Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Jalepeno Peppers

8 large jalapeno peppers
1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning (I use Tony Chachere's)
8 bacon strips

Cut jalapenos in half lengthwise; remove seeds and center membranes. In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, cheddar cheese and Cajun seasoning. Stuff about 1-1/2 teaspoonfuls into each pepper half.
Cut bacon strips in half widthwise. In a large skillet, cook bacon until partially cooked. Wrap a bacon piece around each pepper; secure with a toothpick.
Place on a wire rack in a shallow baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until bacon is crisp. Discard toothpicks. Serve immediately.

These are not really spicy, at all. And they are VERY addictive! So double the batch because everyone will love these!

Buffalo Style Catfish Strips

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups coarsely crushed cornflakes
1 pound catfish fillets, cut into 1/2-inch-thick strips
Cooking spray
1/3 cup hot sauce (I prefer Frank Jr.'s)
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon butter


Preheat oven to 400°.

Combine first 6 ingredients in a shallow dish, stirring with a whisk. Place egg whites in a shallow dish. Place cornflakes in a shallow dish. Working with 1 fish strip at a time, dredge in flour mixture. Dip in egg whites; dredge in cornflakes. Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with remaining fish strips, flour mixture, egg whites, and cornflakes.

Lightly coat fish strips with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until done, turning once.

Combine hot sauce, pepper sauce, and Worcestershire in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in butter. Drizzle hot sauce mixture over fish. Serve with ranch dressing, celery, and carrots.

Pioneer Woman Cinnamon Rolls

I don't know if you've ever visited the Pioneer Woman's Tasty Kitchen site, but it is well worth the time it takes to browse. There are so many delicious recipes. I also ordered her recipe book and these cinnamon rolls are really delicious. They make a very good gift for neighbors, pastors, mailmen, etc. They make a big batch, so be prepared for a big mess and lots to hand out, or eat in the closet by yourself (not that I'd ever do that).




1 quart Whole Milk
1 cup Vegetable Oil
1 cup Sugar
2 packages Active Dry Yeast
8 cups (Plus 1 Cup Extra, Separated) All-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon (heaping) Baking Powder
1 teaspoon (scant) Baking Soda
1 Tablespoon (heaping) Salt
Plenty Of Melted Butter
2 cups Sugar
Generous Sprinkling Of Cinnamon

MAPLE FROSTING:
1 bag Powdered Sugar
2 teaspoons Maple Flavoring
½ cups Milk
¼ cups Melted Butter
¼ cups Brewed Coffee
⅛ teaspoons Salt

Mix the milk, vegetable oil and sugar in a pan. Scald the mixture (heat until just before the boiling point). Turn off heat and leave to cool 45 minutes to 1 hour. When the mixture is lukewarm to warm, but NOT hot, sprinkle in both packages of Active Dry Yeast. Let this sit for a minute. Then add 8 cups of all-purpose flour. Stir mixture together. Cover and let rise for at least an hour.
After rising for at least an hour, add 1 more cup of flour, the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir mixture together. (At this point, you could cover the dough and put it in the fridge until you need it – overnight or even a day or two, if necessary. Just keep your eye on it and if it starts to overflow out of the pan, just punch it down).
When ready to prepare rolls: Sprinkle rolling surface generously with flour. Take half the dough and form a rough rectangle. Then roll the dough thin, maintaining a general rectangular shape. Drizzle 1/2 to 1 cup melted butter over the dough. Now sprinkle 1 cup of sugar over the butter followed by a generous sprinkling of cinnamon.
Now, starting at the opposite end, begin rolling the dough in a neat line toward you. Keep the roll relatively tight as you go. Next, pinch the seam of the roll to seal it.
Spread 1 tablespoon of melted butter in a seven inch round foil cake or pie pan. Then begin cutting the rolls approximately ¾ to 1 inch thick and laying them in the buttered pans.
Repeat this process with the other half of the dough. Let the rolls rise for 20 to 30 minutes, then bake at 375 degrees until light golden brown, about 15 to 18 minutes.
For the frosting, mix together all ingredients listed and stir well until smooth. It should be thick but pourable. Taste and adjust as needed. Generously drizzle over the warm rolls. Go crazy and don’t skimp on the frosting.

Jambalaya

6 slices bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 cup chopped celery
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/2 pound cubed cooked ham
1/2 pound cubed cooked chicken
1/2 pound cubed smoked sausage
2 (14.5 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes, with liquid
2 cups beef broth
2 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
2 cups uncooked white rice

Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add bacon, and cook until crisp. Remove bacon pieces with a slotted spoon, and set aside. Add celery, bell pepper, and onion to the bacon drippings, and cook until tender.
Add the ham, chicken and sausage to the pot, and pour in the tomatoes, beef broth and chicken broth. Season with thyme and Cajun seasoning. Bring to a boil, and add the rice. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the rice is tender.
Stir in the bacon just before serving, and heat through.

Serve with a good, hearty bread and a salad and you've got an amazing meal that everyone will love!

Makes about 8 generous servings.

