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Pumpkin Bread

3 Cups Sugar
1 Cup cooking oil
4 Eggs
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsps baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
2/3 cup water
15 ounce can pumpkin

1. In a very large bowl beat sugar and oil with an electric mixture. Add eggs and beat well. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg.
3. Alternately add flour mixture and water to sugar mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined.  Beat in pumpkin.
4. Pour batter into greased bread pans (two 9x5x3 inch, three 8x4x2 inch, or four 7.5x3.5x2 inch pans)
5. Bake at 350 for 55 to 65 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. (I usually have to bake my two large loaves anywhere from 75 to 80 minutes. So depending on your oven it may take longer. Little loaves are easier to bake. But don't worry if you smell burning or the crust looks really dark. The bread is still good as long as it is baked all the way through!)

Salt Lick Peach Cobbler

Salt Lick Restaurant Peach Cobbler
12 servings

Batter
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup flour
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup room temperature milk
1 room temperature egg

Filling
1 (28 ounce) can sliced peaches, drained
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Melt butter in a 9 x 13-inch pan.

Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir in milk and egg. Pour evenly over melted butter.

Combine peaches, sugar and spices and spread over batter - DO NOT STIR! Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until batter comes to the top and is golden brown.

Serve warm with ice cream.

Source: Salt Lick Restaurant, Austin, Texas

*One of our all time favorites!!*

Melissa

White Chocolate Dipped Gingersnaps

BEWARE! THESE COOKIES ARE SO DELICIOUS AND EASY...YOU WILL EAT LOTS AND LOTS OF THEM!

Dipped Gingersnap Cookies

2 cup sugar

1.5 cups oil

2 eggs

½ cup molasses

4 cups flour

4 tsp soda

1 TBSP ginger

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

Extra sugar

Cream sugar and oil well. Add in eggs one at a time. Mix in molasses. Combine dry ingredients in bowl and then add. Roll small balls of dough (1/2 to 1 tbsp) and then roll balls in sugar. Place on ungreased baking sheet and bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. (I like them soft so I go on the shorter side). Allow to cool.

Then melt together:

¼ cup shortening

2 bags white (vanilla) chocolate chips

Dip cookies halfway in white chocolate (so it’s half white and half brown). Place on wax paper and allow chocolate to set. Oh my yummy goodness! They look fancy and are so dang yummy and easy. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Pie Milkshake

Pumpkin Pie Milkshake

By Our Best Bites

1/3 cup pumpkin puree, canned or homemade

1/4 - 1/2 cup milk

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/16 teaspoon ground cloves

1/16 teaspoon nutmeg

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 cups vanilla ice cream

1-2 graham crackers

Put everything but the graham crackers into the blender. Start with 1/4 cup milk and slowly add more if needed to make the blender process it all. Sprinkle crushed graham crackers on top before serving.

Chicken Artichoke Soup

Thanks for those who came to book club and shared a favorite recipe. Here is one of my absolute favorite fall recipes. It's Peter's mom's delicious trademark soup. MMMMMM. Tastes even better the second day after the flavors blend.

Chicken Artichoke Soup - Becky Ririe

2 Large Chicken Breasts
1 medium onion
(simmer together in enough water to cover the chicken) then chop chicken into
bite size pieces.

In another soup pan add:
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 can cream of celery soup.
1 can cream of chicken soup ( Campbells is great)
1 can unseasoned artichoke hearts
2 1/2 cups chicken stock from cooking the chicken
1/2 lb.mild mexican velveeta and 1/2 lb regular velveeta chopped into cubes
Cook at a low heat until ingredients blend. Be careful not to over heat or scorch this soup. It is very delicate.

Stir in chicken and onions. Taste to see if it needs any salt or pepper.

Serve with chopped green onions, cilantro, or chives on top with a small dallop of sour cream. If you don't have these a little sprinkle of paprika is pretty.

Cheesecake-stuffed Peaches

So, this is a DELICIOUS recipe I found in my Better Homes and Gardens magazine from August. Absolutely fantastic! I used fresh peaches from the Dallas Farmers Market and thought I had died and gone to heaven when I tried it. It is like baked apples, but with peaches, which naturally is a hundred times better : )

Ingredients:

6 peaches, halved and pitted

1/4 cup butter, melted

3 T cinnamon sugar

1/2 pkg (4 oz.) cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg yolk

1 1/2 t. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper and set aside.

Trim a very thin slice from the bottom of the peach halves so they can stand flat on the baking pan. Dip the halves in the melted butter to coat. Place the peaches pit-side up on pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

In a small bowl, beat cream cheese with mixer till smooth. Add sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla. Beat until combined and spoon mixture into peach centers.

Bake uncovered 30 minutes or until lightly browned and softened. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Enjoy a delicious harvest dessert!!!

