Fried Chicken with Milk Gravy

This is such a tasty recipe that I found so I had to share it. It comes from Farmhouse Kitchen and doesn't disappoint. The gravy is simple to make using the drippings from the chicken. So enjoy this on a cold winter night!

Fried Chicken & Milk Gravy

2/3 c. plus 1/4 c. all-purpose flour, divided
1 t. dried thyme
1/2 t. onion powder
1/2 t. seasoning salt
1/2 t. pepper, divided
4-8 chicken pieces, depending on which pieces (I used boneless skinless chicken breasts)
2/3 c. buttermilk
2 to 4 T. oil
1 t. chicken bouillon granules

1-1/2 c. milk

Combine 2/3 cup flour, thyme, onion powder, salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large plastic zipping bag. Add chicken to bag, one or two pieces at a time; shake to coat well. Dip chicken into buttermilk; return to bag and shake to coat. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and sauté for 15 minutes, turning to cook evenly until golden. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, uncovered, for an additional 25 to 30 minutes, until chicken is tender and juices run clear when pierced. Remove chicken to paper towels, reserving drippings; cover chicken to keep warm. Stir bouillon, remaining flour and remaining pepper into skillet drippings, scraping up any browned bits. Add milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly; cook and stir one additional minute. Serve hot gravy over chicken and mashed potatoes.

Cheese Ball

The cheese ball. A traditional holiday treat. You can have them so many different ways. Here is a recipe for a simple and basic ball. You can use whatever kind of cheese you like and whatever kind of toppings (or coatings?) you like to make it your own. My sister-in-law and I gave them out as neighbor gifts the last 2 years. Enjoy!

Cheese Ball

1 (8 oz) package of Cream Cheese, softened

1 c. butter, softened

1/2 c. chopped onion

parsley

1 small jar of pimentos, chopped

1 c. shredded cheese of your choice

Topping of your choice such as shredded cheesem chopped nuts, etc.

Cream together the cream cheese and butter. Add the onion, parsley, and pimentos. I chop the pimentos with a food processor to get them nice and tiny. Add the cheese. Stir all together. Shape into one ball or many smaller balls.

Cover with the toppings you decided on and either serve (it will be soft) or store in the fridge a bit to harden it. Enjoy!

Fudge Revel Bars

These are in my top 10 favorite desserts. Which is why I shouldn't make them very often. Especially since it makes a huge cookie sheet sized pan. What's a girl to do? Devour Share them of course! I really have a hard time getting through the mixing process because I just want to sit down with the dough and eat it. Straight from the bowl. Well here, look and see for yourself...

Fudge Revel Bars
1 c. butter
2 eggs
2 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 1/2 c. flour
2 tsp. vanilla
3 c. quick oats
Cream together the butter, brown sugar, and eggs. Add the vanilla. Add the salt, baking soda, and flour. Mix. Add oats and mix well. Press 2/3 of the dough into a greased cookie sheet.
Fudgey Goodness
1 can Sweetended Condensed Milk
1 pkg milk chocolate chips
1 Tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp salt

Put all into a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 1 minute and stir. Keep cooking at 30 second increments and stirring until melted. Pour over the dough and spread out. Sprinkle the rest of the dough over the fudge. Bake at 350 for 20 min.

See? Don't you just wanna stop right here and eat? But after a small sampling, press forward because this is what you get...

And this...mmm...

Lunchbox Reviews Site

If you are looking for lunchboxes, head over here to Sound Feelings that has a lunch box review site. It shows some fun and cute lunchboxes and links to their sites. Check it out. I will have this listed on the right sidebar under Helpful Stuff in case you want to find it again. I really like the personalized boxes from Frecklebox. How cute are these?

Tater Tot Tacos

Who doesn't love tacos? Well these are the same only...different. Just cook up some tater tots and top with taco meat and such. So fast and good. 

Tater Tot Tacos

Tater Tots

Taco meat

Shredded cheese
toppings of your choice (salsa, tomatos, lettuce, etc.)
Cook the tater tots in the oven according to package directions. Place onto oven safe plates and top with taco meat and cheese. Place plates into the oven to melt the cheese. Remove and top with the rest of your toppings.
I just liked them with the meat and cheese.

