Southern Green Beans

Southern Green Beans serves 6
1 lb fresh green beans 1/4 lb bacon 1/4 cup red onion 1 clove garlic, minced 1 cup chicken broth salt and pepper

Wash and snip off ends of green beans.  Dice bacon into small pieces.  Chop onion into tiny pieces.

Fry bacon in a large frying pan, until browned.   Add onion and garlic, saute for 1-2 minutes until the onion is soft.  Add green beans.  Cook for 4-5 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.   Add the chicken broth, bring to boil, then immediately turn heat to simmer or serve.  You don't want to cook to much or they will be soggy. *You can add chcken broth or eat without the chicken broth.  If you don't want the broth just skip last step.  

SouthWest Chicken Soup

SouthWest Chicken Soup Serves 12

Ingredients 3 chicken breast 3 T olive oil, separated 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice 4 qt chicken broth 2 T red wine vinegar 3 c diced red onion 1 large red bell pepper, 1 inch pieces 2 T minced garlic, separated 1 large sweet potato, 1 inch cubes 5 medium red potatoes,  1 1/2 inch cubes 1 14 oz can tomato sauce, ( i prefer Mexican style) Seasoning salt 2 teaspoons black pepper 2 T oregano leaves 1 1/2 T Cumin 1 T chili powder  1/2 cup chopped cilantro 1 14 oz can of hominy (white or yellow)
*optional serve with tortilla strips, lime slices sour cream, and shredded cheese.

Directions Generously sprinkle seasoning salt on chicken breasts. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan, sear chicken breasts.  

Add lemon juice and 1 T garlic, cook until the liquid in reduced. 

 Should turn a darker color and thicken.  Remove chicken from pan getting as much thicken liquid and possible with it.  

Cut chicken into bite size pieces.  

In a large frying pan, heat 1 TB olive oil, on high heat.  Cook onion and peppers.  Try not to stir, that often that way it will blacken and you will see flecks of black on veggies.  Heat for about 7 minutes.  

Add garlic and saute 30 seconds.   In a large stock pot heat broth.  Add all ingredients, except chicken, hominy, and cilantro.  Simmer one hour.  

Add chicken, hominy, and cilantro.  Simmer 10 more minutes.  

This recipe was given to me by my good friend Sharla.  Thanks, Sharla.

Panera Style White Cheddar Mac and Cheese

Panera Style White Cheddar Mac and Cheese 12 sides or 6 main dishes

16 oz   Pasta (shell, penne, gemelli, elbow, etc) 4 TBL butter 1/3 to 1/2 cup flour 2 1/2 cups heavy cream 4 oz white american cheese, chopped or torn in pieces 8 oz extra sharp white cheddar, shredded 1 TBL  Dijon mustard 1 tsp Kosher salt 1 tsp Frank's hot sauce pepper to taste
Cook pasta according to directions.  Drain well.
While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a small sauce pan over medium heat.  When the butter has melted, whisk in flour.  Cook for 1 minutes whisking constantly.  Gradually whisk in the cream.  Whisk until there are no lumps.  Reduce heat to meduim-low and cook cream mixture, whisking frequently, until mixture thickens and bubbles, about 8 minutes.  

Remove from heat.  Gradually stir in the cheeses by the handful to allow the cheeses to melt before adding more.  

Stir in the mustard, salt, and hot sauce.  

Add pasta to the cheese mixture. Mix well.  Make sure to throughly coat all the pasta with the sauce.  Cook for an additional minute or two on medium-low heat until heated through.  Pepper to taste.
*When reheating leftovers add a little milk before heating.  

Texas Sheet Cake Thumbprint Cookies

Texas  Sheet Cake Thumbprint Cookies                       

makes 3 1/2 dozen

• Ingredients
Cookies
• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 egg
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 2/3 cup flour
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
Icing
• 3/4 cup butter
• 3Tbsp cocoa powder
• 4 1/2 Tbsp milk
• 3 3/4 cups powdered sugar

How to Make Icing

In a medium saucepan combine butter, cocoa powder and milk over medium heat, whisking until melted together. Remove from heat and whisk in powdered sugar.

Place icing in refridgerator, while making cookies, to thicken.  Take out after first batch is out of oven.

Stir before using.  Should be thickend to a pudding consistency.

Spoon over thumbprints and spread to edges.  

How to Make Cookies

Preheat oven to 350°

In bowl of stand mixer beat butter and sugar together until light, scraping sides frequently.

Add in egg and vanilla and continue mixing until incorporated. Mix in baking powder and salt.

Turn mixer to low and slowly add in flour. Dough will be thick.

In a microwave safe bowl heat chocolate chips on high in 30 second increments until melted, stirring after every 30 seconds.

Mix melted chocolate directly into cookie dough until evenly mixed.

Drop dough by a measured tablespoon sized mounds onto baking sheet. 

Press Thumb in the middle of cookie.

Bake for 7-9 minutes until cookies just appear set. They will still be very soft on the inside. DO NOT overbake!!

Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Line a jelly roll pan or cookie sheet with wax paper.  Place cookies close together on wax paper. 

 

Spoon icing over thumbprints and spread to edges.

*store at room temperature for up to 3 days.

**Make sure not to overbake these cookies. The insides will remain soft and dense if baked correctly.

Nutella Double Chip Cookies

Nutella Double Chip Cookies 3 dozen cookies prep time: 15 minutes chill time: 2 hours Baking time: 8-9 minutes each batch

1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)

 2/3 cup Nutella, heaping (stir well before adding)

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large egg

4 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons cornstarch

2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups white chocolate chips

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

1. To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or large mixing bowl and electric mixer) combine the butter, Nutella, sugars, eggs, vanilla, and beat on medium-high speed until creamed and well combined, about 4 minutes.
2. Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, and beat on low speed until just combined, about 1 minute.
3. Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the white and chocolate chips, and beat on low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds.
4.  Roll dough into 2 inch balls, and flatten slightly. 
5. Place mounds on a large plate or tray, cover with plasticwrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to 5 days. Do not bake with unchilled dough because cookies will bake thinner, flatter, and be more prone to spreading.
6. Preheat oven to 350F,  spray with cooking spray. Place dough mounds on baking sheet, spaced at least 2 inches apart, and bake for about 9 minutes, or until edges have set and tops are just set, even if slightly undercooked and glossy in the center; don't overbake. Cookies firm up as they cool. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for about 10 minutes before serving. 
7. Cookies will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Alternatively, unbaked cookie dough can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 4 months, so consider baking only as many cookies as desired and save the remaining dough to be baked in the future when desired.

Raspberry Struesel Bread

Raspberry Struesel Bread 1 9x5 loaf or 3 mini loaves

20 minutes prep 45-75 minutes baking

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 large egg

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

10 to 12 ounces raspberries, about 2 cups (I highly recommend fresh)

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Optional Struesel Topping

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

3 TBL butter, cut into small pieces

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spray one 9x5-inch loaf pan with floured cooking spray, or grease and flour the pan; set aside.
2. Make the struesel topping, optional.  Combine flour and sugar, then cut in butter.  Cut the butter in until resembles coarse crumbs.  Set aside.  
3. In a large bowl, add 2 cups + 2 tablespoons flour, sugars, baking soda,  salt, and whisk to combine; set aside.
4. In a medium microwave-safe bowl or glass measuring cup, melt the butter, about 45 seconds on high power. Allow butter to cool momentarily so you don't scramble the egg.
5. To the butter, add the egg, buttermilk, oil, vanilla, and whisk to combine.
6. Pour wet over dry and stir until just combined; don't overmix. Batter will be somewhat lumpy and don't try to stir the lumps smooth or bread will be tough; set aside.
7. In a medium bowl, add the raspberries, 2 tablespoons flour, and toss lightly to combine (coating berries in flour helps to reduce sinking while baking).
8. Add the raspberries to the batter and fold very lightly to combine.
9. Put batter into prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula and pushing it into corners and sides as necessary.  Sprinkle top with streusel mix or 1 TBL sugar.  
10. Baking time will range greatly based on if using fresh or frozen berries.  1 hour 15 minutes for frozen berries, or If using fresh berries (highly recommended), I estimate baking time to be about 45 minutes.  Bread is done when top is set in the middle, slightly domed, springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted in the center (if you can find a patch without hitting raspberries) comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter. Allow bread to cool in pan for about 15 minutes before turning out on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.  Bread will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Dave's Favorite Potato salad

