Parmesan Garlic Breadsticks

Recipe coming soon!

Minnie's One-Dish Meal

It's been over two years since I shared my last recipe on here. That's kind of sad, since I love cooking and photography so much, but my life's been so busy and fulfilling that I wouldn't have it any other way!

This is an original recipe by Minnie Elkins, my great-grandmother from Iowa. I can imagine there's a story behind the creation of the recipe. Maybe Grandma Minnie needed to make her spaghetti stretch to feed a few more hungry bellies, so she just threw in whatever was handy and no one was the wiser.  In any case, this dish is down-right tasty, satisfying, home-comfort cookin' at its best. And it comes highly recommended by several generations of Minnie's kin. ;)

• 1 lb. ground beef, moose, or caribou
• 1/2 C. chopped onion
• 1 lb. spaghetti, cooked
• 2 C. spaghetti sauce
• 1 (15.oz) can creamed corn
• 1/2 lb. cream cheese, cut
• 1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup
• Bread crumbs, buttered

Brown ground meat and onion in skillet. Cook spaghetti until done. Add to meat the spaghetti, sauce, corn, and cream cheese. Put in 2 quart baking dish and spread mushroom soup over top. Can use fine bread crumbs or two slices of bread, buttered; sprinkle evenly over top of mushroom soup. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Chocolate Biscotti

This has got to be the most decadent thing you can enjoy with a nice cup of coffee. It is divine.

Modified recipe from Allrecipes.com

• 1/2 C. butter, softened
• 2/3 C. sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla 
• 1-3/4 C. flour
• 1/4 C. cocoa powder
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 C. chocolate chips

Combine dry ingredients. Cream butter and sugar; add eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture and chocolate chips. It will form a stiff ball of dough. (I like to use my hands to work it all together.)

Divide the dough in half and place on a greased baking sheet. Shape each half of dough into a 9-inch long and 1 1/2-inch wide log.

Bake in a 350-degree oven for 20 minutes. Flip the baking sheet around for even baking and bake for 20-25 more minutes until golden and firm to the touch.

Remove from the oven but keep the oven on. Let biscotti cool until able to handle. Using a serrated knife, cut logs into 1/2-inch wide diagonal slices. Place biscotti cut side down on baking sheet. Bake again until pale golden, about 10-15 minutes.

Store in an airtight container for up to one week.

Printable Version coming soon!

Peanut Butter Pecan Biscotti

Another tasty biscotti recipe! Buttery and golden....just perfect for when you'd just like something special. The pecans add a nice crunch.

Modified recipe from Joy the Baker

•  4 T. butter, softened
• 1/3 C. peanut butter
• 3/4 C. sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 C. flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 C. pecans

Combine dry ingredients. Cream butters and sugar; add eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture. It will form a stiff ball of dough. (I like to use my hands to work it all together.)

Divide the dough in half and place on a greased baking sheet. Shape each half of dough into a 9-inch long and 1 1/2-inch wide log.

Bake in a 350-degree oven for 20 minutes. Flip the baking sheet around for even baking and bake for 20-25 more minutes until golden and firm to the touch.

Remove from the oven but keep the oven on. Let biscotti cool until able to handle. Using a serrated knife, cut logs into 1/2-inch wide diagonal slices. Place biscotti cut side down on baking sheet. Bake again until pale golden, about 10-15 minutes.

Store in an airtight container for up to one week.

Printable Version coming soon!

Cinnamon Biscotti

A few months ago, I was in the mood to try some new recipes -- totally new and unique recipes! The day I discovered this recipe for cinnamon biscotti was a happy day! However, thanks to biscotti, now my entire family is addicted to it and I'm "required" to make a batch every week! Two other biscotti recipes will be making their appearance soon.

Modified recipe from Honey & Jam

• 2 C. flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 C. sugar
• 6 T. butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tsp. vanilla

• 1 egg white (for brushing biscotti before baking)
• 1/4 C. sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon

Combine dry ingredients. Cream butter and sugar; add eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture. It will form a stiff ball of dough. (I like to use my hands to work it all together.)

Divide the dough in half and place on a greased baking sheet. Shape each half of dough into a 9-inch long and 1 1/2-inch wide log. Brush with the egg white and sprinkle generously with cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Bake in a 350-degree oven for 20 minutes. Flip the baking sheet around for even baking and bake for 20-25 more minutes until golden and firm to the touch.

Remove from the oven but keep the oven on. Let biscotti cool until able to handle. Using a serrated knife, cut logs into 1/2-inch wide diagonal slices. Place biscotti cut side down on baking sheet. Bake again until pale golden, about 10-15 minutes.

