Pulled Pork Sandwiches

The Superbowl was last Sunday.  We ALWAYS hang with our fabulous friends from high school on Superbowl Sunday.  Always!  It's a tradition, and it's one of my favorite days of the year.  The Spy Who Loves Me and I grew up together.  Yep, we've known each other since the innocent age of nine years old.  We went to all the same schools and graduated the same year.  We were best friends all though high school, and The Spy was my walking partner on graduation day.  He's still my partner, but not so much in walking.

Each year our still super cool high school friends gather at our home and we hang.  Oh yeah, and there's that little matter of watching the game.  Sometimes we do that, too, but mostly we hang.  Everyone brings munchie food and I make dinner and dessert.  This year I decided to experiment with dinner, which is super risky when you're having company.  But I'm a risky kinda gal.  (That is so not true!  I totally lied!  I am so not a risk taker.  But on Sunday I was.  And it paid off.)

I decided to make pulled pork sandwiches, something I've never made, but thought would be perfect for game day.  First I cooked a pork roast in my crockpot.  I did this the day before.  I sprinkled the roast with my favorite seasoning, Montreal Steak Seasoning, and then I cooked it for about 6 hours on high.  After 6 hours the meat just fell apart because it was so tender.  I removed all the fat, shredded the meat, and poured this sauce on top.  This sauce is the bomb.  The Spy would drink this sauce if I let him.  But I won't.  I made a double recipe of the sauce and mixed half with the roast and then saved the other half so people could pour more on their sandwiches if they wanted to.  The Spy wanted to.  The Spy did.  Once the meat and sauce were mixed I put the crock in the fridge overnight.

On game day I put the crock back into the pot and heated the meat until it was nice and warm.  Then I buttered big hot dog buns with sesame seeds on top and sprinkled some Parmesan cheese on top of the butter.  I broiled the buns until they were golden brown and when they came out of the oven we spooned the meat on top and those who wanted to poured more sauce on top.  The Spy poured sauce.  The Spy has a love affair with this sauce. 

Because we were all pretty stuffed from the munchies we'd eaten before the meal, I only served a fresh fruit salad with the sandwiches.  So easy, and so good!

Then it was time for dessert, which is always my favorite time!  For the past few years I have just done a cookie platter for our Superbowl party.  There are a couple of reasons I make cookies.  First, like I said, we are all pretty stuffed from munching all day and no one is really in the mood for a big dessert.  Also, cookies can be made ahead of time so there's no work on the day of the party.  They can even be made the week before and frozen, which is what I did, and it worked out great.

I made these cookies:

Grandma Annie's Sugar Cookies

Sandart Brownies

And a recipe for peanut butter bars that the friend who gave it to me asked me not to share on my blog.  Sorry!  I wish I could because it's a great recipe, but she's a great friend, and I love my friend more than I love her recipe.  But I do love her recipe!

I turned the Sandart Brownies into Brownie Bites by cutting them into bite size pieces and shaking them in a ziplock bag with powdered sugar.  I also made the cookies kind of small so people could try some of everything.  And they did!

I love to entertain, but what I love most is spending time with friends.  That's why I try to make things that can be done ahead of time.  Then, on party day, you're not stuck in the kitchen working your fingers to the bones.  Instead, you're hanging with your peeps.  And I really love hanging with my peeps!

Faith, family, friends, football and food!  Some of the best things in life.

Hope you enjoy stirring it up!

Tomato Bacon Cups

1 small tomato, finely chopped

½ cup mayonnaise

½ cup real bacon bits

½ cup shredded Swiss

1 small onion finely chopped

1 tsp. dried basil

1 tube refrigerated buttermilk biscuits, separated

In a small bowl, combine the tomato, mayonnaise, bacon, cheese, onion and basil; set aside.  Split each biscuit into three layers; press each layer into an ungreased miniature muffin cup (that is what the recipe says, but I always spray my muffin cups with Pam or it sticks).  Spoon tomato mixture into cups.  Bake at 450 degrees for 8-10 Minutes or until golden brown.  Serve warm.

From whence it came:  This fabulous recipe came from a fabulous lady, Sherrie Labrum.  Sherrie is the mother of my sonny-in-law.  Or the mother-in-law of my married daughter.  Either way you say it, Sherrie is wonderful.  I've always dreamed my children would grow up and marry someone amazing, and then have another great family to love them.  My married daughter exceeded my expectations.  The Labrum family is as wonderful as they come. They are fun, kind and generous.  They are family to us! 

Why it's blogable:  This recipe is just divine.  My teen son would tell you that anything with bacon qualifies for the divine category.  I've told you before that he and The Spy Who Loves Me have a love affair with bacon.  And when you mix the bacon with all these other flavors and put it in a fancy little biscuit, well you've got yourself something to talk about.  And something to gobble down.  Whenever I make this recipe, my popularity increases.  And that's a good thing!