And some salsa verde...yep. That did it.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

I am sharing this recipe because I had a hard time finding one on a food blog that I liked. You'd think there'd be a lot of Pumpkin Chocolate Chip cookie recipes out there, but you'd be wrong. Some people have never heard of these, can you believe it? Crazy. So here we go...

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 c. oil

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 1/2 c. flour

Chocolate chips

1 small can Pumpkin

Mix oil, sugar, egg, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices in that order. Stir in flour and chocolate chips. Add pumpkin last. Drop onto a greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 for 13-15 minutes.

Minnestroni Soup

I love a warm bowl of soup on a chilly day. This soup is fast to make. It's one of those "dump into a pot" recipes. This comes from Grandma Sorenson and I think you'll like it.

Minnestroni Soup

1 pound ground beef

onion, chopped

3 cans Minnestroni Soup

1 can Pork and Beans

1 quart tomato juice

3 c. water

2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp. oregano

Cook the beef and onions in a large pot. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 15 minutes. See? Simple.

Pumpkin Cake with Cider Caramel Sauce

This is such a yummy fall cake! I found the recipe in a magazine and had to try it. I love pumpkin cookies and thought that this should be in my kitchen, too. Hope you like it!

Pumpkin Cake with Cider Caramel Sauce

1 c. sugar

1 1/2 c. flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 c. oil

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin

2 eggs

Combine the first 6 ingredients. Add oil, pumpkin and eggs. Whisk until blended. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 325 for 30 minutes. Cool and top with the sauce before serving.

Cider Caramel Sauce

1/2 c. brown sugar

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

2/3 c. apple cider

2 Tbsp. heavy cream

1 Tbsp. butter

salt to taste

In a saucepan, whisk brown sugar and cornstarch. Add cider and stir in the cream, butter and salt. Cook over med-hi heat, whisking constantly, until large bubbles form around the edge of the saucepan, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low and allow to thicken, about 2 minutes. Top with vanilla ice cream if you want and drizzle sauce over it.

Have you met Clara?

Have you met Clara yet? You need to! She is a 94 year old (she was 91 in her first episode) great-grandmother who talks about the depression era while her grandson video tapes her cooking meals she grew up on. I absolutely love her! She is funny and spunky. You can find her on Youtube and she also has her own blog now. She's also on Facebook! What a lady. I just had to tell you about her because I think you will enjoy her. She also just had a cookbook come out that I want. Really bad. So check her out. Now.

Slow Cooker Potato Soup

I found this recipe in a Taste of Home magazine and it is my favorite potato soup recipe. I always get requests for the recipe after people have tasted this. The best part is that you cook it in a slow cooker. Just start it in the morning and dinner is done! I always have to make homemade bread with this so I can dip the bread into it. I may have to make this tomorrow...

Potato Soup
6 c. cubed peeled potatoes
5 c. water
2 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. chopped celery (I don't like celery so I leave it out)
1/2 c. thinly sliced carrots
1/2 c. butter or margerine
4 tsp. chicken boullion granules (or 4 cubes)
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
chopped chives (optional for garnish)
flour for thickening

In a large slow cooker, combine the first nine ingredients (That would be down to the pepper). Cover and cook on high 7-8 hours or until the veggies are tender.

Add milk and parsley; mix well. At this point I take out some liquid and put into a container with a lid like Tupperware and add about 1/4 c. flour. Cover and shake well. Pour back into slow cooker and mix well. Cover and cook another 30-60 minutes. Garnish with chives if desired. Makes about 3 quarts.

Oven Baked BBQ Pork Chops

These are a favorite of mine. The sauce doesn't taste like the kind you buy at the store. My picky eaters even like these, so that should say something!

BBQ Pork Chops

1/2 c. water

1 tsp. brown sugar

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. paprika

1/4 c. ketchup

1/2 c. vinegar

]1/2 tsp. chili powder

2 tsp. ground mustard

1/4 tsp. cloves

1 Tbsp. flour

1 bay leaf

Brown 6-8 pork chops and put them in a baking dish. Mix together all above ingredients and pour over pork chops.

Cover and bake at 350 for 30-60 minutes until done.