Mini Pumpkin Butterscotch Muffins

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 (6 ounce) package butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease mini-muffin pan with cooking spray.
Sift together the flour, brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Whisk together the eggs, butter, and pumpkin in a separate bowl. Mix the flour mixture with the egg mixture. Stir in the butterscotch chips; pour into each cup of the muffin pan to about 3/4 full.
Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 10 to 12 minutes.

If you don't lick the batter bowl clean, then you should get about 48 mini muffins. These are heavenly! You must try them right now. Get off the computer and go make them. NOW!

Beef Stew Pie

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 pound boneless beef round steak, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2-1/4 cups water, divided
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 bay leaf
4 medium potatoes
1-1/2 cups sliced carrots
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Pastry for single-crust pie (9 inches)

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine 3 tablespoons flour, salt and pepper. Add beef in batches; shake to coat. In a large skillet, saute beef in oil until browned. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir until onion is tender. Add 1/4 cup water, stirring to scrape browned bits.
Combine 1-1/2 cups water, tomato paste, Italian seasoning and basil; stir into skillet. Add bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours or until meat is tender.
Meanwhile, wrap potatoes in aluminum foil and bake in a preheated 350 oven for 1 hour. Potatoes should be almost done, but still firm. Remove from foil and cut into bite-size chunks. Skin should slide right off, but it is okay if left on.
Cover carrots with water in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer until tender (about 10 minutes).
Once the beef mixture has simmered and meat is tender, combine the remaining flour and water until smooth; gradually stir into meat mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. Discard bay leaf. Stir in potatoes, carrots and parsley. Transfer to a greased 2-qt. baking dish.
On a floured surface, roll out pastry to fit dish. Place over filling; flute edges. Cut slits in top. Bake at 425° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand for 10 minutes. Yield: 4-6 servings.

While this dish sounds like a lot of work, it really isn't all that difficult. Preparation is the key. It is a magnificent dish you HAVE to try!

Chicken Chile Lasagna

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
8 green onions, chopped
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Mexican cheese blend, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin, divided
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh cilantro
3 cups cubed cooked chicken
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups Chicken Broth
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies, drained
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
12 flour tortillas
Directions
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, onions, 1-1/2 cups Mexican-cheese blend, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon cumin and cilantro until blended. Stir in chicken; set aside.
In a large saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour until smooth; gradually add broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat. Stir in Monterey Jack cheese, sour cream, chilies, thyme, salt, pepper and remaining cumin.
Spread 1/2 cup of the cheese sauce in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Top with two tortillas, a third of the chicken mixture and a fourth of the cheese sauce. Repeat tortilla, chicken and cheese sauce layers twice. Top with remaining tortillas, cheese sauce and Mexican cheese.
Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake 10 minutes longer or until heated through. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.
I also think this would be good made as enchiladas. Simply fill the tortillas with the chicken mixture, roll up and place seam side down in the baking dish. Then pour the cheese sauce over top, top with remaining cheese, and bake as directed on recipe. Very rich = Very delicious!

Cheeseburger Meatloaf

1/2 cup ketchup, divided
1 egg
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
2 teaspoons dill pickle relish
6 slices process American cheese

In a bowl, combine 1/4 cup ketchup, egg, bread crumbs and onion powder. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. On a large piece of waxed paper, pat beef mixture into a 10-in. x 6-in. rectangle. Spread remaining ketchup over meat to within 1/2 in. of long sides and 1-1/2 in. of short sides. Top with mustard and relish.
Place four cheese slices on top; set remaining cheese aside. Roll up loaf, jelly-roll style, starting with a short side and pulling away waxed paper while rolling. Seal seams and ends well. Place loaf, seam side down, in a greased 11-in. x 7-in. baking pan.
Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until meat is no longer pink and a meat thermometer reads 160°. Cut the reserved cheese slices in half diagonally; place on top of loaf. Return to the oven for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

I think adding some crumbled bacon before rolling up the meatloaf, would be an excellent addition. I may try that the next time I make this. It is a hit with everyone at my house!

I've got to figure out a way to organize this blog better! As I spent the better half of an hour searching through everything I've posted before, I realized there are a LOT of recipes on here but it's hard to find them! Hmmm...what to do, what to do? I wish I wasn't so technically challenged. Any ideas?

Hot Italian Patties

1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 pound bulk Italian sausage
1 medium onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings
8 slices part-skim mozzarella cheese
8 slices French bread (3/4 inch thick)
1/4 to 1/2 cup butter, softened

In a saucepan, combine the tomato sauce, basil, pepper flakes and garlic powder. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat; simmer for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, shape sausage into four thin oval patties. In a skillet over medium heat, cook patties until no longer pink; remove and keep warm.
In the drippings, saute onion until tender. Place a slice of cheese on four slices of bread; layer each with a sausage patty, onion and remaining cheese. Top with remaining bread. Butter the outsides of sandwiches.
On a griddle or in a large skillet, toast over medium heat until both sides are golden brown and cheese is melted. Serve with herbed tomato sauce for dipping. Makes 4 hearty sandwiches.

I got this from a taste of home cookbook and it's been a favorite around our house for quite sometime. Even with the onions, the kids always enjoy these!