Store in an airtight container for up to one week.

Printable Version coming soon!

Apple-Filled Biscuits

These tender biscuits filled with sweet, cinnamon-y pieces of apple are scrumptious. Your family will love them. If you run out of filling and have biscuits left, you can fill them with your choice of jam and they will taste just as yummy!

Recipe from the Kitchen-Klatter cookbook

• 2 C. flour
• 1 T. baking powder
• 1 T. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 C. butter
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 C. milk
  
  
• 1/4 C. sugar
• 1 T. flour
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 1-1/2 C. finely chopped apples

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F; grease baking sheet.

Combine dry ingredients, cut in shortening. Beat one whole egg and one egg yolk together, reserving remaining egg white. Add milk to beaten eggs; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Gently knead on lightly floured board; roll into 8 x 12-inch rectangle. Cut with 3-inch biscuit cutter and place on prepared baking sheet. Spoon apple filling across center, fold over, seal edges with tines of fork, brush top with egg white, and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for 15 minutes or until golden-brown. 

Printable Version coming soon!

Apple Yogurt Muffins

Mmmmmmmm... I LOVE these muffins! They are so tender, so moist, and so full of apple-and-cinnamon goodness... Wowzers. You've gotta try this one!

Recipe from Allrecipes.com

• 2 C. flour
• 3/4 C. sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 C. vanilla yogurt
• 1 egg
• 1/4 C. butter
• 4 T. milk
• 1 apple, peeled and chopped
  
  
• 2 T. all-purpose flour
• 2 T. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 T. cold butter

Combine dry and wet ingredients separately and then mix together. Fold in chopped apple. Fill greased muffin tins two-thirds full.

For topping, combine flour, sugar and cinnamon in a bowl; cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until muffins test done. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.

Printable Version coming soon!

Oatmeal Crackers

These crackers are both so nutritious and delicious! I love their chewy texture. My favorite way to eat them is either slathered with cream cheese or with crunchy peanut butter and honey. The perfect snack!

Recipe from "Morsels from the Mountaintops" cookbook

• 3 C. oatmeal
• 1 C. wheat germ
• 1 C. whole wheat flour
• 1 C. white flour
• 3 T. sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 3/4 C. olive oil
  
• 1 C. water

Combine dry ingredients; mix in oil and water. Spread onto two greased baking sheets. Optional: If you prefer a slightly thicker, chewier cracker, spread onto only one baking sheet. Cut into squares (rubber spatula works great) and sprinkle with salt.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until crisp.

Suggestions: Serve with sliced cheese, cream cheese, summer sausage, peanut butter (and honey), jam, tuna spread, dips, or pizza sauce. The tasty possibilities are many!

Printable Version

Pizza Sauce

We have homemade pizza every Saturday for supper. I make a big batch of pizza sauce once a month, doubling this recipe, divide it between four containers and freeze what we don't currently need.

Original recipe by Naomi

• 4 T. olive oil
• 2 tsp. garlic
• 2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
• 1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
• 3 T. sugar
• 1 T. Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3 T. Parmesan cheese

In a medium saucepan, saute garlic in olive oil over medium heat until garlic is tender. Add remaining ingredients and blend well. Cook over low-medium heat for five minutes or simmer several hours.

Printable Version

Honey-Sauced Chicken

My mom made this delicious chicken frequently when I was a little girl. I always had a clean plate after those dinners. :) This chicken is the stuff memories are made up of. The mere mention of honey chicken has ever filled my mouth with its mouth-watering flavor. It's just that special!

The lemon juice and honey mixture gives a perfectly sweet-sour zing to this dish. The honey in the sauce has a tendency to make it burn (notice the pictures :) but it's nothing to fret over as it does not give a burnt flavor to the dish.

Recipe from the Kitchen Klatter cookbook

• 2 C. flour
• 1/2 C. bread crumbs
• 4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 2 3-lb. frying chickens, cut up
• Milk for dipping
• 1-1/2 C. butter
• 1/2 C. honey
• 1/2 C. lemon juice

Combine flour, bread crumbs, salt and pepper. Dip pieces of chicken in milk and then roll in flour mixture. Put 1 C. butter in 9” x 13” baking dish. Melt either over low heat or for just a few minutes in a 400-degree oven. (Do not let brown!) Remove from oven and arrange chicken pieces in single layer in dish. Turn chicken to coat with butter.

Bake 30 minutes, skin side down, in 400-degree oven. Turn chicken. Combine remaining 1/2 C. butter, honey and lemon juice. Pour over chicken. Bake 30 more minutes, basting frequently.

Printable Version