Baked Pork Chops with Parmesan-Sage Crust

I always make pork chops during my mother in law's visits and I wanted a new way to prepare them. I absolutely adore sage and so this recipe caught my eye right away. Oh my, was it good!!! The chops were juicy and so flavorful.

Baked Pork Chops with Parmesan-Sage Crust:

courtesy of epicurious.com

1 1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs made from crustless French bread (I used prepared bread crumbs)

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 Tbsp. dried sage

1 tsp. grated lemon peel (I omitted)

2 large eggs

1/4 cup all purpose flour

4 center cut pork loin chops (about 1 inch thick)

2 Tbsp. butter

2 Tbsp. olive oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix breadcrumbs, cheese, sage and lemon peel in pie dish. Whisk eggs in medium bowl to blend. Place flour on plate; season generously with salt and pepper. Coat pork chops on both sides with flour; shake off excess. Dip chops into eggs, then coat both sides with breadcrumb mixture.

Melt butter with oil in heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork chops to skillet and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer skillet with pork to oven. Bake until pork chops are crisp on the outside and meat thermometer inserted into pork registers 150 degrees, about 20 minutes.

Transfer chops to plates. Garnish with lemon wedges and orange wedges, if desired, and serve.

Aunt Ruth's Cole Slaw

This is my Aunt Ruth's beloved cole slaw recipe. A staple at any of our family gatherings. It's the perfect dressing.

Aunt Ruth's Cole Slaw:

courtesy of my Aunt Ruth

1/2 bag cole slaw (or you can make your own)

1 cup Miracle Whip (I used light Miracle Whip)

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup evaporated milk

1 tsp. mustard

Mix all ingredients together and chill. Stir just before serving.

Snickerdoodles

Snickerdoodles:

Courtesy of Joy of Cooking

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease or line 2 cookies sheets. Whisk until well blended:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

Beat in a large bowl:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

Add and beat until well combined:

2 large eggs

Stir in the flour mixture. Combine:

1/4 cup sugar

4 tsp. ground cinnamon

Shape the dough into 1 1/4 inch balls, roll in the cinnamon sugar, and arrange about 2 3/4 inches apart on the cookie sheet. Bake, 1 sheet at a time, until the cookies are light golden brown at the edges, 12 to 14 minutes. Let stand briefly, then remove to a rack to cool.

These were okay. They turned out more crisp than I wanted. They also made very large cookies.

Goose N Berry Inn Baked French Toast

Goose N Berry Inn Baked French Toast
courtesy of Goose N Berry Inn in Manahawkin, New Jersey

2 cups light brown sugar

1 stick butter

4 Tbsp. flavoring of choice: vanilla, hazelnut, almond, etc. (I used vanilla)

4 eggs

1 3/4 cups milk

1 loaf Italian or French bread cut into 1 inch thick slices (I used pre-cut cinnamon bread)

cinnamon to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place brown sugar into a 13x8 baking dish. Melt butter in microwave. Blend brown sugar, melted butter and 2 Tbsp. flavoring until it makes a glaze in bottom of the baking dish.

Whisk eggs, milk and remaining flavoring in a shallow bowl until well blended. Dip each bread slice into the egg mixture, soaking both sides.

Set bread on top of brown sugar mixture in baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with cinnamon to taste. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown

Flip each slice of bread over so glazed side is up.

This was very good, but VERY sweet. You could probably cut the brown sugar/butter mixture in half and still have this be very good. It tasted like a thin cinnamon roll. Very good, but very rich!!

Hash Brown Quiche

Oh my heavens was this good!! I asked my husband what he wanted for supper yesterday and he said "something with eggs." I wanted to do something more than just scrambled eggs, so I thought about a quiche. We're not fans of pastry crust, so this recipe was perfect for us! I invited my parents over to join us and there was not one piece left at the end.

Hash Brown Quiche:

Courtesy of Paula Deen

3 cups shredded frozen hash browns, thawed and drained

4 Tbsp. butter, melted

3 large eggs, beaten (I used 4 eggs)

1 cup half-and-half

3/4 cup diced cooked ham

1/2 cup diced green onions (I omitted)

1 cup shredded Cheddar

Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Gently press the drained hash browns between paper towels to dry them as best as possible. In a 9-inch pie plate, toss the hash browns with the melted butter into the plate. Press them into the bottom and up the sides to form a crust. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown and starting to crisp.

Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. When the hash brown crust is ready, pour the egg mixture over it and return to the oven.

Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for about 30 minutes until the quiche is light golden brown on top and puffed.

