Hello to everyone who stops by my little food blog. This is to let everyone know I've moved all my recipes and posts over to my new Wordpress website: www.canningandcookingiastyle.com
The new website has a lot of great features, including a specific recipe section that you can search by categories and even ingredients.
I'll be leaving this blog up for a while, but all new posts and recipes can be found at the above link. Thanks for reading, and I hope to see you at the new site.
Thursday, January 21, 2016
Sunday, January 17, 2016
Mixed Berry Cream Cheese Muffins
I love making muffins for breakfast and brunch. There are so many ways to make them, both sweet and savory. I had a bunch of frozen mixed berries in my freezer, thinking I'd do something healthy for the New Year and make smoothies, but my craving for muffins got the best of me, so I decided to use some of the berries in these muffins.
I found this recipe on FiveHeartHome.com after doing a search on Pinterest. This sounded just like what I wanted to make, and since I had all the ingredients on hand, I decided to go for it. The recipe says it makes 18 muffins. I did get 18 cream cheese-filled muffins, but there was enough batter left to make an additional 6 muffins. This way my family can decide which way they like them best, although I'm always in favor of a little cream cheese filling. Pour yourself a glass of cold milk and enjoy!
Mixed Berry Cream Cheese Muffins
3 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 1/2 good vanilla
2 cups mixed berries, fresh or frozen (if using frozen, don't thaw)
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners, or spray with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder and salt. Work in the softened butter with a pastry blender or fork until the butter is in tiny bits and the mixture resembles coarse sand.
Blend in the eggs, milk and vanilla until all ingredients are thoroughly mixed, but do not overmix. Gently fold in the berries.
In a small bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and the 2 1/2 tablespoons of sugar until smooth and blended.
Scoop a heaping tablespoon of the berry batter in the bottom of the muffin cups, adding just enough to cover the bottom. Add about 1 teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture to the center of each muffin cup. Top the cream cheese with another tablespoon of the berry batter, evenly dividing the batter between the muffin cups.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the muffins test done with a toothpick. Remove muffins from pans, and cook on a wire rack.
Yield: Approximately 18 muffins
I found this recipe on FiveHeartHome.com after doing a search on Pinterest. This sounded just like what I wanted to make, and since I had all the ingredients on hand, I decided to go for it. The recipe says it makes 18 muffins. I did get 18 cream cheese-filled muffins, but there was enough batter left to make an additional 6 muffins. This way my family can decide which way they like them best, although I'm always in favor of a little cream cheese filling. Pour yourself a glass of cold milk and enjoy!
Mixed Berry Cream Cheese Muffins
3 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 1/2 good vanilla
2 cups mixed berries, fresh or frozen (if using frozen, don't thaw)
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners, or spray with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder and salt. Work in the softened butter with a pastry blender or fork until the butter is in tiny bits and the mixture resembles coarse sand.
Blend in the eggs, milk and vanilla until all ingredients are thoroughly mixed, but do not overmix. Gently fold in the berries.
In a small bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and the 2 1/2 tablespoons of sugar until smooth and blended.
Scoop a heaping tablespoon of the berry batter in the bottom of the muffin cups, adding just enough to cover the bottom. Add about 1 teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture to the center of each muffin cup. Top the cream cheese with another tablespoon of the berry batter, evenly dividing the batter between the muffin cups.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the muffins test done with a toothpick. Remove muffins from pans, and cook on a wire rack.
Yield: Approximately 18 muffins
Wednesday, January 13, 2016
Eggs Benedict
Whenever we go out for breakfast, if I see Eggs Benedict on the menu, I'll order that before anything else. I love traditional Eggs Benedict with that delicious Hollandaise sauce, but I also like the different varieties you can find in restaurants, such as country style with sausage gravy and Irish style that uses corned beef - yum!
When I was growing up, my mom didn't make the usual Hollandaise sauce for her Eggs Benedict but made an easy cheese sauce instead. When I make this breakfast dish at home, I still use Mom's recipe, and my sons enjoy it as much as I do. It's easy to do, and you can vary the heat in the cheese sauce by adjusting the amount of mustard and horseradish, if using.
