White Chicken Chili

  1 Tbl Olive Oil                                             21 Oz Chicken Broth

  1/3 Tsp Cayenne Pepper                              3 C Chicken, Cooked And Chopped

  3 Clove Garlic, Crushed                               30 Oz Canned White Beans, Drained

  4 Oz Chopped Green Chile                           30 Oz Canned White Beans, Undrained

  2 Tsp Ground Cumin                                    2 C Mexican Cheese, Shredded

  1 Tsp Oregano                                             8 Oz Sour Cream

                                                                     4 Oz Jalapeno, Diced, Optional

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium low heat.  Cook Stir in the garlic, Jalapeno, green chili peppers, cumin, oregano and cayenne pepper.  Continue to cook and stir the mixture until tender.  Mix in the chicken broth, chicken and white beans.  Simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat.  Slowly stir in the cheese until melted.  Serve with sour cream and warm flour tortillas.

Pumpkin Roll

  3 eggs                                                                            FILLING

  1 Cup sugar                                                                    1 Cup powdered sugar

  2/3 Cup pumpkin                                                             8 ounces cream cheese

  3/4 Cup flour                                                                   2 Tbl soft butter

  1 Tsp Baking Soda                                                          1/2 Tsp vanilla

  2 Tsp cinnamon                                                                      

Line a jelly roll pan with waxed paper.  Mix all ingredients for pumpkin roll and pour into pan.  Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.  Turn

 out on towel that has been sprinkled with powdered sugar, start at narrow end and roll cake and towel together.

Let cool for an hour.

FILLING: Mix all of ingredients together, Unroll cake part and spread filling evenly over then roll back up

White Chocolate Pie

Had enough of winter?  Make this pie and, as you enjoy, close your eyes and think of summer....

  4 ounces White Chocolate                                                1 Tsp grated orange peel

  2 Tbl milk                                                                        1 Cup heavy whipping cream

  1/3 Cup confectioners' sugar                                             9 Inch Graham Cracker Crust

  3 Oz Cream Cheese, softened                                           2 Cup sliced fresh strawberries

                                                                                                 

In a microwave, melt four squares of chocolate with milk. Cool to room temperature.  Whip the whipping cream to stiff peaks and set aside.  In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in orange peel and melted chocolate. Fold in whipped cream.  Spread into crust. Arrange strawberries, or other fruit of your choice on top.  Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.   Store the pie in the refrigerator.

Cassoulet

A cassoulet is a casserole containing meat (for example, pork, duck, or mutton) and white beans that is either simmered on a stove top or baked in an oven.

  6 Ounce Italian Turkey Sausage                                              1/2 Tsp Dried Thyme, crushed

  6 Ounce Pork Loin, cut into bite sized pieces                            1/4 Tsp Dried Sage

  3 TB Onion, minced                                                                14.5 Ounce Diced Tomatoes

  1 Cup Carrots, thinly sliced                                                      30 Ounce Great Northern Beans,

  2 Clove Garlic, minced                                                                -drained and rinsed

  3/4 Cup Reduced Sodium Chicken Broth                                  1 TB Fresh Parsley, Minced

Spray a large saucepan or a 4-quart Dutch oven with nonstick coating; heat over medium heat. Brown sausage, breaking it up well.  Add pork. Cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes or till pork is lightly browned. Add onion, carrot, garlic, chicken broth, and thyme.

 Bring to boiling. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 6 to 8 minutes or till pork and vegetables are just tender.

Stir in undrained tomatoes and beans. Mash beans slightly and bring mixture just to boiling. Sprinkle with fresh parsley before

 serving.

