Creamy White Cheddar Cauliflower Soup

Ingredients 1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets 2 tablespoons oil salt and pepper to taste 1 tablespoon oil 1 medium onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 teaspoon thyme, chopped 3 cups vegetable broth 1 1/2 cups aged white cheddar, shredded 1 cup milk or cream salt and pepper to taste Directions Toss the cauliflower florets in the oil along with the salt and pepper and arrange them in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Roast the cauliflower in a preheated 400F oven until lightly golden brown, about 20-30 minutes. Heat the oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme and saute until fragrant, about a minute. Add the broth and cauliflower, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Puree the soup until it reaches your desired consistency with a stick blender. Mix in the cheese, let it melt and season with salt and pepper. Mix in the milk and remove from heat.

Two Ingredient Sweet Sausage

Ingredients

• 1 (16-ounce) package smoked sausage
• 1 1/2 cups maple syrup

Directions

Cut sausage into 1-inch rounds. Place in large skillet over medium heat and add the maple syrup. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve piping hot.

Rose victoria's Note    : Sausages can be cooked in a crock-pot on low for 2 hours.

Moist & Easy Cornbread

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus butter for baking dish
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly grease an 8-inch baking dish.

In a large bowl, mix together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, buttermilk, and butter. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the cornmeal mixture and fold together until there are no dry spots (the batter will still be lumpy). Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish.
Bake until the top is golden brown and tester inserted into the middle of the corn bread comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the cornbread from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes before serving. ..

Pumpkin Spice Biscotti w/orange choc. drizzle

INGREDIENTS

- 1 bx spice cake mix - 1 c flour - 2 lg eggs - 1/2 c melted butter

- 1/2 c canned pumpkin - 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice - 1/2 c chopped pecans - 10-15 orange chocolate candy disks - melted

DIRECTIONS

1.   Preheat oven to 350. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2.   Combine cake mix, flour, 2 eggs, melted butter, pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice in mixer bowl.

3.   Mix for about 2 minutes.

4.   Add the pecans and stir into batter.

5.   Divide the dough into two 2 x 8 inch rectangles, about 1 inch high.

6.   Bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven. Let cool 10 minutes.

7.   Slice each rectangle into 1/2 inch thick slices. Slicing on an angle gives you more cookies.

8.   Lay the slices on their side and bake 10 minutes longer.

9.   Cool cookies completely before you melt the orange chocolate and drizzle over each cookie.

Hot Or Cold Honey Apple Tea

INGREDIENTS

- 4 black tea bags - 1/3 c honey - 3 c apple juice, unsweetened

- 3 c boiling water - lemon slices

DIRECTIONS

1.   In a 2-qt. pot, brew tea bags in boiling water. 

Remove bags, add honey and apple juice. Stir well.

2.   Serve hot or pour over ice.

My Favorite Apple Crisp

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)
• 1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small cubes
• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick-cooking)
• 3 pounds apples, such as Empire, Gala, or Braeburn, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together flour, brown sugar, salt, and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Cut butter into flour, using a pastry blender or two knives, until mixture is the texture of coarse meal. Add oats, and use your hands to toss and squeeze mixture until large, moist clumps form. Transfer to freezer to chill while you prepare apples.
2. In another large bowl, toss apples with lemon juice, cinnamon, and remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Transfer to a shallow 2-quart baking dish, and sprinkle with topping mixture. Place baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until golden and bubbling, 55 to 65 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Crockpot Whole Turkey Breast

Have you ever cooked a whole turkey breast in the crockpot? I did, for the first time, this weekend, and I can tell you I will be doing it again and again. It was super tender without being dried out (in fact it was quite moist and flavorful) and it makes enough broth to make a wonderful gravy too!

5½ pound bone-in turkey breast
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
3 stalks celery chopped
½ cup chicken broth
black pepper

Wash and pat dry your turkey breast. Trim the meat so that it will fit into the crockpot ( I had to remove a little of the rib bones to get it to fit into my crockpot). Coat the surface of the turkey with minimal butter and rub the dry onion soup mix and pepper all over the surface of the turkey. Put the chopped celery into the bottom of the crockpot and add ½ cup of chicken broth. Lay the turkey breast (breastbone side down) on top of the chopped celery. Cook on high one hour, then on low for 7 hours.

