Pound Cake Cookies

2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup butter, softened 

4 ounces cream cheese, softened 

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla 

Cream together cream cheese and butter, then add sugar.  Beat 3-4 minutes till fluffy.  Add egg and vanilla.   Mix flour and salt.  Add a little at a time and mix on slow speed.   Line baking sheet with parchment paper.  Drop cookie mix onto baking sheet with cookie scoop.  Leave at least an inch between cookies since they will spread some.  Bake at 350 degrees for 16-18 minutes.  Let cool 5 minutes before transferring onto cooling rack to cool completely. ly.transferreserving.

Chibatta bread

 5 cups flour (I used bread flour)

1 tablespoon active dry yeast

1 tablespoon course salt 

2 1/4 cups warm tap water

1 tablespoon olive oil

1. Combine flour, yeast, salt and then add warm water.  Stir with dough wisk until fully combined.  Drizzle with Olive oil and shape into a round ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 1-2 hours. (I sat in oven with light on for 1 hour)

2.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper. 

3.  Turn dough onto floored surface.  Sprinkle with flour until manageable 

4.  Stretch dough into a rectangle. With a bench scraper I cut dough into rolls.

5. Transfer to sheet pan.  Cover with clean kitchen towel and let rest for 20 minutes. 

6.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Let cool and enjoy. 

Second try I used King Author regular plain flour and I let it rise for 2 hours.  Both work fine. 

Sausage Alfredo Ravioli Lasagna

1 lb spicy Italian sausage

2  10 ounce packages of ravioli

8 Cloves garlic 

6 tablespoons butter

3 cups cream

3/4 cup parmesean cheese

3 cups grated mozzarella 

1/2-2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon italian seasoning

Salt and pepper to taste 

375 degree oven.  Spray a 9x13 pan with PAM.

Remove sausage from casing.  Brown and break up sausage.  Remove sausage from pan.  Leave 1 tablespoon grease. Add butter and garlic and cook on low for 30 seconds.   Slowly add cream, then add parmesean cheese.  Cook until thick. 3-5 minutes.  Season now with salt and pepper to taste and red pepper flakes to your heat tolerance.  Meanwhile cook the ravioli according to package directions and drain. 

Assemble in this order...

1/3 cup sauce to coat bottom of baking dish

1/2 of ravioli 

1/2 of sausage

Half of sauce

Half of mozzarella 

Repeat 

Top with Italian seasoning and more red pepper flakes if desired 

Cook covered for 30 minutes then uncovered for 15 more minutes.  Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Options...

I have cooked it with tortellini instead of ravioli. 

I use the already diced garlic in the jar instead of fresh. 1/2 teaspoon equals 1 clove. 

I used the Rana pasta that you find in the refrigerated section.  I'm sure the frozen will work as well.

Cake mix that taste like its made from scratch

This is perfect for the caramel icing.  Use these ingredients instead of the ones on the box.

1 box yellow cake mix

1 cup melted butter

1 cup milk

4 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla

Bake according to directions on cake box

Chocolate Chip Muffin in a mug

4 Tablespoons self rising flour 

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

3 Tablespoons milk

1/8 Teaspoon vanilla

1/2 Tablespoon oil

2 tablespoons chocolate chips

Dump all in mug and stir.

Microwave for 1 minute.

Apple Muffins- my original recipe

 1 1/2 cups peeled and diced apples 

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 eggs

1/2 cup white sugar

1 1/2 cups self rising flour

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 stick melted butter

1/2 cup buttermilk

Peel and dice apples to small pieces so they will cook. Add brown sugar and cinnamon and toss to coat apples.   Add rest of ingredients and stir.  Scoop into a muffin tin that has been well sprayed with pan.  Cook at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes put clean.   Serve warm with butter.

This makes 6 large muffins.

Crispy Buffalo Wings

 4 pounds wings separated 

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup corn starch 

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder 

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon black pepper 

Mix together.  Dry wings with paper towels.  Coat in flour mixture.  Lay on baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Spray wings with PAM.  Bake at 425 for 25 minutes.  Turn wings over and spray again.  Return to oven for 25 more minutes.   Toss in Buffalo sauce or your favorite BBQ sauce. 