Per Serving: 348 Cal (16% from Fat, 31% from Protein, 53% from Carb); 28 g Protein; 6 g Tot Fat; 2 g Sat Fat; 2 g Mono Fat; 47

 g Carb; 11 g Fiber; 6 g Sugar; 129 mg Calcium; 8 mg Iron; 1027 mg Sodium

Penne with Sausage and Broccoli

  12 Ounce Penne, Whole Wheat                                               16 Ounce Diced Tomatoes

  2 Cups Broccoli, cut into florets                                               1/2 Cup Fresh Basil, chopped

  12 Ounce Hot Italian Turkey Sausage                                      1/4 Cup Romano Cheese, Grated

Heat large saucepot of salted water to boiling on high. Add pasta and cook as label directs, adding broccoli when 3 minutes of cooking time remain. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water; drain pasta and broccoli.  Meanwhile, thinly slice sausage on the diagonal. In 12-inch nonstick skillet, cook sausage on medium 7 to 8 minutes or until it begins to brown, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes and cook 5 minutes longer, stirring.  Stir pasta, broccoli, and 1/4 cup pasta cooking water into sausage mixture in  skillet; heat through, adding additional cooking water if needed. Remove from heat; stir in basil and cheese.

Personal Speakers

Do you like to exercise in areas that don't have sidewalks but do have cars?  Areas that have sidewalks but being able to hear would be useful?  How about participating in events that do not allow headphones?  Then these speakers are for you.

Safe Sound Personal Speakers  are perfect for the areas above as well as any other place where you want a personal speaker set that you can carry with you.  The speakers can be worn as one unit or slipped apart to clip to either side of your shirt.  No Shirt?  No problem - clip them to a lanyard.  When I used these the first time, I was sold. 

Go, check them out, you'll be glad you did.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

  3 Cup flour                                                                             2 Cup pumpkin

  1 Tsp baking powder                                                               1 Tsp vanilla

  1 Tsp baking soda                                                                      Filling

  1 Tsp salt                                                                                  2 egg whites

  1 Tsp Cinnamon                                                                        2 Tsp vanilla

  1 Tsp Ginger                                                                             4 Tbl flour

  1/2 Tsp Cloves                                                                          2 Tbl milk

  2 1/2 Cup brown sugar                                                               4 Cup confectioners sugar

  1 Cup vegetable oil                                                                    1 1/2 Cup vegetable shortening

  2 Egg Yolks                                                                            

Preparation -Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and spices in a mixing bowl; set aside. In a separate mixing bowl, cream together sugar, oil, eggs, pumpkin and vanilla. Mix all ingredients together. Bake as drop cookies. Drop by rounded tablespoons full onto ungreased non-stick cookie sheets and bake in a preheated oven at 350 for 10 to 12 minutes or until the centers of the cookies spring back when lightly pressed. Cool thoroughly on wire racks or paper towels before spreading with filling.

Filling Preparation -Beat egg whites until stiff; set aside. Combine other ingredients and beat very hard - several minutes at high speed. Mix in beaten egg whites. To make whoopie pies - Spread a generous amount of filling on a completely cooled cookie, then top with another cookie. Wrap each whoopie pie individually in plastic wrap.

Chocolate Whoopie Pies (aka Gobbs)

No matter where in Pennsylvania you are from, no matter what you call them, Whoopie Pies are a Pennsylvania Dutch treat, through and through.  Here is but one version of the recipe:

  4 C all-purpose flour                                                               2 Egg Yolks

  1 C Dutch-process cocoa powder                                              For filling

  2 Tbl baking soda                                                                      2 Egg Whites

  1 Cup Sour Or Buttermilk                                                          2 Tsp Vanilla

  1 C Water, Hot                                                                         4 Tbl Milk

  1/2 Tsp Salt                                                                              4 Tbl Flour

  2 Tsp vanilla                                                                             1 1/2 C Crisco

  1 C Shortening                                                                          2 C Powdered Sugar

  2 C Sugar                                                                                

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Mix all cake ingredients and drop from a spoon on a greased cookie sheet.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Combine all filling ingredients and beat in 2 cups powdered sugar.  Add 1 1/2 c Crisco, beating until icing texture.  Put between cakes.

