation Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Open up all three cans of biscuits and cut each biscuit into quarters.
Next, combine the white sugar with 2-3 teaspoons of cinnamon. Dump these into a 1 gallon zip bag and shake to mix evenly.
Drop all of the biscuit quarters into the cinnamon-sugar mix. Once all the biscuit quarters are in the bag seal it and give it a vigorous shake. This will get all those pieces unstuck from one another and nicely coated with cinnamon-sugar. Spread these nuggets out evenly in the bundt pan.
At this point, you're going to want to melt the two sticks of butter together with a ½ cup of brown sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat. This can be light or dark brown sugar. Cook butter/sugar mixture, stirring for a few minutes until the two become one. Once the brown sugar butter has become one color, you can pour it over the biscuits.
Bake for about 30-40 minutes until the crust is a deep dark brown on top. When its finished cooking, remove it from the oven. If you have the willpower, allow it to cook for about 15-30 minutes before turning it over onto a plate.

Spinach Artichoke Ravioli Lasagna

 Thanks to Rachael Ray's 30 Minute Meals

Ingredients

• 1 (10-ounce) packages chopped frozen spinach
• 1/4 stick butter
• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 quart milk
• Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
• Salt and pepper
• 3 cups ricotta cheese
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 packages large fresh ravioli cheese, wild mushroom or spinach stuffed varieties
• 2 (15-ounce) cans artichoke hearts in water, drained and thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for pasta.
Place oven rack in middle of oven and preheat broiler or oven to 425 degrees F.
Defrost the spinach in the microwave for 10 minutes on high.
While spinach defrosts, heat a medium sauce pot over medium heat. Cut butter into small pieces and melt. Whisk in flour and cook a minute or 2 then whisk in milk. Bring sauce to a bubble, as it begins to thicken, drop heat to low and season it with nutmeg, salt and pepper, to your taste.
Combine ricotta cheese, a little salt and pepper, lemon zest and garlic in a bowl.
Cook pasta to al dente, 5 to 6 minutes in salted water.
Remove spinach from the microwave and wring it completely dry in a kitchen towel. Open the towel and separate the spinach with your fingers. Pile up the sliced artichokes on your cutting board.
Drain pasta well. Ladle just enough white sauce in the bottom of a lasagna dish to lightly coat it. Top with 1/3 of the pasta. Top the pasta with a layer of half of the ricotta cheese dotted with half of the spinach and artichokes. Thinly cover the veggies with more white sauce then top liberally with grated cheese. Repeat these layers then top your lasagna with the remaining 1/3 of the cooked ravioli, the last of the white sauce and some grated cheese.
Place under hot broiler or into a preheated 425 degree F oven until sauce browns and bubbles, 3 minutes

The Pioneer Woman's Onion Strings

Ingredients

• 1 whole Large Onion
• 2 cups Buttermilk
• 2 cups All-purpose Flour
• 1 Tablespoon (scant) Salt
• ¼ teaspoons (to 1/2 Teaspoon) Cayenne Pepper
• 1 quart (to 2 Quarts) Canola Oil
• Black Pepper To Taste

Preparation Instructions

Slice onion very thin. Place in a baking dish and cover with buttermilk and soak for at least an hour.
Combine dry ingredients and set aside.
Heat oil to 375 degrees.
Grab a handful of onions, throw into the flour mixture, tap to shake off excess, and PLUNGE into hot oil. Fry for a few minutes and remove as soon as golden brown.
Repeat until onions are gone.
Eat before your family sees them.
Repeat with another onion, because they'll be really mad they didn't get any

Brown Sugar Smokies

Ingredients

• 2 (16 ounce) packages little smokie sausages
• 2 pounds bacon
• 2 cups brown sugar, or to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Cut bacon into thirds and wrap each strip around a little sausage. Place the wrapped sausages on wooden skewers, several to a skewer. Arrange the skewers on a baking sheet and sprinkle them liberally with brown sugar.
Bake until bacon is crisp and the brown sugar melted.

Sausage Cup Appetizers

Ingredients

• 1 (12 ounce) package won ton wrappers
• 1 pound sausage
• 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
• 1 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup Ranch dressing

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Crumble sausage into medium skillet. Cook over medium heat until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Drain. Spray mini muffin tins and insert won ton wrappers to form a small cup. Bake 5 minutes in preheated oven. Allow wrappers to cool. Mix sausage, cheeses and ranch dressing together. Fill won ton wrappers. Bake for 10 minutes until bubbly.

