Cherry Almond Coffee Cake

Ingredients

cake:
1 3/4 cup flour (I used whole wheat and it worked!)
1/2 cup plus 1 T sugar
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1/2 cup cold butter
1 egg
3/4 c sour cream
1 t almond extract

topping:
1/3 c flour
2 T sugar
2 T cold butter
1/3 cup sliced almonds

filling:
1 package (8oz) cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 t vanilla extract
3/4 c cherry preserves, warmed

Directions:

For the cake, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut in butter until mixtures is like coarse crumbs. Beat egg, sour cream and extract until smooth. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. My batter was too thick, I think because of the whole wheat flour, so I added water.
For topping, combine flour and sugar, cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in almonds and set aside.
For filling, beat cream cheese, sugar, egg and vanilla until smooth.
Pour half of the cake mixture into a greased 5 x 9 pan. Pour cream cheese filling over it, then the preserves and swirl. Cover with remaining batter then sprinkle with the topping. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Delish! This was a hit with the hubbs, the Christmas party and me!

Rosemary and Sea Salt Focaccia Bread

Ingredients:



1 3/4 cups warm water
4 1/2 cups bread flour
1 package active dry yeast
2 teaspoons fine salt
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons coarsely chipped fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:

Put the water in a medium bowl; whisk in 2 tablespoons of the flour, then sprinkle the yeast over the surface. Set aside until foamy, about 10 minutes.



Whisk the remaining flour and the fine salt into an electric mixer.



Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast mixture and 1/4 cup of the olive oil.



Gradually mix the flour with wooden spoon to make a shaggy, loose dough.



Mix on high until dough is workable but still moist. (about 4-5 minutes). Form dough into a ball.



Lightly oil a large bowl and place the dough in the bowl, turning around to coat. Cover with moist kitchen towel and let rise for 45 minutes.



Knead dough on lightly floured surface briefly before reshaping into a ball and setting aside in the bowl to rise for another 45 minutes.

Pour remaining 1/4 cup olive oil into an 11 17 inch jelly roll pan.



Put dough in pan and flatten by hand.



Set aside for 10 minutes until dough spreads easily in pan. Turn it over so both sides are well coated with the oil.

Stretch and press from the center to the edges of the pan.



Make indentations in the dough with fingertips and sprinkle with rosemary.





Cover with towel and let rise until puffy, about an hour.

Preheat oven to 425, sprinkle dough with sea salt. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Slip focaccia from pan and cool on a rack.





Serve with delicious pasta!




(original recipe found in Food Network cookbook)

Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups canned pumpkin pie filling, mashed
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg plus 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 piece pre-made pie dough
Whipped cream, for topping

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place 1 piece of pre-made pie dough down into a (9-inch) pie pan and press down along the bottom and all sides. Pinch and crimp the edges together to make a pretty pattern. Put the pie shell back into the freezer for 1 hour to firm up. Fit a piece of aluminum foil to cover the inside of the shell completely. Fill the shell up to the edges with pie weights or dried beans (about 2 pounds) and place it in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, remove the foil and pie weights and bake for another 10 minutes or until the crust is dried out and beginning to color.

For the filling, in a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer. Add the pumpkin and beat until combined. Add the sugar and salt, and beat until combined. Add the eggs mixed with the yolks, half-and-half, and melted butter, and beat until combined. Finally, add the vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger, if using, and beat until incorporated.

Pour the filling into the warm prepared pie crust and bake for 50 minutes, or until the center is set. Place the pie on a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Cut into slices and top each piece with a generous amount of homemade whipped cream.

Taken directly from Paula Dean. This woman knows what's UP with pumpkin pie! It was perfect and I don't even like pumpkin pie. I think the thing that really made it excellent was the pie filling I used: Libby's Easy Pumpkin Pie Mix!

Pierogi Casserole

Ingredients:

9 – 12 lasagna noodles, prepared according to package directions
2 cups cottage cheese
1 egg
3 cups mashed potatoes
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup cheddar cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13 x 9 pan. Place 3 – 4 cooked noodles on the bottom of the pan.

In a small bowl, combine cottage cheese and egg.

Spread the mixture evenly over the lasagna noodles.

Place 3 – 4 more noodles over the cottage cheese and egg mixtures. In a medium bowl, combine mashed potatoes and mozzarella cheese.

Spread the potato mixture over the noodles.

Place final 3 –4 noodles over the potato mixture and brush melted butter over the noodles.

Sprinkle with remaining cheeses.

Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove foil and bake for an additional 5 – 10 minutes or until the cheese begins to brown. Serve and enjoy!

Fiesta Bean Soup

Formerly Known as Taco Soup

Another oldie but goody! This is one of those wonderful recipes where you can use many options in your pantry. I make it often, and last night when I made it it turned out the best yet!