Hidden Valley Ranch Mix/ Cafe Rio Dressing

Was going to make the yummy cafe rio dressing tonight but ran into a glitch... forgot to buy the Hidden Valley Ranch packet+Peter on call all night+girls already in bed= me not going to the store to buy it. Other glitch= we are having company for dinner tomorrow and it's Sunday. So the dinner plan isn't changing and a main ingredient is missing. Thank goodness for the internet. Found this Hidden Valley Ranch Mix recipe and it worked out great. I didn't have onion flakes so I just skipped that as well as the saltines. I also didn't have onion salt, but found you can make your own with one part onion powder and one part salt. I divided the recipe by 8 so that is will make about 4 or 5 ranch packet's worth of ranch mix. (not 42, although I like it so I think you could go that route if you love it). Usually ranch packets cost a little over a dollar. Well not now:) Oh and I didn't even have buttermilk, so used half sour cream and half milk soured with lemon juice. Sheesh, I sound like a responsible cook, huh? Just goes to show you can't really mess this one up. Result was great!

Hidden Valley Ranch Mix

15 square saltines
2 c. dry minced parsley flakes
1/2 c. dry minced onions
2 T. dry dill weed
1/4 c. onion salt
1/4 c. garlic salt
1/4 c. onion powder
1/4 c. garlic powder

Blend crackers in blender on high until powdered. Add parsley, minced onion and dill weed. Continue to blend until minced. In a bowl, combine remaining ingredients and the powdered mix. Stir until well-mixed. Store in an air-tight container for up to 1 year. Makes 42 (1 T.) servings.

To make dressing, combine 1 T. mix with 1 c. mayo and 1 c. buttermilk. Makes 1 pt.

To make dip, combine 1 T. mix with 2 c. sour cream.

I use this stuff pretty regularly -- and have made it for gifts. It's great to use on chicken, or splashed in meatloaves or meatballs -- great to use in veggies too.

Here's the original link

Creamy Tomatillo Dressing
1 pkg Ranch dressing mix
1 C. buttermilk
1 C. mayo
3 tomatillos
2 cloves minced garlic
½ bunch of cilantro, chopped
1/4 c. fresh lime juice
1 small jalepeno, seeds removed

Blend together in blender

Poppy Seed Chicken Salad

My Version: 

2-4 chicken breasts, cooked and diced or 1 can of chicken from Costco 

16 oz bow tie pasta cooked and cooled             

1 cup red seedless grapes, halved

20 oz puneapple tidbits, drained      

2 Golden Delicious Red Apples peeled and sliced                   

 1 pkg (1/2 a bottle) poppy seed dressing

 1 cup mayo

Mix all ingredients. Reserve dressing and mayo if you are not serving immediately. I like it chilled for an hour or two before serving so I put in the dressing and mayo and stick it in the fridge right away.  

My Mom's Version: 

8 oz colored spiral pasta, cooked and cooled     4 chicken breasts, cooked and diced

8 oz bow tie pasta cooked and cooled               1/2 cup red seedless grapes, halved

20 oz puneapple tidbits, drained                        1/2 cup green seedless grapes, halved

2 small cans sliced water chestnuts, drained      1 can cashews or 1 cup sunflower seeds

s cups celery, chopped                                     1 pkg poppy seed dressing

4 green onions, chopped                                   1 cup mayo

1 pkg craisins

mix all ingredients except last three.  Mix mayo and dressing and stir into salad just before serving. Add nuts or seeds just before serving.  Feeds 20!

Zucchini Bread from Book Club

"Sophie's Zucchini Bread" from Allrecipes  (In case you want to read the reviews and tips)

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour (I used 1 c whole wheat)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups white sugar
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup vegetable oil (I used 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 1/2 cup greek yogurt...you could also use 1/2 applesauce, sour cream, plain yogurt, vanilla yogurt, etc)
• 3 cups grated zucchini (I squeezed most of the water out of the zucchini that I grated finely; I grated some finer and some thicker for more variation in texture)
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Sift together flour, salt, soda, cinnamon, baking powder.
3. Beat eggs. Add and mix well sugar, vanilla, and oil. Add zucchini to egg mixture. Add dry ingredients, mixing well. Stir in nuts if desired. Pour into 2 ungreased loaf pans. (I thought it was hard to get out - I would grease them!)
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour. (I thought mine was  little dry...maybe because of the fat free yogurt...if you substitute, watch the baking time and consider pulling it out a few minutes early)

ENJOY!

Amberlee

Favorite Tortellini Soup

Perfect for entertaining!

1 lb Italian sausage or ground turkey

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 C chopped onions

1/2 C water

5 C beef broth

2 T apple cider vinegar

1/2 C dry red wine ( i don't have this, so I never put it in... still delish)

1 C carrots, chopped

1 can diced tomatoes (i hate tomatoes, so I blend mine up first. No more nasty tomato chunks. You can do whatever you please with yours though!)