Baker's Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

These were pretty good, except mine were awfully flat when they cooled. Everyone enjoyed them though.

Baker's Coconut Oatmeal Cookies:

from cooks.com

2 cups sifted flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup quick rolled oats

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

2 cups coconut

Sift flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda together. Cream butter; add sugars gradually. Cream until fluffy and add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add flour mixture, gradually beating until smooth after each addition. Mix in oats and coconut. Drop from teaspoon onto greased baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 9-12 minutes or until golden brown. Yields: 5 dozen

Lasagna Rolls

This is Giada De Laurentiis' recipe from foodnetwork.com. Overall, this dish was good. For my personal taste, it had too much spinach. If I make them again, I will use about half of what she calls for. Also, use a good marinara sauce. I used a cheaper product and was disappointed.

Lasagna Rolls:

from foodnetwork.com

Sauce:

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

4 tsp. all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups whole milk (I used skim)

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. black pepper

Pinch ground nutmeg

Lasagna:

1 15 oz. container whole milk ricotta cheese

1 10 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry

1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan

3 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto (I omitted)

1 large egg, beaten to blend

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 to 2 Tbsp. olive oil

12 uncooked lasagna noodles

2 cups marinara sauce

1 cup shredded mozzarella (I used about 1/2 cup)

To make the sauce: Melt the butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk for three minutes. Whisk in the milk. Increase the heat to medium-high. Whisk the sauce until it comes to a simmer and is thick and smooth, about three minutes. Whisk the salt, pepper and nutmeg into the bechemal sauce.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Whisk the ricotta, spinach, 1 cup parmesan, prosciutto, egg, salt and pepper in a medium bowl to blend.

Add a tablespoon of two to a large pot of boiling salted water. Boil the noodles until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Arrange the noodles in a single layer on a baking sheet to prevent them from sticking.

Butter a 13x9x2 inch glass baking pan. Pour the bechemal sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish. Lay out 4 lasagna noodles on a work surface, then spread about 3 Tbsp. of ricotta mixture evenly over each noodle. Starting at one end, roll each noodle like a jelly roll. Lay the lasagna rolls seam side down, without touching, atop the bechemel sauce in the dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles and ricotta mixture. Spoon 1 cup marinara sauce over the lasagna rolls. Sprinkle the mozzarella and remaining 2 Tbsp. of parmesan over the lasagna rolls. Cover tightly with foil. Bake until heated through and the sauce bubbles, about 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until the cheese on top becomes golden, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the remaining marinara sauce in a heavy small saucepan over medium heat, until hot, and serve alongside.

Cola Chops and Oven Roasted Potatoes

The chops were very good, although a bit dry. The next time I make this recipe, I think I would cook them longer at a lower temperature. The ketchup/cola mixture tastes like a sweet BBQ sauce. The potatoes were awesome, although I had to finish them in the microwave. 45 minutes was not quite enough time for the bigger chunks to cook. A pretty good meal without a lot of work though!

Cola Chops:

adapted from allrecipes.com

3 boneless pork sirloin chops

1/2 cup ketchup

1/2 cup cola

3 Tbsp. brown sugar

Place the pork chops into a baking dish. Mix together the ketchup and cola until well blended. Pour mixture over the chops, covering them completely. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp. brown sugar over the top of each chop. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Oven Roasted Potatoes:

from allrecipes.com

4 baking potatoes (I used red potatoes)

2 Tbsp. butter, melted

2 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

Peel potatoes and cut into large chunks. (I left the skin on mine) Place in a shallow 2 quart baking pan. Pour butter over and toss until well coated. Sprinkle with paprika, salt and pepper. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes until potatoes are tender.

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

We had an overabundance of peanut butter cups left over after Halloween. I wanted to bake something with them, and I found this recipe on Taste of Home's website. They looked simple enough. My husband said they are wonderful. A perfect use for excess candy.

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies:
from Taste of Home

1 cup butter, softened

2/3 cup peanut butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

2 cups chopped peanut butter cups

In a large bowl, cream the butter, peanut butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips and peanut butter cups. (I was low on chocolate chips, so I added some peanut butter chips as well)

Drop by rounded tablespoonfulls 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks. Yield: 7 1/2 dozen.

Special Creamed Corn

My husband and I have been trying to eat more vegetables and corn is one that we normally can handle. I wanted to find a recipe that added flavor and a new texture to regular frozen corn. I came across this recipe and thought it sounded good. Boy, was it!! This is so good it's going on our Christmas dinner must make list. Very rich, but oh so yummy!