Dave's Favorite Potato salad

6   Medium red potatoes, cooked, cut into 1 inch pieces 4    hard boiled eggs, sliced 2    pickles, cut into 1/2 inch pieces 3/4 c   Mayo 1 TBL    pickle juice 1 1/2 t    mustard 3/4 t   salt 1/2 t   pepper 1/4 of a 14 oz can of black olives, halved 3  celery stalks, diced 2   green onion, diced 1/3   red onion, minced

Boil red potatoes for about 15 minutes.  Rinse with cool water.  Place eggs in boiling water and cook 12 minutes.  In a large bowl combine mayo, pickle juice, mustard, salt and pepper.   Mix well.  Then add pickles, olives, celery, green onion, and red onion.  

Mix well.  Add cooled potatoes and eggs. 

Great for barbecues or picnics! Enjoy!!

Reese’s Peanut Butter Bundt Cake

Reese’s Peanut Butter Bundt Cake

Cake

1 Duncan Hines yellow or white cake mix


1 cup sour cream (full-fat)

3 eggs


1/4 cup vegetable oil


3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla


36 unwrapped cut into quarters mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, divided

Peanut Butter glaze:

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter


2 Tablespoons real butter, softened


1 cups powdered sugar


1 teaspoon vanilla


1-2 tablespoons (or more) of milk

 Chocolate Glaze:

2 Tablespoons melted butter (not margarine)


1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder


1 ¼ cups powdered sugar


1-2 tablespoons milk


1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a bundt pan with cooking spray and lightly flour, set aside.

In a large bowl, combine all the cupcake ingredients except for the peanut butter cups with an electric mixer on medium-low speed for 30 seconds, scraping the bowl frequently. Turn the speed to high and beat for another 3 minutes.

Fill bundt pan with 1/3 batter. Evenly sprinkle 24 unwrapped Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup (cut into quarters) over the batter in bundt pan.  Make sure none of the butter cups touch side of pan.  

Then evenly spread remaining batter over cups.  Make sure the Peanut Butter Cups are covered. 

Bake for 50-55 minutes or until it doesn’t jiggle in the middle when pulling out oven rack.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes then.  Loosen sides.  I shake the pan until the sides come loose or you can use a butter knife to loosen sides.  Invert on a cooling rack.  Leave lid over it for 5 minutes.  Remove lid and let cool completely.

While the cake is cooling, prepare the glazes.

For both glazes, just combine all the ingredients for each one and whip until light and fluffy, adding additional milk as needed. Set aside.

Glaze with peanut butter glaze first. 

When ready to glaze, microwave frosting for 15-20 seconds. Don’t let it get to liquidity, if it does let cool a while.  Should be same consistency as pudding.  Pour over top of bundt.  Pour over highest point and let slowly slide down bundt cake. Use back of spoon if you need to spread.  Let cool completely before glazing with chocolate glaze.  Wait 5 minutes then place the 12 quartered mini reese’s cups on top of cake.  Press them lightly in cake so they stay.

*Can be made into cup cakes. Don't microwave glaze keep as frosting.  Use reese's mini's in the bag.  for top of cupcakes.