Chocolate Sodas

I found this recipe at the check out line in the grocery store from a Pillsbury halloween magazine. So naturally, these turn into Mud Sodas on All Hallow’s Eve! But on regular days, when you need a little something to go with that grilled burger, these come highly recommended!

4 cups chocolate milk, chilled
4 cups rootbeer, chilled
1 pint (2 cups) chocolate ice-cream

In each of 8 tall glasses, place 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup root beer and stir gently to mix.

Top each serving with a 1/4 cup of ice cream.


And for the adults, a shot of chocolate vodka never hurt anything either!

Smothered Enchiladas

This recipe is one that I discovered out of The All New Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook. Quick and comforting, this recipe is sure to please your loved ones. I like to serve it with a side of Spanish Style Ready Rice and a green salad with homemade ranch dressing.

2 lbs. ground beef
1 (1 1/4-oz.) pkg. taco seasoning mix
1 (4 1/2-oz.) can chopped green chiles, divided
2 (10 3/4 oz.) cans cream of chicken soup
1 (16 oz.) container sour cream
8 (8 inch) flour tortillas
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
Toppings: salsa, sour cream, green onions, fresh cilantro

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Cook ground beef in a large skillet, stirring until crumbled and no longer pink; drain. Stir in taco seasoning mix and half of the chopped green chiles; set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together remaining green chiles, soup, and sour cream. Pour half of the sour cream mixture into a slightly greased 9 by 13 baking dish.

Spoon beef mixture evenly down the center of each tortilla; roll up and place seam side down on top of the sour cream mixture in your dish.

Top with remaining sour cream sauce and cheese.

Bake uncovered for 25 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Yield: 8 servings

Cooking the books, ya’ll!

White Chocolate Party Mix

This recipe was shared with me by my sweet sister, Julie! It is a favorite of ours! She always makes it for our camping trips to Colorado. Make sure you have a big mixing bowl for this one and match the M & M colors with the holiday or season, if you like!

1 (10-oz.) pkg. mini pretzels
5 cups plain cheerios
5 cups corn Chex or Crispex cereal
2 cups salted peanuts
1 (14-oz.) pkg. M & M’s
2 (12-oz.) pkgs. white chocolate chips
3 T. oil

Combine the pretzels, cereals, peanuts and M & M’s in a large bowl.

In a microwave safe bowl, microwave the white chocolate chips and oil on medium high for two minutes, stirring once. Microwave again for 10 seconds; stir until smooth.

Pour the melted chocolate over the pretzel mixture and gently mix well. Spread onto 3 to 4 wax paper-lined baking sheets.

Let cool and break apart. Store in airtight containers.
Makes 20 cups

Slow Cooker Chicken Spaghetti

Being an easy slow-cooker recipe, this meal ensures that I get that last load of towels folded. Oops, er…… that is so not true! What I meant to say, was that I get to start or finish that glorious novel that awaits me. Now, that is more like it! Happy reading!

1 (16 oz. pkg.) spaghetti, prepared
2 (10 1/2 oz. ) cans Campbell’s chicken broth
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of chicken soup
1 (10 oz.) can Rotel tomatoes with green chiles
1 (4 oz.) can sliced mushrooms
4-6 green onions, chopped
1 (16 oz.) pkg. Velveeta cheese, cubed
1 rotisserie chicken, meat pulled off the bone and shredded or 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
1/4 tsp. celery salt
1/4 tsp. ground pepper

While you are preparing your spaghetti, stir all of the remaining ingredients in a slow cooker. (For ease in cleaning and combining recipe ingredients, I like to use a slow cooker liner here.) Cover and cook on low for 2 to 3 hours, stirring in between chapters of your book, until warmed through.
Serves 8 to 10

Grilled Bratwurst with Special Mustard Sauce

Grilled Bratwurst is one of my favorite meats to just throw in a tortilla and top with plain ol’ yellow mustard! But when the mood strikes, or the World Series rolls around, this recipe is always fun for the “big” game. It makes lots of mustard sauce and veggies, so you might want to grab double the brats and buns. Or throw the leftovers in that tortilla!
I found this recipe in a July 2001 issue of Southern Living.