Candy Corn Cupcakes

Another treat for my daughter's school Halloween party today. These Candy Corn cupcakes are so fun! I couldn't find actual candy corn at the store in my town so I got these Candy Corn Dots that are just as cute.

Candy Corn Cupcakes

1 box white cake mix

food coloring

white frosting

candy corn

Make cake according to box directions. Split batter between two bowls. Color one bowl orange and the other yellow. Place cupcake liners in cupcake pan. Drop one spoonful of yellow batter in the liner. Spread to cover to the edges. Drop a spoonful of orange batter on top and spread to edges. Bake according to directions. Cool and frost. Place a Candy Corn on top.

Are you ready for the fun that are these cupcakes?

So cute huh? Enjoy the looks on your kids' faces as they see the inside!

Halloween Snack Mix

I am in charge of my daughter's Halloween Party at her school and needed a goody bag for the kids. I got the idea for these cute treat bags from Cheat Day Cafe. They are just anything you want to throw together and put into bags. I made this one up, and you can follow it or do your own.

Halloween Snack Mix

Mini Marshmallows

Reese's Pieces

Chocolate Animal Crackers

Cocoa Puffs Cereal (or any chocolate cereal)

Halloween Frosted Animal Crackers

Toss all together in a large bowl.

Divide into celophane bags. Tie with ribbon or yarn. I stuck a fun size candy on top, too.

Homemade Tortillas

I come from a Hispanic background. My grandparents were hispanic and my dad is. So homemade tortillas were common at our table. They are so easy to make, faster than bread. All you do is mix, roll, cook. I wish I had a tortilla press but my rolling pin does the job just fine. It makes them look unique!

Tortillas
3 C. flour
1 Tbsp. shortening
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt, to taste
warm water, to texture

Put dry ingredients into a large bowl and add enough warm water to mix with. Mix with your hand or you cheat and use your mixer. But using your hand adds the love into it. You don't want it sticky. Kind of like bread dough. Pinch off balls the size of your fist and, on a lightly floured surface, roll out into tortillas. Cook on an iron cast skillet if you have one. If not, a regular one will do. My grandmother gave me mine when I went off to Utah State University so that I could make tortillas. So sweet, she was. Anyway, flip over and cook the other side. Place in a tortilla warmer or between a dish towel (flour sack towels are best) to keep warm. 

Eat up with some butter smothered on it or with some Chile Verde. Yum.

 

I won!

I won the Halloween Recipe contest at Cookin With Goodlookin! So I got to choose either a subscription to Taste of Home cooking magazine or a $10 Visa Gift Card.  I'm choosing the Taste of Home. I love that magazine and now I get my very own. Thanks Nicole ! You rock!

Cookies 'n Cream Popcorn Balls

These are such a fun Halloween treat! I submitted them in a recipe contest here. Please pop over there and vote for them. I think you can vote everyday so please go do it for me. Thanks! Now...on to the yumminess...

16 Halloween Oreo Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, divided
5 cups  air-popped popcorn

1/2 cup raisins

2-1/2 cups  Miniature Marshmallows

1/3 cup butter or margarine

cupcake liners (optional)

Chop 11 of the cookies; toss with popcorn and raisins in large bowl. Place marshmallows and butter in saucepan; cook on low heat until marshmallows are completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring constantly. Pour over popcorn mixture; toss to coat. Shape popcorn mixture into 10 (2-1/2-inch) balls. Cut remaining 5 cookies in half. Insert 1 cookie half into top of each ball to make a "stem." Serve in cupcake liners.

Roasted Ham with Veggies

This is such a basic and simple recipe that I wasn't sure if I should put it on here. BUT it's one of my favorite things to eat so I am going to do it. All you need is a roaster, ham, potatoes, carrots, onions, and butter. I don't like to use the slow cooker with this. I like the taste it has from the roaster instead. So simple, but that is what often makes the tastiest dishes!

Roasted Ham with Veggies

Ham, cut into bite sized pieces

Potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces with skin on

Carrots, about the size of baby carrots, or just use baby carrots

1 or 2 onions (depending on your taste), sliced

1 or 2 sticks of butter or margarine, depending on the size of your roaster.

