Coconut Cream Pie

Ingredietns

1 C. White sugar

1/2 C. all purpose flour

1/4 tsp. salt

3 C milk 

4 egg yolks

3 Tbs. butter

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 C flaked coconut

1 (9 inch) pie pastry, baked

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, flour and salt over a medium heat; gradually stir in milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until the mixture is thick and bubbly. Reduce heat to low and cook 2 minutes more. Remove the pan from heat. Place a strainer over a clean mixing bowl; set aside. Beat the egg yolks slightly. Gradually pour 1 cup of the hot custard mixture into yolks, whisking constantly. Return the egg mixture to the saucepan and bring the entire mixture to a gentle boil. Cook and stir 2 minutes before removing the pan from heat. Immediately pour custard through the strainer. Stir butter, vanilla, and coconut into the hot mixture. Pour the hot filling into the baked pie crust. Cool and refrigerate until set, about 4 hours. Makes 8 servings.

Note: custard is delicious warm and can be served in custard bowl without pie pastry. 

Cranberry Pineapple Sauce

• Ingredients:
  1(20 oz.) can crushed pineapple in juice
  2 C. sugar
  5 C. fresh or frozen cranberries
  1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  ½ tsp. ground cloves
  1 Tbs. grated orange peel
  Directions:
  Wash 3 pint jars in hot soapy water, rinse. Keep hot until needed. Prepare lids as manufacturer directs. Drain Pineapple reserving juice in a 2 cup measure. Press to remove as much juice as possible. Add water to make 2 cups liquid.
  In a large saucepan, combine juice and sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add drained pineapple, cranberries, and remaining ingredients. Return to boil, reduce heat to low. Cover, simmer until cranberries stop popping, about 15 minutes.  
  Ladle hot sauce into 1 hot jar at a time, leaving ½ inch headspace. Release trapped air. Wipe rim of jar with a clean damp cloth. Attach lid. Place in canner. Fill and close remaining jars. Process in a boiling water bath. Pints 15 minutes. Serve warm or cold with poultry or use in cranberry nut bread. 

Refreshing Lemon Pie

Ingredients

1 can sweetened condensed milk

½ C lemon juice

1 TBS. grated lemon peel

2-3 drops yellow food coloring

1 carton frozen whipped topping

1 graham cracker or paked pie crust

Mint leaves and lemon peel strips (opt.)

In a mixing bowl combine milk, lemon juice, lemon peel, and food coloring (if desired). Mix until smooth. Mixture will thicken. Fold in whipped topping; fold in whipped topping; spoon into pie crust. Chill until ready to serve.  If desired, garnish with mint leaves and lemon peel strips. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield 6-8 servings.

Nana's Banana Bread

Ingredients:
5 Tbs. Butter
1/2 C granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 egg whites (I just use 3 eggs total)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 C mashed, very ripe bananas
1 3/4 C all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 C heavy cream
1/3 C chopped nuts
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray bottom only of 9x5x3" loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Beat butter in large bowl with an electric mixer set at med. speed until light and fluffy. Add sugar and beat well. Add eggs and vanilla; bet until well blended. Add mashed banana, beat on high speed 30 seconds. Combine flour, soda, salt, and b. powder in med. bowl. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with cream, ending with flour mixture. Add walnuts to batter; mix well. Pour batter evenly into prepared loaf pan. Bake until browned and toothpick inserted near center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 15 min. Cool bread in pan on wire rack 10 min. Remove bread from pan; cool completely on wire rack. Slice and serve with butter and jam.
Note: I'm not that particular about how I add the ingredients, and my bread always turns out wonderful. Because I have children that don't like nuts, I don't add the nuts to the bread mix, I just top it with the nuts to give a yummy nutty crust. It's DIVINE!
WARNING: Be prepared to have this bread gone fast. It never makes it very long in our house! Bon Apetit!

You can find the origional version of this recipe as I have it HERE.

Messy Giuseppes

This particular dish is one of my sister Melinda's favorite meals. I just copied it straight from the Rachel Ray website---Bon Apetit!

Sloppy Joe's Italian cousin!

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 1 pound ground, 90 percent lean sirloin
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 5 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 medium portobello mushroom cap, finely chopped
• 1/8 teaspoon (eyeball it) allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• Coarse salt and black pepper
• 1/2 cup (a couple of glugs) red wine
• 3/4 cup beef stock
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1/4 cup (a generous handful) flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 5-8 fresh basil leaves, about 1/4 cup, chopped
• 1/4 cup (a small handful) grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Romano cheese
• 4 individual ciabatta rolls or any kind of crusty hoagie rolls
• 1 ball fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 8 slices

Yields: 4 servings

Preparation

Preheat the broiler to high.

