Saturday

It’s a chilly, dreary day out there BUT it’s Saturday and it’s also a DAY OFF for me – YAY! Ended up sleeping in a bit & woke up really groggy – ever do that? Today is a “No particular plans” day (except cooking dinner: pork chops, baked potatoes & asparagus). Yesterday was also a ‘OFF DAY” for me – got lots done. Decided to wake up early: got a lot of paperwork done for my special needs group (updating figures/addresses/etc.) then switched Summer/Winter clothes (glad that’s all done), managed to knit some on both baby blankets and a new mens scarf I’m ‘creating as I go’ (that means I’m not exactly sure how all the various yarn colors are going to work into the scarf – we’ll just have to see as we go! That’s called ‘creative license’ but I just call it ‘being creative – & crazy!)

============

Nutty Apple Bread Pudding

6-7 C. crumbled bread, broken
into about 1″ pieces
1 C. hot water
1 C. brown sugar
1/4 C. butter or margarine (4 T.),
melted
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 eggs
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 C. evaporated milk (can use
regular)
1 C. raisins
1 C. grated apple (1 large or 2
small apples, peeled & grated)
2/3 C. walnut pieces (or nuts of
your choice)
–
Optional toppings:
ice cream
caramel ice cream sauce
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray a 9 X 9″ square baking
pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Crumble bread in a large bowl &
pour hot water over bread. In
another bowl, combine remaining
ingredients (except nuts) & whisk
together. Add crumbs & mix with
a spoon – pour mixture into baking
dish. Sprinkle nuts over top & bake
35-40 minutes. Makes about 8
servings. Great with ice cream &
caramel sauce.

(recipe: thesouthernladycooks.com)
——————————-

Make Ahead Breakfast Sandwiches

14 eggs
2 T. milk
1/4 tsp. seasoned salt
salt/pepper
12 small croissant rolls
1 (6 oz) pkg. sharp Cheddar cheese slices
1 (9 oz) pkg. sliced deli ham
—
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
In large bowl crack eggs; add milk,
seasoned salt, some salt/pepper
& whisk vigorously with a fork (you
want it kind of frothy). Spray a
9 X 13″ pan with nonstick cooking
spray & pour eggs into pan. Bake
15 minutes until eggs puff up & are
cooked through. Allow to cool about
5 minutes then cut into eggs the
same size as the croissants. Slice
croissants & add 1 slice egg to each
one, topped with ham & cheese.*
Spray another 9 X 13″ baking pan
with nonstick cooking spray & place
sandwiches in pan. Cover tightly
with foil & refrigerate until ready
to serve.
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Place refrigerated pan in oven &
bake about 15 minutes until
sandwiches have heated through &
cheese is melted. Makes 12.

*Poster said she split the cheese in
half & put one half on bottom of
croissant & one on top of ham so
melted cheese would secure ham
in place.

(recipe: jamiecooksitup.net)
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Roasted Smoked Sausage & Potatoes

1 (16 oz) pkg. Kielbasa or smoked sausage.
cut into rounds
5 large potatoes, cut into 1-2 inch cubes
(or 2 lb. red potatoes)
1 small onion, cut into pieces or chopped
olive oil
kosher or sea salt
fresh ground black pepper
few sprigs fresh thyme (or 1/8 tsp. dried)
Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning, to taste
1/2 C. shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil;
drizzle with a bit of olive oil. In large bowl
add sausage rounds, potatoes & onions.
Drizzle with a few T. olive oil & season
to taste with salt/pepper, thyme & creole
seasoning; toss until well blended & pour
into prepared baking sheet – spread to
even. Bake 45 minutes turning every 15
minutes until potatoes are golden brown &
tender. Turn off oven.
Remove from oven & scatter shredded cheese
over mixture – place sheet back in oven about
5 minutes until cheese melts.

(recipe: mommykitchen.net)
—————————————-

Crockpot Sausage/White Bean &
Pasta Soup

1 lb. breakfast pork sausage
1 small onion, chopped
1 T. dried basil
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 (14 oz) can chicken broth
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes,
undrained
1 1/2 C. water
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (10 3/4 oz) can cream of celery soup
1/2 pkg. baby carrots or 3-4 carrots,
cut into pieces
1 C. dried Great Northern beans
1/2 C. elbow macaroni or pasta shells
1 T. black pepper
salt, to taste
1/2 C. cabbage, shredded (optional)
–
Brown sausage & onion with basil &
garlic in a skillet; drain & pour into crock-
pot. Add all other ingredients (except
pasta) to crockpot. Cover & cook on Low
7-8 hours (or High 4-5 hours). About an
hour before soup finishes cooking, add
pasta. Makes about 3 quarts soup

NOTE: This recipe can also be made on
the stove: Cook in large pot until beans
are tender. Add pasta (or shells) about
last 20 minutes of cooking time.

(recipe: thesoutherladycooks.com)
——————————–

Fall Tortellini Toss

1 (9 oz) pkg. refrigerated cheese
tortellini
2 T. olive oil
1/2 lb. sliced baby portobello
mushrooms
1 3/4 C. cubed/peeled butternut
squash (about 1/4 inch cubes)
1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning
1 medium tart apple, chopped/
seeded
3 T. (thawed) apple juice concentrate
3 T. cider vinegar
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1/3 C. chopped walnuts, toasted
1/3 C. cubed, smoked Gouda
cheese (about 1/4 inch cubes)
2 T. minced fresh parsley
–
Cook tortellini accordg. to pkg.
directions. In large skillet heat
oil over medium-high heat. Add
mushrooms, squash & poultry
seasoning – cook & stir 6-8
minutes until mushrooms are tender.
Add apple, apple juice concentrate,
vinegar & onion – cook 2-3 minutes
until squash is tender. Drain cooked
tortellini; rinse with cold water &
place in a large bowl. Add squash
mixture, walnuts, cheese & parsley,
toss gently to coat.
Serves 12 (2/3 C. each)

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
——————————

Easy Stuffed Baked Apples

1 stick butter (salted or unsalted)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 C. brown sugar
1/2 C. flour
3/4 C. old fashioned oats
1/2 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
4-5 baking apples*
3/4 C. hot water
1 tsp. cinnamon
=
Suggested toppings:
Vanilla ice cream
Caramel ice cream sauce
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
In medium bowl melt butter;
add brown sugar, flour, oats,
allspice, cinnamon & vanilla –
stir until well combined. Slice
each apple in half vertically
& remove stems. Using a
spoon (or melon baller) scoop
out the core of each apple.
Pour hot water into bottom of
a 9 X 13″ baking pan & place
apples in pan, cut sides up.
Sprinkle each with cinnamon.
Stuff each apple half with
mixture until all apples are
stuffed. Cover with foil &
bake 20 minutes. Remove
foil & bake another 25
minutes. Serve warm alone,
or with vanilla ice cream & caramel
sauce, if desired.
Makes 8-10 apple halves.

*Great apples for this recipe:
Granny Smith, Honey Crisp,
Golden Delicious, JonaGold

(recipe: southernplate.com)

===================

Hope you’re having a nice day!

Hugs;

Pammie

Been super busy – again . . .

As much as I’d like to be able to post more frequently, lately that seems to be a ‘lost’ hope. Today is Thursday and my first REAL day ‘off’ of any responsibilities – YAY! To give you an idea of just how  much I needed the break, I slept for 10 hours – just woke up about a half hour ago! Even though it was ‘supposed’ to be the other Grandma taking up the babysitting responsibilities, somehow it seems I got the job – again. I love my baby grandson and have fun with his goofy ways, but it gets to be a drag day-after-day. Yes, I ‘could’ say NO, but they don’t have another option! (the good thing is – they will be going on  vacation sometime soon, so I get a rest).

Am working on the next newsletter for my special needs group – that will have to go out before the end of the month. Last night, after our group meeting, Lois (head of our group) and I had a long discussion with the rest of the group leaders concerning how the ‘administration’ of the group will shake down after Lois (& I, eventually) leave. Her house & property have been purchased by a large conglomerate that will be building a hotel and other commercial buildings in their neighborhood. She, at that time, will be making plans to move farther away, thus the end of her leadership with our group (we’re talking about 1 1/2 years from now – hopefully). My husband has voiced his concern for me driving back & forth in the dark/snow, etc. (it’s about a 25 minute drive to the church) and said that maybe I should also retire at that time. I have decided that I will stay on for awhile (I’m thinking 4-6 months) after Lois leaves, just to help guide/direct those who will be in charge after us – hence the meeting last night. It was mentioned that we (Lois & I) write down all of the necessary things pertaining to how things are done/when certain events are done & how, who to contact, etc.  Leaving will NOT be a simple/easy thing but I’m pretty sure when it comes down to it, Lois & I ,both, will be ready. She has been with our group since it’s inception in 1990 and I joined the group Oct., 1993.