Click here to get the printable:

Tomato Bacon Cups

Hope you enjoy stirring it up!

Cheese Ball

1 8 oz. Cream cheese—softened

½ c. mayonnaise

Green onion—sliced

½ lb. bacon, fried and crumbled

Mix together.  Form into ball.  Cover with sliced almonds.  Refrigerate.  Serve with crackers.

From whence it came:  Here we go again.  My sister-in-law, Lori, shared this recipe with me.  Lori is a great cook!  She makes good stuff.  And this recipe is really good stuff!

Why it's blogable:  It's so easy to make, and it's really pretty.  The onion and bacon give it great flavor.  It's a really fun dish to take to a party and it can be made ahead of time, which is always nice!

Click here to get the printable:

Cheese Ball

Hope you enjoy stirring it up!

Hot Corn Dip

1 Can Green Giant Mexi-corn

1 cup mayo

1 cup pepper jack cheese - grated

1 lg. or 2 small Ortega diced green Chilies

½ c. Parmesan cheese

 

Mix.  Bake in pie pan for 20-30 minutes at 350.  Great for dipping tortilla chips or crackers.

From whence it came:  My sister-in-law, Lori, gets the credit and a great big thank you for this yum-e recipe.  She's kinda famous for making it.  The first time I tried it I just knew I had to have the recipe, and now you have it, too!

Why it's blogable:  Could it be easier?  No!  Could it be healthier?  Yes!  Okay, so it's not the healthiest recipe you'll ever eat.  I'll give ya that.  But it's not like you're going to eat it every day.  It's a special occasion recipe.  It's a "we're getting together with friends and I want to wow everyone with something really delicious" recipe.  And it is really really delicious!

Click here to get the printable:

Hot Corn Dip

Hope you enjoy stirring it up!

Bye Bye Birdie

My baby girl, also known as my teen daughter, is right at this very minute getting ready to spread her little wings and fly out of our little nest.  I am fighting with all my might to refrain from assuming the fetal position.  I can't guarantee it's not going to happen.  I still remember saying goodbye to my now married daughter when we left her in snowy Provo to pursue her dreams a few years ago.  I cried until my eyes were swollen shut.  It wasn't pretty.  Not at all.

My married daughter had a lot of fun pursuing her dream, and her dream ended up becoming my sonny-in-law!

Now it's time to let another birdie go, and I'm not sure I'm ready. In fact, I'm pretty sure I'm not ready at all.  But these little birdies of ours grow up and inevitably they venture out into the world to find their way.   It's a good thing.  It's what we raised them to do.  It's what we worked for.  It's what we prayed for.  It's what we've wanted.  It just came way too fast.

My little birdie before:

My little birdie now:

Why am I posting this sob story on my little cooking blog, you might ask?  Because I told my baby girl aka teen daughter aka little birdie that for the week before she left she could choose any dinner she wanted each night of the week.  So, I thought I'd share with y'all what she chose:

Sloppy Joes

Meat Pie

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Roast Beast and Smashed Potatoes with Gravy

Sorry there's no recipe for this one, but it is her all time favorite dinner!  Or maybe her second, Thanksgiving takes her #1 spot!

I know that's only four nights of dinners but get serious, I'm not superwoman.  You didn't think I really cooked seven nights in a row, did you?

Tonight we are having a "Have fun in Utah" party for our little birdie.  We would never call it a goodbye party.  I am not a fan of the "g" word.  For the party I asked her what she wanted and this is what she said:

The Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies

Fudgie Pudgies

And this!

UGH!  We should have known that she would pick this!  Just to torture me!  But I rebelled and we made them into cupcakes and then I made homemade frosting instead of that yucky canned stuff.  You know by now I am not a lover of store bought frosting.

Thankfully my teen son is still planted firmly in the nest, at least for another year or so.  The good news is that for now I'll still have someone to smother, oops, I mean mother.  Lucky him, now all my mothering skills will be aimed straight at this handsome boy. 

I do realize this post has a lot less to do with food and a lot more to do with my needing to let my birdie fly, but blogging is therapeutic for me, and seeing my birdies fly has caused me to need therapy.  Which reminds me, cupcakes are also very therapeutic.  Gotta run, I hear those cupcakes calling my name!

Hope you enjoy stirring it up!