You can also add Jif peanut butter to the frosting recipe, mixing in to your taste.

German Potato Soup

For those of you who don't like onions, the amount in this recipe is small enough that you don't actually taste them, they just add a little depth to the sauce.  For those of you with onion allergies, if it is mild, as mine is, you should be okay.  However, go with your comfort level.  It may be left out.

  12 ounces turkey sausage                                                      1 -3/4 cups beef stock

  3 ounces mushrooms, chopped                                               1/2 Cup lager

  2 Tbl onion, minced                                                                2 medium potatoes, cubed

  1 stalk celery, chopped                                                           2 Cup small broccoli florets

  1 Tsp caraway seeds, crushed                                                2 Cup shredded cabbage

  1/4 Tsp ground black pepper                                                   1 -1/2 cups 1% milk

In a 4-quart Dutch oven, cook sausage, mushrooms, onion, and celery over medium heat until sausage is browned, stirring to break up sausage as it cooks. Drain off fat.  Add caraway seeds and pepper to sausage mixture in Dutch oven. Add beef stock and beer; bring to boiling. Add potatoes. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add broccoli. Cover and simmer about 5 minutes more or until potatoes and broccoli are tender.  Stir cabbage and milk into sausage-broccoli mixture. Return to simmer and cook for about 5 minutes or just until cabbage is tender and soup is heated through.

Casserole With Beef

  1 Lb Ground Beef                                                                  2/3 Cup Ketchup

  4 Ounces Elbow Macaroni, Cooked To                                    1/2 Cup Cheddar Cheese, Shredded

  -Package Directions                                                               1/4 Cup Green Pepper, Chopped

  12 Oz Condensed Cream Of Mushroom Soup                          1 Clove Garlic, Minced

  3/4 Cup Milk                                                                          1/2 Tsp Salt

 

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cook and stir meat until brown. Drain off fat. In ungreased 2-quart casserole, mix all ingredients.   Cover; bake 40 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with crushed potato chips if desired and bake 5 minutes longer.

Per Serving: 415 Cal (46% from Fat, 28% from Protein, 26% from Carb); 29 g Protein; 21 g Tot Fat; 9 g Sat Fat; 7 g Mono Fat;  27 g Carb; 1 g Fiber; 8 g Sugar; 153 mg Calcium; 3 mg Iron; 1231 mg Sodium

Banana Cake

I found myself with overripe bananas but I did not want to make muffins or bread, so I opted to make a Banana Cake.  This is a very dense cake with a frosting applied while warm to make more of a glaze topping. 

While making it, my husband asked if I was baking because I planned on it or because I had not baked in 48 hours and was going through withdrawal.  Against my better judgement, I gave him a piece of cake while it was still warm.

  2 large eggs                                                                              1 Cup all-purpose flour

  1 Cup sugar                                                                             1/2 Tsp baking powder

  1 Cup mashed very ripe bananas                                             1/2 Tsp baking soda

  1/2 Cup 2 % fat buttermilk                                                      1/2 Tsp salt

  1 Tsp almond extract                                                               5 Tbl Vanilla Frosting

  1 Cup cake flour                                                                     

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 9 x 13 pan with butter and flour, set aside.

Whisk eggs and sugar large bowl. Stir in mashed bananas, buttermilk and almond extract.  In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to the banana mixture and fold in just until blended.  Pour into the pan and bake until the top springs back Bake until the top springs back when touched lightly, 25 to 35 minutes.  Cool for 15 minutes.  Put frosting in microwave for 30 to 60 seconds and stir - should just be pourable.  Pour over cake and spread to edges.  May be served warm.

Broiled and Butteflied Chicken

Looking for a new chicken recipe, a little out of the ordinary?  Then this is for you.  Alton Brown's Broiled and Butterflied Chicken is a tasty take on chicken.  Although the recipe is online, the recipe in Good Eats:  The Early Years has been updated and, at least for me, is preferable.  So, I will wait until you go get the book...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Not going?  Okay, then I will at least pass on the biggest, most useful change:  Broil the Chicken 25 minutes per side, until the chicken reaches 160 degrees.