===========

Crockpot Cookies ‘n Cream Brownies

1/2 C. baking cocoa
1/2 C. butter, melted
1/2 C. brown sugar, packed
3/4 C. sugar, divided
1/2 C. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla, divided
15 whole chocolate sandwich
cookies, crushed/divided*See NOTE
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
3 eggs, divided
–
Spray insides of crockpot with
nonstick cooking spray.
In large bowl mix cocoa, butter,
brown sugar & 1/2 C. sugar – mix well.
Beat in 2 eggs, one at a time. In
another bowl, mix flour & baking
powder – stir flour mixture into
cocoa mixture. *NOTE: Crush 12
cookies in a plastic bag. Stir 1 tsp.
vanilla & 12 crushed cookies. Spread
brownie batter in bottom of crockpot.
In a bowl beat together cream cheese**,
1/4 C. sugar, egg & vanilla until smooth-
pour over batter & spread out evenly;
crumble remaining cookies on top.
Place a few paper towels over top
of crockpot & cover with lid. Cook
on High 3-5 hours. Let cool & cut into
bars. Serves 12

NOTE: You can use a 6 qt. or casserole
crockpot BUT if you use a casserole
crockpot you run the risk of your paper
towel touching the top of your brownies.
You might want to remove any condensation
from lid periodically with a paper towel.

**You will want to make sure the cream
cheese mixture is smooth & fully mixed

(recipe: recipesthatcrock.com)
—————————————-

Doritos Nacho Cheese Taco Bake

1 (9.75 oz) bag Nacho Cheese-flavored Doritos,
coarsely crushed (about 4 C., crushed)
1 lb. ground beef
1 (1 oz) pkg. taco seasoning mix
2/3 C. water
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 1/2 C. salsa or taco sauce
1 (15 oz) can corn, drained
2 C. shredded Mexican-blend or
Cheddar cheese
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray 9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray. In large
skillet cook beef over medium-high
heat until no longer pink, about
5-7 minutes – drain. Stir in taco
seasoning mix, water & bell pepper –
sinner 3-4 minutes until thickened,
stirring frequently. Stir in salsa & corn.
Place half of crushed Doritos in bottom
of prepared pan – top with half of cheese;
spread beef mixture on top. Bake,
uncovered, 25-30 minutes until hot &
bubbly. Sprinkle top of casserole with
remaining crushed Doritos & remaining
shredded cheese. Place back in oven about
5 minutes until cheese melts.
Serves 8

NOTE: This recipe can be made smaller:
Cut ingredients in half & bake in 8 X 8″
baking dish.

(recipe: theseasonedmom.com)
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Cheddar Bay Biscuits

2 C. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. granulated sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
1 C. sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 C. buttermilk
1/2 C. unsalted butter, melted/cooled

Topping:

2 T. unsalted butter, melted
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
Old Bay seasoning, to taste
1 tsp. parsley, minced
–
Preheat oven 475 degrees F.
Line a half-sheet pan with parchment
paper. In large bowl whisk flour, baking
powder, baking soda, sugar, salt, garlic
powder, cayenne & Old bay – stir in
cheese. In small bowl combine buttermilk
& melted butter. (Butter will harden as
it cools from being combined with butter-
milk.) Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients,
gently folding the two together using a rubber
spatula – mix until just combined. Scoop out
dough into 1/4 C portions, adding each biscuit
to the parchment-lined half-sheet pan – leave
1 inch between each biscuit; bake about
12 minutes, until golden brown.

While biscuits are baking:
Whisk remaining melted butter, garlic powder,
Old bay & parsley. Brush tops of baked biscuits
with mixture & serve warm. Makes 16 biscuits.

(recipe: allfood.recipes)
—————————————–
Spinach Artichoke Dip (with
Roasted Garlic)

16 oz. cream cheese
1/2 C. mayonnaise
1 (10 oz) pkg. frozen spinach, thawed/
drained/excess liquid squeezed out
1 1/2 C. Parmesan cheese (or Parmigiano
Reggiano)
1 (21 oz.) jar marinated quartered artichoke
hearts, drained/coarsely chopped
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. ground black pepper
2 heads garlic, roasted*
–
Dippers: chips, toasted baguette
slices, celery sticks
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Spray 3 qt. baking dish with nonstick
cooking spray. In large bowl combine
cream cheese & mayonnaise; mix until
well combined. Add spinach, cheese,
artichoke hearts, lemon juice, pepper &
roasted garlic – stir until combined; spoon
into prepared dish. Bake 20-25 minutes
until golden brown & bubbling.
Serve with chips, toasted baguette slices
or celery sticks. Makes 16 servings.

*How to roast garlic:
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Cut top third of garlic (bunch) you want
to make sure the tops of all cloves are
exposed. Drizzle a small amount of olive
oil in a small cast iron skillet or baking
dish (can even use a small loaf pan). Place
garlic heads in dish (do not separate) &
drizzle a little more oil on top; sprinkle
with salt & pepper (optional). Cover
dish or skillet with foil & bake 40-50
minutes. Check to see if it’s ready by
piercing a clove with a fork – it should
be soft & slightly caramelized. Remove
from oven & squeeze out cloves by pressing
upwards from the root – squeezing the
individual cloves out of the head – they
will be soft & mushy & read to use

(recipe: momontimeout.com)
—————————————–
Pork Chops with Scalloped Potatoes

3 T. butter
3 T. flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth
6 pork rib or loin chops (3/4″ thick)
2 T. canola oil
salt/pepper – additional/optional
6 C. thinly sliced, peeled potatoes
1 medium onion, sliced
paprika & minced fresh parsley,
optional
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
In small sauce pan melt butter; stir
in flour, salt/pepper until smooth.
Add broth; bring to boil – cook &
stir 1 minute until thickened; remove
from heat. In large skillet brown chops
on both sides in oil; sprinkle with salt/
pepper, if desired. Spray 9 X 13″ baking
dish with nonstick cooking spray. Layer
potatoes & onions in prepared pan; pour
broth mixture over layers & place chops
on top. Cover with foil & bake 1 hour.
Uncover & bake 30 minutes longer until
meat & potatoes are tender. (If desire,
sprinkle with paprika & parsley.
Serves 6

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
———————————–

Coffee Butter Cake

Cake:
1 box Duncan Hines Butter cake mix
1/2 C. salted butter, melted
1/2 C. prepared coffee
1/2 C. liquid coffee creamer, Half &
Half or heavy cream
4 eggs
1 (3.4 oz) box instant vanilla pudding
mix
1 heaping T. cocoa powder

Coffee Butter Sauce:
3/4 C. sugar
1/2 C. salted butter
1/4 C. prepared coffee
1-2 T. vanilla
–
Optional toppings:
Whipped cream
chocolate shavings
=
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Liberally spray insides of Bundt pan
with nonstick cooking spray. Place
all cake ingredients in large bowl;
beat, using elec. mixer, until fully
incorporated & no lumps remain,
scraping down sides if needed, about
2 minutes. Pour batter into prepared
pan & spread evenly. Bake 40-45
minutes until a toothpick inserted
near center comes out clean. Remove
from oven & cool in pan 10 minutes.

Sauce:
Place all sauce ingredients in a medium
bowl or sauce pot. If using bowl, microwave
at 30 second intervals, stirring after each,
until butter is melted & sugar is completely
dissolved. If using sauce pot: cook over
medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until
butter is melted & sugar is completely
dissolved. Use a wooden skewer or fork to
poke holes all over top of cake while still
in Bundt pan. Pour hot sauce all over cake
& allow to cool completely before turning
cake out onto a serving plate. Garnish each
slice with whipped cream or a sprinkling of
cocoa powder or chocolate shavings.

(recipe: www.southernplate.com)

======================

Our weather is still very “Fall-like” – most of
the leaves have turned colors & fallen off of
the trees; it’s in the 40’s & 50’s most days.
Today we’re lucky to have a SUNNY day (always
cheers me up!) and 45 degrees F.  Looking at the
coming rest of the week, looks like we’ll be
getting showers Friday – Sunday; that’s OK,
it IS Fall!

Hope you are all in good health. Sometime
today I hope to go through all my Summer
clothes & put them away, dragging out the
Winter sweaters/sweatshirts, etc. for the
next season of wearing. (I tend to put this
job off, as it just tends to remind me of how
close WINTER is!). Have a GREAT day!

Hugs;

Pammie

Getting some MUCH NEEDED rest!