Low Fat Carrot Cake

Cake:
9 Tbsp butter, softened
2/3 C. packed brown sugar
1/2 C. sugar
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
2 tsp vanilla
2 C. flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 C. low-fat buttermilk
2 C. finely shredded carrots   

Frosting:
4 ounces block-style fat free cream cheese*
1/4 C. butter, softened
2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
2 3/4 C powdered sugar, divided
Orange sugar sprinkles (or whatever you have around)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.**

To prepare cake, coat a 13x9 inch baking pan with cooking spray; line bottom of pan with wax paper.  Coat wax paper with cooking spray; set aside.

Place 9 Tbsp butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in a large bowl; beat with mixer at medium speed 5 minutes or until well blended.  Add eggs and egg whites, 1 at a time; beating well after each addition until pale and fluffy.  Beat in 2 tsp of vanilla.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with knife.  Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp salt, stirring with a whisk.  Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix after each addition.  Stir in carrot.  Spoon batter into prepared pan.  Sharply tap pan once on counter to remove air bubbles.  Bake at 350 degrees** for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan.  Carefully peel off wax paper; cool completely on wire rack.

To prepare frosting, place the cream cheese, 1/4 C butter, 2 tsp of vanilla and 1/8 tsp salt in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth.  Gradually add 2 cups powdered sugar, beating at low speed until smooth (do not overbeat).  Stir in the remaining 3/4 c. powdered sugar.  Cover and chill 30 minutes.  Spread frosting over top of cake.  Garnish with  sprinkles.  Store cake loosely covered in refrigerator. 
Yield:  16 servings

Calories:  309; Fat 10.3 g; Protein 4.5g; Carb 50.2 g; Fiber 0.9g

*I have never been able to find Fat free cream cheese so I always use the 1/3 less fat ones.

**The recipe calls for the oven to be at 350 degrees, but I bake it at 300 degrees for one hour or until done.

From whence it came:  Starts with "K", ends with "erinda".  That's right, my great friend, Kerinda gets another gold star for sharing another golden recipe.  (Knowing her like I do, she's not gonna want a gold star.  She's gonna want chocolate.  She and I share a love of all things chocolate.  But all she's getting is a gold star.  And a great big thank you!)

Why it's blogable:  To be totally honest, which I always am, except when it comes to listing my weight on my driver's license, I think this carrot cake recipe is better, but it's also a lot more fattening.  So, this one is blogable because it's a lot less fattening, and still really yum-e.  No one will know it's low fat unless you tell them.  And you really shouldn't tell them, at least not until they tell you they love it, and they will.

Give it a try. 
Take it for a test drive. 
Give it a whirl. 
Take it out for a spin. 

Click here to get the printable:
Low Fat Carrot Cake

Hope you enjoy stirring it up!

Cali Cheesesteak Sandwiches

A few nights ago we barbecued New York steak, which is my favorite steak.  We don't eat it very often, but this past week The Spy Who Loves Me and I made it to the 29 year mark in the marriage department, so we thought a good steak dinner was in order.  And it was a good dinner.  We had quite a bit of steak leftover, and it would be a sin to waste New York steak, so last night I put it to good use.  Very good use.  Here's how it went down:

I chopped up some green bell peppers and onions and stir fried them in a little bit of olive oil.

When they were getting a little bit brown and soft, I added the steak, which I had thinly sliced.

Once the meat was warmed up, I added about 1/2 c. steak sauce, like A1, only I used the Walmart brand, and it was great!

Then I stirred it up (hey, this blog isn't named Stirring It Up for nothin') and let the flavors combine.  (Sorry for the steamy picture, it was very steamy in my kitchen last night.)

While I was doing all of that, my teen son put a little bit of butter and Parmesan cheese on some rolls and we toasted them under the broiler until they were just a little bit brown.  Then we topped the rolls with the heavenly meat mixture.  Yes we did!

And these divine little sandwiches couldn't be Cali Cheesesteak Sandwiches without cheese, so I topped them with a mix of Italian cheeses:  mozzarella, provolone, Romano and Parmesan.  Don't be overly impressed by my use of so many cheeses, they came already grated and mixed in a bag.  I shouldn't have told you that.  I should have just let you be overly impressed. 

Then I popped 'em back under the broiler for just and minute and, drum roll please, this is what happened:

Let me just say that the crowd went wild over these sandwiches.  The crowd included my marvelous momma, who was celebrating her birthday yesterday.  (I have the best mom in the whole world.  The whole wide world!)  She was a big fan of these sandwiches, and she wasn't alone.  The flavor from the barbecued steak combined with the vegies and steak sauce is over the top good.  Then you put it on that crispy, cheesy roll and add more cheese, well, you've got yourself something worth blogging about.  I named them Cali Cheesesteak Sandwiches because I'm from Cali, not from Philly.  I've never even been to Philly.  I've never even been to the right coast.  I'm a left coast girl, through and through. 

