Apple Recipes

We were visiting family in southern Illinois this past weekend and the fruit stands were selling local apples. How exciting!! Fresh from the tree apples are yummy!! I thought it was time to share a couple of Carol's apple recipes she sent me recently. Enjoy!

CARAMEL DIP FOR APPLES

1 C butter

1 Can Eagle Brand milk

1 C brown sugar

1/2 C Karo Syrup

Melt butter, brown sugar and syrup. Add Eagle Brand Milk. Boil 5 minutes. Serve with sliced apples.

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FRESH APPLE CAKE

2 C sugar

2 eggs, beaten

2 C flour

3 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp baking soda

1/4 C oil

1 tsp vanilla

4 C diced apples

Mix first 7 ingredients well. Batter will be a little dry at first. Add diced apples. Grease and flour a 9x13" pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

TOPPING

1/2 C sugar

2 T flour

1/2 stick margarine

1/2 C brown sugar (firmly packed)

1 C water

1 tsp vanilla

Cook all ingredients on stove until thick, stirring constantly. Add vanilla. Remove from heat. Pour on cake while cake and topping are still warm.

Savory Chicken Breasts

SAVORY CHICKEN BREASTS by Pat F.

4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves

ground black pepper to taste

4 slices swiss cheese

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/4 cup milk

1 cup Panko bread crumbs

3 Tbsp butter melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken breast in 9x13 baking dish. Season. Top each breast with cheese. Mix together milk and soup and pour over chicken. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and drizzle with butter. Bake covered for 30 minutes; uncover and bake for another 20 minutes.

I found this recipe on Allrecipes.com and it is delicious. I serve with rice. There is lots of sauce and it is so yummy, I could eat it with a spoon!

Chili Coney Dogs

I love, love, love using my slow cooker. I even won one in a blogging contest several months ago. I tend to use the thing for 4 recipes in a row and then I pack it away for a month...lol. How about you?? Do you enjoy breaking out the ol' Crockpot?? This sounds like a fun recipe! Thanks, Shawn!

Chili Coney Dogs

Serves 8

1 pound lean ground beef (90%) lean
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Dash cayenne pepper
8 hot dogs
8 hot dog buns, split
Shredded cheddar cheese, relish and chopped onion, optional

In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat. Drain. Stir in tomato sauce, water, Worcestershire sauce, onion and spices. Place hot dogs in a 3 qrt slow cooker. Top with beef mixture. Cover and cook on low 4-5 hours or until heated through. Serve on buns with cheese, relish and onion if desired.

Corn Salad

I have to admit...this sounds odd...lol. Michele says it's good and everyone asked for the recipe at a family get-together. I'm going to definitely have to try this...sounds really easy.

Please consider taking pictures of the food you make and e-mailing the pictures to me. While I've tried many of the recipes you've been sending, I haven't made them all.

Also...thanks so much for the response and all the recipes. I've got quite a few and I'm trying to go through them all. If you don't see your recipe on the blog for quite a while, know that it's coming. And...keep sending me more!!!!

Corn Salad

2 cans of whole kernel corn, drained (I'm sure you could use frozen or whatever you want too)

2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup of mayonnaise

Mix together. Right before serving, add 1 bag of chili cheese fritos crushed. Mix and serve cold.

Too Much Chocolate Cake

I love Facebook!! About a year ago, my brother sent me a text and asked me if I remembered Dawn, a fellow student at a junior college we all attended. I hadn't heard her name in YEARS! Through Facebook, we have reconnected. Turns out that she still lives near my hometown and is related, through marriage, to one of my former students. Anyway...this recipe is from Dawn. I thought it sounded like another hit with our chocolate lovers. Thanks Dawn!!!

Too Much Chocolate Cake

1 (18.25 oz) pkg Devil’s Food Cake Mix

1 c Vegetable oil

1 (5.9 oz) pkg instant chocolate pudding

4 eggs

1 c sour cream

½ c warm water

2 c semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together the cake & pudding mix, sour cream, oil, beaten eggs and water. Stir in the chocolate chips and pour batter into a WELL greased 12 cup bundt pan. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until top is springy to the touch and a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool cake thoroughly in pan at least an 1 ½ hours before inverting onto a plate. If desired dust the cake with powdered sugar.

****To make it better, I melt a stick of butter & another pkg of chocolate, semi-sweet or whatever kind you like morsels & drizzle over the top of the cake! All the calories are taken out!!! No guilt!!!

No Bake Peanut Butter Bars

This recipe comes all the way from Utah...from my niece, Sierra. Thanks for sharing!!!! It sounds great and the best part...you don't have to heat up the kitchen because they are no-bake!!