Crunchy Potato Wedges

I have had a hankering for crunchy potato wedges for quite sometime. I love to get them at our local grocery store with some fried chicken, but wondered if I could make them at home and have them taste just as good. So I began the search for a recipe. Here's a conglomeration of all the recipes I found and it worked perfectly! YUM! Super YUM!

INGREDIENTS:

4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
3/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. dried oregano
3 large russet potatoes (about 1 3/4 pounds), scrubbed and cut into 1/4-inch wedges
1/4 c. vegetable oil or peanut oil, plus 3 quarts for frying
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. cornstarch
1 c. buttermilk (If you don't have buttermilk, substitute 1 cup milk mixed with 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Let the mixture sit 15 minutes before using)
1/2 tsp. baking soda

INSTRUCTIONS:

Combine salt, pepper, onion and garlic powders, cayenne, and oregano in small bowl. Toss potato wedges with 4 teaspoons spice mixture and 1/4 cup oil in large microwave-safe bowl; cover tightly with plastic wrap. Microwave on high until potatoes are tender but not falling apart, 7 to 9 minutes, shaking bowl (without removing plastic) to redistribute potatoes halfway through cooking. Slowly remove plastic wrap from bowl (be careful of steam) and drain potatoes. Arrange potatoes on rimmed baking sheet and cool until potatoes firm up, about 10 minutes. (Potatoes can be held at room temperature for up to 2 hours.) Heat remaining 3 quarts oil in large Dutch oven over high heat to 340 degrees. Meanwhile, combine flour and cornstarch in medium bowl and whisk buttermilk and baking soda in large bowl. Working in 2 batches, dredge potato wedges in flour mixture, shaking off excess. Dip in buttermilk mixture, allowing excess to drip back into bowl, then coat again in flour mixture. Shake off excess and place on wire rack. (Potatoes can be coated up to 30 minutes in advance.)
When oil is ready, add half the coated wedges and fry until deep golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer wedges to large bowl and toss with 1 teaspoon spice mixture. Drain wedges on baking sheet lined with paper towels. Return oil to 340 degrees and repeat with second batch of wedges. Serve with extra seasoning on side.

It sounds like a lot of work, but it really isn't all that difficult. It is definitely worth the little bit of extra effort it takes. Also, the cayenne pepper adds a bit of heat to the potatoes. If you don't want that extra heat, then just leave it out!

Cooking Hiatus

Due to a sports injury, I'm sidelined for awhile. It's hard to cook with crutches. When I do try, everything gets a lot messier! And, since my husband is not very adept in the kitchen, for the last week and at least one more week, it's paper plates and frozen food for us! I'm ready for some good food again, aren't you?

Baked Ziti

5 lb. ground beef
1 T. onion powder
1 T. dried oregano
1 T. dried parsley flakes
3 lb. ziti pasta (penne or mostociolli works, too)
8 lb. bottle of Ragu pasta sauce
8 c. mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese

Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente (almost done), drain. Cook ground beef with onion powder, oregano, and parsley until beef is no longer pink. Drain well. Stir pasta sauce into meat and heat to boiling, stirring occasionally. Pour pasta, parmesan cheese and 2 c. of mozzarella into the sauce. Mix well. Pour into greased pan and top with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake covered at 350 for 30 minutes. Uncover, and bake about 15 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and pasta is bubbly. Serve with french bread! About 25-30 servings, depending upon serving size.
This is a favorite of the kids at school and it doesn't cost too much either. You can skimp on the ground beef, if you need to and no one will notice. Also, you may not need all of the pasta sauce, it just depends upon your taste. This is also a dish that can easily be made the day before and then bake it on serving day to save some time.

Herbed Chicken Parmesan

1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
1 pound chicken breast tenders
1 tablespoon butter
1 jar tomato-basil pasta sauce
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) shredded provolone cheese

Preheat broiler.

Combine 2 tablespoons of Parmesan, breadcrumbs, parsley, basil, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a shallow dish. Place egg white in a shallow dish. Dip each chicken tender in egg white; dredge in the breadcrumb mixture. Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Set aside.

Combine 1/8 teaspoon salt, pasta sauce, vinegar, and pepper in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap; vent. Microwave sauce mixture at HIGH 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Pour the sauce over chicken. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining Parmesan and provolone cheese. Broil 2 minutes or until the cheese melts.

Serve over Angel Hair Pasta. This is DELICIOUS!

Baked Oatmeal

I have never had anything like this before in my life. I am not even an oatmeal fan. However, I was looking for something to add into the morning breakfast rotation for the kids. This is amazing! It comes out somewhat like the consistency of a soft, moist granola. You could eat it plain, with a spoon. But, I spooned it into a bowl and stirred in a little milk with it. It was really great! I'm going to store it in the fridge and in the morning try to microwave individual servings with a little milk and see how it turns out. A whole recipe will last us several days if it works like I hope. Try this, you will not be disappointed!

3 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup melted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, mix together oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Beat in milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Stir in dried cranberries. Spread into a greased 9x13 inch baking dish.
Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes.