Easy Cinnamon Sugared Pretzels

 

1 (16 oz) bag pretzel twists

⅔ cup vegetable oil

½ cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Pour pretzels into a roasting pan. In a medium sized bowl mix together vegetable oil, cinnamon and sugar. Pour over pretzels and stir to coat. Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes, removing twice to stir.
  Rosie's Note:   I didn't come close to using the whole 16 oz of pretzels. Half a bag seemed perfect for me...

Amazing Tortilla Soup

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite sizes
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-2 teaspoons chili power
• 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano (Mexican Isle)
• ½ – 1 tablespoon Mexican cumin (Mexican Isle)
• 1 (28 ounces) can crushed tomatoes 
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 (15 ounces) can whole kernel corn
• 1 (4 ounces) can or fresh chopped green or red chile peppers (optional) (I like mine mild)
• 1 (15 ounces) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 fresh lime, squeeze
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro plus additional for topping, chopped
• Tortilla chips, crushed 
• Green onions, chopped (optional)
• Avocado, diced (optional)
• Mexican blend cheese 
• 
  

Directions

In a medium pot, cook the meat, onions, and garlic in oil over medium heat until the meat is cooked through.  Stir in chili powder, oregano, cumin, tomatoes, broth, and water.  Bring to a boil, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stir occasionally.  Then add corn, beans, peppers, lime juice, and cilantro, and simmer for an additional 15-20 minutes.  Serve in individual bowls, and top with tortilla chips, green onions, avocado, cilantro, and/or cheese.  .

Bon Appetit!

Appetizer Spanakopita Bites

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 green onions, chopped
10 ounces frozen chopped spinach. thawed and squeezed dry
4 to 6 ounces domestic feta cheese, crumbled
1 cup cottage cheese
1 egg
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound phyllo, thawed
8 tablespoons butter (1 stick), melted
2 tablespoons vegetable oil


Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Add white and green chopped onions; cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix spinach, feta, cottage cheese and egg in medium bowl. Add cooked onions and season with salt, and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Combine the remaining butter and oil and set aside until ready to use.

Remove the phyllo dough from the package and stack up. Carefully cut the phyllo dough into 2 inch by 2 inch squares; set aside.


Prepare your mini muffin pan by brushing butter in each well. Place 1-2 squares of phyllo dough into each well, pushing down to create a cup or crust. Brush the top phyllo filled wells with more melted butter and repeat by placing 1-2 squares of phyllo dough into each well and pushing down to create a cup or crust again. Repeat with another layer of 1-2 squares of phyllo dough and brush with more melted butter.


Place a heaping teaspoon into each well, filling the phyllo cup. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup Ingredients:

• Dried split peas, 16 ounces
• 6-8 cups chicken stock or broth (enough to cover ham hocks) 
• 2 smoked ham hocks (not smoked would also work, but smoked is so much better)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (I use jarred)
• 1 cup chopped carrot
• optional garnish: diced ham

Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup Directions:

1. Add ingredients to slow cooker and cook on high 4-6 hours or low for 8-10 hours.
2. Remove ham hocks and mash soup with a fork or blend with an immersion blender, depending on your consistency preference. (I like mine smoooooth).
3. Optional step: brown diced ham in a skillet and serve on soup.
4. Enjoy!

Simple Honey Beer Bread Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. honey or agave nectar
• 1 bottle (12 ounces) beer
• 4 Tbsp. (half stick) butter, melted (**You can double this if you’d like**)

Method:

(Makes 1 loaf)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9″ x 5″ x 3″ inch loaf pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  Using a wooden spoon, stir the beer and honey into the dry ingredients until just mixed.  (I recommend popping your honey in the microwave for a few seconds beforehand to make it easier to stir in!)

Pour half the melted butter into the loaf pan. Then spoon the batter into the pan, and pour the rest of the butter on top of the batter.  (Use a pastry brush to spread it around if you’d like.)

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until top is golden brown and a toothpick/knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Serve immediately.

Chicken Cordon Blue Roll-ups

Chicken Cordon blue roll-ups have layers of gooey swiss cheese and salty ham inside them with a crispy outer breadcrumb coating.