6 bratwurst links (about 1 1/2 lbs)
2 large onions, thinly sliced
1 medium green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
2 tsp. salt-free seasoning blend (I like Lawry’s brand)
2 T. butter or margarine
2 (12 oz.) bottles light beer
6 hoagie rolls split

Special Mustard Sauce, recipe follows

Grill bratwurst, covered with grill lid, over medium-high heat (350-400 degrees) for 10 to 15 minutes or until thoroughly cooked, turning once. (On days that just don’t lend themselves to grilling, these can be cooked on the stove top according to the package directions. I like Johnsonville brand)

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add onion and bell peppers, and cook until tender.

Stir in the light beer and seasoning blend; add sausage, and simmer mixture for 20 minutes.

To serve, place a sausage link in each toasted roll that has been slathered in Special Mustard Sauce and top with the veggies. Enjoy the game!

Special Mustard Sauce

This little sauce is yummy! Serve the leftovers on ham sandwiches or thin it with a little water, add some olive oil, and make a simple dressing for a green salad.

1/2 cup butter or margarine
3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1/2 cup prepared yellow mustard
1 tsp. salt
2 beef bouillon cubes
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cider vinegar

Combine butter and bouillon cubes in top of a double boiler. Place over simmering water, and cook, whisking constantly, until butter melts and bouillon cubes dissolve. (be sure that your water is simmering gently before adding the egg yolks. They can start cooking too quickly and give some unfriendly lumps to your sauce.) Gradually whisk in beaten egg yolks. Add sugar and remaining ingredients; cook, whisking often, 20 minutes. Cover and chill.
Yield: 1 1/2 cups


Homemade double broiler

Caramel Apple Salad

Mmmmm…..can this really be a salad?
Does it have some green? Yes.
Does it have fruit? Yes
…..ok then, it has to be a salad! I like this method of deciding whether it’s a salad or not, don’t you? This recipe is perfect for a Halloween themed meal or any fall table. I found this in my Recipe Hall of Fame’s Quick and Easy book.

4-6 Snickers candy bars, frozen
4-6 Granny Smith apples, chopped
1 (8 oz.) carton Cool Whip
1 (3 oz.) package dry instant vanilla pudding

Smash the frozen candy bars in wrappers with a hammer. (Or unwrap the candy, place in a ziplock, and hammer away.) Reserve some of the broken Snicker pieces for garnish.

Stir the Cool Whip and the pudding mix together. Add the apples and broken candy bars and combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Top with the remaining candy.
Serves 6-8


Cooking the books, ya’ll!

Pumpkin Muffins

This recipe is out of Katie Lee’s first cookbook, The Comfort Table. I have been making these simple muffins for years and they are a definite family favorite especially of my son, Creed. When fall arrives, this is the first recipe that comes out of hiding after the hot Texas summers! As Katie suggests, the leftovers are best enjoyed split (I use a quick spritz of cooking spray here), toasted under the broiler, and spread with cream cheese. Oh wow!

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg (a must, I think!)
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 (15 oz.) can pure pumpkin puree (not pie filling)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 12- cup muffin pan.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, fresh nutmeg, and salt.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Add the pumpkin puree and mix well. Add the dry ingredients and stir just until combined.

Pour the batter into the muffin pan. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the Muffin pan cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, before removing the muffins.

I get about 18 of them with my muffin pan.


What to use for fresh grated nutmeg


Cooking the books, y’all!

Indian Pork Burgers with Cucumber Yogurt and Tomato Salad

My niece, Jodi, lives in Austin and my daughter Fallon and I always jump at the chance to go visit her. She introduces us to the best restaurants there and the latest in food trends. Our favorite new discovery so far, is Indian food. We are positively addicted and are fans for life, no doubt! This recipe is a recipe that I discovered from the food delivery company called Martha and Marley Spoon. It has all the right flavors for bringing our Austin Indian food addiction home.