NOTE: The only drawback to this recipe (and to me it is no big deal) is that you do not get the traditional crispy turkey skin with this cooking method, so I suggest you carve the turkey before you bring it to the table.
NOTE: You are going to be tempted to add more than ½ cup of broth to the crockpot, but do not. The turkey will produce plenty of liquid.
NOTE: Everyone’s crockpot cooks at a different temperature, so you will have to decide how long you cook it. We like our turkey to come easily off the bone, and that took 1 hour on high and 7 hours on low for a 5½ pound (bone-in) turkey breast.
I was thrilled to find this cooking method for turkey breast. I can see so many uses for it like extra turkey if you are having a big holiday dinner, great for turkey sandwiches, casseroles, soups, salads, etc. Tons of possibilities, not to mention a great way to have a nice hot turkey dinner without heating up the kitchen this summer.

Brisket Taco's or Quesadillas

Tacos or quesadillas loaded with sliced brisket, brie, monterrey Jack, and topped with a mango barbecue sauce.  This is Soooo Goodddd !!!

Ingredients

• Brisket
• 3 lb brisket
• Salt
• Ground black pepper
• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 16 oz  Dr. Pepper (made with real sugar)
• Mango Barbecue Sauce
• 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped (about 3/4 – 1 cup)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 tsp Creole (spicy brown) mustard
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1/4 cup mango chutney (1/4 cup homemade or purchased)
• Quesadillas
• 8 8-in flour tortillas
• 8 oz brie, thinly sliced
• 1 cup monterrey jack, shredded
• olive oil or cooking spray, to brush tortillas
• cilantro, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. To make the brisket: Rub the meat with salt, pepper, chili powder, and garlic.
2. Place brisket in the crockpot and pour the Dr. Pepper over the top.
3. Cook on low for 8 hours.
4. Remove from the crockpot and let rest for 15 minutes.
5. Slice against the grain (1/8-1/4 inch thick).
6. To make the barbecue sauce: Heat olive oil in a 2-qt sauce pan.
7. Saute onions for 5 minutes.
8. Add garlic and cook until fragrant.
9. Stir in the remaining ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes.
10. Transfer to a blender or food processor and run until smooth.
11. To assemble the quesadillas: Heat a griddle or large pan over medium-high.
12. Lay out the tortillas. Divide the meat, brie, and monterrey jack between the tortillas, placing the meat and cheese on half of the tortilla.
13. Top with a spoonful or two of barbecue sauce and fold the other half over.
14. Place on the heated grill (brushing the tortilla with oil or cooking spray will prevent sticking).
15. Cook until the bottom is crisp and flip over.
16. Remove from heat and cut into 2-3 wedges. Serve with extra barbecue sauce.

Candy-Coated Popcorn

(Baking the candy-coated popcorn on low heat in the oven helps it stay crisp, never sticky or soggy) Note: If you want it to be sticky and chewy . . . Only Bake it for 20 minutes.

• Cooking Spray
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/2 cup unpopped popcorn kernels
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 2/3 cup light-colored corn syrup
• 2 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F
2. Line a jelly-roll pan with parchment paper; coat paper with Cooking spray
3. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over med-high heat. Add popcorn, cover and cook 4 minutes, shaking pan frequently. When popping slows, remove pan from the heat. Let stand until popping stops. Uncover, add almonds.
4. Combine sugar, syrup, butter, and salt in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Add peanut butter and vanilla, and stir until smooth. Drizzle over popcorn; toss well. Spread mixture into prepared pan. Bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool completely.

Rose Victoria's Tips About Honey

Here's a Tip From My Spoonsfull Of Love....About Honey: 
To substitute honey for sugar in recipes, start by substituting 
up to half of the sugar called for. With a little experimentation, 
honey can replace all the sugar in some recipes. 

When baking with honey, remember the following: 
Reduce any liquid called for by 1/4 cup for each cup of honey used. 
Add l/2 teaspoon baking soda for each cup of honey used. 
Reduce oven temperature by 25 F to prevent over-browning. 

Because of its high fructose content, honey has a higher 
sweetening power than sugar. This means you can use less honey 
than sugar to achieve the desired sweetness.

When measuring honey, coat the measuring cup with non-stick 
cooking spray or vegetable oil before adding the honey. 
The honey will slide right out.

To retain honey's wonderfully luxuriant texture, always store 
it at room temperature; never in the refrigerator. If your honey 
becomes cloudy, don't worry. It's just crystallization, a natural 
process. Place your honey jar in warm water until the crystals 
disappear. If you're in a hurry, place it in a microwave-safe 
container and heat it in the microwave on HIGH for 2-3 minutes, 
stirring every 30 seconds. Remember, never boil or scorch honey.