Ingredients
.5 to 1 lb cooked ground beef, optional
1-2 cans Rotel (I used 1 last night and it was plenty spicy)
2 cans beans, your choice, drained and rinsed (I used kidney and white pinto. You might like black beans, red pinto, chili beans, etc)
2 cans hominy, drained and rinsed (I use one yellow one white)
¼ c. No Chicken broth
1 can tomato soup
1 packet dry ranch dressing seasoning
As much or as little taco seasoning as you like
Grated cheddar cheese to top
Crunched up tortilla chips to top
Sour cream to top

Directions
Add everything to a crock pot, stir together and let cook for 2-3 hours. Serve with toppings and enjoy!
Easy and delicious, especially for a chilly fall or winter day!

Breakfast Pizza

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup chopped bell pepper, any color
1/4 cup Canadian bacon
1 (12-inch) prepared pizza crust, recipe found here:
8 eggs, beaten
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 cup taco sauce or salsa
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Directions:

Bake crust as necessary. Heat the oven to 400°F. Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat and add the pepper and bacon. Cook until the vegetables are tender and the bacon is as brown as you'd like. Stir the eggs and black pepper in the skillet. (in the case of the veg and the carnivore-who-hates-peppers, I separated the meat and peppers and, cooked the eggs, then added the meat back to 1/2 and the peppers back to half of the eggs.) Cook and stir until the eggs are set. Spoon the egg mixture onto the pizza crust. Top with the taco sauce. Sprinkle with the cheese. Bake for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Sprinkle with the cilantro. Cut and enjoy!

This was a hit! I used all whole wheat flour for the crust and added some extra honey and it had a delicious balance of sweetness to the egg mixture. YUM!

Autumn Cookies

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup pure pumpkin puree
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Mix flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and/or nutmeg, and salt in medium bowl. Beat butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. To the sugar mixture, add pumpkin, egg, and vanilla extract and mix well. Now add flour mixture to the sugar mixture until all ingredients are incorporated. Fold in chocolate chips and dried cranberries. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto prepared baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes. Enjoy! These are superb!

Homemade Tomato Soup and Cheesy Toast

Ingredients:
(for soup)
2 1/2 tablespoons butter
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil, crumbled between your fingers
Pinch of ground cloves
2 tablespoons flour
Two 15-ounce cans diced tomatoes in puree or juice
Pinch of baking soda
2 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups milk
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 small can Tomato paste

(for toast)
1 egg, separated,
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese
4 slices delicious bread, lightly toasted

Directions:

1. Melt the butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Add celery, basil, and cloves; cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Stir in the flour, then add the tomatoes, baking soda, and stock. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes. Let cool briefly, then puree in a blender until smooth

2. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Return the soup to the pot, add the milk and tomato paste, and season to taste. If the soup is too thick, thin it with additional milk or stock.

3. For the toasts, combine the yolk, mustard and cayenne pepper, then stir in the cheese. Whisk the white until it holds soft peaks and fold in. Spread the mixture on the toasted bread and bake until puffed and golden, about 5 minutes, while you reheat the soup. Serve the soup piping hot, with cheese toast.

Enjoy! Perfect for a cold Autumn day.

White Chicken Enchiladas

Since the year is coming to an end and I'm starting to complete my new years resolution, I've decided to add a few "old" recipes that are still great standbys that I will always have in my recipe collection. This is one of them!

Ingredients:
1 chicken breast
12 tortillas
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
20oz sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 small cans diced chile's
1-2 diced tomatoes
salsa and/or taco sauce

Directions:
(this is the half veg version)
bake and dice chicken breast
heat cream of chicken soup with half of sour cream and chile's in one pot
heat cream of mushroom soup with 2nd half of sour cream and chile's in a 2nd pot
dollop as much chicken/no chicken mixture as you'd like in a tortilla and add as much cheese as you'd like.
roll tortilla tightly and place in a baking pan and repeat.
leave enough soup mixture to spread over the top of the tortillas when the pan is full.
bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes.
top with tomatoes, salsa and anything else you find tasty.

YUM! One of our favorite meals!
heat

Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Chips

Ingredients:
3 cups sugar
1 cup cooking oil
4 eggs
3 1/3 cups flour
2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
2/3 cups water
1 150z can pumpkin



Directions:
Grease 2 loaf pans. Beat sugar, oil, eggs. In another bowl combine flour, soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add flour mixture gradually to sugar mixture, then add water. Beat in pumpkin. Add chocolate chips.
Bake at 350 for 1 hour 15 min or until knife comes out of the center clean.
Absolutely delish! I LOVE fall treats. Thanks, Jo, for this incredible recipe!