Last night’s special needs group Harvest Party (Western theme)

There was also a ‘leaders’ photo taken but it hasn’t been posted yet, so this is (that I know of) the only other photo with me in it. The big gentleman in the back is “Pastor Dave”, he’s one of our leaders and the lady next to him is one of our moms (she brought some awesome cider & bakery donuts for the event). We had a good turn-out (about 45 kids + parents/helpers/caregivers). LOTS of hot dogs (we cooked 160, I think – my job, at that time, was plopping hot dogs on buns & slathering them (if they wanted) with chili. I managed to eat one hot dog & chili and snag a SUPER great chocolate sour cream donut – sure wished I had a cup of coffee to go with that donut – YUM! I was totally exhausted when I finally came home around 10:15 p.m. – it had been a crazy/busy day: grocery shopping really early (around 9:15 a.m.), then babysitting 1-4:30p.m., rush home & change clothes – drive to the church by 5:30 (got stuck in traffic, didn’t get there until around 5:50) then standing for 4 1/2 hours – lets just say I slept for ELEVEN hours straight! My body is not made for that kind of torture. I asked, yesterday, what was going on with the ‘other grandmother’s house – (hinting at “I’ve babysat 3 days this past week – what the heck?!”) I guess she will be pitching in again this coming week – sure hope so! Husband & I are supposed to go to a fund raiser dinner tonight (5 p.m.) but he gave me the ‘out’ “If you really don’t feel like going we could just mail them a check” – YES!!! So I’m taking that offer & staying home – SOoooooooo tired of running all week (and then there’s church twice tomorrow!). Decided dinner tonight will be Nachos – we love them and they’re not too hard to make (plus they feed us for several meals!) – BONUS!

===============

Easy Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

1 tube Pillsbury Crescent Dough
sheet
1/3 C. 100% pure pumpkin
1/2 C. brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
–
Cream Cheese Frosting
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Unroll crescent dough onto waxed
paper. Spread pumpkin over dough;
top with brown sugar, nutmeg &
cinnamon. (NOTE: Roll into a large roll
from smaller end for bigger rolls)
Roll up & slice into 1″ pieces & place
on a cookie sheet*. Bake 21-23 minutes
until golden brown. Top with cream
cheese frosting.

*You can bake these in a casserole dish
or on a cookie sheet lined with waxed
paper – OR you can spray dish/sheet
with nonstick cooking spray for no
sticking.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1/2 C. butter or margarine (or 8 T./
1 stick) softened
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
1 (16 oz) box powdered sugar (about
3 1/2 C.)
–
In large bowl beat butter & cream
cheese using an elec. mixer. Add vanilla
& powdered sugar – continue mixing
until frosting is smooth & of spreading
consistency.

NOTE: This recipe will frost a 9 X 13″
cake,(or) a round 2-layer cake (OR)
a dozen to 1 1/2 dozen cupcakes

(recipe: thesouthernladycooks)
———————————

Squash Gratin

3 T. unsalted butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 T. chopped fresh thyme
1 small butternut squash, peeled/
cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 small kabocha squash*, peeled/
cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. ground mace
kosher salt/ground black pepper
1 C. chicken or vetetable broth
1/2 C. heavy cream
1/4 C. breadcrumbs
2 T. grated Parmesan cheese
2 T. chopped fresh parsley
1/2 C. grated Gruyere cheese,
about 2 oz.
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Melt 2 T. butter in large ovenproof
skillet over medium-high heat. Add
onion & thyme; cook, stirring, about
5 minutes until onions soften. Combine
butternut & kabocha squash in large
microwave-safe bowl with 1 C. water.
Cover with plastic wrap & microwave
until squash is just tender, about 5
minutes. Drain & add squash to skillet
along with garlic, mace, 1 tsp. salt &
few grinds black pepper. Cook, stirring,
about 3 minutes. Add broth & cook
until mostly absorbed, about 5 more
minutes. Stir in heavy cream & cook
until slightly thickened, 2 minutes. Melt
remaining 1 T. butter in microwave & toss
with breadcrumbs, Parm. cheese & parsley;
season with salt & pepper – sprinkle over
squash then top with Gruyere. Transfer
skillet to oven & bake about 30 minutes
until golden. Let stand 5 minutes before
serving. Serves 6-8

*Kabocha squash: is a winter squash,
also known as Japanese pumpkin. It has
dark green stripes on the outside.

How to break down butternut squash:
Cut about 1 inch off bottom end using
a chef’s knife – scoop out seeds. Hold
squash against your body & remove
skin using a vegetable peeler; chop.

How to break down kabocha squash:
Quarter the squash using a chef’s knife;
scoop out seeds. Put each quarter flat-
side down & cut off skin using a paring
knife; chop the squash.

(recipe: foodnetwork.com)
————————————-
Farmer’s Breakfast

6 large eggs
1/3 C. milk
1/2 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1/4 tsp. salt
6 oz. bulk pork sausage
1 T. butter
1 1/2 C. frozen, cubed hash brown
potatoes, thawed
1/4 C. chopped onion
1 C. shredded Cheddar cheese
–
In a bowl whisk eggs, milk, parsley &
salt. In 9″ cast-iron skillet (or other
oven-proof skillet) cook sausage over
medium heat until no longer pink;
remove & drain fat. In same skillet,
heat butter over medium heat; add
potatoes & onion – cook & stir 5-7
minutes until tender; return sausage
to pan. Add egg mixture; cook & stir
until almost set – sprinkle top with
cheese. Cover & cook 1-2 more minutes
until cheese melts. Serves 4

NOTE: If you don’t have frozen hash
brown potatoes, use par-cooked cubed
potatoes

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
——————————

Crockpot Pepper Jack Chicken

3-4 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs*
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. cumin
salt/pepper, to taste
1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen whole
green beans
1 bell pepper -seeded/sliced
8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/4 C. butter
10 slices Pepper Jack cheese
–
Place chicken in bottom of crockpot.
Season with garlic powder, onion
powder, cumin & salt/pepper. Layer
frozen green beans, mushrooms &
peppers. Season again with salt/pepper.
Top with butter; cover & cook on Low
4-6 hours until chicken is shreddable
when stirred. Stir chicken until shredded
then top with cheese. Cook on High
until cheese melts.

*You can use chicken breasts instead
of thighs but cooking time will likely
be less than with thighs. Watch closely
so you don’t dry out the chicken breasts.

(recipe: recipesthatcrock.com)
———————————

Grandma’s Sausage Skillet Lasagna

2 lb. fresh hot Italian sausage*, casings
removed
2 C. diced onions
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (16 oz) pkg. lasagna noodles.
breaking each noodle into 3 pieces
1 (64 oz) jar marinara sauce
1 c. ricotta cheese
6 T. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 C. shredded mozzarella cheese
–
In an oven-safe 12 inch nonstick skillet
brown sausage over medium-high heat,
breaking up sausage into small pieces.
Once sausage is mostly cooked, add onion
& garlic – cook 2 minutes more; drain grease.
Add lasagna noodles & carefully pour sauce
all over top. Using a spatula or wooden spoon,
move the noodles so the sauce can get to the
bottom & in between the noodles. Return to
heat & bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
Cook until noodles have softened, about 15
minutes. Stir & toss noodles occasionally so
heat is evenly distributed throughout to cook
the noodles.
In a small bowl stir ricotta & Parm. cheeses.
Preheat oven to BROIL
In large dollops, place ricotta cheese mixture all
over lasagna mixture in skillet & place under
broiler until cheese has melted & is bubbly.
Carefully remove from oven & let sit 10
minutes before serving. Serves 6

*You don’t have to use hot Italian sausage,
you can use your favorite type of sausage.

(recipe: tablefortwoblog.com)
———————————–

Chunky Apple Cake

1/2 C. butter, softened
2 C. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 large eggs
2 C. flour
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
6 C. chopped, peeled tart apples
–
Butterscotch Sauce:
1/2 C. packed brown sugar
1/4 C. butter, cubed
1/2 C. heavy whipping cream
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray 9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray. In large
bowl cream butter, sugar & vanilla.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating
well after each addition. Combine
flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt &
baking soda in another bowl –
gradually add to creamed mixture &
mix well (batter will be stiff). Stir in
apples until well combined. Spread
into prepared dish & bake 40-45
minutes until top is lightly browned &
springs back when lightly touched.
Cool 30 minutes before serving.

In small saucepan combine brown sugar
& butter. Cook over medium heat until
butter is melted. Gradually add cream &
bring to slow boil over medium heat,
stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
Serve with cake.

Serves 12-14

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)

=====================

Weather-wise, it’s chilly (40’s & 50’s) with
light rain & overcast. Just looked at the
local weather forecase & nearly dropped
my coffee cup:  From NOW until 10 p.m.
Sunday night: Rain, possibly mixed with
snow showers, breezy, high near 54 degrees F,
little or no snow accumulation expected.
YUCK!!! NOOoooooo! Not what I was
expecting to read – for sure! Rest of the
week is temps around 45-50 (with no snow
mentioned). Oh well – time to get ready –
winter is coming! (I still have to go through
my Summer/Winter clothes & switch them
out – that’s a task for this coming week, NOT
today, for sure!).