I served these sandwiches with baked beans and a fruit salad.  And for dessert, I made these cookies.  I probably should have made my mom a birthday cake, but she is crazy about these cookies, so I make those instead.  And my mom went crazy.  In a good way.  Not in a padded room kind of way.  But in a really good, thanks for making my favorite cookies on for my birthday, kind of way.

If you have leftover steak, make these sandwiches.  If you don't have leftover steak, barbecue steak and make sure you have enough to have leftovers.  Then make these sandwiches.  You'll be glad you did!

Hope you enjoy stirring it up!

Overnight Steel Cut Oatmeal

This is more of a process than a recipe.  And here's the process:

First you need a crockpot.

If you don't have a crockpot let me know and I will begin to pray for your soul.  How can a person survive this treacherous life without a crockpot?  I shudder to think of it! 

Next you need a glass bowl.

I'm sure you have one of those.  If you don't, no amount of prayer can help.  That situation would be considered beyond help!  The glass bowl needs to be able to fit inside your crockpot with enough room around the edges to add water.

So, here's whatcha do:

Place the glass bowl in the crockpot.

Place 4 c. water, 1 c. steel cut oats and a pinch salt inside glass bowl.

These measurements make four nice size servings. 

Add enough water to crockpot to reach about 1/2 way up the inner bowl.

Basically, we've now created a double boiler using our crockpot.  How cool is that!

The inner bowl might float a little bit, but don't worry, the lid will push it back down.

Speaking of the lid, put it on the crockpot.  Plug it in.  That part is important.  You must plug it in.  And you must turn it onto low.  Then walk away, put on your pj's, wash your face, brush your teeth, say your prayers, eat a cookie, brush your teeth again, and go to bed.  (That's my nightly routine, just in case you're wondering!)

You will wake up in the morning to the creamiest bowl of oatmeal that you ever have imagined.

I put it in the crockpot at about 9:30 pm and served to the teen son at about 5:30 am.  Then I put the lid back on it and had a bowl myself around 8:00 am.  Then I put the lid back on it again and The Spy had a bowl around 9:00 am.  I tell you this not because I think you're fascinated by our morning routine, but rather so you'll know it stays warm and well in the crockpot if you eat breakfast in shifts like us Andersons. 

Now, things are about to get even better:

Sprinkle on some brown sugar and chopped walnuts or pecans.  You can also add blueberries or really anything that floats your boat.  But we're not done.  Oh no we're not.

Pour on a little bit of milk.  Or heavy cream if you don't care about heart health.  I use milk because I treasure my ticker.  Mix it all up and gobble it down!

That's all folks!  How easy is that?  If you've never tried steel cut oats, you simply must.  They are so much better than regular oats, and so very good for you.  You can buy them so cheap at a store like Henry's, or at any grocery store, but they're a lot more expensive at the grocery store.

If you don't live near a Henry's Marketplace I will pray for your soul.  I love and adore Henry's.  That's the place where I buy all my spices in bulk.  It's so much cheaper than buying them in those little containers at the grocery store.  I also buy all my nuts in bulk at Henry's.  And their produce rocks!  Steel Cut Oats at Henry's are only about .79 cents per pound.  And a pound makes a whole lotta oatmeal.  A whole lotta!

Steel Cut Oats are one of the healthiest and least expensive breakfasts you can eat.  The Spy Who Loves Me and the teen son love this stuff!  The teen daughter not so much.  She likes the little unhealthy packets of instant oatmeal that are loaded with sugar.  But she's a skinny little thing so we let it slide.

If you love your family, and I know you do, make this for them.  And they're sure to love you right back!

Hope you enjoy stirring it up!

Tim McGraw's Chicken and Dumplings

INGREDIENTS

• 1 small chicken
• Water
• 2 cups of all-purpose flour
• Pinch of salt
• Milk
• 1 egg

Boil chicken, adding salt to taste. When tender, pull chicken from the bone and return to the broth.

Pour flour into a bowl, leaving a hole in the middle. Add 1 egg and enough milk to form a doughy consistency (similar to how you would make biscuits). Sprinkle flour on cutting board. Pinch off part of the dough and roll into a thin sheet and cut into squares. Drop one square at a time into broth. Continue this until all of the dough is used. Add salt and pepper to taste and simmer until tender.

Allow the dumplings to thicken the broth until it is a creamy consistency.

From whence it came:  Sigh!  Double sigh!  Sigh again!  Sorry, but I can't help myself.  I always sigh before I say (or type) the name Tim McGraw.  I love him!   I know it's wrong, considering that I am married to a spy who loves me, but if loving Tim is wrong, I don't wanna be right!  My friends make fun of me and tease me mercifully, but I don't care.  Being Tim's #1 fan is my calling in life.  And I've got the Tim McGraw earrings to prove it!