One other useful tidbit?  THERE WILL BE SMOKE.

That is all. 

Neapolitan Layer Cake

Recently, when I asked my niece what cake she would like for her birthday, she sent me the following link for a Neapolitan layer cake:  http://annies-eats.net/2011/02/04/neapolitan-layer-cake/

While reviewing the recipe, I was inspired to make my own version of the cake.  The frosting was wonderful and, aside from using a touch more strawberry, used as directed.  The cake was a hit.

  Chocolate Cake:                                                      Strawberry Cake:

  1 1/4 Cup Cake Flour                                                   1 1/4 Cup Cake Flour

  1/2 Cup Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa Powder               1¼ Tsp baking powder

  1 Tsp baking soda                                                        ¼ Tsp salt

  ½ Tsp baking powder                                                   1 Cup sugar

  ½ Tsp salt                                                                   1 1/2 Ounce strawberry gelatin

  1 Cup sugar                                                                 8 Tbl unsalted butter, softened

  ¼ Cup Vegetable Oil                                                      2 large eggs

  1 Large Egg                                                                  ½ Cup Buttermilk

  1 Cup Buttermilk                                                           1½ Tsp vanilla extract

  1½ Tsp vanilla extract                                                    1/2 Cup Strawberries, finely chopped

                                                                                         

  White Cake:                                                           Filling:

  2 large egg whites                                                         16 Ounce Butter Cream Frosting

  1 3/4 Cup Cake Flour                                                    

  1½ Tsp baking powder                                             Strawberry Butter Cream Frosting

  ½ Tsp salt                                                                 1 1/2 Cup Pureed Strawberries, Unsweetened

  1 Cup Vanilla Sugar                                                    4 Large Egg Whites

  8 Tbl unsalted butter, softened                                     1¼ Cup sugar

  ¾ Cup Water, Very Cold                                             1 1/2 Cups Unsalted Butter, room temp, cut

  1 Tsp Vanilla Extract                                                    into 2 inch pieces

Make each cake individually in a 9 x 3 inch round cake pan that has been buttered and floured.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Chocolate cake Directions:  Combine the sugar and vegetable oil, mix thoroughly.  Add the egg and beat on medium speed about 1-2 minutes.  Mix in the buttermilk and vanilla until fully incorporated.  In a small bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt; whisk to blend.  With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients and mix for 30 seconds then continue to mix on medium speed about 2 minutes.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake 35 to 45 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Transfer to a wire rack and let cool in the pan for 20 minutes.  Remove from pan to rack and cool completely.

White Cake Directions:   Whip the egg whites on medium speed until stiff peaks form, set aside.  In another bowl, cream together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy.  In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt.    Beat in half of the dry ingredients just until incorporated.  Blend in the water and vanilla extracts.  Beat in the remaining dry ingredients just until incorporated.  With a silicone spatula gently fold in the remaining egg whites, until the batter is smooth and no streaks remain. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake 35 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Transfer to a wire rack and let cool in the pan for 20 minutes.  Remove from pan to rack and cool completely.

Strawberry Cake Directions:   Cream together the sugar, butter and gelatin, beating on medium-high speed  until light and fluffy.  Beat the eggs into the sugar mixture one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Mix in the buttermilk and vanilla extract.  In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt.    Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until incorporated.  Fold in the strawberries.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Transfer to a wire rack and let cool in the pan for 20 minutes.  Remove from pan to rack and cool completely.