Hope you are gradually adjusting to the changes
in the weather. Stay warm & healthy if you can –
maybe enjoy a nice hot cup of something & relax
a little with a book or a NAP!

Hugs;

Pammie

Obligations

Our weather is definitely gone to COLD! Last night was the first of several ‘obligations’ I have this week: oldest (12) grandson’s last football game. We haven’t attended any this year (husband is not into football and sitting on bleachers); last night I rode with oldest son, his girlfriend, the baby & my middle son. Let’s just say: I forgot to bring a cushion for the bleachers – my butt FROZE! It was REALLY windy and around 43 degrees – NOT FUN! They lost 6-0 but we went to Culver’s for dinner and finally warmed up. I’m not into football, either, so spent most of the time keeping the baby amused (and his hands warm).

Today and tomorrow are babysitting; Weds. Knit Library in a.m., babysitting during day & Friends group that evening. Friday is my special needs group’s Harvest Party – lots of fun but also LOTS of activities helping the kids with games, serving food, etc. Saturday evening is a yearly obligation to attend a fund raiser for a former telephone company employee – her son was in college and due to join the Olympic team in archery when he died of a brain tumor. Each year his family holds a fund raiser dinner (great food) and has lots of various items for auction/silent auction to raise money for the college Archery team. We like going because we get to see some of the people we used to work with (my husband & I both worked for Michigan Bell Telephone Co. back in the day). Something tells me I’ll be MORE than ready to rest come Saturday!

===============

 

Iced Pumpkin Bars

4 large eggs
1 2/3 C. sugar
1 C. canola oil
1 (15 oz) can solid-pack pumpkin
2 C. flour
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking  powder
1 tsp. salt

Icing:
6 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 C. powdered sugar
1/4 C. butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
1-2 T. cream or Half & Half
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
In large bowl beat eggs, sugar, oil & pumpkin
until well blended. Combine flour,
cinnamon, baking powder, baking
soda & salt; gradually add to pumpkin
mixture – mix well. Pour into ungreased
15 X 10 X 1 inch baking pan. Bake 25-30
minutes until set. Cool completely.

Icing:
In small bowl beat cream cheese, powdered
sugar, butter & vanilla. Add enough cream to
achieve spreading consistency – spread over
bars. Cut into bars & store leftovers in fridge.
Makes 16 bars

(recipe: bakeatmidnite.com)
———————————

Pumpkin Sausage Soup

1 lb. mild ground Italian sausage
2 C. sliced fresh mushrooms
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (32 oz) carton unsalted chicken
stock
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
1 T. sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. ground turmeric
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 C. heavy whipping cream
1/3 C. cold water
1/3 C. cornstarch
2 C. shredded, smoked Cheddar cheese
–
In Dutch oven cook sausage, mushrooms &
onion over medium-high heat until sausage
is no longer pink & vegetables are tender,
8-10 minutes, breaking up sausage into
crumbles; drain grease. Add garlic; cook
1 minute. Add stock, pumpkin, sugar &
seasonings – bring to boil. Reduce heat –
cover & simmer 10 minutes. Stir in cream.
In small bowl mix cornstarch & water until
smooth – stir into pot & bring to boil. Cook
& stir until thickened, 1-2 minutes. Add
cheese – cook & stir until melted.
Serves 8

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
———————————
Spinach & Artichoke Chicken
Skillet

1/4 C. flour
salt/ground black pepper
4 (6 oz, ea) boneless skinless
chicken breasts
4 T. vegtable oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 oz. cream cheese, cut into
chunks
1 C. Half & Half
1 (5 oz) pkg. baby spinach
(about 4 C.)
1 (14 oz) can artichoke
hearts drained/quartered
–
Cooked rice to serve 4
=
Whisk flour, 1 T. salt & few
grinds pepper in a pie plate or
shallow dish. Coat both sides of
chicken in seasoned flour & shake
off any excess. Heat 3 T. oil in large,
heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-
high heat. Add chicken & cook,
(undisturbed) about 4 minutes until
deeply golden, without turning. Remove
chicken to a plate; add remaining 1 T.
oil to skillet & cook onion about 5
minutes, stirring occasionally, until it
begins to soften. Add garlic & cook,
about 30 seconds, stirring. Add cream
cheese & stir until melted. Pour in
Half & Half – use a wooden spoon to
scrape up any brown bits from bottom
of skillet – season with salt/pepper. Add
chicken back to skillet, seared side up.
Reduce heat to medium; cover & cook,
turning chicken about half-way through
cooking time until fully cooked (12-14
minutes) and a thermometer inserted
into thickest part of chicken read 165
degrees F.
Transfer chicken to a serving platter;
add spinach to sauce in skillet; cover
& cook until wilted, about 5 minutes.
Stir in artichoke hearts & cook until
heated through, about 1 minute. Season
with salt/pepper – pour creamy sauce
over chicken & serve with cooked rice.
Serves 4

(recipe: Foodnetwork.com)
———————————-

Crockpot Lentil Stew

1 yellow onion, diced
1 C. green or brown lentils
3 C. chicken or vegetable broth
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. dried parsley
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
1 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes
1 T. tomato paste
1 large carrot, diced
(optional: 10 oz. beef smoked
sausage, sliced into quarter inch pieces)
–
Add all ingredients to crockpot – stir a bit.
Cover & cook on Low 6-8 hours until lentils
are tender. Remove lid; add salt & pepper to
taste & serve. Serves 6

(recipe: 365daysofcrockpot.com)
————————————-

Bell Peppers Stuffed with Beef/Cheese

6 large green peppers
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 C. onion, chopped
1 (16 oz) can tomatoes, diced
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 C. Cheddar cheese, shredded (4 oz)
–
1/2 C. long grain rice (you can use
any rice, but it might affect cooking time)
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Cut tops off green peppers – discard
seeds & membranes. Chop enough of
the tops to make 1/4 C. Cook whole
green peppers, uncovered in boiling
water about 5 minutes – invert to drain
well. Sprinkle insides of peppers lightly
with salt. In a skillet cook gr. beef, onion &
1/4 C. chopped pepper until meat is
browned & veggies are tender; drain.
Add drained tomatoes, salt, Worc. sauce
& dash of black pepper to mixture.
Cook rice according to pkg. directions –
cook until soft. Add rice to beef mixture.
Stir in cheese. Stuff pepper insides with
meat mixture & place in 10 X 6 X 2″ baking
dish. Bake, covered, 30 minutes. During last
5 minutes add any remaining cheese to top
of peppers. Serves 3

NOTE: You can also cut a small slice off
bottom of peppers to help them stand up.

(recipe: geniuskitchen.com)
—————————————

Mama’s Banana/Pecan French Toast

1/2 C. Half & Half or milk
4 eggs
pinch salt
1/4 C. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
6 thick slices egg or potato bread
2 bananas, sliced
1 C. chopped pecans
–
Maple syrup – for serving
=
Lay out a few large sheets of
waxed paper on the counter
–
In large, shallow bowl mix Half & Half,
eggs, salt, powdered sugar & vanilla –
mix well. Dip only one side of one
piece of bread into batter – place
dipped slice, batter side down, onto
waxed paper – layer the top of that
slice with bananas.
Dip a second slice of bread into batter
on both sides; place on top of banana
layer (making a sandwich). Place nuts
on a small plate. Remove ‘sandwich’
from waxed paper & place on top of
pecans, pressing down lightly to help
stick them into bread – flip sandwich
over & repeat.
Heat 1 T. of oil in small skillet over
medium-high heat. Place sandwich in
skillet & cook until lightly browned on
both sides – repeat with remaining
slices to make 2 more sandwiches.
Serve with maple syrup. Serves 3
(makes 3 sandwiches)

(recipe: www.southernplate.com)
===================

Hope that you are in good health; my days
are so mixed up I’m still thinking we’re in the
‘weekend’!

Enjoy your day!

Pammie

Happy Saturday!

Well, Fall is now here – it’s in the high 40’s & mid-50’s this coming weekend/week. Leaves are falling off the trees in droves and it was on the weather forecast last night for a frost – yep, cold times are coming soon.

Today is a ‘free’ day for me – that means I don’t have anything specific I have to do. That also means I usually FIND things to do, like run the dishwasher, mop floors, catch up a few rows (at least) on each knit project. Speaking of that, I’m about 4 inches from finishing the ‘pinks’ baby blanket (will post photo when I’m done), mid-way on a chocolate brown (homeless) scarf and started another baby blanket yesterday in pale shades of rose, white, chocolate ice cream brown (looks pretty, doesn’t sound so good when I describe it). Also decided to try a recipe I’ve wanted to try for years: Blackbean Quinoa Salad. The recipe is my friend, Laura’s – she used to make it regularly for our Knit/Crochet Movie Night. I really like it – it’s kind of addicting – makes you want more. (The one problem with quinoa – it fills you up quickly – if you drink lots of water with it you feel like you’ve just eaten an elephant!). Great STUFF! We’re having that with broiled salmon; my husband makes a grumpy face whenever I mention trying quinoa, so he’ll be having a baked potato (he doesn’t like to, as he calls it, “experiment” with his food.)

