Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

I found this tasty recipe on Paula Deen's website and it's a keeper! 

Ingredients:

For the pies:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups canola oil
1 teaspoon white vinegar
One 1-ounce bottle red food coloring
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
For the filling:
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 cup sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, softened
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening, such as Crisco
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

*Preheat the oven to 350°F.
*Lightly grease two cookie sheets.
*Sift the flour, baking soda, and cocoa together.

*In a separate bowl, combine the oil, vinegar, food coloring, and vanilla.

*Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar and eggs together until they turn pale and double in volume.
*Add the oil mixture and beat to combine.
*Add the flour mixture and buttermilk alternately in five small additions, starting and ending with the flour.

*Drop the batter by teaspoons onto the baking sheets, allowing 1 inch between drops, as the cookies will spread. You’ll be making 48 cookies. Bake until the cookies are firm but not crisp, about 12 minutes.

*Transfer immediately to racks to cool.

To make the filling:

*Put the flour into a medium saucepan and slowly add the milk, whisking until smooth.
*Set over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly with a whisk, until very thick, about 3 minutes.  

Allow to cool completely.

*Cream the sugar, butter, shortening, and vanilla with an electric mixer.
*Add the cooled flour mixture and whip until fluffy.
*Spread onto one cookie and top it with another to make a sandwich; repeat with the remaining cookies and filling.
*Cover the filled whoopee pies with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator. 

I bought a whoopie pie pan from Jo Ann's crafts, to ensure uniformity. I disregarded the recipe's instructions for cookie scoop size, and consequently my cookies were a little too big, and they ended up a little pointy on the top. So, if you use a whoopie pie pan be careful not to overload it! 

Oh, and I only used one .3 oz bottle of food coloring (the one that usually comes in the set) and it was more than enough to get the cookie batter red. A full ounce seems like it would be overkill. 

Green Bean Casserole

 Ingredients:

• 1/3 stick butter
• 1/2 cup diced onions
• 1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
• 2 cups sliced green beans
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 (2.8-ounce) can French-fried onion rings
• 1 tsp: salt, pepper, garlic powder
• 1 cup grated Cheddar (optional)

Directions

*Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

*Melt the butter in a large skillet. 

*Saute the onions and mushrooms in the butter. 

*Boil green beans in chicken broth for 10 minutes and drain. (you can skip this if you're using canned green beans)

*Add the green beans, mushroom soup, onion rings, salt, pepper and garlic powder to the onion mixture. 

*Stir well. Pour into a greased 1 1/2-quart baking dish. 

*Bake for 20 minutes, then top the casserole with the Cheddar and bake for 10 minutes longer, or until the casserole is hot and cheese is melted. 

*I don't add cheese because Adam thinks it's weird that way, but I've heard it's yummy. 

Balsamic Chicken

This recipe was actually created by necessity; a recipe I was following called for Italian dressing, which I I didn't have. I didn't feel like making another trip to the store, so I improvised, and substituted balsamic. I also substituted soy for salt. The results were delicious!

Balsamic Chicken with mashed potatoes, and Green Beans w/bacon

Ingredients:

1. 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2. 1 cup balsamic vinegar salad dressing (I use Newman's)
3. 1 TSP of each: parsley, basil, oregano, crushed red pepper, pepper, garlic powder
4. 3 TBSP soy sauce
5. 1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese (I was out so I used the powdered Parmesan kind)

Directions:

Place chicken in bottom of Crock Pot. Add balsamic dressing, sprinkle with the spices and grated cheese (make sure cheese pretty much covers the chicken- you really don’t need to measure it out). 

Cook on low for about 6 hours, or until the chicken is tender.

Chicken in Crock Pot after a few hours on LOW. Chicken is done when you cut chicken and the juices that run out are clear (not pink)

As shown in the first photo, the sauce remaining in your crock pot is actually REALLY delicious- add some to the chicken after you plate it, and to mashed potatoes if you make them as a side.  

*Adam said this is his favorite chicken recipe that I’ve ever made

Pumpkin Dump Cake

I'm not a huge pumpkin fan- I'll have a slice of pumpkin pie around Thanksgiving, but usually that's about it. Then I found this recipe on Pinterest and it looked super tasty and, so I figured I'd give it a shot. So glad i did- this recipe is excellent!

Recipe: Pumpkin Dump Cake

Ingredients

• 1 15 oz can Pumpkin Puree
• 1 10 oz can Evaporated Milk
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 3 tsp pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg & allspice)
• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter melted
• 1 cup coarsely crushed graham crackers or pecans (I used both)
• 1/2 cup toffee bits (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Spray a 9×13 baking pan lightly with cooking/baking spray
3. In a large bowl combine the pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, eggs and pumpkin pie spice. Stir to combine.
4. Pour into your prepared pan.
5. Sprinkle your entire box of cake mix on top, followed by your graham crackers, nuts and/or toffee bits.
6. Pour your melted butter evenly on top.
7. Bake for 45-50 minutes until center is set and edges are lightly browned.
8. Top with Cool Whip or Ice Cream

NOTE: I served mine hot on Thanksgiving, but my hubbs and I felt that it tasted MUCH better the next day after chilling in the fridge.

Spicy Black Bean Soup

 We had this for dinner tonight

Nixon loved it, especially the onions!