Strawberry Butter cream Frosting:  Combine the egg whites and sugar in a double boiler or in a heat proof bowl set over a pot of simmering water.  Heat, whisking frequently, until the mixture reaches 160 F.  Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Beat on low speed until the mixture has cooled to room temperature - the bowl should be cool to the touch.  This should take about 6 - 8 minutes.  When cool, turn mixer to high until egg whites form stiff peaks.  Reduce the speed to medium and add the butter one piece at a time.  Each piece should be fully incorporated before adding the next piece.  When all the butter has been added, scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix on medium high for 3 - 5 minutes more.  Blend in the strawberry puree until smooth and completely incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Chill until set and spreadable.

Assembly:  Cut the Strawberry and White cakes in half horizontally.  Place one of the strawberry layers on a cake platter or dish large enough to hold it.  Top with vanilla butter cream frosting.  Place a layer of the white cake on top and cover with a layer of vanilla butter cream frosting.  Next, put the whole chocolate cake.  Frost with a layer of vanilla butter cream frosting.   Place a layer of the white cake on top and cover with a layer of vanilla butter cream frosting.  Place the last layer of strawberry cake on top.  Frost the top and sides of the cake with the strawberry butter cream.

One Thousand White Women

If you like historical fiction, then this is a book for you.  Even if you don't like historical fiction, if you just love a good story, this is a book for you.  Written by Jim Fergus

From the author's website:

One Thousand White Women begins with May Dodd's journey west into the unknown. A government program, in which women are brought west as brides for the Cheyenne, is her vehicle. What follows is the story of May's adventures: her marriage to Little Wolf, chief of the Cheyenne nation, and her conflict of being caught between two worlds, loving two men, living two lives. Jim Fergus has so vividly depicted the American West that it is as if these diaries are a capsule in time.

Spicy Sausage and Bean Soup

  1 Tbl Oil                                                           1 Tsp Chili Powder

  4 Spicy Italian Sausage Links                              1 Tbl Garlic Powder

  1/4 Cup Onion, Chopped, Optional                       1/2 Tsp Salt

  1 Cup Bell Pepper, Chopped                                31 Ounces Cannelloni Beans, -Drained And Rinsed

  1/2 Cup Carrots, Sliced                                       29 Ounces Chicken Broth

  1 Tsp Ground Cumin                                          2 Cups Water        

                                                                                         

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Slice sausage in 1/2 inch slices then add to pot and cook until just browned.  Add vegetables and spices, cook and stir for 3 minutes.  Add beans, broth and water.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat to medium low and cook, uncovered, until vegetables are tender.

Ice Cream Cake

To make a basic ice cream cake, you need four things:

Ice Cream
Something Crunchy
Whipped Cream
A pan

To make an ice cream cake in a 9 inch pan, do the following:

1.  Line pan with cling wrap (optional, but it makes it easier to cut if you can lift it out of the pan)
2.  Soften 1/2 gallon of purchased ice cream OR make your own*.
3.  Press ice cream in the pan until it is about 1/3 full.
4.  Crush your crunchies, as needed (I used Oreos, so I crushed them with a rolling pin).  Layer over ice cream.
5.  Top crunchies with ice cream until even with the top of the pan.
6.  Freeze at least 2 hours.
7.  Top with whipped cream.
8.  Let stand about 15 minutes for ease of cutting

*I like Alton Brown's Chocolate ice cream recipe, made with Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa.  Recipe at http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/chocolate-ice-cream-recipe/index.html

Sweet and Sour Ribs

  3 Lb Boneless Ribs                                                        

  ½ cup thinly sliced green peppers

  ½ cup thinly sliced red peppers                                     

  20 oz Pineapple Tidbits, undrained                               

  16 oz Tomato Sauce                                                      

  ½ cup packed dark brown sugar

  1 garlic clove, minced

  ¼ cup cider vinegar

  ¼ cup tomato paste

  salt and pepper

Place the ribs in a slow cooker. In a bowl, combine the remaining ingredients; pour over the ribs.  Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until the meat is tender.

Grandma Shrader's Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

This is a yummy cake.  Using the mayonnaise as a substitue for the oil and eggs used to be a common practice, but now some people just think it is odd - utnil they taste it. 