1 can tomato sauce (8 oz.)

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp basil

1 1/2 cups sliced zucchini

8 oz package cheese tortellini

Brown sausage, onions, and garlic. Drain and rinse if you want (would suggest if you use the sausage or a poor quality turkey. High grade turkey doesn't need so much). Add everything to pot EXCEPT zucchini and tortellini. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer for 20 minutes, uncovered.

Add tortellini and zucchini. Bring to a boil. Simmer covered for 30-40 minutes (you may add more broth if necessary).

Eat!!!! I usually serve with garlic bread or homemade breadsticks (see Kathleen's earlier Breadstick post for the exact recipe I use as well!)

Famous Karoly Honey Wheat Bread of Deliciousness

This is my absolute favorite bread recipe. It makes of a delicious yet healthy bread.

Anything with *** is an optional ingredient. It will add to the nutritional value and/or the structure of the bread, but is not necessary. I WOULD suggest using the wheat gluten though. It is best to use wheat gluten any time you are using whole wheat flour (1 T wheat gluten to 1 C wheat flour).

For 2-3 loaves:

2 1/2 C warm water

2 1/2 T yeast

3/4 C honey

Mix these together first. I make mine in a Kitchen Aide cuz it's fast and easy.

Add 1 at a time, always mixing:

***1-2 T liquid lecithin (double if using the powder)

4 C whole wheat flour

4 T wheat gluten

1 T salt

1/2 C cooking oil

3-4 C white flour

***2 T dough enhancer

Once bread is all thoroughly mixed, let the machine knead it a little longer, about 5 minutes. remove from bowl and place in a greased bowl. Let rise till doubled (60-90 minutes). Remember, this is a wheat bread, so it is dense and will not rise as fast as just white breads. Once doubled, punch down, shape into 2 loaves (sometimes I put it into 3 loaves, they will be slightly smaller but I like it better) and place in greased pans. I grease them with crisco, I find they come out MUCH easier. Let rise till doubled (about 45-60 minutes) and bake for 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees. Release onto cooling rack immediately.

I make honey butter to go with the bread. Jam is also delicious. You can eat it plain though and you'll be just as happy. Enjoy!

Laura's Amazing Apple Turkey Croissant Sandwiches

Here's the recipe for the tasty sandwiches I served at Meleece's baby shower last year. They are my own invention and I am super in love with them. Someday, when my husband is a millionaire, I'll start my own corner cafe and bakery and this will be a HIT! Enjoy!

For 8 sandwiches

1 lb Sun dried tomato deli turkey breast meat (i know this sounds bizarre, but you CAN find this, or something akin to it at most grocery stores, like Walmart/Tom Thumb/Kroger, and it adds SO much to the mix of fantastic flavors in this sandwich!)

1 pkg Muenster cheese slices

2 gala apples, cored and sliced horizontally, so you can see a little circle where the core was (any other sweet, crunchy apple would work, just as Jazz, Ambrosia, or Fuji)

1 head romaine lettuce

1 batch of Laura's Amazing Sandwich Spread (recipe to follow)

8 croissants (cut in half like a bagel)

Compile like so, from bottom to top: bottom half of croissant, 1 slice Muenster, 2 slices turkey, 1-2 slices apple, 1-2 leaves lettuce, Laura's amazing spread on underside of top half of croissant.

If you like your sandwiches toasted, feel free to first toast the croissant with the cheese and the turkey open faced and THEN add everything else!

Laura Amazing Sandwich spread

1/2 pkg Cream Cheese, softened

1 tsp cinnamon

1 Tbsp honey

1 Tbsp maple syrup

Mix together! Can be made ahead of time and saved in refrigerator for a few days to a week.

Meagan Harrison's Pulled Pork Burritos

Hello!

Well, I was introduced to this marvelous recipe on my first weekend here in Dallas when the Harrison's invited us foreigners over for dinner. It was the most DELICIOUS thing ever. I don't like pork. I just don't. But THESE, I can eat these for always. I have made them countless times since and shared them with many of you! Yep. So, by popular request, here is her recipe!

Pulled Pork Burritos

1 boneless pork tenderloin
1 1/2 c ketchup
8 heaping Tb brown sugar
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
3 Tb apple cider vinegar
4 Tb Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp salt
4 cloves of garlic

Cook in crock pot for 6-7 hours.

Usually at about 5 1/2 - 6 hours I pull the pork out and shred it with a fork and put it back in the juices for about a half an hour. Put on soft tortillas and serve with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, whatever you like!

Here's the recipe for the dressing that the Harrison's like to put on it. I'm not a fan of ranch so I never make it but it is huge with everyone else ; )

Tomatillo Ranch Dressing

1 packet hidden valley ranch dressing
1 c buttermilk
2 tomatillos
1/2 bunch cilantro
1/2 tsp lime juice

Mix together in blender and keep refrigerated.