Eggs Benedict - My Version
Ingredients per serving:
1 English muffin, split in half
Butter
2 eggs
2 slices Canadian bacon
Cheese sauce
Cheese Sauce:
1 can cheese soup
1/2 can milk
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard powder (adjust to taste)
1/4 teaspoon prepared horseradish (optional)
In a small saucepan, combine the cheese soup and the milk. Heat over low to medium-low heat, and stir until you achieve a smooth consistency. Add the ground mustard and horseradish, if using, and combine well. Keep the sauce warm while you prepare the other ingredients.
Split and toast the English muffin to your desired doneness. It takes two cycles through my toaster to get them brown enough. Butter each muffin after toasting.
In a small skillet, brown the Canadian bacon slices until warmed through.
Poach eggs to desired doneness. I like a runny egg yolk in my Benedict, so I poach mine for about 5 to 6 minutes.
To assemble, on a dinner plate, place one Canadian bacon slice on each muffin half. Top each with a poached egg, and spoon cheese sauce over top of each egg.
When I was growing up, my mom didn't make the usual Hollandaise sauce for her Eggs Benedict but made an easy cheese sauce instead. When I make this breakfast dish at home, I still use Mom's recipe, and my sons enjoy it as much as I do. It's easy to do, and you can vary the heat in the cheese sauce by adjusting the amount of mustard and horseradish, if using.
Eggs Benedict - My Version
Ingredients per serving:
1 English muffin, split in half
Butter
2 eggs
2 slices Canadian bacon
Cheese sauce
Cheese Sauce:
1 can cheese soup
1/2 can milk
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard powder (adjust to taste)
1/4 teaspoon prepared horseradish (optional)
In a small saucepan, combine the cheese soup and the milk. Heat over low to medium-low heat, and stir until you achieve a smooth consistency. Add the ground mustard and horseradish, if using, and combine well. Keep the sauce warm while you prepare the other ingredients.
Split and toast the English muffin to your desired doneness. It takes two cycles through my toaster to get them brown enough. Butter each muffin after toasting.
In a small skillet, brown the Canadian bacon slices until warmed through.
Poach eggs to desired doneness. I like a runny egg yolk in my Benedict, so I poach mine for about 5 to 6 minutes.
To assemble, on a dinner plate, place one Canadian bacon slice on each muffin half. Top each with a poached egg, and spoon cheese sauce over top of each egg.
Saturday, January 2, 2016
Cody's Skillet Pasta
While I was busy working today, my oldest son decided he'd make dinner for everyone. He's a good cook who has learned to look through the cupboards and freezer, see what's available, and come up with something tasty to eat. Tonight he made a skillet pasta, and it was really good. Thanks Cody!
Cody's Skillet Pasta
1 pound ground venison or ground beef (he used venison)
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 package egg noodles
8 ounces canned mushrooms (he used canned Hen of the Woods mushrooms)
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Splash balsamic vinegar
Splash liquid hickory smoke
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Parsley flakes for sprinkling on top
Cook egg noodles according to package directions; drain and set aside.
In a large skillet, brown ground meat until no longer pink; drain. To the ground meat, add the spaghetti sauce, cooked noodles, mushrooms, seasonings, balsamic vinegar, liquid smoke, and stir to completely combine. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese on top, and let cook until the cheese melts. Sprinkle parsley flakes on top just before serving.
Cody's Skillet Pasta
1 pound ground venison or ground beef (he used venison)
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 package egg noodles
8 ounces canned mushrooms (he used canned Hen of the Woods mushrooms)
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Splash balsamic vinegar
Splash liquid hickory smoke
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Parsley flakes for sprinkling on top
Cook egg noodles according to package directions; drain and set aside.
In a large skillet, brown ground meat until no longer pink; drain. To the ground meat, add the spaghetti sauce, cooked noodles, mushrooms, seasonings, balsamic vinegar, liquid smoke, and stir to completely combine. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese on top, and let cook until the cheese melts. Sprinkle parsley flakes on top just before serving.
