Apple Pecan Pancakes

We love pancakes in our home. I have several very good recipes that I use on a regular basis, all of which include some wonderful ingredients such as chocolate chips and blueberries. This recipe was adapted from a Taste of Home recipe and is the only one that I make that has apples and cinnamon in it. The combination is perfect for a weekend breakfast in the fall. Making pancakes from scratch takes a little longer than making them from a mix, but the variety of ingredients is fun, especially for children. The wonderful fragrance will bring your hungry family to the kitchen, if they are not already there helping.

Blessings...

Recipe:

1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

2 tbsps. brown sugar

2 tsps. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

3/4 cup plus 2 tbsps. milk

2 eggs, separated

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup finely chopped peeled apple

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

1. In a bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.

2. In a measuring cup, combine milk, egg yolks and vanilla; stir into flour mixture. Add apple and pecans.

3. In a clean bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form; fold into batter.

4. Pour batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto a hot greased griddle or skillet. Turn when bubbles begin to form and the edges are golden brown. Cook until the second side is golden brown.

Yield: 12 or 13 pancakes

Note: I've substituted dried cranberries for the apples.

Grandma's Dishes and some Family Memories

These lovely dishes belonged to my paternal grandmother. My cousin asked me if I would like to have a few pieces for memories sake, but I could not even remember my grandmother's dishes, so I asked her if she would send me a picture. Bless her heart, she simply boxed them up and sent them to me. This lovely gift arrived at my door a few months after my father's death this past spring. Her thoughtfulness touched me deeply, especially because of the timing in my life.

I spoke with my mom about grandma as a cook because I honestly could not remember having meals at my grandparent's home. I remember going regularly for visits, but not for meals. I had always remembered my mom telling me that my grandma was not a cook. She simply did not enjoy the kitchen. Mom shared some family history with me that helped me better understand my mom as a young bride of 17 just starting out.

One of the things that Mom readily recalled was the fact that Friday was Chef Boyardee spaghetti night and that this was what my father new of spaghetti. (My thought was, yuk!). So when Mom found a recipe for the real thing from scratch and put it in front of him one evening for dinner, my father's words were, "what's this?" and wasn't very happy with his new bride. This kind of response happened a great deal in my parents lives. Mom said that one of the things she heard often was, "this isn't how my mom made this". These are words that will take the heart right out of a young brides desire to cook.

There were a few other things that Mom remembered, but I won't bore you with those tidbits. The thing that is most important to me is that my mom loves to cook and is one of the best cooks in the world. She is a fighter and did not quit trying. She taught me that simple food that tastes good is what matters, that there is no place for snobbery or status in the kitchen, or at the table, and to make sure that there is plenty of food on the table. I still make some of the things that were a part of my childhood and that I learned to make while working with Mom in the kitchen. I have many happy memories of those days, and I can tell you that my father was my mom's greatest fans. Blessings...

Oatmeal Carmelitas

This yummy recipe has been posted everywhere and has been added to many cookbooks. The original recipe was a Pillsbury Bake-Off winner in 1967, the year I entered high school. Oh, my goodness, that was a long time ago, but the recipe has stood the test of time. It is wonderful. The crust is buttery-rich and the filling is made simple with caramel ice cream topping, chopped pecans and chocolate chips. It's a great go-to recipe when you need something to please a crowd or the family. Blessings...

Recipe:

Crust
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups quick-cooking dry oatmeal
1-1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1-1/4 cups butter, softened
Filling
1 (12.5-oz.) jar caramel ice cream topping (1 cup)
3 tbsps. flour
1 (6-oz.) pkg. semisweet chocolate chips (1 cup)
1/2 cup chopped nuts (I like pecans)

1. Grease a 13 x 9- inch pan. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, blend all crust ingredients on low speed until crumbly. Measure out 4 cups and place in baking pan; press the crumbs to make the bottom crust.
3. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes.
4. While crust is baking, in a small bowl combine the ice cream topping and the 3 tbsps. flour. Remove partially baked crust from oven; sprinkle with chocolate chips and nuts. Drizzle evenly with caramel mixture; sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture.
5. Return to the oven for an additional 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack.
6. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours until filling is set. Cut into bars.

Yield: 36 bars
200 calories each, 1 gm. fiber

Beefy Taco Dip

This recipe is another one with Mexican flair. It's easy to throw together and would work well as an accompaniment to a meal or along side other snacks while relaxing and watching your favorite sports team. It's a wonderfully filling and satisfying dip. I've served it with fruit and cookies as a lunch or light dinner. Have a great weekend. Blessings...

Recipe: 

1/2 lb. ground beef
1-1/2 tsps. chili powder
1 cup chunky salsa
4 ounces light cream cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese or Mexican blend cheese
Chopped fresh tomatoes, sliced green onions and sliced ripe olives, opitional
Tortilla chips

In a skillet, cook beef with chili powder until no longer pink; drain. Add salsa, cream cheese and cheese.
Heat until cheese melts. Top with tomatoes, onions and olives if desired. Serve warm with tortilla chips.