Special Creamed Corn:

from Taste of Home

1/3 cup butter

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 cup milk (I used skim milk)

1/4 cup sugar (I omitted)

1 tsp salt

dash white pepper (I used black pepper)

5 cups frozen corn, thawed

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour until smooth. Gradually add cream, milk, sugar, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; boil and stir for 2 minutes. Add corn; heat through.

Transfer to an ungreased 1 1/2 quart broiler-proof dish. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Broil 5 inches from the heat for 3-5 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Roast Sticky Chicken - Rotisserie Style

This chicken is so good!! It just falls off the bone and is so incredibly moist. My husband didn't even have to carve some of it. Pieces just fell apart. It's time consuming, but it's perfect for a Sunday dinner. The leftovers are great too.

Roast Sticky Chicken - Rotisserie Style
adapted from allrecipes.com

4 tsp. salt

2 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. white pepper (I omitted)

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

2 onions, quartered (I used one large onion)

2 (4 lb) whole chickens (I used 1 5 lb chicken)

1. In a small bowl, mix together salt, paprika, onion powder, thyme, white pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder. Remove and discard giblets from chicken. Rinse chicken cavity and pat dry with paper towel. Rub each chicken inside and out with spice mixture. (We don't eat the skin, so I gently lifted it and placed seasoning under the skin as well.) Place one onion into the cavity of each chicken. Place chickens in a resealable bag or double wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight or at least 4 to 6 hours.

2. Preheat oven to 25o degrees.

3. Place chickens in a roasting pan. Bake uncovered for 5 hours, to a minimum internal temperature of 180 degrees. (Mine took 4 hours) Let the chickens stand for 10 minutes before carving.

Double Peanut Butter and Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies

I apologize for the bad picture, but these cookies were so amazing!! I made some for myself with just peanut butter chips (I can't have chocolate) and they were awesome too! I guess you can't go wrong with any Hershey recipe.

Double Peanut Butter and Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies:

from Hersheys.com

1/2 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup Reese's Creamy Peanut Butter

1 egg

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup Hershey's Milk Chocolate Chips (I used semi-sweet)

1 cup Reese's Peanut Butter Chips

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Beat butter, sugar and peanut butter in medium bowl until creamy. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda, and salt; add to butter mixture, blending well. Stir in milk chocolate chips and peanut butter chips. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheets.

3. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until light golden brown around the edges. (Mine took 12 minutes) Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet. Remove to wire rack and cool completely. About 3 dozen cookies.

Crockpot Chili

Crock Pot Chili:
Adapted from Recipezaar

1 lb. ground beef
1 tsp. onion powder
2 cans cannelini beans
1 can dark red kidney beans
28 oz. can tomato sauce
2 cans condensed tomato soup
1 tsp. taco seasoning
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder

1. Brown ground beef with onion powder.
2. Mix everything together and put in crockpot.
3. Cook on low for 6-7 hours.

This recipe makes a very sweet chili. Not overly spicy hot at all. I'm not a fan of hot foods, so this fit the bill perfectly. I was practically licking the bowl! This would be amazing on hot dogs as well.

Smoked Sausage Hash

This is one of my family's favorite easy weeknight meals. It's tasty and fairly quick.

Smoked Sausage Hash:

Adapted from Allrecipes

1 package turkey smoked sausage

6 potatoes

1 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. onion powder

2 Tbsp. butter

6 oz. cheddar cheese - shredded

Sprinkle sausage with garlic and onion powders and brown in a deep skillet. Once browned, remove to a bowl.

While sausage is cooking, peel and dice the potatoes into small cubes. Pour into skillet once sausage has been removed. Add the butter and turn often until the potatoes are cooked and starting to brown.

Add sausage back to skillet and stir to incorporate. Sprinkle cheese over top and mix to combine cheese throughout.

Deep Dark Chocolate Cake

Deep Dark Chocolate Cake:

From Hersheys.com

2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 cup Hershey's cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 9-inch round pans.

Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk and vanilla. Beat on medium speed of electric mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin.) Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes for round pans. Cool 10 minutes, remove to wire racks. Cool completely before frosting.


Birthday Cake Icing:
From my mom

2 lbs powdered sugar
1 cup Crisco
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup milk

Cut Crisco into powdered sugar with pastry blender until it makes crumbs. Add milk and combine until smooth. (It will be very thick). Add vanilla and stir until combined.

Sugar Free Apple Pie

My mother in law is a diabetic and I'm always looking for some sort of dessert to make for her. I normally get her a sugar free apple pie from Wal-Mart, but I figured why not make one from scratch. This wasn't hard and she really likes it!