  1 Cup Sugar                                                                   2 Tsp Baking Soda

  1/4 Cup Cocoa Powder                                                    1 Cup Mayonnaise, DO NOT USE LIGHT

  2 Cups Cake Flour                                                           1 Cup Cold Water

  Pinch Salt                                                                       1 Tsp Vanilla

Heat oven to 350.  Mix together all dry ingredients the add mayonnaise, water and vanilla.  Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.  Pour into a greased and floured 9 x 13 pan.  Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Frosting:

Mix 1 - 16 ounce container of White (not vanilla) frosting and 1 - 18 ounce jar of Jif Peanut butter thoroughly and spread on the cake.

Lime Cheesecake

  1 Cup sifted all-purpose flour                                        1 Cup fresh lime juice

  1/4 Cup white sugar                                                     1 Tsp vanilla extract

  1 Tbl grated lime zest                                                   1 1/2 Cup white sugar

  1/2 Cup butter, softened                                               1/2 Cup Cake flour

  1 egg yolk, beaten                                                        1 Tsp salt

  1 Tsp fresh lime juice                                                   6 eggs

  5 (8 ounce) packages cream                                          1 Tbl Grated Lime Zest

  cheese, softened                                                            

Crust: Combine 1 cup sifted flour, ¼ cup white sugar, and butter or margarine with a pastry blender to make coarse crumbs. With a fork, mix in the lime peel, egg yolk, and 1 teaspoon lime juice. Dough will have a paste-like consistency. Cover the bottom of a 10 inch springform pan with the crust mixture. Bake in a pre-heated 400 degrees F (205 degrees F) oven until slightly brown, about 8 10 10 minutes.  Cool

Cake:  In a large bowl combine the cream cheese, 1 cup lime juice, vanilla extract, 1 ½ cup white sugar, ½  cup flour, salt, lime zest and eggs. Beat until smooth. Pour filling into the dough lined pan3. Bake in a pre-heated 450 degrees F (230 degrees C) oven for 12 minutes. Reduce heat to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C), and bake until center of the cheesecake doesn't wiggle when the pan is gently shaken (about 45 minutes). Remove cake from oven and cool.  After about an hour, run a knife around the inside of the pan to loosen the cheesecake.  Chill several hours or overnight before serving.

Strawberry Cake

  4 Large Eggs                                                                  1.5 Tsp Salt

  2 Cups Sugar                                                                  2 Cups Strawberries, Chopped Fine

  1 Tsp Orange Zest                                                          ---Frosting---

  1 Tsp Orange Extract                                                     16 Ounce Cream Cheese, Softened

  3/4 Cup Vegetable Oil                                                     2 Sticks Unsalted Butter, Softened

  3 Cups All Purpose Flour                                                2 Tsp Vanilla

  4.5 Tsp Baking Powder                                                  2 Lb Confectioner's Sugar

Grease and flour 3 8 x 2 cake pans and set aside.  Preheat oven to 325.  Beat eggs in a large bowl.  Beat in sugar until light yellow in color.  Stir in Orange zest, Orange extract and Oil.  Mix Flour, Baking Powder and Salt into a separate bowl, slowly mix into wet ingredients.  Fold in strawberries.  Divide into three pans.  Bake 40 to 50 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.  Remove from oven and place on a wire rack, cool  for 5 minutes and remove from pan.  Cool Completely and frost.

Frosting:

Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth.  Add vanilla and mix thoroughly.  Slowly add the sugar and mix  thoroughly.  If frosting is too stiff, add 1 Tbl milk.

Dean Koontz Frankenstein Series

This is a great series.  Click the post title to be taken to the website.  The following is an excerpt from the website:

From the celebrated imagination of Dean Koontz comes a powerful reworking of one the classic stories of all time.  If you think you know the story, you know only half the truth. Welcome to the mystery, the myth, the terror, and magic of Dean Koontz’s Frankenstein.
Read more