Yield:  4 - 6 servings

Sweet Spinach Salad

This recipe for spinach salad is one of my absolute favorites. The recipe comes from one of my "Taste of Home" cookbooks and I have been making it for several years with great success. Many spinach salads have the addition of oranges of one type or another, but not with a dressing that is also orange in flavor. When my granddaughters were here visiting I found that using a sweeter dressing in combination with fruits, nuts and greens, dinner was a much more pleasant time. If you have family members that aren't crazy about the color green on their plates, you might try this recipe. Blessings...

Recipe:

3 tbsps. orange juice concentrate
2 tbsps. sugar
2 tbsps. cider vinegar
1-1/2 tsps. minced onion
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1-1/2 tsps. poppy seeds
1 pkg. (10 ounces) fresh baby spinach, picked over
1 can (15 ounces) mandarin oranges, drained
2/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted

1. In a blender, combine the orange juice concentrate, sugar, vinegar, onion and salt.
2. While processing, gradually add oil in a steady stream. Stir in poppy seeds. Refrigerate dressing for about an hour or until chilled.
3. In a large salad bowl, combine the spinach, oranges and almonds. Drizzle with as much dressing as needed.

Serves: 6
Note: I use "Almond Accents" brand Butter Toffee Glazed flavored sliced almonds. We love them in salads.

Salsa Rice

This simple recipe is quickly prepared in the microwave and has all of the wonderful flavor that cumin and salsa have to offer. The addition of fresh squash makes for an interesting change of pace and a little extra nutrition in this twist on Spanish rice. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 cup chicken or beef broth
1 tsp. butter
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/8 tsp. salt
1 cup uncooked instant brown rice
1/4 cup salsa
1 medium zucchini or yellow summer squash, diced

Combine all ingredients in a microwave safe bowl; cover and cook on high power for about 10 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and squash is fork tender. Stir and serve.

Serves: 4
Note: The cooking time will vary if you use instant white rice and if squash is not added. If you make these changes, cook according to package directions because white rice cooks faster and squash adds extra moisture.

Serving Suggestions: Serve with Easy Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas, Southwest Tortilla Stack, Turkey Taco Bake or Burrito Pie. Click on the casserole label for any one of these tasty recipes.

Chocolate Fondue-2

Fondue is the perfect dessert to serve after your family meal or to any
gathering of friends and family. Because it is Fall, I'm thinking football again because I know it is huge this time of year all over America. My
family loves the game, and food is always a big part of game day. I
was raised on the game by my father, who absolutely loved the game.
He believed in the San Francisco Forty Niners when there was
nothing to believe in and my mom, son and daughter-in-law are avid
fans of today's team. I couldn't tell you what kind of team they are, I stopped watching when Joe Montana walked off the field. Oh, well. This post is for you dad, you would have loved this fondue while you watched your guys. Blessings to all...

Recipe:

1 12-ounce pkg. semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup half-and-half
1-2 tbsps. brandy or 2 tsps. instant coffee

1. In a heavy saucepan, melt chocolate and cream over low heat, stirring until smooth.
2. Remove from heat and stir in brandy or instant coffee. Pour into fondue pot to keep warm.

Dippers: apple and banana slices, orange segments, cut up pineapple, fresh strawberries, chunks of pound cake, cubes of angel food cake and maybe for kids, marshmallows.

Note: I have a very easy recipe posted for pound cake, if you would like to make your own rather than buying one.
Note: You can also substitute 1-2 tsps. orange extract for the brandy. Be sure to taste the fondue after adding 1 tsp. as you don't want to add so much that it is overwhelming.

Slow Cooker Barbecue Beef

Fall is here, and the gathering of friends and family around the T.V. for football is a national pass time, as well as all the snacking that goes along with a three to four hour game. Barbecue beef sandwiches are a favorite with the tender and mildly spiced beef on a hamburger bun. Great for game day or anytime. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 boneless beef sirloin tip roast (about 3 pounds), cut into large chunks

3 celery ribs, chopped

1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

1 medium green pepper, chopped

1 cup ketchup

1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

3 tbsps. chili powder

2 tbsps. fresh lemon juice

2 tbsps. molasses

2 tsps. salt

2 tsps. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. ground mustard

hamburger buns or sandwich rolls

1. Place the beef in a 5-qt. slow cooker. Add the celery, onion and green pepper.

2. In a bowl, combine the sauce ingredients and whisk until smooth. Pour over beef and vegetables.

3. Cover and cook on low for 8 - 9 hours or until meat is tender.

4. Skim fat from cooking juices if necessary. Shred beef and serve.

Note: If your serving the beef for a party, prepare the recipe in advance and refrigerate. Return the beef to the slow cooker and reheat on low setting for a few hours. When the meat is hot, turn down to warm setting for your party.