Friday, January 1, 2016
Rose Bowl Party Appetizers
Happy New Year everyone! Today my Iowa Hawkeye football team plays in the 102nd Rose Bowl in Pasadena, and while I wish my family could be there in person to watch them (hopefully!) beat Stanford, we're having a Rose Bowl party at home instead. I decided to make things as easy as possible on the cooking side of things, since I know I'll be too busy screaming at the television during the game, so I made several appetizers and finger foods that the gang could munch on before and during the game. Amana summer sausage, cheese and crackers, a shrimp platter and the appetizers below made to the table - who needs sunny Pasadena when you've got family, friends and good food together with a hard-hitting Iowa football game? :)
I love Chinese food, and crab rangoon is something I always look for on a Chinese buffet. I found this recipe for Crab Rangoon Crescent Cups on Pinterest, and the original recipe is on the Spend with Pennies blog. The boys went nuts over this - I think I got 2 bites lol. They're that good. I doubled the recipe in order to have enough to go around.
Crab Rangoon Crescent Cups
1 package Pillsbury crescent rolls (regular size)
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 green onion, thinly sliced (I used about 2 tablespoons of finely minced red onion)
1 6-ounce can crab meat, drained
1 clove garlic, finely minced
Approximately 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, onion, garlic and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Gently fold in crab meat, and set aside.
Open crescent rolls, pinch seams together, and cut into 18 even squares.
Place crescent squares in a greased mini muffin pan, and gently press into the cups. Divide the filling between the crescent cups. Top each cup with a sprinkle of shredded mozzarella cheese.
Bake for 12 minutes, or until the cheese on top is nicely browned. Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing.
Yield: 18 appetizers (I cut my dough a bit smaller and ended up with 24 appetizers per can of crescent rolls)
One of the appetizers I made I found on Noble Pig's blog, Dill Pickle Dip. My family loves dill pickles, and who doesn't love a good dip?
Dill Pickle Dip
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup pickle juice
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
2 cups diced pickles
In a large bowl, add cream cheese, red onion, pickle juice, garlic, Old Bay seasoning and black pepper. Combine with a hand mixer. Add the diced pickles, and continue mixing until fully combined. Refrigerate at least 3 hours and up to three days before serving. Serve with pretzels or chips.
Yield: 3 cups
I love using my Crock-Pot for appetizers. You can prepare the dishes ahead of time, and they're ready to eat when you are. The first Crock-Pot recipe I made is Barbecue Bourbon Dogs. In my family, we grew up having these tiny hot dog appetizers for the holidays and get-togethers. It's super easy with only three ingredients, and my family loves it. The recipe can easily be doubled or halved depending on the size of your crowd.
Barbecue Bourbon Dogs
4 packages beef smokies (cocktail-sized hot dogs)
1 bottle Sweet Baby Ray's Honey Barbecue sauce
1/3 cup bourbon (or to taste)
Add the beef smokies to a large Crock-Pot. In a bowl, combine the barbecue sauce and bourbon until thoroughly mixed. Pour mixture over hot dogs. Cook on low for 4 hours, or until warmed through.
Another easy Crock-Pot appetizer is any kind of meatball. You can make any sauce you want to vary the taste or theme. I kept it easy today and used grape jelly and picante sauce. I've also used chili sauce and bottled barbecue sauce in place of the picante sauce, and each version is delicious. Again, you can vary the sauce amount according to how many meatballs you're preparing.
Crock-Pot Meatballs
2 packages frozen meatballs (I used beef but you can use turkey, chicken or pork - or use homemade)
8 ounces grape jelly
8 ounces picante sauce
Add the meatballs to a large Crock-Pot. Combine the grape jelly and picante sauce until thoroughly mixed, and pour the sauce over the meatballs. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or until the meatballs are completely warmed through.
Tacos are a favorite in our house, and layered taco dip is the perfect party food for a football game. It's easy to make, and it feeds a crowd. I omitted the tomatoes and the onions in this because my youngest son has issues with tomatoes at times - plus it's Jan. 1, and you can't buy decent-tasting tomatoes this time of year in Iowa anyway. When it's summertime and I have fresh cherry tomatoes in the garden, I use them to top off this appetizer.
Layered Taco Dip
1 pound ground beef
8-ounce jar taco sauce (your choice of mild, medium or hot)
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
16 ounces sour cream
1-ounce package taco seasoning
1 16-ounce can refried beans
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded lettuce
1 cup diced tomatoes
2-ounce can sliced black olives, drained
2 green onions, diced
Brown the ground beef. Drain the fat, and add the taco sauce. Mix well, and set aside.
In a bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add in the sour cream and taco seasoning. Mix well.
