Easy Small batch Chocolate chip cookies

 1 1/2 cups self rising flour

1 stick butter softened 

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

Chopped pecans are optional

Cream together sugar and butter.  Add brown sugar.  Add egg, then vanilla. Finally add flour. Fold in chopped pecans at the end if so desired. Use cookie scoop to drop onto parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.   Allow to set a couple of minutes before moving to a cooling rack. 

Easy holiday appetizer

 Boursin cheese spread with garlic and herbs

Fig preserves 

Pistachios

Spread Boursin on a dish.  Spread with fig preserves.  Top with pistachios that have been crushed or finely chopped.  Serve with crackers.   It was so easy and a big hit. 

Fall Salad and dressing

 Mixed greens

Apple

Dried cranberries 

Crumbled feta

Toasted pecans

Toasted pumpkin seeds

Dressing...

2 tablespoons maple dressing

1/4 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon Garlic powder 

1/8 teaspoon each of salt and pepper 

Chocolate Cherry Cake

 1 box Duncan Hines Devil Food cake mix

1 can Duncan Hines cherry pie filling

3 eggs

Mix all together and pour into a 9x13 pan that's bern sprayed with PAM.  Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.  

I used the easy chocolate icing recipe already found in my blog as the icing. 

Butter swim fruit biscuits

2 Martha White muffin mix, your choice.  I used blueberry cheesecake.

1 1/2 cups buttermilk 

Stick of butter

Heat oven to 450 degrees.  Melt butter in pan you plan to cook in, in the oven as it warms up.  I sprayed with PAM before I started.   Mix muffin mix and butter milk.  When butter is melted, add the muffin batter and spread with spatula.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Let cool 15 minutes. Mix confectioners sugar, a little milk and a little vanilla flavoring until it is the consistency to drizzle.   Drizzle over the baked biscuits.

Short cut Cinnamon Rolls

 Pack of Hawaiian rolls sliced in half horizontally

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 stick butter

2 teaspoons cinnamon

Pinch of salt

Cream together and spread 3/4 on the bottom half of rolls.  Put the top half on and spread the rest on top.  Bake 20 minutes in 350 degree oven.

Meanwhile take 3 oz of softened cream cheese, 2 tablespoons softened butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla and a pinch of salt.  Cream together.   When rolls come out of oven let them cool 5 minutes then spread icing on top.  Eat them while they are warm. 

Cinnamon Roll in a Mug

1/4 cup self rising flour

2 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon oil or melted butter

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Stir together.

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Stir together and pour around the edge of the mixture in the mug.  Take a knife tip and swirl the cinnamon mixture into the batter.  Microwave for 1 1/2 minutes.  

Meanwhile mix 2 tablespoons confectioners sugar and a drizzle of mix to make an icing.  When muffin has cooled a little, drizzle icing on top.

You could add raisins and/or pecans to the batter.  

Caramel Pudding

1 1/2 cups self rising flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup milk 

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 sticks butter

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

1  1/2 cup boiling water

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Place 2 sticks of butter in a 9x13 and place into oven till melted.  Meanwhile combine flour, sugar, milk and vanilla.  Pour this mixture over the melted butter.  Do not stir.  Sprinkle the brown sugar on next.  Don't stir.  Slowly pour the boiling water on last.  Place in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve alone or with ice cream.  I served it with butter pecan ice cream. 

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. 

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.

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 parmesan cheese (in the can)

2 cups Hellmans Mao

Paprika 

Drain and chop artichoke hearts.  Mix with parmesan 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