2 cups peanut butter
1 and a half sticks butter softened
2 cups powdered sugar
3 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 cups chocolate chips

grease 13x9inch baking pan
mix 1 cup peanut butter powdered sugar
graham cracker crumbs and 1/2 cup chocolate chips
put in pan

melt the rest of the chocolate chips and peanut butter over stove lowest heat
pour chocolate and peanut butter over graham cracker crust refrigerate for 1 hour and eat them !!!!!!!!!!! keep in refrigerator.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bars

Images borrowed from www.cookiesandcups.blogspot.com

If those pictures don't tempt all the chocolate lovers out there, I don't know what will!!!! My good friend, Amanda, made these one evening for our small group Bible study. I was in chocolate heaven and HAD to have the recipe. She forwarded the link to me and I was just looking for an excuse to make them. Fortunately, my brother and his family came up for a visit and I had just that excuse. In the words of my niece, Emily, "They are A-MAZ-ING!" Of course, in all fairness, Emily also thinks Justin Bieber is amazing...lol. But seriously...yummy, yummy, yummy!! I hope you have a reason to make them...SOON.

Just in case you missed the link above, please click here for the recipe...and while you're at it, check out the rest of the recipes on Cookies and Cups!!!

Fiesta Salad

Here's a salad recipe from Rachel. Thank you, Rachel!! I don't think we've had any salad recipes yet. I hope we can get a couple more. Hint, hint to my mom...the Queen of Salads...

Fiesta Salad

1 cup mayo

dash of ketchup or chili sauce

dash of cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon chili powder

salt to taste

1 cucumber, diced

1 bell pepper, diced

1 small red onion, diced

3 green onions, chopped

3 large tomatoes, chopped

4 slices of bacon, crumbled

2 cans of kidney beans, one light and one dark

Combine mayo and seasonings. Add the veggies and beans. Garnish with bacon.

Garlic Pork Kabobs

This seemed like an appropriate recipes for the weekend. Although, I'm not sure Mark is going to agree...not that he doesn't LOVE garlic...and kabobs. I don't think he's going to like the idea of standing outside at the grill in all this heat we are having lately.

If you decide to make these, please take a picture an send it to me. I would LOVE to start adding photos to these posts. Please!!!! Thank you, Shawn, for sharing this. I'm certain it's going to be a hit!!

Garlic Pork Kabobs

Serves 4

1-3/4 cups Swanson chicken stock
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon ketchup
2 teaspoons vinegar
1 boneless pork loin (about 1 pound), cut into 1 inch cubes
12 medium mushrooms
1 large red onion, cut into 12 wedges
4 cherry tomatoes
4 cups hot cooked regular long grain white rice

Stir the stock, cornstarch, garlic, brown sugar, ketchup and vinegar in a saucepan. Cook and stir over medium high heat until mixture boils and thickens. Remove the saucepan from heat. Thread alternately the pork, mushrooms and onion onto 4 skewers. Lightly oil the grill rack and heat grill to medium. grill the kabobs for 20 minutes or until pork is cooked through, turning and brushing often with the stock mixture. Place 1 tomato onto the end of each skewer. Heat the remaining stock mixture over medium heat to a boil. Serve the stock mixture with the kabobs and rice.

A few more zucchini recipes...

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I am going to post a couple of zucchini recipes that I've received from two different people...just in case you have some of the yummy veggie hangin' out in your fridge.

Sorry that the font is all wonky. For some reason I couldn't get it to format properly. Oh well.

This first recipe for zucchini bars and frosting is from my good friend, Carol.

ZUCCHINI BARS

2 C sugar

1 C oil

3 eggs

2 C flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

2 tsp baking soda

¼ tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla

2 C shredded, ungrated zucchini

1 sm carrot, shredded

¾ C rolled oats

1 C chopped nuts

Beat together sugar, oil and eggs in large bowl or food processor. Beat in flour, cinnamon, salt, baking soda and powder and vanilla. Beat 1-2 minutes until well mixed. Fold in zucchini, carrot, oats and nuts; mix well. Pour into 15x10x1" pan (jelly roll pan or cookie sheet with sides). Bake at 350º for 15-20 minutes.

Makes 3 dozen bars in this size pan.

Also makes a good cake in a 9x13" pan.

FROSTING FOR ZUCCHINI BARS

½ C soft butter

¼ tsp almond extract

2 tsp vanilla

2-½ C confectioners sugar

1 pkg (3 oz) creamed cheese, softened

Beat all ingredients together until smooth. Set aside. Frost after bars are cool.

Cut into bars.

Hope you can use this. This is zucchini season. Seems like people who grow them are trying to find ways to use them now. When I make these I usually just use a 9 X 13" cake pan and bake them as a cake.

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The next two recipes are from my former co-worker, Alice. Enjoy your retirement, my friend...assuming your husband lets you slow down...lol

EGG-STUFFED ZUCCHINI

4 medium zucchini squash (about 1 ½ pounds)

½ cup water

1 large tomato, chopped

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

3 beaten eggs

¼ teaspoon salt

Dash of pepper

½ cup shredded sharp American cheese (2 ounces)

Halve zucchini lengthwise. Scoop out pulp, leaving ¼-inch shell. Chop pulp to make 1 cup; set aside. Place zucchini shells, cut side down, in large skillet. Add the water. Simmer, covered, till just tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain; turn cut side up in same skillet. Sprinkle with a little salt.

Meanwhile, in medium skillet cook zucchini pulp and tomato in butter till squash is tender, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, the ¼ teaspoon salt, and pepper. Cook over low heat till just set, lifting with spatula so uncooked portion runs underneath. Spoon egg mixture into zucchini shells. Top with cheese. Cover; heat till cheese melts. Makes 4 servings.