Why it's blogable:  I guess I'm going to have to confess right here and now that I've never made this recipe.  I've never eaten this recipe.  I honestly don't think I've ever tasted chicken and dumplings of any kind in my 50 years of existence.  I'm not sure I'd even like them.  Dumplings are mushy and gooey (like my feelings for Tim).  Mushy and gooey feelings are good, but mushy and gooey food is not my favorite.  So why post this recipe and break one of my major blogging rules of never posting a recipe that I've never made?  Because tonight I saw the movie Country Strong starring that hunky cowboy and now he is on my mind.  Oh, who am I kidding, he is usually on my mind.  But now he's on my mind more than usual.  

The Spy:  You might be wondering how The Spy Who Loves Me feels about my Timmy obsession.  He's cool with it.  Honest!  He really is!  He mostly just rolls his eyes and acknowledges that there's no point in fighting it.  It is what it is.  A middle aged woman with an unhealthy and at times slightly disturbing crush on a country superstar.  And to show y'all just how great The Spy really is, tonight he sat right beside me in the movie theater and held my hand as I watched my "other boyfriend" on the big screen.  I love The Spy!  And I love that he lets me love Tim, from a distance.  A long distance.  A very long distance.  No, there isn't a restraining order against me...yet!

Click here to get the printable:

Tim McGraw's Chicken and Dumplings

Hope you enjoy stirring it up!

 

My Favorite Mac and Cheese

1 (8 ounce) package elbow macaroni
1 (8 ounce) package shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 (12 ounce) container small curd cottage cheese
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup butter, melted
 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil, add pasta, and cook until done; drain.

In 9x13 inch baking dish, stir together macaroni, shredded Cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. In a small bowl, mix together bread crumbs and melted butter. Sprinkle topping over macaroni mixture.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until top is golden.

From whence it came:  My wonderful friend, Kerinda, shared this recipe with me recently and boy oh boy am I glad she did!  It really is good and she is such a good girl for sharing. 

Why it's blogable:  I have made homemade mac and cheese before and I haven't loved it, but this recipe is very lovable.  I like it much better than the super saucy recipes that are made with a white sauce.  This recipe is so super easy to make, and the flavor is great.  I used sharp cheddar like the recipe calls for and I thought it made a great difference, but if you're not into sharp, use medium.  Our family gobbled this up and the boys went back for seconds!  I call that success!

One more thing:  I used Panko bread crumbs for the topping and they worked great!  Panko (Japanese bread crumbs) are made from bread without crusts and have a crispier texture.  I'm sure any bread crumbs would be good, but the Panko ones are great!  You can get them in any grocery store.  I found them at my BFF, Super Walmart!  Also, I turned the broiler on for just a minute before removing the dish from the oven, just to brown the top a little bit more and increase the crispiness of the bread crumbs.

Click here to get the printable:

My Favorite Mac and Cheese

Hope you enjoy stirring it up!

French Toast Casserole

• 1 loaf (10 ounces) French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (10 cups)
• 8 eggs
• 3 cups milk
• 4 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, optional
  
  TOPPING:
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• Maple syrup, optional

• Place bread cubes in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla and salt if desired. Pour over bread. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
• Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Dot with butter. Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over the top.
• Cover and bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 5 minutes. Serve with maple syrup if desired. Yield: 12 servings.

From whence it came:  Here is another wonderful recipe from wonderful Susie Cazanave.   I blogged about Susie not too long ago and told you all how marvelous she is and how blessed I am to have her as a friend.  Her French Toast Casserole is almost as marvelous as she is, but not quite!  I love you Susie!

Why it's blogable:  First of all, it's really good!  Secondly, I love recipes that you can make ahead of time and then just pop in the oven.  Another great thing about this recipe is that it's very inexpensive to make.  Yum-e, easy, cheap!  A great combo!

A little tip:  Make sure you cook this long enough so the egg is cooked all the way and it's not runny.  I cooked it in a glass dish and followed the directions exactly and mine turned out just right!

Click here to get the printable:
French Toast Casserole

Hope you enjoy stirring it up!

Fresh Cranberry Salad

1 qt. (24 oz.) fresh cranberries  (2 - 12 oz. bags)

2 cups sugar

1 ½ lb. red seedless grapes 

1 pt. heavy whipping cream
1/2 c. sugar
1 t. vanilla

1 cup chopped pecans, or more if desired

Grind cranberries in blender or food processor on medium.  (You don't want it in large chunks.)  Add sugar and stir well.  Place mixture in colander and drain overnight in refrigerator. 

In the morning, clean and dry grapes.  Cut in half and add to the cranberries.  Mix well.  Refrigerate at least two hours.  