===========

Black Bean/Quinoa Salad

1 C. (dry) Quinoa
1 can black beans, rinsed/drained
1 can whole kernel corn
1 green pepper, diced
1 small onion, diced
–
Dressing:
Equal parts:
olive oil
lemon juice
yellow mustard
salt & pepper
–
Start out with a few Tablespoons
of each & increase to 1/4 C. of each,
depending on how dry you like it
–
Cook quinoa in 2 C. water accordg.
to pkg. directions. Drain (or make sure
water has cooked out). Place in bowl
with remaining ingredients; pour
dressing over top & mix well.

Tastes best if refrigerated several hours.

(recipe: my friend Laura)

---

Pumpkin Pecan Baked Oatmeal

3 C. old-fashioned oats
2 tsp. baking powder
1 T. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. salt
1 C. firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 C. milk
1 C. canned pumpkin
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 C. chopped pecans
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Lightly spray a 8 X 8″ baking pan
with nonstick cooking spray. In
large bowl combine oats, baking
powder, pie spice & salt. In another
bowl combine brown sugar, milk,
pumpkin, vanilla & eggs – mix well.
Stir wet mixture into dry just enough
to get it moistened. Fold in pecans,
reserving 1 T. for top. Pour mixture
into prepared pan & sprinkle top
with reserved pecans. Bake 35-40
minutes until golden brown & set.
Serves 4-6

(recipe: southernbite.com)
————————————–
Beer Cheese Dip

1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/4 C. Ranch salad dressing
1/4 C. beer
1 C. shredded Cheddar cheese
2 green onions, chopped
–
Beat cream cheese, dressing & beer
in medium bowl using elec. mixer
until blended. Stir in cheese & onions;
refrigerate several hours or until
chilled. Makes 15 servings (2 T. each)

(recipe: kraftrecipes)
——————————

Chicken/Zucchini/Tomato Bake

3 C. crusty rustic bread, cubed
1/4 C. olive oil
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
few grinds black pepper
1 T. olive oil
1 1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken
breasts cut into 2″ pieces
3 medium zucchini, cut into 2″ cubes,
about 2 1/2 lb.
1 (10 oz) pkg. cherry or grape tomatoes
1 C. jarred piquante peppers, drained-
mild or hot
2 T. fresh garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. kosher salt
few grinds black pepper
1/2 C. grated Parmesan cheese
2 T. fresh basil, coarsely chopped-
do not chop ahead
–
Preheat oven 425 degrees F.
Place fresh bread cubes in a food
processor & pulse until bread is reduced
to a large crumb (it’s ok if there are a
few large pieces – don’t get the crumbs
too smal). Toss crumbs in a bowl with
1/4 C. olive oil, salt & pepper – lay out
on a sheet tray & bake about 20
minutes, flipping once during baking &
remove when pieces are slightly golden &
crispy. In large skillet heat 1 T. oil over high
heat; once oil is shimmering & starting to
smoke, add chicken pieces & sear on both
sides, about 3 minutes, total. (they will
still be raw in center). Place chicken in a
large bowl with zucchini, tomatoes, peppers,
garlic, basil, oregano, salt/pepper & Parm.
cheese – toss to combine. Pour mixture into
a 9 X 9″ casserole dish & bake, uncovered,
20 minutes. Remove pan, chop basil & top
casserole along with toasted bread crumbs.
Bake just until zucchini is cooked through,
about 5 more minutes. If zucchini still
needs more time, consider covering with
foil so bread crumbs don’t get too dark.
Serves 6-8

NOTE: Zucchini & tomatoes will give up
liquid while baking. To serve, use a slotted
spoon & avoid serving the liquid.

(recipe: afamilyfeast.com)
————————————

Cheesy Crockpot Ziti

2 (24 oz, ea) jars Ragu Six Cheese sauce
(or any sauce you like)
2 (8 oz, ea) cans tomato sauce
15 oz. ricotta cheese
1 (8 oz) container Greek Yogurt cream
cheese
Italian seasoning
1 (1 lb) box uncooked ziti (pasta)
shredded Parmesan cheese
–
Spray insides of crockpot with
nonstick cooking spray; turn heat
to High. In bowl mix Greek yogurt
cream cheese, ricotta cheese &
about 2 T. Italian seasoning (it will
be a bit lumpy). Spread 2 C. Ragu
sauce on bottom of crockpot then
place 1/3 of uncooked ziti on top.
Drizzle about 1/2 jar tomato sauce
on top of ziti. Dollop 1/3 of cheese
mixture over ziti & lightly spread.
Cover that layer with shredded
Parm. cheese – repeat this 2 more
times: layering pasta/sauce/cheese.
Cover & cook on High 2 1/2 – 3 hours
until pasta is done. Serves 8-10

(recipe: thesouthernladycooks.com)
———————————

Roasted Acorn Squash Soup
(with Bacon & Pumpkin Seeds)

3 acorn squash
2 T. olive oil, divided
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
6 cloves garlic, peeled & left whole
3 sliced thick-cut bacon, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
4 C. chicken broth
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground sage
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp. allspice
1 C. heavy cream
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 T. red wine vinegar
–
(Optional garnishes)
Parmesan cheese, shredded
roasted pumpkin seeds
fresh chopped parsley
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Spray a baking sheet with nonstick
cooking spray. Slice each squash
length-wise end-to-end; scrape
seeds from each half, discard seeds.
Drizzle 1 T. oil over insides of squash
halves & season with salt/pepper.
Place each half, cut sides down, on
sheet. Wrap garlic in foil & place on
sheet with squash. Roast squash/garlic
1 hour until softened & beginning to
collapse (squash). Remove from oven &
allow to cool. When cool enough to handle,
scrape flesh from squash & place flesh in
large bowl with garlic cloves. Place a Dutch
oven or soup pot over medium-high heat &
add diced bacon – saute until crispy, about
5 minutes; remove from pan & place on
paper towels to drain. Spoon out extra fat,
leaving about 1 T. in pot. Return to heat; add
onion & cook 3 minutes until translucent. Add
broth, a little at a time, scraping up any brown
bits on bottom of pot. Add squash, garlic, ginger,
sage, cayenne & allspice – bring to boil then
simmer 5 minutes. Place soup in a blender, in
batches (or use an immersion blender) – be
careful of hot soup – it can blow the lid off a
blender if filled too full. Stir in cream, Wors.
sauce & vinegar- bring back to a simmer. Add
salt/pepper to taste & serve with your choice
of toppings. Makes 12 servings

(recipe: everydaydishes.com)
—————————————-

Cinnamon Apple Crisp

Filling:
6 medium apples (Honey Crisp or Gala),
peeled/sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 small (1.5 oz) box raisins
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 T. cornstarch
1/4 C. honey

Topping:
1 C. quick oats
3 T. brown sugar ( not packed)
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 1/2 T. butter, melted
–
Heat oven 350 degrees F.
In large bowl combine apples, raisins,
cinnamon, honey & lemon juice – sprinkle
with cornstarch & toss until fruit is coated.
Place in ungreased baking dish – cover with
foil & bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven.
Mix topping ingredients & sprinkle over
fruit. Bake 1 hour until topping is golden
brown & fruit is tender. Serves 8

(recipe: www.skinnytaste.com)

======================

Tomorrow I have Sunday School snack duty;
after church my SS class is going to have a
class dinner. Our teacher asked me to just
bring ‘something light’ as they are going to
have dinner & desserts later.  Yeah, right –
‘something light’? Not everyone in our
class goes to the dinner (my husband doesn’t
like to hang around after, so we don’t go plus
church gets out around 12, dinner around
12:15 – around 2 p.m. & I have to be back
for choir practice at 4:45 (about 20 minute
drive from our house to church). Choir
practice then evening church means I get
home around 7:20 p.m. – makes for a VERY
long day (easier to just skip the dinner). Anyway –
I digress – ended up buying a lemon Bundt cake,
a Red Velvet cake roll and some powdered
sugar doughnut holes – LIGHT? Guess not BUT
my thinking was: if you only had a small slice
of cake or a few doughnut holes, it wouldn’t be
THAT bad, right? Oh well – whatever is left
over will definitely be eaten at my house, so
no worries!

Hope you’re having a good day!

Hugs;

Pammie

GORGEOUS WEATHER!