Light & Airy Coconut Macaroons

INGREDIENTS

• 2 egg whites
• dash salt
• 1/4 tsp vanilla
• 2/3 C sugar
• 1 1/2 C sweetened coconut flakes

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 325.
Beat egg whites, salt, and vanilla until soft peaks form.
While beating, add sugar gradually to egg white mixture. Continue beating until stiff and glossy.
Gently fold coconut into egg white mixture.
Drop mixture by rounded teaspoon about 2 inches apart onto greased cookie sheet.
Bake at 325 for about 20 minutes. You want cookies to be set and lightly brown.
Cool on a cookie rack.

Stuffin' Muffins

Ingredients
Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1 fresh bay leaf
• 4 ribs celery and greens, from the heart, chopped
• 1 medium to large yellow onion, chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons poultry seasoning
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 8 cups cubed stuffing mix (recommended: Pepperidge Farm)
• 2 to 3 cups chicken stock

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil to skillet and 4 tablespoons butter. When butter melts, add bay leaf and add the vegetables as you chop them, celery, onions then apples. Sprinkle the vegetables and apples with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. Cook 5 to 6 minutes to begin to soften vegetables and apples then add parsley and stuffing cubes to the pan and combine. Moisten the stuffing with chicken broth until all of the bread is soft but not wet.
Butter 12 muffin cups, 2 tins, liberally with remaining butter. Use an ice cream scoop to fill and mound up the stuffing in muffin tins. Remove the bay leaf as you scoop the stuffing when you come upon it. Bake until set and crisp on top, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove stuffin' muffins to a platter and serve hot or room temperature

Tortilla Roll Ups

Ingredients

• 16 ounces cream cheese 
• 1 package dry buttermilk ranch dressing mix
• 3 ounces black olives, chopped
• 3 ounces green chilies, chopped
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, finely shredded
• a few dashes of Chipotle Tabasco sauce
• 1 Tbls real bacon pieces (optional)
• 8 10-inch flour tortillas

Directions

Mix cream cheese and dry dressing mix until well-blended. Stir in the rest of the ingredients.

Spread mixture over tortilla and roll-up tightly. Refrigerate until firm, for easier cutting.
Cut into 1-inch pieces before serving. Serve with salsa, if desired.


 

Kona Inn Banana Bread

Ingredients

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup softened butter
• 6 medium ripe bananas, mashed (approximately 3 cups)
• 4 large eggs, well beaten
• 2½ cups cake flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two 9-inch loaf pans.
2. With electric beater, cream together sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add bananas and eggs, beating until well-mixed.
3. Sift together dry ingredients three times. Blend with banana mixture and mix just until moistened. Do not over mix.
4. Divide batter between two prepared pans. Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour, until firm in the centers and edges begin to separate from pans.
5. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes before removing from pans. These freeze beautifully.

Yield: 2 loaves

Homegrown Basil Pesto

Ingredients

•  2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions

Combine the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add 1/2 cup of the oil and process until fully incorporated and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

If using immediately, add all the remaining oil and pulse until smooth. Transfer the pesto to a large serving bowl and mix in the cheese.
If freezing, transfer to an air-tight container and drizzle remaining oil over the top. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw and stir in cheese.

So you want to see some pictures...

Because of all the work to add pictures to my Shutterfly site, I will not be posting pics to this blog. (Even though, my photography subjects ARE some of my most favorite things!)
Here is the link so you can view our photos http://oneillpictures.shutterfly.com/

Chilled Cucumber Salad

Ingredients

• 2 cups thinly-sliced chilled cucumbers
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup thinly-sliced fresh onions
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon dill weed
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

Place cucumber slices in medium-size glass bowl and sprinkle with salt. Stir in onions.

Place remaining ingredients in 2-cup glass measure and beat with fork to combine. Pour over cucumbers and onions and toss lightly. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Stir before serving.