Whip the cream until it is almost butter, very very stiff.  Slowly add 1/2 c. sugar and 1 t. vanilla to cream while whipping.  Add the whipped cream and nuts about an hour and a half before serving and keep in refrigerator so it gets cold. 

From whence it came:  One of the nicest, kindest, most generous people I have ever known shared this fabulous recipe with me.  Patty Sandner is the great gal who gets credit for this one.  Patty is twin sisters with another lady who is also one of the best people I know, Peggy Masterson.  Patty and Peggy are simply the best.  They are so much fun, and they have hearts the size of the great state of Texas.  They are always looking for ways to brighten the lives of others.  And they are both a huge bright spot in my life!  I can't say enough about these girls, or this salad!

Why it's blogable:  I tried this last week at a ladies Christmas dinner and I nearly passed out with delight.  It's just so fabulous, I don't really have the words to describe it.  It's pretty, it's got a crunch, it's sweet (and you know I'm all about sweet) and it's amazing.  Make this and you will become instantly popular.  More popular than you have ever imagined.  Possibly as popular as Patty and Peggy.  But don't become so popular that you no longer have time to stalk my little blog!

Click here to get the printable:

Fresh Cranberry Salad

Hope you enjoy stirring it up!

Aztec Dessert

1 package Oreo cookies
1 stick melted butter
1/2 gallon ice cream, any flavor
Hot fudge sauce
1 8 oz. Cool Whip

Crush Oreos in large zip lock bag.  Reserve 1 cup and add melted butter to remaining Oreos.  Press into bottom of 9x13 pan.  Freeze for about 20 minutes.

Top Oreo crust with ice cream.  I normally remove ice cream from carton and slice with a big knife, then place it onto the crust.  You can also soften the ice cream and spread it over the crust.

Top with hot fudge sauce that has been cooled to room temperature, then spread Cool Whip on top.  Sprinkle remaining Oreos on Cool Whip.  Place in freezer for at least one hour.  Cut into squares and serve.

From whence it came:  We all need to bow down and kiss the feet of my sweet sister-in-law, Geralane, and thank her for this over-the-top, to-die-for recipe!  She has given me many great recipes over the years, but this one stands alone.  It's amazing, just like Geralane!

Why it's blogable:  A few reasons:  Oreos, butter, ice cream, Cool Whip and hot fudge!  Can you think of a better combo?  I didn't think so.  This recipe is a hit 100% of the time.  Everyone loves it, and it's very easy to make.  It's perfect for the holidays.  If you make it with peppermint ice cream it is wonderful, and so so pretty.  The Spy Who Loves Me has over the years requested it for his birthday cake.  It's great with Mocha Almond Fudge ice cream, or cookies and cream, or mint chip, or really any flavor you like.  You can't go wrong with this recipe, unless you decide not to make it.  That would be wrong.  Very wrong!

If you want to simplify the recipe, you can buy hot fudge sauce rather than make your own.  The original recipe calls for store bought sauce.  And it's good that way, but it's better with this sauce.  And cheaper, too.  Either way, you're gonna love this recipe!

Click here to get the printable:
Aztec Dessert

Hope you enjoy stirring it up!

Super Secret Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe

That's right, I've been holdin' out on y'all!  In all these months I have not shared my super duper top secret peanut butter cookie recipe.  To tell you the truth, I've never shared it.  Ever.  With anyone!  But today, because it's Christmastime, and because I'm a giver, I'm giving you guys the recipe.

Here it is.  Drum roll please...

Now you probably know why I've never shared it.  Because it's totally humiliating!  How can someone with a cooking slash baking blog (emphasis on baking) use a packaged cookie mix?  Easy, I just rip it open, add the stuff it calls for, and bake 'em up!

From whence it came:  SuperWalmart!  But you can get them at any grocery store.  They're cheaper at SuperWalmart, so if you're smart, and I know you are, you'll buy them there.

Why it's blogable:  Here's the skinny...these peanut butter cookies are so good.  I'm not kidding!  I have made peanut butter cookies from scratch, and they are not better than these.  I wouldn't lie.  You know I wouldn't!  I'm always so sheepish when I make these for people and they ask for the recipe, and trust me, they almost always do.  But today I'm saying it loud and proud, "Betty Crocker rocks when it comes to peanut butter cookies."  To be honest, the other cookie mixes Betty makes aren't all that great, but when it comes to peanut butter, she knows her stuff.