Ingredients

2 eggs

2 tablespoons milk

1 tablespoon coarse or Dijon mustard

sea salt and fresh black pepper

1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1/2 cup panko crumbs

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

4 chicken cutlets, 1/4-inch thick

4 slices deli ham (sliced on the thick side)

4 slices deli Swiss cheese (sliced on the thick side)

toothpicks

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a large roasting pan.
2. Set up a dredging station by whisking the egg, milk and mustard together in a shallow dish, season with salt and pepper. In a second wide, shallow dish combine both bread crumbs and flour together.
3. Season the chicken cutlets lightly on each side with salt and pepper. Place a slice each of swiss and ham (trim to fit the cutlet, if needed) over top and roll up beginning from the smallest end of the chicken. Secure with a toothpick or two. Repeat until they are all rolled up. Dredge one at a time by dipping into the egg and then into the bread crumbs using your hands to pat the crumbs on. Set in roasting pan and repeat until all are covered with crumbs.
4. Bake about 25 minutes, depending on the thickness/size of your cutlets (internal temp should reach 164-175 degrees F). Remove from oven and allow to set 5 minutes. Remove toothpicks and cut into slices 1-2 inches thick, if desired or serve as is.

Warm Spice Mix Roasted Sweet & White Potatoes

Roasted sweet and white potatoes coated in a warm spice mix.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for greasing pan

3 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

3 cups white potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 tablespoon butter, melted

2 teaspoons chile powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground paprika (smoked or sweet)

a pinch or two of ground cayenne pepper (or more if you want it spicy)

1 teaspoon sea or kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

sour cream, for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a large non-stick baking sheet with sides.
2. Add the potatoes to a large mixing bowl and toss with olive oil and melted butter.
3. In a small bowl mix together all the spices including salt and pepper. Sprinkle over potatoes and toss well.
4. Spread out on baking sheet and roast until tender and golden about 25-35 minutes depending on how well done you like them. Serve immediately garnished with sour cream if desired.

Favorite Turtle Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, softened
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 large egg, separated, plus 1 egg white
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups pecans, chopped fine
• 14 soft caramel candies
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream

Instructions

1. Combine flour, cocoa, and salt in bowl. With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 2 minutes. Add egg yolk, milk, and vanilla and mix until incorporated. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture until just combined. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, 1 hour.
2. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk egg whites in bowl until frothy. Place pecans in another bowl. Roll dough into 1-inch balls, dip in egg whites, then roll in pecans. Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Using 1/2-teaspoon measure, make indentation in center of each ball. Bake until set, about 12 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking.
3. Microwave caramels and cream in bowl, stirring occasionally, until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Once cookies are removed from oven, gently re-press existing indentations. Fill each with 1/2 teaspoon caramel mixture. Cool 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Try not to devour them all at once.

Surprise In Middle Carrot Cake Muffins

FILLING one 8-ounce package cream cheese or Neufchâtel cheese 1/4 cup granulated sugar a few drops of Fiori di Sicilia flavor, optional but very tasty  Or use Vanilla favoring MUFFINS 2 1/4 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour 1/2 cup granulated sugar ¼ cup light brown sugar, firmly packed 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder ¼ teaspoon baking soda 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger 3/4 teaspoon salt 2 large eggs 3/4 cup water 1/3 cup vegetable oil 1 cup grated carrots, lightly packed; about 2 medium-large carrots Directions 1) Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a standard 12-well muffin pan. Or line the pan with paper muffin cups, and grease the cups. 2) To make the filling: Place the cream cheese in a microwave-safe bowl, and heat on low power for 40 seconds. Stir in the sugar and flavor. Set aside. 3) To make the muffin batter: In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. 4) In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, water, and oil. 5) Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. 6) Fold in the grated carrots, stirring to combine. 7) Drop about 2 tablespoons of the batter (a tablespoon cookie scoop works well here) into each muffin cup, spreading it to cover the bottom. 8) Dollop on a heaping tablespoon of filling; a level tablespoon cookie scoop works well here. 9) Cover with enough batter to fill the muffin cups quite full. The batter will come to within about 1/4" to 3/8" of the top of each muffin cup. But don't try to use all the batter; unless you have particularly deep cups, you'll have abut 1/3 cup batter left over. Bake it in a separate custard cup, if desired. 10) Bake the muffins until a toothpick inserted into the cake part of one (not into the cream cheese filling) comes out clean, about 20 minutes. The tops of the muffins will feel firm to the touch. 11) Remove the muffins from the oven, and as soon as you're able to handle them, transfer them to a rack. If you serve the muffins warm, the filling will be molten. If you wait for them to cool, it'll firm up. Yield: 12 filled muffins plus 1 unfilled muffin