Not exactly sure if this is “Indian Summer” or not, but yesterday, today and tomorrow are supposed to be very SUMMER-LIKE weather. Yesterday we got up to almost 80 degrees F. and today (at 12 noon) it’s already 78 with a high expected of 82! YAY! LOVE this weather! Babysat all day yesterday (10:30 – 5:30) and go again at 2 to probably around 6:20 (have Knit/Crochet Night tonight so really hoping to get off at around that time). Older grandson has football practice which gets off at 6 p.m. & his dad has to pick him up, hence the guessed time for me being done. The baby is getting into learning more words; he can say Cracker, Please, Thank You and more. Yesterday, totally out of the blue he said; “Hello, Momma!” exactly like an adult would including inflections! I was floored! Cracked me up! He’s now 19 months.

==============

Pumpkin Cider Poke Cake

Cider Filling:

1/2 gallon fresh apple cider
1/2 C. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Cake:

(butter to grease a 9 X 13″ baking dish)
4 eggs
1 1/2 C. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 (15 oz) can 100% pure pumpkin
1 C. canola oil
2 C. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Frosting:

8 oz. cream cheese, room temp.
1/2 C. butter, room temp.
1 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. salt
3 C. powdered sugar
–
NOTE:
Before you start the cake:
Pour 1/2 gallon cider into a 4 qt.
non-stick pot & bring to a boil –
boil until reduced to one cup –
about 45-50 minutes. It will be
thick & syrupy. Once reduced to
1 C., stir in butter, brown sugar,
vanilla, cinnamon & pumpkin pie
spice. Remove from heat.

While cider is cooking down:
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray a 9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray. In bowl
of stand mixer with whip attachment,
beat eggs until pale in color, 1-2
minutes. Add sugar & beat until light
in color, 1-2 minutes. Add vanilla, pumpkin
& oil – beat until combined, scraping sides
& mixing again. In medium bowl, add flour,
baking powder, baking soda, salt,
cinnamon & pumpkin pie spice – hand
whisk to combine. With mixer running,
slowly add flour mixture – scrape bowl &
whisk one last time; pour mixture into
prepared pan. Bake 35 minutes*.
Just before cake comes out of oven, reheat
filling. Remove cake from oven & using
hand of a wooden spoon with skinny
handle, poke a few dozen holes in cake top
then pour over hot filling. (Most of filling
will seep into cake, some will sit on top).
Cool then refrigerate cake to cool
completely.
–
Once completely cooled, prepare frosting:

Place cream cheese & butter in bowl of
mixer with paddle attachment – beat to
incorporate. Mix in vanilla & salt. With
mixer running on Low, slowly add in
powdered sugar – scrape bowl & mix
again until completely creamy & smooth.
Spoon all of frosting onto cooled cake &
smooth with spatula. Cut into 12, 18 or
24 pieces. Cake can be served or
refrigerated until ready.

*The batter cooks up so moist that the
toothpick test doesn’t work. Cake needs
the entire 35 minutes cooking time,
rotating the pan half way through.

(recipe: afamilyfeast.com)
—————————————-

Crockpot Tuscan Tortellini Soup

1 yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 C. chicken broth
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 (15 oz) can Great Northern white
beans, drained/rinsed
1 bay leaf
1 T. Italian seasoning
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken
breasts (can be frozen)
1 C. Half & Half, warmed
1/2 C. shredded Parmesan cheese
1 (18 oz) pkg. refrigerated cheese
tortellini
3 C. baby spinach
–
Place onion, garlic, broth, tomatoes,
beans, bay leaf, Italian seasoning,
salt/pepper & chicken to crockpot.
Cover & cook on Low 6-8 hours.
Remove lid & stir in warmed Half &
Half (so it doesn’t curdle). Remove
chicken from crockpot & shred or
cut into bite-sized pieces then add
back to pot. Stir in Parm. cheese,
tortellini & spinach. Cover & cook
on High about 20 minutes or until
tortellini are cooked through. Discard
bay leaf; taste & adjust seasonings
(salt/pepper) as needed.
Serves 8-10

(recipe: 365daysofcrockpot.com)
——————————-
Easy Sweet & Spicy Chicken

1 (20 oz) can unsweetened pineapple
chunks, undrained
1 1/3 C. orange marmalade
1 C. picante sauce
1 tsp. chili powder, divided
1 1/4 lb. boneless skinless
chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 large green pepper, cut into
1″ pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
1 T. canola oil
–
Hot, cooked rice to serve 6
Minced, fresh cilantro – garnish
–
In a bowl combine pineapple, marmalade,
picante sauce & 1/2 tsp. chili powder.
Sprinkle remaining chili powder over
chicken. In large skillet saute chicken,
green pepper & onion in oil until chicken
juices run clear. Reduce heat; add pine-
apple mixture & cook until heated through,
2-3 minutes. Serve with cooked rice &
cilantro garnish, if desired. Serves 6

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
————————————–
Pork with Squash & Apples

1 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic (about
2 large cloves)
2 T. chopped fresh sage
2 (1 lb, ea) pork tenderloins,
trimmed
kosher salt/ground black pepper
1 small butternut squash, peeled/
cut into 1 inch pieces
2 cooking apples, peeled/cut into
1/2 inch pieces
1 medium red onion, cut into 1/2″
pieces
1 T. honey mustard
1 sprig fresh rosemary
5 T. unsalted butter, cut into
pieces
–
Preheat oven 425 degrees F.
Place a long sheet of foil on counter.
Mix nutmeg, 1 tsp. garlic & the
sage in a bowl – rub mixture over
pork & season with salt/pepper.
Toss squash, apples, onion,
remaining 1/2 tsp. garlic, honey
mustard, salt/pepper to taste, in a bowl;
spread mixture onto foil sheet. Add
rosemary & 3 T. butter. Bring ends of foil
together & crimp to seal into a packet.
Place packet on a baking sheet.  Poke holes
in packet to release steam;  roast
on upper rack until tender, 30-35 minutes.

Heat a large oven-proof skillet over medium-
high heat. Add remaining 2 T. butter & brown
pork on all sides, about 8 minutes. Add 2 T.
water & scrape up any browned bits from pan.
Transfer skillet to lower oven rack & roast about
15 minutes, until thermometer reads 150 degrees F.
Transfer meat to a cutting board & let stand 5
minutes. Return skillet to medium heat; add 1/2
C. water, scraping up any browned bits. Simmer
2 minutes. Slice pork & drizzle with pan juices.
Serve with squash & apples. Serves 4

(recipe: foodnetwork.com)
—————————————
Sweet Potato/Beet Hash

1 large sweet potato, peeled/
cut into 1/4″ pieces
1 large fresh beet, peeled/cut
into 1/4″ dice
1 T. olive oil
kosher salt/black pepper
1 slice bacon, cut into thin strips
1 small onion, diced
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment
paper. Toss cut sweet potatoes &
beets with olive oil & season
with salt/pepper – place on baking
sheet. Bake 25-30 minutes until
vegetables are golden, stirring
every 10 minutes. In a medium
skillet over medium-low heat,
add bacon & cook until bacon is
crispy. Add onions & season with
salt – continue to cook until onions
start to caramelize & turn golden,
about 10 minutes. Add roasted
sweet potatoes & beets to pan;
stir to combine, cooking another
5 minutes. Taste & adjust seasoning,
if necessary & serve immediately.
Serves 4

(recipe: foodnetwork.com)
——————————-

Garlicky Feta Dip

6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/3 C. Greek plain yogurt
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 C. chopped fresh dill (or to taste)
1 T. lemon juice plus lemon zest to top
kosher salt/black pepper – to taste
1 Roma tomato, diced
1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes,
(optional topping)
fresh herbs, to top
olive oil – for drizzling on top
–
pita chips, pretzels, bruschetta or crackers,
for dipping
–
In bowl of food processor or blender
combine feta, cream cheese, yogurt, garlic,
dill & lemon juice – season with kosher salt/
black pepper – blend until well combined.
Taste & adjust salt/pepper, to your taste.
When well combined, scoop into a bowl &
top with lemon zest, tomato, pinch crushed
red pepper flakes, fresh herbs & a very light
drizzle of olive oil. Chill 1 hour.
Serve cold. Serves 4-6

(recipe: hostthetoast.com)
——————————

Crockpot Cinnamon-Raisin
Bread Pudding

4 C. cinnamon-raisin bread, toasted &
cubed
2 eggs
3/4 C. sugar
2 1/2 C. milk, heated to boiling & cooled
2 T. butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. salt
–
garnish – whipped cream
–
Spray insides of crockpot with
nonstick cooking spray & add
bread cubes. In a bowl, beat
eggs & sugar; whisk in remaining
ingredients (except garnish). Pour
over bread cubes, mixing well &
pressing down so bread will soak
up milk mixture. Cover & cook on
Low 6 hours. Spoon into individual
bowls & serve warm topped with
whipped cream. Serves 8

(recipe: gooseberrypatch.com)
===================

Hope you are able to enjoy the last vestiges
of our Summer weather – when the sun is
shining it lifts my spirit and makes me smile.