A couple of tips:  I only add half the water called for because it makes the cookies taller and more puffy.  Also, I always add chopped peanuts.  I don't chop them much, I leave them in pretty big pieces.  And I add a lot of peanuts.  They are so good with peanuts!  One more thing, I use a 1/4 cup ice cream scoop to form the cookies.  It makes them really big.  Big is good when it comes to cookies.  Not so good when it comes to buns and thighs, but really good when it comes to cookies!  Oh, yeah, one more thing, I always make at least two (sometimes three) packages at a time.  If you only make one you're setting yourself up for sadness, because once you taste these you're gonna realize that one just isn't enough!

Why am I giving away this huge secret now?  Because it's Christmastime, and because even if you don't bake, you can make these cookies.  Anyone can make these cookies.  A monkey could make these cookies!  And no one will ever know you used a mix.  Unless you decide to spill your guts on your cooking slash baking blog (emphasis on baking).

Hope you enjoy stirring it up!

Almond Roca

• 4 sticks Butter
• 2 cups Sugar (rounded)
• 4 Tablespoons Water
• 2 cups Almonds, Chopped
• 1 cup Chocolate Chips
• ½ cups Almonds, Finely Chopped, For Sprinkling

Combine the first 3 ingredients and cook on high, stirring constantly through 3 stages:
1. Runny
2. “Cheesy”—it will look like melted white cheese
3. Runny and smooth, caramel brown color

Make sure you have the fan on your stove going, cause you’ll probably set off the smoke alarm towards the end.
When it is runny, smooth and caramel brown in color, remove it from the heat and add the almonds. Stir until combined and pour the mixture onto greased cookie sheets. Spread it into an even layer. It will harden as it cools.

While it is still warm, sprinkle chocolate chips on top and let them melt enough to get soft. Spread the chocolate in an even layer across the candy. While the chocolate is still “wet,” sprinkle the finely chopped almonds on top.

At this point, while it is still warm and soft, you can score the candy with a butter knife to make it break evenly, or just let it harden and break it into rustic pieces.

Store in airtight containers. Enjoy!

From whence it came:  I found this winner on Tasty Kitchen!  And I'm not kiddin' ya when I say it's a winner.  Easy to make and very few ingredients.

Why it's blogable:  I'm so excited!  This is the first time I have ever had a toffee recipe turn out good.  I've tried other recipes before and they've never been the right consistency, but this time it's so good!  I'm having to use my fly swatter to keep The Spy Who Loves Me and my teen son away from the stuff.  It's a problem!

You can see the step by step instructions here.  If you've never made toffee, you should read thorough it and look at the pictures.  It helped me to know how long to cook it, and that's really the only tricky part.

Oh, one more thing, I doubled the chocolate.  One cup? I think not!  Two cups is more like it!

Click here to get the printable:
Almond Roca

Hope you enjoy stirring it up!

Eggs in a Muffin Tin

1 loaf of white bread (24 slices)

1 dozen eggs

3/4 cup milk

Shredded cheese

Spray the bottom of the muffin tins with Pam, or use variation below.  Using the ring of a glass cup (3 ½ inch diameter works best), cut the bread using the cup like a cookie cutter. Mold the bread firmly to the bottom and sides of the tin, buttered side down, if you're using butter. Mix the eggs and milk together.  Season egg mixture with salt and pepper to your liking.  Fill the muffin tin until it’s ¾ full. (The eggs will expand during cooking). Top with cheese.  You can add anything else you like to the egg mixture: sausage, bacon, green onions, green chilies, etc.  Bake at 350 until eggs looked cooked. Check around 20 minutes.  Makes 24 egg muffins.

Variation:  I buttered the bread on one side rather than spraying the pan with Pam.  They didn't stick and they tasted so good!  Also, I cut the recipe in half and made only a dozen.

From whence it came:  Someone who I love more than cupcakes gave this terrific recipe to me.  Susie Cazanave is the gal and she is just as good as it gets when it comes to people.  Susie is so sweet and kind and thoughtful and fun.  And she is truly one of the most genuine people I have ever known.  And popular!  She is so very popular!  She is loved by everyone.  Everyone loves and adores Susie, but not as much as me.  I love her the most!  She is one special lady, and this is one special recipe!

Why it's blogable:  I tried this recipe out this morning for a little ladies breakfast and it was a hit.  I was nervous to try a new recipe on company, but I knew Susie wouldn't lead me astray, and I was right!  I think buttering the bread gave them a great flavor and also made the edges nice and crispy.  I added chopped green onions but there are so many yum-e things you could add.  Use your imagination.  Make them for your family.  My teen son and teen daughter both loved them!  This is a winner guys, pinky swear!

Click here to get the printable:

Eggs in a Muffin Tin

Hope you enjoy stirring it up!

Bacon Wrapped Dates...the trauma!!!