 Ingredients

• 1 pound dry black beans, soaked overnight
• 1 small can of diced green chilies
• 1/4 an onion, chopped (white or red) - (I used 1/2, but we love onions!)
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
•  1 TBSP corn starch (optional)
• Shredded pepper jack cheese

Directions

1. Drain black beans, and rinse.*See bottom of recipe for a quicker soaking alternative
2. Combine beans, chopped green chilies, onion and chicken broth in a slow cooker. Season with garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, cayenne and pepper. 
3. Cook on High for 4 hours. Reduce heat to Low, and continue cooking for 2 hours, or until you are ready to eat. (the longer the better) 
4. Top with shredded cheese

• For a thicker soup, @ step 1: blend 1/2 of the beans  with 1/2 a cup of stock and 1 TBSP of corn starch, then add to the crock pot.

* Instead of soaking beans overnight, put beans in a big pot of salted water and bring to a boil. Boil beans for 10 minutes, turn off heat, cover, and allow beans to sit for 2 hours. 

Stuffed Bell Peppers

• 6 green (or red)  bell peppers, tops cut away and seeds removed
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup chopped yellow onions
• 1/2 cup finely chopped green bell peppers
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• 2 cups cooked long or medium-grain brown rice
• 1 jar pasta sauce
Shredded mozzarella cheese


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large pot of boiling water, boil the peppers until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and dry on paper towels. Bake 10 minutes to continue drying and to soften the peppers
In a large saute pan or skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and chopped bell peppers and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the beef, garlic, parsley, salt, black pepper, and pepper flakes. Cook until the meat is browned, stirring with a heavy wooden spoon to break up the lumps, about 6 minutes. (drain to reduce fat content) Add the rice and pasta sauce and stir well.
Pour enough water into a baking dish to just cover the bottom, about 1/8-inch deep. Stuff the bell peppers with the rice mixture and place in the baking dish. Bake until the peppers are very tender and the filling is heated through, 25 to 30 minutes. Cover with mozzarella cheese, bake 5 additional minutes

Remove from the oven, and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

enjoy!

Taco Soup

• 
  Taco Soup
  I make this in my slow cooker, but you can do it stove top as well, just plan on giving it about an hour or so.
  
  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • 2 cups diced onions
  • 2 (15 1/2-ounce) cans pinto beans
  • 1 (15 1/2-ounce) can pink kidney beans
  • 2 (15 1/4-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
  • 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes
  • 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can tomatoes with chilies
  • 2 (4 1/2-ounce) cans diced green chilies
  • 1 (1 1/4-ounce) package taco seasoning mix
  • 1 (1-ounce) package ranch salad dressing mix
  • Corn chips, for serving
  • Sour cream, for garnish
  • Grated cheese, for garnish (I like pepper jack or mozzarella)
  
  *optional: 2 tsp each: basil, parsley, oregano
  
  1. Brown the ground beef and onions in a large skillet; drain the excess fat, then transfer the browned beef and onions to a large slow cooker or a stockpot.
  
  *For extra flavor in the meat, add basil, parsley and oregano and allow to simmer for a few extra minutes.  It might not sound like it "fits" into a mexican recipe, but it gives the meat much more flavor, and it really adds to the depth of the dish.
  
  2. Add the beans, corn, tomatoes, green chilies, taco seasoning, and ranch dressing mix, and cook in a slow cooker on low for 6 to 8 hours or simmer for about 1 hour in a pot on the stove.
  
  3. Ladle soup over crushed corn chips. Top with sour cream & cheese ENJOY!
  
  * If you use the slow cooker, add the corn closer to the end so it's still pretty crisp, to keep the dish bright and the texture firm.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

1/2 Cup Ketchup
1/3 Cup Worcestershire
1/3 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Ground Mustard
1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
Dash Red Chili Pepper Flakes
Pinch Salt and Pepper
1 Medium red Onion, Chopped
3 Pounds Pork Shoulder, Trimmed of Fat.

Method
1. Combine all ingredients except for onion and pork into crock pot. Whisk all ingredients until well blended.
2. Place pork and onions into mixture, coating both sides of meat.
3. Cook for 8 to 10 hours under "low" slow cooker setting.
4. After meat is cooked, remove from slow cooker onto plate and break apart with fork. If meat has any bones, please discard at this time.
5. Place meat back into warm sauce to reheat.
6. Serve on hamburger buns or Rolls.
7. Enjoy.

Optional: I usually top the sandwich with coleslaw

Paula Dean's Shepherd's Pie

Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients:

• 1 small onion
• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 2 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce
• 1 1/2 cups mixed vegetables or niblet corn, prepared
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp each: Basil, Parsley, Oregano, Garlic Powder
• 8 to 10 medium red new potatoes
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 12 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 cups instant biscuit mix

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Beef Layer: Saute onions in 2 tablespoons butter. Add ground beef and 1 tsp each: Basil, Parsley, Oregano, Garlic Powder . After beef is browned, drain and add tomato sauce; Mix in vegetables. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

Potato Layer: Peel and slice potatoes 1/4-inch thick. Cook in boiling water for approximately 15 minutes or until fork-tender. Whip potatoes with electric mixer; mix until moderately smooth. Don't over beat them; a few lumps are nice. Add 1/2 cup heated milk, 1/2 cup butter, and sour cream. Salt and pepper, to taste. Whip until mixed. Adjust thickness by adding more milk, if desired.

Biscuit Layer: Combine biscuit mix and 1 cup milk. The mix should be thinner than normal biscuit mix but not runny.

Grease a 9 by 9 by 2-inch pan, or any similar casserole dish. Layer half way up with the mashed potatoes. Next, spread a layer of mixed vegetables or niblet corn on top of potatoes. Then add a layer of the meat. Pour biscuit mix over meat. Melt 4 tablespoons of butter and drizzle over top. Bake for approximately 35 to 45 minutes until top is golden brown.