Slice the butter up. Place a few pieces on the bottom of your roaster. Then throw all the rest in with layers of more butter in between, ending with some butter on top. Cover with lid and roast in the oven at 250-350 depending on how long you want it to cook. If you will be at church or something for a few hours, do it at about 250. Just check, if you are home, now and then so it doesn't burn. You'll figure it out.

 

Oh So Delicious Breadsticks

I got these from Our Best Bites and they are my favorite! You can also use this recipe for pizza dough like on these Pizza Rolls. The topping combined with the dipping sauce puts any restaurant's breadsticks to shame. Or leave off the garlic topping and just brush with butter when they come out of the oven and serve with soup. This is such a forgiving dough so you can't mess it up, trust me!

Breadsticks
1 1/2 c. warm (105-115 degrees) water
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. yeast
1/2 tsp. salt
3-4 1/2 c. flour

In a large bowl (the bowl of your mixer, if you have one), combine water, sugar, and yeast. Let stand for 10 minutes or until yeast is bubbly. Add salt and stir. Add 1 1/2 c. flour and mix well. Gradually add more flour (usually between 3-4 cups, depending on your elevation and your humidity) until dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl and it barely sticks to your finger. Spray a bowl with cooking spray and place dough in the bowl. Cover and allow to rise for 45 minutes or until doubled in bulk. Remove from bowl and place on a lightly-floured surface. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Roll into a rectangle and cut into 12 strips with a pizza cutter.

Roll out each piece of dough into a snake and then drape over your forefinger and twist the dough. Place on baking sheet and repeat with remaining 11 pieces of dough. Try to space them evenly, but it's okay if they're close; pulling apart hot bread is one of life's greatest pleasures! Cover pan and allow dough to rise for another 30 minutes. When there's about 15 minutes to go, preheat your oven to 425. When done rising, bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Rub some butter on top of the breadsticks (just put a ziploc bag on your hand, grab some softened butter, and have at it) and sprinkle with garlic bread seasoning or the powdery Parmesan cheese in a can and garlic salt. Or you could sprinkle them with cinnamon sugar. Totally awesome. Serve with pizza sauce for dipping  and you're ready to go.


Pizza Sauce
1 6-oz. can tomato paste
6 oz. water (just use the empty tomato paste can)
3 Tbsp. garlic bread seasoning
1 Tbsp. sugar or honey
3/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)

Empty tomato paste into a bowl and add water a few tablespoons at a time, stirring constantly until combined. Add remaining ingredients, stir to combine, and allow to stand until ready to use. Covers two average-sized pizza; freezes extremely well.

Grandma Cuckoo's Pineapple Cookies

These are one of my favorite  cookies from my childhood. They are my Grandma Cuckoo's recipe, but my mom always made them for us growing up. We called my grandma that, by the way, because she has a cuckoo clock. We were little kids, you know the nicknames you give people, right? Anyway, I haven't had these cookies since I was younger. Then they popped into my head so I called my mom for the recipe and made them. Oh, I was taken back in time when I bit into the first one.Heavenly is all I can say. Give them a try and let me know what you think!

Pineapple Cookies

1 c. shortening

1 1/2 c. suagar

1 egg

9 oz. crushed pineapple

3 1/2 c. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Cream together the shortening, sugar, and egg. Add crushed pineapple (I didn't have that so I took my tidbits and put them in a processor and crushed it that way), flour, soda, salt, and nutmeg. Spoon onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 400 for 8-10 minutes.

Glazed Sneaky Meatloaf

I love meatloaf. Especially meatloaf sandwiches. Sometimes I'll make meatloaf just for the leftovers so I can make a sandwich out of them. I found this recipe that lets you be sneaky and healthy without your family knowing it. The glaze is simple and just tops it off yummily.
Glazed Sneaky Meatloaf
2 lbs ground beef
1 egg 
2/3 c. milk
1/2 c. oats, crushed saltines, or 3 slices crumbled bread-you choose
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 c. finely shredded carrot
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Mix all together and shape into a loaf in a 9x13 pan. P.S. I don't like using my hands to mix meatloaf, which seems to be the most effective way, so I use this potato masher. It is great! The meat doesn't get all stuck in it and my hands do get all gooky. 



Glaze
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. ketchup
1 Tbsp. mustard
Spread on the meatloaf and bake covered at 350 for 25 min. then uncover and bake 10-20 min until done.