For the meat sauce, heat a deep skillet or a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of EVOO, twice around the pan. Add the ground beef and cook until lightly browned, breaking up the meat with the back of a wooden spoon. Add green pepper, onion, 3/4 of the garlic, mushrooms, allspice, red pepper flakes and a little salt and pepper to the beef and cook for about 5-8 minutes.

Add the wine and cook another minute then add the beef stock, Worcestershie and tomatoes. Bring the mixture up to a bubble, reduce the heat to medium-low and gently simmer for 10 minutes. Finish it by stirring in a handful of chopped parsley.

While the meat is simmering, combine the remaining garlic with the soft butter, basil, parmesan cheese and a little salt and pepper in a mixing bowl. Split the rolls in half lengthwise without cutting all the way through and separating the halves. Press open the rolls by flattening them out a little bit. Slather the insides with the butter and place 2 slices of the mozzarella on each roll. Toast until golden brown under the broiler, about 2-3 minutes.

Top one side of the cheesy garlic rolls with a heap of meat and get prepared to get sloppy with Messy Giuseppe!

Corned Beef and Cabbage (St. Patrick's day dinner)

1lb. lean beef round
1/8 tsp. salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp. black pepper, or to taste
1 tbsp. yellow mustard seed
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. corriander seeds
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
2 pieces bay leaf
6 red potaotes (cute into rounds)
16 baby carrots
1 med. head green cabbage coarsely shredded
bake at 250 degrees for 4 hrs. add veggies last hour. Make drippings into gravy

Blueberry Streusel Muffins

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups blueberries

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, chilled

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition, then stir in the vanilla. In a separate bowl, stir together 2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt.
Stir the flour mixture into egg mixture alternately with milk. Fold in blueberries. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons flour, brown sugar and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle topping over unbaked muffins.
Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Apple Pie Filling

6 qts. Sliced fresh Apples
5 1/2 C. Granulated sugar
1 1/2 C Clear Jel (not instant)-*this may be commonly found at cake & candy stores
1 Tbs. Cinnamon
2 1/2 C. Cold Water
5 C. Apple Juice
3/4 C. Bottled lemon juice
1 tsp. nutmeg
7 drops Yellow food coloring (optional-I never use this)

Directions:
Wash, peel, and core apples. Prepare slices 1/2" wide ( I use a pampered chef peeler, corer, slicer) and place in water containing ascorbic acid to prevent browning (I use lemon juice in a bowl as I am preparing them). For fresh fruit, place 6 cups at a time in 1 gallon of boiling water. Boil each batch 1 min. after the water returns to a boil. Drain but keep heated fruit in a covered bowl or pot. Combine sugar, clear jel, and cinnamon in a large kettle with water and apple juice. If desired, food coloring and nutmeg may be added at this point. Stir and cook on med. high heat until mixture thickens and begins to bubble. Add lemon juice and boil 1 min., stirring constantly. Fold in drained apple slices immediately and fill jars with mixture without delay, leaving 1-inch head space. Adjust lids and process immediately. Process HOT pie filling in pints or quarts for 35 min. in a boiling water canner. Makes 7 quarts.

Apple Crisp

1 Qt. Apple Pie Filling (see canning recipe)
1/2 C. Oatmeal
1/2 C. soft butter
1/8 tsp. soda
1/2 C. flour
1/2 C. packed brown sugar

Pour pie filling in 9x11" pan and spread evenly. Combine remaining ing. in a bowl and crumble over the top of apple mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 min. or until golden and serve warm or cold. *Great with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

Pumpkin Whoopies

Ingredients for Cookies:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger or cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
1 cup LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Filling:
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:
1. For cookies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease or line four baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt in medium bowl. Beat butter and sugar in large mixer bowl on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add pumpkin and vanilla extract; beat until smooth. Stir in flour mixture until combined. Drop by heaping measuring teaspoons onto prepared baking sheets. (A total of 72 cookies are needed for the recipe.)
3. Bake for 10 to 13 minutes or until springy to the touch. Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes; remove to wire

Nestle Chocolate Bread

For my first post of the New Year, I thought I would share a recipe that I just tried for the first time EVER and it was DELICIOUS! I was looking on Pinterest for a bread with ingredients I had on hand to give as a gift to a friend I was going to visit. You can find it straight from the Nestle Toll house site, but I first found it via Pinterest on A Daily Dose of Toni. These directions are modified in accordance to how I made it. I haven't shared a recipe in a long time, so it's long over-due. Enjoy!