Buffalo sauce...

Mix 1/3 cup melted butter with 1/2 cup Franks Buffalo sauce.

Bran muffins with Raisin Bran

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 cups buttermilk

4 cups raisin bran cereal

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 cups flour (plain)

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt 

Mix raisin bran, buttermilk and oil together and let soak for 20 minutes.  Add rest of ingredients.  Spoon into a muffin. Pan that has been sprayed with PAM.  Cook on 400 for 12-14 minutes.  Let set for 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Serve with butter and/or honey. 

Peach Cake with peach glaze

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Stir together and set aside 

1 stick butter melted

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup light brown sugar

2 eggs 

1 teaspoon vanilla

2/3 cups peach puree

Mix well and add to dry ingredients 

Fold in 1 cup diced peaches

Pour into a 9 or 10 round pan that's been sprayed well with PAM 

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until toothpick comes our clean 

Let cool a bit then make a glaze from confectioners sugar, peach puree and a bit of milk.  Spread over cake.  Cream cheese icing is also good but let the cake cool completely before adding icing. 

I made my peach puree but next time I'm going to try peach baby food. I think it would work great and no mess. 

Master's Pimento Cheese

1/2 cup mayonnaise 

1/2 block cream cheese softened

 4 ounces diced pimentos drained

1/4 teaspoon each of garlic powder, salt, onion powder, pepper and cayenne pepper

1/2 block Tellamuck extra sharp white cheddar

1/2 block Tellamuck extra sharp regular cheddar

Mix and chill at least 2 hours before serving

Artichoke Dip

 Some of my favorite recipes I have gotten from Janie Davis.  This one doesn't disappoint. 

2 cans artichoke hearts

2 cups parmesean cheese (in the can)

2 cups Hellmans Mao

Paprika 

Drain and chop artichoke hearts.  Mix with parmesean cheese and Mao. Sprinkle with Paprika.  Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

Serve with bagel chips or toasted baguette slices. 

You can add cooked chicken if you want it to be more hardy. 

Butter Pecan Pancakes

1 1/2 cup self rising flour

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/3 cup chopped pecans

1 1/4 cups milk 

1 egg

3 tablespoons melted butter

Mix dry ingredients together including the pecans. Mix milk and eggs together with a fork until well mixed. Add liquid to the dry mix and stir till well mixed.  Melt the butter in a skillet.  Add 1/4 cup of the batter to the melted butter.  When batter starts to bubble flip to other side until brown.  Serve with maple syrup. 

Southern Chicken salad

 2 pounds boneless breast roasted and diced or shredded (roughly 2 large breast)

1/2 cup mayonnaise 

1/2 cup  sour cream

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 granny smith apple peeled and diced

1 cup toasted pecans (10 min in 350 degree oven) chopped

1/2 cup dried cranberries 

Salt and pepper to taste. 

Mix all wet ingredients together and toss with the other ingredients. Refrigerate.   I actually think it's better if it sits in the frig awhile before you serve it so the flavors can marry. 

Blush Wine salad dressing

 This dressing is perfect on salads with strawberries,  toasted pecans and feta cheese.

1/2 cup oil (canola or vegetable)

1/4 cup red wine vinegar 

1/4 cup water 

1 tablespoon lemon juice

3 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

Buffalo chicken pizza

 For crust I use Martha White Pizza crust mix.  It comes in the packages like the muffin mixes, not a box.  I prepare it according to package directions and I go ahead and slide it in the oven while I'm mixing up my chicken mixture.

I used half the recipe for my buffalo chicken dip that I have already posted to my blog.  I spread it onto the pizza crust and bake at the 475 directed on the pie crust for 10-12 minutes.  Check the bottom of the crust to determine if it's done.  Let it cool slightly before you serve it. 

EASY way to cook bacon

 Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.   Lay slices of bacon on the parchment paper.   Place in cold oven.  Turn oven on 425 degrees and set timer for 25 minutes.  Thick slice bacon will take a little longer.  Easy clean up.  Just carefully pull up the edges of the paper to the center and place in the trash can.  Pan will not even need washing.