In a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, begin layering the ingredients in this order: refried beans, cream cheese mixture, ground beef, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, black olives and onions.
Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving with chips.
I love Chinese food, and crab rangoon is something I always look for on a Chinese buffet. I found this recipe for Crab Rangoon Crescent Cups on Pinterest, and the original recipe is on the Spend with Pennies blog. The boys went nuts over this - I think I got 2 bites lol. They're that good. I doubled the recipe in order to have enough to go around.
Crab Rangoon Crescent Cups
1 package Pillsbury crescent rolls (regular size)
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 green onion, thinly sliced (I used about 2 tablespoons of finely minced red onion)
1 6-ounce can crab meat, drained
1 clove garlic, finely minced
Approximately 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, onion, garlic and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Gently fold in crab meat, and set aside.
Open crescent rolls, pinch seams together, and cut into 18 even squares.
Place crescent squares in a greased mini muffin pan, and gently press into the cups. Divide the filling between the crescent cups. Top each cup with a sprinkle of shredded mozzarella cheese.
Bake for 12 minutes, or until the cheese on top is nicely browned. Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing.
Yield: 18 appetizers (I cut my dough a bit smaller and ended up with 24 appetizers per can of crescent rolls)
One of the appetizers I made I found on Noble Pig's blog, Dill Pickle Dip. My family loves dill pickles, and who doesn't love a good dip?
Dill Pickle Dip
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup pickle juice
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
2 cups diced pickles
In a large bowl, add cream cheese, red onion, pickle juice, garlic, Old Bay seasoning and black pepper. Combine with a hand mixer. Add the diced pickles, and continue mixing until fully combined. Refrigerate at least 3 hours and up to three days before serving. Serve with pretzels or chips.
Yield: 3 cups
I love using my Crock-Pot for appetizers. You can prepare the dishes ahead of time, and they're ready to eat when you are. The first Crock-Pot recipe I made is Barbecue Bourbon Dogs. In my family, we grew up having these tiny hot dog appetizers for the holidays and get-togethers. It's super easy with only three ingredients, and my family loves it. The recipe can easily be doubled or halved depending on the size of your crowd.
Barbecue Bourbon Dogs
4 packages beef smokies (cocktail-sized hot dogs)
1 bottle Sweet Baby Ray's Honey Barbecue sauce
1/3 cup bourbon (or to taste)
Add the beef smokies to a large Crock-Pot. In a bowl, combine the barbecue sauce and bourbon until thoroughly mixed. Pour mixture over hot dogs. Cook on low for 4 hours, or until warmed through.
Another easy Crock-Pot appetizer is any kind of meatball. You can make any sauce you want to vary the taste or theme. I kept it easy today and used grape jelly and picante sauce. I've also used chili sauce and bottled barbecue sauce in place of the picante sauce, and each version is delicious. Again, you can vary the sauce amount according to how many meatballs you're preparing.
Crock-Pot Meatballs
2 packages frozen meatballs (I used beef but you can use turkey, chicken or pork - or use homemade)
8 ounces grape jelly
8 ounces picante sauce
Add the meatballs to a large Crock-Pot. Combine the grape jelly and picante sauce until thoroughly mixed, and pour the sauce over the meatballs. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or until the meatballs are completely warmed through.
Tacos are a favorite in our house, and layered taco dip is the perfect party food for a football game. It's easy to make, and it feeds a crowd. I omitted the tomatoes and the onions in this because my youngest son has issues with tomatoes at times - plus it's Jan. 1, and you can't buy decent-tasting tomatoes this time of year in Iowa anyway. When it's summertime and I have fresh cherry tomatoes in the garden, I use them to top off this appetizer.
Layered Taco Dip
1 pound ground beef
8-ounce jar taco sauce (your choice of mild, medium or hot)
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
16 ounces sour cream
1-ounce package taco seasoning
1 16-ounce can refried beans
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded lettuce
1 cup diced tomatoes
2-ounce can sliced black olives, drained
2 green onions, diced
Brown the ground beef. Drain the fat, and add the taco sauce. Mix well, and set aside.
In a bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add in the sour cream and taco seasoning. Mix well.
In a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, begin layering the ingredients in this order: refried beans, cream cheese mixture, ground beef, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, black olives and onions.
Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving with chips.