My Easy Peach Crisp

Ingredients

• 6 cups ripe thinly-sliced peeled peaches
• 1 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons (packed) brown sugar

          Topping

• 6 pouches of insant oatmeal
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose four
• 1 stick of butter

Preparation 
Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish
Spread peaches in prepared pan. Sprinkle brown sugar and flour over the peaches.
In another bowl, combine crumb topping ingredients and stir/cut together with a fork until crumbly. Sprinkle over the peaches.
Bake peach crisp in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for about 35-45 minutes or until peaches test done with a fork. Enjoy hot or cold or with ice cream

Corn & Black Bean Salsa

Ingredients

• 2 cups frozen corn kernels
• 1 can black beans, rinsed
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded, deveined and chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• Tortilla chips for accompaniment

Combine corn, black beans and remaining ingredients in medium non-metallic bowl, except for the fresh cilantro. Cover and refrigerate.

Bring to room temperature before serving and add the freshly chopped and cilantro.

Serve with tortilla chips

Asian Sweet Spicy Chicken Wings

Recipe Inspired by Alton Brown and Rachael Ray

Ingredients

• 20-24 chicken wings and/or drumettes
•  4 large cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
• 1 1/2 inches fresh ginger root, peeled and grated or finely chopped, a couple of tablespoons
• 1/4 cup Tamari or soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons Sriracha chili sauce, eyeball it
• 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 3 tablespoons agave syrup or honey, eyeball it
• Salt and pepper
• Canola oil, for drizzling
• 1 bunch scallions, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted

Preparation

Combine garlic, ginger, soy, chile sauce, vinegar, sesame oil and honey or syrup in a blender.
Place a 6 quart saucepan with a steamer basket and 1-inch of water in the bottom, over high heat, cover and bring to a boil.

Place the wings into the steamer basket, cover, reduce the heat to medium and steam for 10 minutes. Remove the wings from the basket and carefully pat dry. Lay the wings out on a cooling rack set in a half sheet pan lined with paper towels and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Replace the paper towels with parchment paper. Roast on the middle rack of the oven for 20 minutes. Turn the wings over and cook another 20 minutes or until meat is cooked through and the skin is golden brown. Then baste heavily with sauce and cook 3-4 minutes more, turning and basting frequently.

Sprinkle chicken with scallions and sesame seeds.

Florentine Meatball Calzones with Creamy Tomato Dipper

Recipe from the Rachael Ray Show... Aired 11/25/2008

Ingredients

•1 box frozen chopped spinach (10 ounces), defrosted and wrung of excess water
•2 pounds ground turkey
•1 small onion, half grated and half finely chopped
•3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated, divided
•2 large eggs, 1 lightly beaten
•3/4 cup breadcrumbs (about 3 handfuls)
•1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (about 2 handfuls)
•2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
•A few grates fresh nutmeg
•Salt and freshly ground black pepper
•2 tubes refrigerated pizza dough (10 ounces each)
•2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
•1 can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes (14 1/2 ounces), you can use regular tomatoes if you have them on hand
•1/4 cup basil (a handful), chopped
•1/4 cup heavy cream

Pre-heat the oven to 425ºF.

Preparation

In a medium size mixing bowl, combine the spinach, ground turkey, grated onion, half of the garlic, 1 (unbeaten) egg, breadcrumbs, Parmigiano Reggiano, mozzarella, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Work the mixture together with your hands until combined and set aside. Wash your hands after handling the raw poultry.

Spread one of the pizza doughs out onto the counter. Cut it in half widthwise and in thirds lengthwise, making 6 squares. Take a handful of the meat mixture (about 1/4 cup), shape into a meatball and drop it onto the corner of one of the squares. Continue in this way until there's a meatball on each square. Wash your hands again after handling the raw poultry.

Brush the edges of each square with a little of the beaten egg and fold the opposite corner over to close in the meatball and make a calzone. Fold and press the edges to seal the meatball inside. Brush the tops lightly with the egg. Repeat with the remaining meat and dough and arrange all of the calzones on a baking sheet. Bake until dark golden brown, about 15 minutes.

While the calzones are baking, place a medium saucepan over medium-high heat with two turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. Add the chopped onion and remaining garlic to the pan, season with salt and pepper and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes to the pan with the basil and simmer the sauce until thickened up a bit, 2-3 minutes, turn the heat off and add the cream.

Serve three calzones to each person with the spicy tomato dipping sauce alongside.