No Sugar Apple Pie:

Adapted from Allrecipes

2 (9 inch) pie shell - recipe below

3 Tbsp. cornstarch

1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon

1 (12 fl oz) can unsweetened apple juice concentrate, thawed

6 cups sliced green apples (I used granny smith)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch, cinnamon and 1/3 cup of the apple juice concentrate. Set aside.

In a large saucepan, simmer apples with remaining apple juice concentrate until apples are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in cornstarch mixture and continue to simmer until thickened. Remove from heat. - I did add about 3 packets of Equal to sweeten it a bit

Spoon apple mixture into pastry-lined pie plate. Cover with top crust. Seal and flute edges. Cut steam vents in top.

Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.

Basic Flaky Pie Crust: (makes 1 crust - double ingredients for double crust)

From Allrecipes

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup shortening, chilled

3 Tbsp. ice water

Whisk the flour and salt together in a medium sized bowl. With a pastry blender, cut in the cold shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Drizzle 2 to 3 Tbsp. ice water over flour. Toss mixture with a fork to moisten, adding more water a few drops at a time until the dough comes together.

Gently gather dough particles together to form a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes before rolling.

Roll out dough and put in pie plate.

Au Gratin Potatoes

I had some potatoes to use up and I was already making ham for my main course. Au gratin potatoes came to mind. I had all the ingredients, so I decided to go for it. I didn't allow enough time in the oven, but otherwise they came out really well.

Au Gratin Potatoes:

My own recipe

4 medium potatoes

6 Tbsp. butter

8 Tbsp. flour

2 cups milk

1 tsp. garlic salt

12 oz. colby jack cheese

Melt butter in a saucepan. Add flour and garlic salt to form a roux. Add milk and whisk until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and stir in colby jack cheese.

Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and slice into thin slices. Layer them in a greased casserole dish. Pour completed sauce over potatoes. Cover and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 1 1/2 hours. (I only had about an hour, so I finished them in the microwave)

Candied Ham Steak

My family always makes candied yams for holidays and I love them. I thought the flavoring would be good as a glaze on ham as well. I tried it and it was really tasty!!

Candied Ham Steak:

My own recipe

1 ham steak - cut in two

2 Tbsp. butter

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

Melt butter and brown sugar together in a skillet until brown sugar begins to caramelize. Add ham steak to skillet and simmer for about a half hour to bring the flavors out.

Homemade fettucini and tomato sauce

My mother gave me a pasta maker for Christmas and I had yet to use it. I had time today and decided to give it a try. I decided to make fettucini and my mom's recipe for homemade tomato sauce. It came out pretty well and was much easier than I thought it would be.

Fresh Pasta:

Courtesy of Mario Batali

3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

4 extra large eggs (I used 2 jumbo eggs and 2 large eggs)

Mound the flour in the center of a large wooden cutting board. Make a well in the middle of the flour, add the eggs. Using a fork, beat together the eggs and begin to incorporate the flour starting with the inner rim of the well. As you incorporate the eggs, keep pushing the flour up to retain the well shape. (I had a dam break, but still managed!) The dough will come together in a shaggy mess when about half the flour is incorporated.

Start kneading the dough with both hands, primarily using the palms of your hands. Add more flour, in 1/2 cup increments, if the dough is too sticky. Once the dough is a cohesive mass, remove the dough from the board and scrape up any left over dry bits. Lightly flour the board and continue kneading for 3 more minutes. The dough should be elastic and a little sticky. Continue to knead for another 3 minutes, remembering to dust your board with flour when necessary. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and set aside for 20 minutes at room temperature. Roll and form as desired.

Note: Do not skip the kneading or resting portion of this recipe. They are essential for a light pasta.

I made mine into fettucini and cooked for about 5 minutes in boiling water. I like my pasta very well cooked. I served it with my mom's quick tomato sauce.

Mom's Quick Tomato Sauce:

1 26 oz can tomato sauce

1 can tomato soup

1 1/2 tsp. garlic salt

1 tsp. garlic powder

Mix all ingredients together and simmer until pasta is ready.

I hope you enjoy!!

Italian Herb Bread

I was in the mood for some homemade bread, so I searched Allrecipes to find something good. I found this recipe. It baked up really well and the taste is subtle, not overpowering at all. I had it with homemade fettucini and tomato sauce. The recipe calls for kneading the dough by hand, but I let my bread maker do the hard work. I let it rise in an oiled bowl and did bake it in the oven as written. Enjoy!!