Baked Southwestern Egg Dish

INGREDIENTS

- 12-16 slc sourdough bread, cut in 1" cubes - stale is best - 2 c cheddar cheese, grated - 1 c monterey jack cheese, grated - 12 eggs, whipped to a froth - 2 c milk - 7 oz canned green chiles, diced - 1 can(s) tomatoes and chiles (small) - 2 Tbsp dried cilantro

- 1 Tbsp cumin - 1/4 tsp black pepper - 1 Tbsp chipotle chili powder (smokey works best) - 1/2 tsp salt - 1 c chorizo (mexican sausage, mild or medium), fried and drained of grease - fresh cilantro - garnish - sour crean

DIRECTIONS

1.   Coat a 9" baking dish with cooking spray.

2.   In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, milk and seasonings together; set aside.

3.   Trim crust from bread.

4.   Pour just enough egg mixture to cover the bottom of the prepared baking dish.

5.   Line dish with half of the bread.

6.   Spread half of each cheese, half of the chorizo and half the chilies over the bread layer.

7.   Add another bread layer and the remaining cheese, corizo and chilies.

8.   Pour remaining egg mixture over the dish.

9.   Cover with foil.

10.   Refrigerate overnight.

11.   Bake in 350 degree F. oven for 50 to 55 minutes or until liquid is set to custard.

12.   Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with a dollop of sour cream.

Pumpkin Cream Delight

1 stick butter, melted
1 cup flour
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tbs sugar 
1 (8oz) package of cream cheese, soft 
1 cup powdered sugar
2 (8 oz) containers cool whip (or one 16 ozz container) 
2 small packages (3.4oz) of Jello Instant Pumpkin Spice Pudding  
3 cup cold milk
Nutmeg for sprinkling

For the crust:

1. Combine butter, flour, chopped pecans and sugar and press into a 9 x 13 in baking dish.  Bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes.  Let cool completely.

For the Cream Cheese Layer:

1.  Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, and 1 1/2 cups cool whip until smooth.  Spread over crust. 

For the Pumpkin Layer:

1.  Mix pudding mixes with cold milk, whisking for several minutes.  Set it in the fridge for 5-10 minutes to let it thicken.  Spread over the cream cheese layer. Top with remaining container of cool whip. Sprinkle with nutmeg.  

Cut into squares and serve.  Keep refrigerated.

Cupcake Pebbles Crispy Treats

ngredients

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine
• 1 package (10-1/2 oz.) miniature marshmallows

• 1 package (11 oz.) POSTCUPCAKE PEBBLES®
• 1 can (16 oz.) ready-to-spread frosting

Instructions

1. Microwave butter in 4-quart microwavable bowl on high 45 seconds or until melted. Add marshmallows; mix to coat. Microwave 1-1/2 minutes or until marshmallows are completely melted, stirring after 45 seconds. Add cereal; mix well.
2. Press cereal mixture firmly into lightly greased muffin pans to form "cupcakes," using about 1/3 cup for each. Cool; remove from pans.
3. Spread with frosting before serving. Decorate as desired. Makes about 2 dozen.

Irresistible Marshmallow Popcorn Balls

That all changed recently when I saw this gem of a treat.  People, we are talking about a giant bowl of popcorn tossed with the same coating that you normally use for rice krispie treats, shaped into balls and decorated with sprinkles.  I made all sorts of giddy exclamations when I saw this recipe.  Thank goodness no one was around to hear all of that.  These are just as easy to make as rice krispie treats and they look cute as can be.  Serve them on sticks or not, whatever you prefer.  They are easily dressed up for any holiday with seasonal sprinkles.  Part crunchy, part chewy, and very irresistible.  The only bad thing is that they might just be too easy to make.

INGREDIENTS

4 tbsp. (¼ cup) unsalted butter
10 oz. marshmallows
1 tsp. vanilla extract
¼ tsp. salt
12 cups buttered popcorn*
Nonpareils or sprinkles, for decoration (optional)

DIRECTIONS

• Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Stir in the marshmallows, vanilla and salt.  Heat, stirring constantly, until the marshmallows are completely melted and the mixture is smooth.
• Place the popcorn in a large mixing bowl.  Pour the marshmallow mixture over the top.  Toss gently to combine and coat the popcorn. Allow to cool just slightly, then form into balls with well buttered hands.  Place on sheets of wax paper, sprinkle with nonpareils, and allow to set.  Once firm, insert a stick into each popcorn ball if desired.
• *I popped about ½ cup of kernels in the Whirly Pop and it was just the right amount for making this recipe plus a little extra for snacking :) 

Bowties w/Artichoke hearts/beans and garlic butter

The name is only half the story! I take al dente farfalle (bowties cooked just right), add some artichoke hearts and cannellini (white) beans, and toss the whole thing in butter and sautéed garlic. Delicious!