Hugs;

Pammie

 

Deliveries all DONE!

Today I delivered the Crisis Pregnancy baby blankets (& some hats, too); that now officially completes my charity knits for awhile. Next up is scarves for the homeless – will start going through my yarn later to begin. I love a challenge and each blanket & scarf is just that: an opportunity to knit something new (to me) – a different pattern or yarn, knowing it will go somewhere to do some good.

==========

Coffee Cream Brownies

3 (1 oz) squares unsweetened
baking chocolate, chopped
1/2 C. plus 2 T. butter, softened/
divided
2 eggs, beaten
1 C. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2/3 C. flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. instant coffee granules
1/3 C. plus 1 T. whipping cream/
divided
1 C. powdered sugar
1 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray a 8 X 8″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray. In a
saucepan over low heat, melt
baking chocolate & 1/2 C. butter.
Let cool. In a bowl beat eggs, sugar
& vanilla; stir in chocolate mixture.
Combine flour & baking soda & add
to chocolate mixture – spread into
prepared pan. Bake 25-30 minutes.
Let cool.
In a bowl, stir coffee granules into
1 T. cream until dissolved – beat in
remaining butter & powdered sugar
until creamy; spread over cooled
brownies.
In a saucepan over low heat, stir &
melt chocolate chips & remaining
cream until thickened – spread over
cream layer. Let set & cut into squares.
Makes 1 dozen brownies.

(recipe: gooseberrypatch.com)
———————————-

Crab Dip Cheeseball

8 oz. cream cheese, room temp.
1/4 C. mayonnaise
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. hot sauce
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1 bunch scallions, diced small/
divided
1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 C. imitation crab, shredded
–
crackers, for dipping
–
Using elec. mixer, mix cream cheese,
mayonnaise, Worch. sauce, hot sauce,
garlic salt in a bowl. Mix in 1 T. diced
scallions (reserve the rest), mozz. cheese
& crab. Refrigerate at least 1 hour until
it is firm enough to handle. Once firm,
roll into a ball & coat outsides with
remaining scallions. Serve with crackers
for dipping.

(recipe: www.wineandglue.com)
————————–

Roasted Acorn Squash & Garlic
Mash

2 acorn squash, halved crosswise
& seeded
1 head garlic, wrapped in foil
7 T. unsalted butter, divided
1 leek, diced (white & pale green
parts, only)
1 Gala apple, cored/diced into
1/2″ pieces
salt
1 tsp. freshly chopped thyme
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Place squash, cut sides down, in
a glass baking dish. Pour enough
water in dish to fill halfway up
the sides (this helps steam the
squash). Place foil-wrapped garlic
directly on an oven rack. Cook
squash & garlic about 1 hour
until very tender. Cool slightly.
Melt 1 T. butter in a heavy, small
skillet over medium-high heat.
Add leeks & apple – saute until
crisp-tender, about 6 minutes.
Season with salt, to taste. Scoop
the cooled squash flesh into a
large bowl. Using a potato masher,
mash flesh until smooth. Unwrap
garlic & squeeze flesh into squash
puree. Add remaining 6 T. butter &
mash. Stir in thyme & season with
salt, to taste. Place mash in a serving
bowl & top with apple & leek saute.
Serves 4-6

(recipe: foodnetwork.com)
————————————

Garlic Lemon Baked Tilapia

4 tilapia
kosher salt/black pepper
5 T. butter, melted
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
juice & zest from 1/2 lemon
1 lemon, sliced into rounds
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Season tilapia with salt/pepper &
place on a small baking sheet. In
small bowl mix butter, garlic, red
pepper flakes, lemon juice &
zest – pour over fish. Place lemon
rounds on top & around tilapia. Bake
10-12 minutes until fork-tender.
Serves 4

(recipe: delish.com)
—————————–
Curried Sweet Potato/Apple Soup

3 medium sweet potatoes
3 T. unsalted butter
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 (2 inch) piece fresh ginger,
peeled/grated
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg,
plus more for garnish
1 1/2 tsp. curry powder (poster
uses Madras curry powder)
kosher salt/ground black pepper
2 C. chicken broth
1 1/4 C. chunky applesauce
1 T. olive oil
1 T. apple cider vinegar
1-2 T. chopped fresh cilantro
–
Preheat oven 425 degrees F.
Peel & dice 2 1/2 sweet potatoes.
Melt 2 T. butter in large pot over
medium heat. Add onion & garlic,
cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
Stir in ginger, nutmeg, 1 1/4 tsp.
curry powder, salt/pepper, to
taste – cook until toasted, 1 more
minute. Add diced sweet potatoes,
chicken broth & 2 C. water to pot.
Cover & bring to boil over medium-
high heat. Reduce heat to medium-
low; stir in applesauce. Simmer,
uncovered, until sweet potatoes
are soft, about 20 minutes.* Puree
the soup, in batches, in a blender
until smooth. Season with salt/
pepper & keep warm.

Peel & thinly slice remaining 1/2
sweet potatoes – toss with olive
oil, salt & pepper, to taste. Spread
in a single layer on a baking sheet
& bake until crisp, 7-10 minutes.
Heat remaining 1 T. butter in a
skillet over medium heat. Add remaining
1/4 tsp. curry powder & cook, stirring,
until browned. Remove from heat & add
vinegar. Top with curry butter, cilantro
& sweet-potato chips. Serves 4

*When blending hot liquid, first let
it cool 5 minutes then transfer to a
blender, filling only half way. Cover
with lid, leaving one corner open.
Cover lid with kitchen towel to catch
any spatters & pulse until smooth.

(recipe: foodnetwork.com)
———————————-

Crockpot Bacon-wrapped
Apple BBQ Chicken

2 small boneless skinless
chicken breasts
4 slices bacon
1/2 C. BBQ sauce
2 large apples, peeled/cut
into small pieces
2 T. lemon juice
–
Wrap each chicken breast in
2 slices bacon & place in crockpot.
Mix BBQ sauce, apples & lemon
juice in small bowl & pour over
chicken. Cover & cook on Low
8 hours. Serves 2

(recipe: www.closetcooking.com)
—————————————

Stuffed Chicken Thighs

1 (16 oz) pkg. mild bulk breakfast sausage
1/4 C. chopped fresh parsley
2 T. minced onion
8 strips bacon
8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 T. honey
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment
paper or foil. In large bowl mix sausage,
parsley & minced onion – divide into 8
equal portions & shape each into a log
no longer than the length of the chicken
where the bone was. Open chicken out –
place a log in center of each thigh where
bone was & fold chicken around it. Wrap
each thigh in one strip bacon, seam side
under the chicken; place on prepared
pan & brush each thigh with honey.
Bake 35 minutes until cooked through
& bacon is golden brown & crispy. Let
chicken rest 10 minutes before serving.
Serves 8

(recipe: bakeatmidnite.com)
———————————-

Caramel Brown Sugar Bundt Cake

Cake:
1 3/4 C. brown sugar
2 1/2 C. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
5 oz. evaporated milk
1 c. plain Greek yogurt
1/2 C. (1 stick) butter, melted
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs

Topping:
2 T. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 – 1/2 C. caramel sauce, jarred
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray 12″ Bundt or tube pan with nonstick
cooking spray. In small bowl mix (topping)
brown sugar & cinnamon – sprinkle mixture
on bottom of pan. Turn pan around to coat
bottom & shake pan lightly to remove any
excess. In another bowl whisk flour, baking
soda, salt & cinnamon. In another bowl beat
(cake) brown sugar & melted butter – add
eggs & vanilla – beat until combined. Add
evaporated milk & yogurt; beat until mixed.
Gradually add in flour mixture & beat until
fully combined – pour batter evenly into pan.
Bake 40-45 minutes until a toothpick inserted
into center comes out clean. Let cake stand
20-30 minutes before removing from pan.
Once cake is completely cooled, turn out
onto a serving plate & drizzle top with
desired amount of caramel sauce.
Makes 10-12 slices.

(recipe: ourtableforseven.com)

======================

Today’s weather is definitely FALL –
while driving to deliver the blankets
my trusty car thermometer was reading
FIFTY degrees F. – Brrrrrrrrrrr! Also add to
that: rainy/overcast – CHILLY! I just switched
out my summer sandals for heavier/closed-in
shoes (with socks) – Baby, it’s getting COLD!
Looking at next week, for Monday the high is
expected to be 79 (with showers) and 81 Tuesday –
that’s promising! I’m the person that always hopes/
looks for “Indian Summer” – here in the North we
usually have one or more days of that – a very brief
insert of unusually warm weather (usually after our
first frost) which immediately follows with really
cold weather & winter.

