Apple Crisp

The only things I changed is the pan size and the nuts. I rolled the pecans in butter, cinnamon and sugar then toasted them in the oven for about 12 minutes.
Below is the recipe I used.

Ingredients:

* 3 pounds tart apples
* 2 tablespoons lemon juice
* 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/3 cup granulated sugar
* 1/3 cup rolled oats
* 4 tablespoons cold butter (1/2 stick)
* 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Preparation:
Peel, core and chop the apples; toss in a bowl with lemon juice. In a separate bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg; add to the apples and toss to combine.

In another bowl combine flour, sugar and oats. Cut butter into 8 small pieces, and cut butter into flour with a pastry blender or two forks until mixture is crumbly. Stir in the chopped nuts.

Butter a 9-inch square baking dish. Spread apple mixture in bottom of baking dish then sprinkle with flour mixture. Bake at 375° for 30 to 45 minutes, or until apples are tender and topping is lightly browned.

Serve warm or at room temperature, with vanilla ice cream or a little heavy cream, if desired.

Honey & Jam

Here is a really good cooking blog I found recently.
She takes lovely pictures and her recipes are to die for !

Honey & Jam

Here is her recipe for Oatmeal Cream Pies :) Soo good.


Enjoy !

Strawberry Cream Cheese Muffins

I made these the other day and they were simply to die for ! I can't wait to make more and I think I might even change it up to be blueberry. But I loved the strawberry. So, I think I will have to make both. ;-)





2 cups all -purpose flour
3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 baking soda
6 tablespoons butter. Chilled , cut up
1 cup chopped strawberries
3/4 cup plus 2 table spoons buttermilk
1 egg
1 pkg. cream cheese cut into pieces

1. Heat oven to 400. Grease bottoms of of muffin tins. In a medium bowl stir together flour, 3/4 cup of the sugar, baking powder and baking soda. With pastry blender or two knifes, cut in the butter until mixture is crumbly. Stir in strawberry's.



2. In small bowl, whisk together buttermilk and egg until blended.
Gently stir buttermilk mixture into flour mixture just until combined.
Divide evenly among muffin tins. Dip cream cheese pieces in 2 tablespoons of sugar; place in the center of each muffin. Press cream cheese to be level with batter. (Do not cover cream cheese with batter) Sprinkle muffins with remaining sugar.





3. Bake 20 to 25 or until light golden brown and toothpick inserted in to the center comes out clean. ( Do not put tooth pick in cream cheese !) Cool on wire rack 10 min. Remove from pan ; serve warm or at room temp. Store in refrigerator.



Per Muffin :
235 calories
9.5 g protein
34 g Carbohydrates
40 mg cholesterol
155 mg sodium
1 g fiber

Tortilla Soup

I could probably live of this soup for a month ~ It is just soo good ! It has cilantro so that automatically means I love it. Oh and if you add lime juice... ;-)


------------Tortilla Soup--------------------------------
From the kitchen of: Tiffany Hebert

Ingredients:
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
2 red bell pepper, chopped
2 onion, chopped
3 jalapeno pepper, chopped, with or without seeds
1 bunch green onion, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 6lb, 6 oz can whole tomatoes, blended until no large pieces remain, with juice
4-5 cups cooked chicken, chopped
shredded cheese, to serve
sour cream, to serve
lime, to serve
avocado, diced, to serve

Directions: Heat oil in large pot; add bell pepper, onions, jalapeño, cilantro and garlic. Sauté until very soft. Meanwhile blend tomatoes in blender, or with stick blender, until no large pieces remain. Add tomatoes and spices to pot; bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Add chicken and simmer 30 minutes. Serve hot.

Cranberry Muffins

Cranberry Muffins recipe

Cranberry Muffins ingredients list:

1 ½ cups of flour.
1 cup of cranberries, either fresh or frozen.
1 cup of Milk.
½ cup of sugar.
¼ cup of melted butter.
1 tablespoon of baking powder.
1 medium egg.

Pinch of salt.

Walnuts or pecans (optional)

Instructions for Cranberry Muffins:

Mix together all of the dry ingredients in a bowl.

Combine the remaining except the cranberries.

Add liquid mixture to the dry mixture, then stir until moistened.

Fold in the cranberries.

Fill sprayed muffin cups almost full.

Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 25 minutes.

More Muffin Recipes Here.

Worlds Best Chocolate Chocolate chip Cupcakes <3

Here is one of my favorite recipes to make ! It's quick and very simple.

Sometimes I make it with the Cream cheese topping and then other time I leave it off. :)

With out the topping it becomes egg and dairy free ! ;-)

World's Best Chocolate Cupcakes

1 c. Sugar
1 1/2 c. Flour
1 tsp. Baking soda
1/4 c. Cocoa
1/2 Salt

1 c. Water
1/3c. Oil
1 Tbsp. Vinegar
1 tsp. Vanilla
1c. Chopped Nuts ( Optional , I never use them )

Cheese topping :
8 oz. package of creme cheese
1 unbeaten egg
1/3 c. sugar
1/8 tsp. Salt
Dash of vanilla
1 c. Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 350. Sift together first 5 ingredients. Add remaining ingredients to dry mixture and beat together.
Fill cupcake pan half full with batter then drop 1 tablespoon cream cheese mixture on top.
Bake at 350 for 30 to 35 min. Makes 15 to 20 cupcakes.

Topping: Blend all ingredients together except chocolate chips. Blend in chocolate chips with a spoon.

Enjoy !

Hot Tea Anyone ?

Well, I love tea. Hot tea. I enjoy sweet tea in the summer but it doesn't even begin to compare to how much I enjoy a nice cup of hot tea in the winter ! When I was young the only two flavors I would drink was Chamomile and what we called "throat coat".
They were both natural but somewhat sweet compared to the other flavors.
In the last year or so I have completely branched out! I also I have found what brands are the best. (IMHO) I like Harney & Son's , Celestial Seasonings and Tazo.
I thought I would list what I currently drink and see if any one else has suggestions or wants to share their favorites ;)

Tazo :
Passion
Wild Sweet Orange

Celestial seasoning :
Sweet Apple Chamomile
Gingerbread
Red Raspberry Leaf
Eckinacha Wellness Tea

Harney & Son's :
Hot cinnamon spice <-- ( My current Fav. !!)

This is what my desk usually looks like on a cold night. Never with out my mug beside me ! lol

Banana Split cake Recipe

Here is a favorite family recipe I thought I would share :-)

1 box vanilla wafers
1 stick butter
16 oz. Cream Cheese
1 can of Pineapple
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tub of Cool-whip
about 4 Bananas
2 Pints strawberry's
optional :
1/2 cup Pecans broken up
I like to toast them but that is up to you.

Melt the butter and mix with crushed vanilla wafers. Spread on bottom of 13 X 9 pan.
Whip together cream cheese, powdered sugar and juice from pineapples.
Spread on top of Vanilla wafers. Spread crushed pineapple on top of cream cheese. Top with sliced bananas and cool-whip. On top of that slice strawberry's. Sprinkle pecans on top.
Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.
I like to drizzle Hersey's chocolate syrup on top of each portion , and cherries are wonderful in this when they are in season.