               Image from Nestle Toll House Site

Ingredients:                                                                                                          Preheat oven to 350 

1-1/2 C. all-purpose flour

1/2 C Cocoa

1/2 tsp. Salt

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 C softened butter

1 C Sugar

2 Lg. eggs

1 C buttermilk or sour milk (1C milk to 2tsp. vinegar)

1/2 C chopped pecans, divided (opt)

1/4 C Semi-sweet chocolate mini morsels

Mix dry ingredients in separate bowl. Mix Sugar and butter til creamy and add eggs and milk. Sift in dry ingredients and mix. Add chocolate mini morsels. Pour in greased pan and bake at 350 for 20 min. Top with pecans and mini morsels as desired, bake another 30-35 min. Let cool before cutting. Serve with chocolate honey butter.

Chocolate Honey Butter:

Microwave 1/2 C. semi-sweet mini morsels in small bowl (uncovered) on high for 30 seconds. Stir. Morsels may still retain shape. If necessary, microwave an additional 10-15 second intervals until melted.  DO NOT OVER HEAT! Let cool and beat with 1 stick (1/2C) butter and 2 Tbs. honey in small mixer until fluffy. Makes 1 cup. ENJOY

Seven Layer Bean Dip

1 can refried beans
2 avacados, mashed with juice of one lime
8 oz. sour cream
2 C. shredded cheese (or to liking)
chopped green onion
diced tomatoe
chopped olive
Layer on platter or 9x11 dish in order of ingredients given and refrigerate until chilled. Serve with tortilla chips. Que Provecho!

Rocky Road Brownies

This is literally an award winning 4 layer recipe. Our family has personally won baking contests for this sinfully decadent and deadly dish. Once you make these and try them, you will know why. WARNING: One 2x2 square could fix your tastebuds after any meal for long periods of time and leave you craving more for days to come!

Set oven at 350 degrees and spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick spray.

Brownie Layer:

1/2 C. Butter

1 square unsweetened chocolate

1 C. Sugar

1 C. Flour

1 tsp. Baking Powder

1 tsp. Vanilla

2 Eggs

directions:

Melt butter and chocolate; add other ingredients and mix well. Spread in prepared dish. Layer with

filling:

6 oz. Cream Cheese

1/2 C. Sugar

2 Tbsp. Flour

1/4 C. Butter

1 Egg

1 tsp. Vanilla

Mix all ingredients in mixer till smooth. Layer over brownie mixture and bake for 25-30 min. until cream cheese filling is golden brown around the edges. 

Meanwhile mix frosting:

1/4 C. Butter 

1 Square Unsweetened Chocolate

2oz. Cream Cheese

1/4 C. Milk

1 lb. Powdered Sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla 

1/2 C. Chopped Nuts (optional)

Layer #4:

1 Bag Mini Marshmallows

Layer top of filling with mini marshmallows (enough to cover top). Bake another 3-5 min. When soft and puffy, swirl frosting onto marshmallow layer and let cool.

When taking this recipe to any occassion, be prepared to take copies. You will need them!

Yummy Crepes

1 C. Milk
1/2 C. Water
2 Eggs
2 T. Butter, melted
2 T. Oil
1 C. Flour
1/4 tsp. Salt
Directions:
Mix all ingredients in bowl and cover. Let sit 30 min. Butter or oil crepe pan, heat till butter sizzles or oil is hot. Add 2 T. oil or butter & tilt from side to side till bottom is covered. Cook aprox. 1 1/2 min. or till crepe is lightly browned on one side. Turn out onto paper towl. Repeat.
Crepes freeze well, stacked w/ wax paper between layers. Wrap stack in moisture proof bag. Thaw one hour before using.
ideas for filling:
applesauce, yogurt, sausage gravy, peaches, strawberries, blueberries, bananas and cream, pie filling, spaghetti sauce and cheese. The possibilities are endless!

My Favorite Bundt Cake

Over the years this recipe has been tried and true over and over, epitomizing the name it was given. Across the board, it is always the favorite and I never go home with even so much as a CRUMB left!

1pkg. Chocolate cake mix (the fudgier, the better)
1 small pkg. instant choc. pudding
4 eggs
1/2 C canola oil
1/2 C. water
1 C. sour cream or plain yogurt
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks
powdered sugar, to sprinkle

Directions:  Preheat oven to 350 & spray bundt pan with baking spray. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except chips & powdered sugar. Beat until well blended. Stir in choc. chips and turn into bundt pan. Bake 50-60 minutes. Let cool 10-15 mins. in pan, then place on serving plate and cool completely.  Sift powdered sugar over the top. *Do NOT over bake!

Creamy Fruit Salad

One of the children asked me to start making more fresh fruit salads. With Spring on it's way and Conference weekend upon us, I created this yummy dish as tempting side. I'm happy to say it was a healthy success!