Italian Herb Bread I: (The recipe is for two loaves. I halved everything to only make one.)

1 (0.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast

2 cups warm water

2 Tbsp. white sugar

1/4 cup olive oil (I used canola oil)

1 Tbsp. salt

1 Tbsp. dried basil

1 Tbsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. onion powder

1/2 cup grated Romano cheese (I used parmesan)

6 cups bread flour

Mix yeast, warm water and sugar together in a large bowl. Set aside for five minutes, or until mixture becomes foamy.

Stir olive oil, salt, herbs, garlic powder, onion powder, cheese and 3 cups flour into the yeast mixture. Gradually mix in the next three cups of flour. Dough will be stiff.

Knead dough for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and rubbery. Place in an oiled bowl, and turn to cover the surface of the dough with oil. Cover with a damp linen dish towel. Allow to rise for one hour, or until the dough had doubled in size.

Punch dough down to release all the air. Shape into two loaves. Place loaves on a greased cookie sheet, or into two greased 9x5 inch loaf pans. Allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Removed loaves from pan(s) and let cool on wire racks for at least 15 minutes before slicing.

Creamy Crockpot Pork Chops

My mother made some amazing looking pork chops the other day at her house and I wanted to try and create them myself. These ended up really tasty and tender.

2 butterfly pork chops

1 can of cream of chicken soup

1 cup chicken broth

1 tsp. garlic salt

1/2 tsp. paprika

1/2 tsp. seasoned salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

Place chops in the base of the crockpot. Season with garlic salt, paprika, seasoned salt and pepper. Layer the cream of chicken soup directly on the chops. Pour the chicken broth around the edges of the base. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or until fork tender.

Baker's One Bowl Brownies

I had some leftover unsweetened chocolate in my cupboard that I wanted to use up. This recipe came from the side of the carton of the Baker's chocolate. They came out so fudgy and rich.

4 squares Baker's Unsweetened Baking Chocolate

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) of butter or margarine (I used butter)

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup flour

1 cup coarsely chopped Planters pecans (I omitted)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 13x9 baking pan with foil; with ends of foil extending over sides of pan. Grease foil. (I used cooking spray)

Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 minutes or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is melted. Stir in sugar, eggs and vanilla. Add flour and nuts; mix well. Spread into prepared pan.

Bake 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with fudgy crumbs. (Do not overbake.) Cool in pan on wire rack. Remove brownies from pan; using foil handles. Cut into squares. Store in tightly covered container.

Macaroni & Cheese

I had a craving for some creamy macaroni & cheese tonight, but it's just me, so I didn't want to make an entire pan of it. I decided to just make a single serving. I boiled up about 1/4 quarter of a box of penne (it's what I had on hand) and made a cheesy sauce to pour over it.

3 Tbsp. butter

4 Tbsp. flour (I use heaping tablespoons because I like my sauce very thick)

1 cup milk

6 oz. American cheese

Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the flour. Stir for a little while to cook the flour taste out. Pour in the milk and stir often until it starts to thicken. Make sure to pull the flour/butter paste in from the sides of the pan. Once it begins to thicken, add the American cheese and remove from the heat. Stir until cheese melts. Pour over cooked pasta.

This made enough cheese sauce for a couple of more dishes as well. I just refrigerated it and will use it tomorrow on something. So good!!!

Saturday Waffles

I didn't have many breakfast options in the house this morning, so I decided to make my husband waffles. He just bought me The Joy of Cooking for my birthday, so I decided to make that recipe. They turned out pretty well.

Waffles:
Courtesy of The Joy of Cooking

Preheat your waffle iron. Whisk together in a large bowl:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt

Thoroughly blend in another bowl: (I didn't use a different bowl)

3 eggs
1 cup (2 sticks) melted butter
1 1/2 cups milk

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Combine with a few swift strokes of the whisk.

Pour about 1/2 cup batter onto the waffle iron surface. Close lid. Wait about four minutes. Waffles should be done when steam stops emerging around the lid. (Mine took about 10 minutes to get them close to crispy)

All in all...not bad!

First Entry!

I'm beginning my venture into blogging. I'm a 32 year old new mother and a wife of 2 1/2 years. I have always enjoyed cooking and especially baking. I love to try new recipes, but I'm also a very simple cook. Very rarely will I fix anything that is considered gourmet. I use simple ingredients and love to cook down home country cooking. My goal is for my little boy, and any future children, to remember my cooking growing up fondly and wishing to get food like "his mom used to make." He makes me want to be a better cook. Welcome to my blog!