Alice is well-known in her circle of family and friends for her quick bread recipes. Yummy!

ZUCCHINI BREAD

2 Loaf pans 9 X 5 X 3 Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees

3 eggs 3 cups flour

1 cup Crisco oil 1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups sugar ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

2 cups grated zucchini 3 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons vanilla ¼ teaspoon cloves

1 teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon baking powder

Beat eggs until foamy. Add oil, sugar, zucchini and vanilla. Add dry ingredients. May add nuts if desired.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Here's a favorite cookie recipe from Amanda and her family. It's another Taste of Home yummy recipe.


Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups quick-cooking oats
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 pkg (3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine the oats, flour, pudding mix, baking soda, and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks.

Makes about 7 dozen small cookies or 4 dozen medium sized cookies.

Southwest Tilapia

Here's a recipe found in "Taste of Home" by my friend Carrie. I never quite know what to do with fish (expect bake or grill it), so this sounds interesting to me. Plus...I just happen to have some tilapia in the freezer and tomatoes in my garden...and if you know me, garlic is my middle name...lol!

Southwest Tilapia

1 small onion chopped

1 small green pepper chopped

2 tsp. olive oil

2 garlic cloves

1 (15 oz.) can of tomato sauce

2 med. tomatoes, chopped

1 (2 1/4 oz.) can of sliced black olives

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/4 tsp. hot pepper sauce

1/8 tsp. pepper

4 tilapia fillets

In a large skillet, saute onion and green pepper in olove oil until tender. Add garlic, saute 1 minute longer. Stir in tomato sauce, tomatoes, olives, cumin, pepper sauce and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer, uncovered for 5 minutes.

Add fillets. Cover and cook over medium heat for 10-14 minutes (turning once) or until fish flakes easily with fork.

Pina Colada Pie

Here's another dessert recipe...sounds great!! Thanks, Elizabeth!!

Pina Colada Pie

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup pineapple-coconut nectar or plain pineapple nectar
• 1 cup light coconut milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
• 1 (3.4-ounce) box instant Jell-O vanilla pudding and pie filling
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 8 ounces whipped topping, divided
• 1 (9-inch) pie crust, baked
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut, toasted, for garnish

Directions

In a large bowl, combine nectar, coconut milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Sprinkle pudding mix over liquid and whisk for 2 minutes. Fold in coconut and 1/2 of the whipped topping. Pour into pre-baked pie crust and chill in refrigerator for at least 3 hours. Combine remaining whipped topping with 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Top chilled pie with whipped topping and toasted coconut.

BBQ Bacon Burgers

Sorry folks, for not posting for a while. My parents were visiting for a couple of days and I just didn't take the time to check my recipe e-mails. This recipe from Shawn just sounded way to yummy too not share right away!!!

Keep the recipes coming. You guys are awesome!!!!

BBQ Bacon Burgers

Serves 4 (I ended up making 6 burgers and just adjusted the ingredients)

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup BBQ sauce
4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1-1/2 teaspoons dried minced onion
1-1/2 teaspoons steak seasoning
1 pound ground beef
4 slices Swiss cheese (or any other type you prefer)
4 hamburger buns, split
Lettuce leaves and tomato slices, optional

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise and BBQ sauce. In another bowl, combine the bacon, 2 tablespoons mayonnaise mixture, onion and steak seasoning. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into four patties.

Grill burgers, covered, over medium heat for 5-7 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 160 deg and juices run clear. Top with cheese. Cover and cook 1-2 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Spread remaining mayonnaise mixture over buns. Top each with a burger, lettuce and tomato.

Crock Pot BBQ Beef Brisket

I love, love, love the crockpot!! I even won a nice stainless one in a blog contest recently. I'm always looking for new recipes and this one from Patricia C. is going to be a hit in our house...I can tell already. Thanks for sharing!

And by the way...if you make something from the site, please comment and let us know how it turned out for you.

Crock-Pot BARBECUED BEEF BRISKET

1 Beef Brisket (about 2 lbs or so)

Beef Brisket Spice Rub:
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp celery seed
1/8 tsp pepper
Combine & rub on meat then put meat in crock pot

Barbecue Sauce:
1/2 cup catsup
1/2 cup chili sauce
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tablespoon vinegar
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tsp liquid smoke (found in aisle near catsup & chili sauces)
1/2 tsp dry mustard
MIX and pour over the meat
Cook on low for 8-10 hours

This is lovely with mashed potatoes OR simply shredded and on fresh rolls as a sandwich. YUM!

Gooey Butter Cookies

I think it's time for a sweet treat! Thanks Alice!!

Gooey Butter Cookies

8 oz package of cream cheese
1 stick of butter
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 yellow cake mix
1 egg

Cream the ingredients together (I use a mixer until it becomes too gooey and sticky)
Refridgerate for 30 minutes
Drop spoonfuls onto cookie sheet
Bake for 12 minutes at 350 degrees
Sprinkle with powdered sugar.