I’ve been babysitting more that my usual ‘one day
a week’ lately – as I’ve explained, the other Grandma
usually gets him (1 1/2 yrs. now) most of the time
(and loves it). Since I’m already a seasoned Grandma
(and former Day Care provider and Foster parent of
infants & toddlers for years) – it’s fun to see my
grandson, but spending hours & hours listening to
NICK, JR. TV gets ‘mind numbing’! On the good side,
I managed to knit a newborn & a premie baby hat
yesterday for today’s delivery. Went to their house
yesterday at 10:30 a.m. (hoping to get off around
2/2:30) – well, let’s just say I ordered a pizza to pick
up at 6:15p.m. on my way home. Was hoping for
a lighter week next week, but was asked to sit
Mon & Tues (apparently other Grandma now is
having the REST of her wood floors sanded/re-
finished . . . SIGH!!!) Oh well, am hoping for a
reprieve soon and back to my old ‘one-day-a-
week’ sitting – we’ll see.

Hope you are in good health and beginning
to enjoy the upcoming Fall ‘fun’ things, like:
Pumpkin everything, crunchy leaves as you
walk, a brisk air as you go outside, seeing the
leaves changing colors, CIDER & DONUTS!

Hugs;

Pammie

Yep, it’s Fall!

It’s a typical Michigan RAINY fall day – temps about 52 degrees; it’s dark & gloomy out and almost 10 a.m.! When I woke up, I thought it was still night – that’s how dark/gloomy it is! Oh well – not a big deterrant to the day – I can still knit/read, etc. Not a lot planned for today – I was going to go to Kohl’s to see what I could find there – was given a $25 gift card on my birthday (June) and still haven’t managed to get over there (I don’t shop there – nice store, just not my ‘style’, so to speak). Since it’s gloomy & raining, I’ll probably move that trip to another day; it’s kinda hard planning out my week when I don’t know the babysitting ‘schedule’ – oh well, I’m flexible, for the most part.

Still have some good Summer/Grill recipes but will probably put them away until NEXT year – lots of yummy FALL RECIPES coming in now.

==========

No-Bake Strawberry Cream Cake

2 C. heavy cream
1/2 C. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 lb. strawberries, hulled/sliced
1 1/2 packs graham crackers
–
Using elec. mixer beat cream,
powdered sugar & vanilla until
stiff peaks form. In the bottom
of a square pan place a very thin
layer of cream. Add a single layer
of graham crackers & top with
1/3 of whipped cream – smooth
using a spatula. Add 1/3 of the
strawberries in even layer – repeat
layering 2 more times, ending with
strawberries. Arrange berries on
top in a pattern, if desired. Cover
with plastic wrap & refrigerate at
least 4 hours or overnight before
serving.

(recipe: americantimesfood.com)
———————————-

Pepperoni Pizza Casserole

8 oz. uncooked spiral-shaped
pasta (about 3 C.)
1 lb. Italian sausage, casings
removed
4 C. spaghetti sauce
1 (4 oz) can mushrooms, drained
1 C. grated Parmesan cheese
1 (6 oz) pkg. sliced pepperoni
8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Cook pasta accordg. to pkg. directions;
drain & return pasta to pot. In a saute
pan over medium heat, cook sausage –
drain. Add sausage, spaghetti sauce &
mushrooms to pasta & stir to combine.
Stir in Parm. cheese & half of pepperoni
slices. Lightly spray a 9 X 13″ baking dish
with nonstick cooking spray. Spread
pasta mixture into pan & spread evenly.
Top with mozz. cheese & arrange remaining
half of pepperoni slices on top. Bake 20
minutes until cheese is bubbly.
Serves 6-8

(recipe: geniuskitchen.com)
——————————-

7-Layer Fiesta Dip

2 (16 oz, ea) cans refried beans
1/2 C. salsa
1 (1 oz) pkg. taco seasoning mix
16 oz. sour cream
3-4 C. guacamole
1 1/2 C. grated Cheddar cheese
1 1/2 C. grated Monterey Jack
cheese (or Pepper Jack)
2-3 roma tomatoes, chopped
2 (4 oz, ea) cans chopped black
olives
1/2 C. chopped green pepper
–
(Optional: small can chopped
mild green chiles mixed into
refried beans)
=
Dippers: restaurant-style tortilla
chips
=
In a bowl mix refried beans, half
the pkg. of taco seasoning, salsa
& 3 T. sour cream. (You can also
add cayenne and/or ancho chili
powder, if desired, to taste).
Spread mixture in large rectangular
glass lasagna dish.*
In separate bowl mix rest of sour
cream with remaining taco seasoning
mix. Spread sour cream mixture on
top of refried beans. Carefully spread
guacamole on top of sour cream mixture
(take care not to mix the 2 together).
In a ziplock bag or bowl, toss the 2
cheeses together & spread on top of
guacamole. Sprinkle top with tomatoes,
olives & green onions, Chill at least
1 hour before serving. Serves 10-12

*If you use both cans refried beans & not
all of dip fits in dish, spread remaining on
a dinner plate & you can make your own dip
to keep at home while taking the rest to a
party.

NOTE: This can be made a day ahead &
refrigerate overnight. Let it come to room
temperature before serving.

Mixture can also be used to fill flour
tortillas & fried up as burritos.

This dish can also be baked: Place completed
dip in oven 350 degrees F. for 30 minutes.

(recipe: www.geniuskitchen.com)
———————————–

Crispy Oven-baked Pork Chops

6 pork chops (1/2 inch thick)
1 1/2 C. Panko bread crumbs
1/2 C. Italian-style bread crumbs
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. sugar
3 T. olive oil
–
Preheat oven 425 degrees F.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment
paper.
In bowl combine all ingredients
(except pork chops) – transfer
mixture to a large ziplock bag.
Place one chop at a time in bag
& shake to coat chop with breading;
repeat with rest of chops. Place chops
on prepared sheet. Bake 15 minutes.
Turn chops to other side & bake
another 15 minutes.

(recipe: mc2creativeliving.com)
———————————

Crockpot Stuffed Peppers

4 small green peppers
1/2 lb. lean ground beef
1 C. instant white rice, uncooked
1 C. frozen peas
3/4 C. water, divided
1/2 C. BBQ sauce, divided
1 pkg. Velveeta Mini blocks
(4 oz) cut into 1/2 inch cubes
–
Spray insides of crockpot
with nonstick cooking spray.
Cut peppers lengthwise in half;
remove & discard membranes
& seeds. In large bowl mix meat,
rice, peas, & 1/4 C. each water &
BBQ sauce until just blended –
spoon into peppers. Combine
remaining water & BBQ sauce in
crockpot; add peppers, filled
sides up & top with Velveeta
cubes. Cover & cook on Low
5-7 hours or High 2 1/2 -3 1/2
hours. Serve peppers topped
with sauce from crockpot.
Serves 4

(recipe: kraftrecipes.com)
—————————-
Easy Pumpkin Soup

1/2 T. olive oil
1 sweet onion, diced
1 T. minced garlic
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 head cauliflower, florets diced
(about 5 C. florets, total)
4 C. vegetable or chicken broth
1 (15 oz) can unsweetened pumpkin
puree (about 1.75 C. total)
1 T. maple syrup (or brown sugar)
1 tsp. salt (to taste)
1/2 C. full-fat canned coconut milk*
(or substitute whipping cream)
–
Optional garnish: sliced green onions,
chives and/or sour cream
–
Heat oil in large pot over medium heat;
add onion & saute until soft, about 5-10
minutes. Add garlic & ginger, cook 1 more
minute, stirring. Add cauliflower, broth &
pumpkin; turn heat to High & bring to
boil, covered. Reduce heat to Low &
simmer (covered) 20-30 minutes until
cauliflower is tender. Stir in maple syrup,
salt & coconut milk. Remove from heat &
puree soup until smooth (using blender
or food processor, done in batches).
Makes 8 Cups soup

*You can find coconut milk in grocery stores
in the aisle that has alcoholic drink mixes.

(recipe: theseasonedmom.com)
———————————–

Crockpot Baked Apples

5 Gala apples (medium sized)
5 granola bars (poster used
“Bare Naked Original Cinnamon”)
crushed up
2 T. melted butter
5 tsp. maple syrup
–
Ice cream or whipped cream, for
serving
=
Cut a layer off top of apples using
a knife. Using a melon baller or
a measuring teaspoon, remove core
& seeds from each apple. Pack 1/4 C.
crushed granola into each apple ‘hole’
& place in crockpot. Drizzle apples
evenly with melted butter & add
1 tsp. maple syrup to each apple.
Cover & cook on High 2 1/2 – 3 hours
until tender but not falling apart.
Serve as is, or with ice cream or
whipped cream. Makes 5 stuffed apples

(recipe: yummly.com)

===================

Hope you’re enjoying this day –
rainy or not, it’s another day to enjoy
LIFE!

Hugs;

Pammie