1 C red grapes
1 pkg. honey glazed almond slivers
1 honeydew melon (or melon of choice)
1 pint fresh stawberries
1 C blueberries
1 apple, peeled, sectioned and sliced into chuncks
3/4 C nonfat sour cream
2 tsp. truvia or splenda (sugar substitute)

Combine fruit in large bowl. Mix sugar substitute to sour cream and fold into fruit mixture. Add sliced almonds and serve cold. Best with sandwiches.

Chewy Oatmeal Cookies

This is by far the BEST oatmeal cookie I've found! A personal favorite--

Oven: 350 degrees F
1/2 C Shortening
1/2 C Butter (not margarine)
3/4 C packed brown sugar
3/4 C granular sugar
2 eggs
1-1/2 C all-purpose flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 C rolled oats
2 C semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions: Preheat oven to 350. Cream shortening, butter, and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix thoroughly. Combine baking soda, salt, and flour. Stir into creamed mixture.
Mix in oatmeal then chocolate chips. Stir until well blended. Drop teaspoon fulls onto greased cookie sheet & bake for 15 min.
*Caution: may not be able to refrain from eating too many! ;)

Creamy Soup Base

A good friend of mine gave me this recipe. It has been a family favorite for years now and we NEVER tire of it. Hope you enjoy it as much as we do. Great soup to take to someone for dinner, or serve at a dinner party as well. It's THAT good!
(read recipe through to understand well)
1/2 C butter
1/2 C flour
1 qt. chicken broth (more if needed)
3 C milk (OR cream OR evaporated milk OR 1/2 and 1/2 OR any combination of them)
2 tsp. onion powder (or to taste) or 1/4 minced dry onion
1/4 tsp. garlic powder OR 1tsp. minced garlic
1tsp. salt or to taste
pepper
-------------
peeled, cubed potatoes; as many as you need (4 or 5 med/large for a family of 4)

2 C shredded cheddar cheese (more if desired)
1 can corn (you can use packaged frozen peas or broccoli, or any other variation of vegetables to your liking)
directions:
For potatoe based soup, cook cubed potatoes in chicken broth. Otherwise just bring broth to a boil with spices, garlic and onions. When just tender, drain/strain the broth into a bowl and set aside potatoes.
Melt butter in a pot. Add flour then whisk till smooth and bubbling. Slowly pour in the chicken broth (that was used to cook the potatoes) whisking as it thickens. When mixture has thickened, whisk in enough milk until you get the consistency you like.  Add cheese and whisk until melted. Add potatoes and corn. Gently stir until combined. Add more spices/salt as needed. Keep warm and covered.
____________________

The butter/flour/broth/milk part of the recipe is the universal key. You can add anything to it and make any yummy soup you like:

Broccoli Cheese soup- Add more cheese and cooked broccoli and bacon bits if you like.
Clam Chowder- Add some canned, chopped clams, bacon,
Corn Chowder - Add creamed corn and whole Kernal corn.
Creamy Vegetable soup- Add cooked vegetables of all sort.
Add artichoke hearts and shredded chicken and more garlic for another variety.

Anything your family likes you can throw in, then watch them DEVOUR it!!! No. Seriously!

Alan's Pie Pastry

Ingredients:3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp. sugar

1/2 to 1 Tbsp. kosher salt (such as Diamond® crystal)

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 3/4 cups cold unsalted butter, cut up

2/3 cup ice cold water

2 Tbsp. sour cream

1 tsp. vinegar

Directions:

In a very large bowl combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Cut in butter leaving pea sized chunks.

In a 2 cup glass measure whisk water, sour cream, and vinegar; pour, all at once into flour mixture, and quickly distribute. Stop!
Make sure dough is slightly crumbly. Divide dough mixture into 3 equal portions (about 12 to 13 ounces each) Refrigerate for 2 hours or better,overnight (finish by hand). DO NOT OVERMIX- the finished dough should break, not stretch.

Gently knead in bag to bring dough together. Form into discs.

Use at once or wrap and store in refrigerator for several days or in freezer for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in refrigerator if frozen.  *note: I didn't read through the directions before hand like I should have, and the crust was still light, flaky, and oh, SO perfect!

Tawny Pumpkin Pie

1 1/4 C. cooked pumpkin (fresh is best)
3/4 C. white sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. flour
1/2 tsp. pumpkin spice
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 C. evaporated milk
1 Tbs. water
1 tsp. vanilla
1-9" pastry shell (unbaked)
Directions:
Combine pumpkin, sugar, salt, spices and flour in mixing bowl. Add eggs; mix well. Add evaporated milk, water, vanilla and mix. Pour into pie crust and bake in a 425 degree oven for 15 min. Reduce heat and bake at 350 for 35 min. or until set. ( I cover edges with a pie pastry cover to avoid over browning crust).