1 large red onion
1 pint grape tomatoes
1 large cucumber or 9 oz. Persian cucumbers
a handful of fresh cilantro or 3/4 oz
1 1/2 pounds ground pork
2 tsp garam masala (a spice blend common in India )
1 lime
4 potato buns
1 individual size container of greek yogurt or about a cup
2 tsp. course salt
1 tsp. sugar
fresh ground pepper
3 T. olive oil + 1 tsp., divided

Prep your ingredients to get started. Halve, peel, and finely chop 2/3 of the red onion. Thinly slice the rest of it. Halve the tomatoes; thinly slice half of the cucumbers and fine chop the rest. Chop the cilantro stems finely and give the leaves a rough chop.

Next is the burger part. Combine the ground pork, cilantro stems, fine chopped onion, garam masala, 2 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. sugar, and several grinds of pepper in a large bowl. Gently mix with your hands and form into four (4-inch) patties. (overmixing meat for burgers can make them tough. Just sayin’.)

Time for the salad. Squeeze lime juice into a medium bowl. Add the tomatoes, sliced cucumber, sliced onion, chopped cilantro, and 3 T. olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss to combine the salad and then preheat your broiler to prepare for the burgers.

Broil the burgers and cook until well browned, 3-4 minutes per side. (These can totally be grilled outside or in a grill pan over medium-high. Grill until well browned and cooked through, 6-7 minutes per side. Flip them only once during the cooking process.)

Split the potato buns in half and add face down on the the grill or face up under the broiler and toast until golden, about 1 minute. Watch closely!

Now for the yogurt sauce. In a medium bowl, combine yogurt, chopped cucumber, and 1 tsp. olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve the burgers topped with the yogurt sauce and tomato salad on the side. Yum!

Laurel’s Caramel Brownies

I always think of caramel brownies when fall arrives and football season is in full swing. Perfect for parties, tailgating, a cure for ailments, and well, there is just always a good reason to make these beauties! These are best served with an icy, cold glass of milk.

1 (12 oz) bag of caramels
2/3 cup evaporated milk, divided
1 box German chocolate cake mix with pudding
1/2 cup melted butter
6 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
chopped walnuts (optional)

Melt the caramels with 1/3 cup of the evaporated milk in a small saucepan.

Combine the rest of the milk, cake mix, and melted butter in a medium bowl. This can be done with a wooden spoon.

Press half of the cake mixture into a 9 by 13 greased pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 6 minutes.

Sprinkle the walnuts, if using, and the chocolate chips on top. Then pour the melted caramels over it. Looks like this:

These look ready to eat in my book! But the next step is to add the remaining cake mixture as the top layer. Press the remaining cake mix out into pieces and lay on top of the caramel.

Bake for 20 minutes more.

Chicken and Dumplings

This recipe was shared with me by my sweet sister-in-law, Laurel. One evening she brought these over along with a pan of caramel brownies. For the life of me, I cannot remember what I was ailing from, but I do remember this yummy meal! Easily doubled, this can be made to comfort your own family and those of a friend in need.

3 or 4 chicken breasts
1 (32 oz.) Chicken Broth
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 (10 count) can Pillsbury layers biscuits
salt and pepper to taste
flour

Cook the chicken breasts in 4 cups water. Add more to cover the chicken if you need to. Boil until cooked. 45 minutes should be good, but be sure and check for doneness beforehand too. No need for dried out chicken here!

Pour the broth into a medium to large size pot and stir the cream of chicken soup into the boiling broth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Pull the biscuits apart into three layers and dip each layer into flour coating both sides. Tear the floured layers into three pieces and drop into the gently boiling, seasoned broth. Try not to stir the biscuits too much. Just push them down with a spoon into the broth as they float to the top.

Cook for ten minutes after the last dumplings have been added. Shred your chicken breasts and add to the dumplings and turn the stove to low until you are ready to serve.
Taste for salt and pepper adjustments.