Today I saw this recipe on Tasty Kitchen and it brought back a Christmas memory...not necessarily a happy one!

http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/recipes/appetizers-and-snacks/bacon-wrapped-dates-2/

I thought I'd share my newlywed Christmas with the in-laws horror story with you.  It's shameful.  It's humiliating!  It's caused me to need therapy.

When I was just a young bride, The Spy Who Loves Me took me to his Aunt Ruthie's house for Christmas dinner.  Ruthie was fun.  She was one of those "life of the party" kinda gals.

Ruthie was kind of fancy, too.  She had a nice home with pretty stuff.

Ruthie was generous.  She bought me my first set of Christmas dishes for a bridal shower gift, then for years my sweet Grandma Alyce added to the set every Christmas so that now I have a serving for twelve.  How cool is that!

Getting back to Ruthie and my Christmas horror story, there I was at fancy Aunt Ruthie's house, making my way around the buffet table, choosing what I thought looked good to eat.  I made a fatal mistake that night.  I chose something dark.  Something small and dark.  It looked harmless.  So I put one of the somethings on my plate.

I went over to the couch and sat down by The Spy (remember, we were newlyweds, we always sat by each other...always!) and said in a quiet voice, pointing to the small dark thing, "What do you think this is?"  The Spy looked into my eyes (remember, we were newlyweds, we were in love, we gazed into each others eyes regularly) and he said, "It's a date wrapped in bacon."  How on earth The Spy knew this I'll never know.  He doesn't know much about food.  But he is, after all, a spy, so I guess he just knows stuff.  

Anywho, my palms became clammy and I began to break out in a cold sweat!  I had NEVER heard of such a thing.  A date wrapped in bacon.  That's just about the freakiest food combination I had ever heard of.  What on earth was I to do?  Remember, I was a newlywed!  I was still trying desperately to make a good impression.  I couldn't act like I didn't like something that they had prepared.  I was in a tizzy! 

Then, just as luck would have it, I looked down and there, right next to me, was a trash can.  All I had to do was look around, make sure no one was watching, and drop the small dark thing into the can.  Problem solved.  Or so I thought.

Here's where the horror happened.  I covertly glanced around the room, grabbed the little dark thing with my bare hands, and dropped it into the can.  Believe me when I tell you that little dark thing made the loudest sound hitting the bottom of the trashcan that you can ever imagine.  Here's the problem...the trashcan was metal and completely empty.  There wasn't a single thing in it!  And, that small dark thing, well, it was very hard, so when it hit the bottom, it made a sound that was heard throughout the room!  Most likely it was heard throughout the entire neighborhood!  Everyone turned around and asked, "What was that?"

The story ends here.  I blanked out.  I have post traumatic stress syndrome.  I vaguely remember someone looking down into the can and seeing the little dark thing down at the bottom, all by itself, and me sitting next to it, my entire face as red as Rudolph's nose.  It wasn't my best moment.  And although that was nearly 30 years ago, I remember it like it was yesterday.

I still say that dates and bacon were never meant to be together.  They are an odd pair.  Don't try to convince me otherwise.  Bacon should be on a plate with pancakes and dates should be with nuts in bread.  Speaking of which, I need to share my Grandma Alyce's Date Nut Bread Recipe with y'all.  It's so good.  Not like those nasty little dark things!

Hope you enjoy stirring it up!

Gooey Toffee Butter Cake

Cake:
1 (18.25-ounce) box yellow cake mix
1 large egg
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
 
Filling:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 (16-ounce) box confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup almond toffee bits or chocolate toffee bits

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13 by 9 by-2-inch baking pan.
 
For the cake: In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well. Pat into the bottom of prepared pan and set aside.
 
For the filling: Still using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Dump in confectioners' sugar and beat well. Reduce the speed and slowly pour in butter. Mix well. Fold in toffee bits.
 
Pour filling onto cake mixture and spread evenly. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Don't be afraid to make a judgment call on the cooking time, because oven temperatures can vary. You want the center to be a little gooey, so don't bake it past that point!
 
Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Cut into squares. Just remember that these wonderful cakes are very, very rich, and a little will go a long way.

From whence it came:  The queen of ooey-gooey treats, Paula Deen!   I don't know how she does it, but Paula just keeps cranking out fabulous recipes.  I think her secret is BUTTER!  You just can't go wrong with butter.  

Why it's blogable:  This recipe is very similar to the Gooey Pumpkin Butter Cake recipe that I posted a while back.  I had so much great feedback on the Gooey Pumpkin recipe that I just had to post the Gooey Toffee recipe.  They are both delicious, and this one is perfect for the holidays.

You don't have to add the toffee pieces if you don't want to.  You can just make a Gooey Butter Cake.  I've done it both ways, and both were yum-e!

Click here to get the printable:

Gooey Toffee Butter Cake

Hope you enjoy stirring it up!