Ingredients

Serves: 4

• 4 servings of bowties (check the box!)
• 1 can of artichoke hearts
• 1 can of cannellini beans
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Parmesan cheese, for sprinkling

Preparation method

Prep: 10 mins |Cook: 15 mins

1.	Get a pot of water on the burner. While waiting for it to boil, measure your artichoke hearts and cannellini beans, then set aside. Chop your garlic as fine as you can.
2.	Put a pan on your stove top, add a little butter or olive oil, then add your garlic. Sauté it at low-medium heat. At this point, your water should be boiling, too. Add your pasta and let it cook. Use a wooded spoon to pluck one out frequently, checking to see if it's ready to eat. As soon as it's al dente (still firm, but easy enough to bite into), pour it through a colander.
3.	Add your beans, artichoke hearts, bowties, and sautéed garlic back to the pot you used to boil your pasta. Add your butter directly into the pot, quickly stirring to spread it evenly throughout the dish. No further heat is needed here—just use the heat from the cooked pasta and sautéed garlic to melt the butter. Sprinkle the whole dish with salt and pepper and taste after each shake to see if it's to your liking. When the dish is mixed, plate it, sprinkle your cheese, and enjoy!

Substitution

Try a butter substitute for a lighter dish.

Drink pairing

This dish goes well with a crisp white wine, like reisling or sauvignon blanc. But it'll go just fine with a light beer.

Spinach/ Cheese Angel Hair Pasta Casserole

1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1/2 small onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
black pepper, to taste
2 cups monterey jack cheese, shredded
4 ounces angel hair pasta
Directions:

1
Preheat oven to 350'.
2
Cook Spinach and drain well.
3
Cook Angel hair spaghetti according to package and drain well.
4
Combine egg, sour cream, milk, Parmesan cheese, chopped onion, salt, black pepper, and Montery Jack cheese in a large bowl.
5
Stir well to combine Add cooked/drained Spaghetti and Spinach (while hot) to mixture and mix well.
6
Grease lightly a casserole dish and spread mixture into dish.
7
Cover casserole dish and bake for 15 minutes than take out of oven and uncover and bake for 45 minutes longer in oven or until lightly browned.

Refreshing Fall Apple Sangria

INGREDIENTS:

2 honeycrisp apples
One 750-milliliter bottle un-oaked Chardonnay
1/2 cup peach schnapps
1/4 cup orange blossom honey
2 oranges- 1 quartered
1 lemon - quartered
1 lime - quartered
2 cinnamon sticks
2 quarter-size slices of fresh ginger
3 whole cloves
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Ice
Club soda

DIRECTIONS:

Peel, core and chop one of the apples. In a bowl, combine the Chardonnay, schnapps and honey. Add the quartered orange, lemon, lime, cinnamon sticks, chopped apple, ginger and cloves and refrigerate overnight. (If you don't want to wait that long at least give it 4 hours)

Strain the sangria into a pitcher. Peel, core and finely chop the remaining apple. Peel, section and chop the remaining orange. Mix the apple and orange in a bowl.

On a small plate, blend the sugar and cinnamon. Moisten the rims of wine glasses and dip in the cinnamon sugar to coat. Fill the glasses with ice. Pour in the sangria until three-quarters full. Top with a splash of club soda. Garnish with a spoonful of the chopped apple and orange.

Strawberry/Blueberry Cream Cheese Monkey Bread

Ingredients

• 2 (11 ounce) packages Pillsbury Thin Crust Pizza Dough (22 ounces total)
• ½ cup strawberries
• ½ cup blueberries

• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 (8 ounce) package of cream cheese, room temperature

Instructions

1.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.
Spray an 11-inch spring-form pan with cooking spray and set aside.
3.
Place all berries, cream cheese, and 1 tablespoon of sugar into the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth (about 1 - 2minutes).
4.
Lightly flour a surface, and roll out both pieces of Pillsbury Thin Crust Pizza Dough, side by side.

5.
Spread both dough pieces evenly with the cream cheese mixture, leaving a 2-inch border of dough around the cream cheese.

6.
Roll up both dough sections into a log -- jelly-roll style.

7.
Trim off the ends of each roll to make them neat, and then, Cut each roll into 15 1-inch pieces.
8.
Place each piece of dough into prepared round or bundt pan, placing them side-by-side in concentric circles until entire pan is filled.

9.
Sprinkle dough with remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and bake for 35 minutes or until bread is lightly golden.

10.
Serve immediately.