Monthly Archives: March 2014

Mar27

Crash Potatoes

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crashpotatoes

Crash Potatoes

They are absolutely irresistible!  And so easy to make.  I like easy these days!!

I also added some butter along with the olive oil before I baked them and didn’t put the rosemary on them.

Be sure to bake them long enough to get them crispy on top.  Those little crispies are delicious.

  • 12 whole new potatoes (or other small round potatoes) (Mine were a little bigger than small)
  • Kosher salt to taste
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • Black pepper to taste
  • Minced rosemary (or other herb of choice) to taste

In medium saucepan over medium heat, boil the potatoes in lightly salted water until fork-tender, about 20 minutes, or until for tender.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Place the potatoes on a baking sheet.  Using a potato masher, gently press down to mash each one.  Rotate the masher 90 degrees, then mash again.

Drizzle tops of the potatoes with olive oil.

Sprinkle generously with salt, pepper, and rosemary.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp.

“The Holy Spirit guides us into knowledge and spiritual growth.”

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Mar27

German Chocolate Bars

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germanchocolatebars

German Chocolate Bars

These are delicious, but sweet.  I would cut them small for bars, but if you want to serve them as a dessert, cut them bigger and serve them with a scoop of ice cream on top.  Or maybe whipped cream and some shaved chocolate.

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened slightly
  • 1 pkg. German chocolate cake mix
  • 1 tub ready-to-spread coconut pecan frosting
  • 1 cup (6-0z.) semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1/4 cup milk

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease bottom and sides of a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.

Cut butter into cake mix in medium bowl, using pastry blender until crumbly.  Press half (2 1/2 cups) the mixture in bottom of pan.  Bake 10 minutes.

Carefully spread frosting over baked layer, sprinkle evenly with chocolate chips.  Stir milk into remaining cake mixture.  Drop by teaspoonfuls onto chocolate chips.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until cake portion is slightly dry to the touch.  Cool completely, about 1 hour.  Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours or until firm.

Store covered in refrigerator.

“God may delay our request, but He will never disappoint our trust.”

Mar27

Bacon and Tomato Dip

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baconandtomatodip

Bacon and Tomato Dip

This dip is addicting.  If you want to make it BLT Dip, serve it in a hollowed-out lettuce bowl.

  • 1 lb. bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 2 tomatoes, chopped*
  • Chopped fresh chives, optional

Blend together bacon, mayonnaise and sour cream.  Stir in tomatoes and chill.  Sprinkle with chives.

Serve with crackers, herbed bagel chips or tortilla chips.

Makes 2 1/2 cups.

* I removed all seeds from tomatoes and used all membrane to chop up.

“Everyone can do something to make the world better – we can let Christ shine through us.”

Mar27

Hot Wing Dip

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Hot Wing Dip

Everything is in the dip.  And very easy to make.  I, personally, thought it was a bit too hot, but everyone else disagreed.  They all loved it!

This makes quite a large recipe, so you could easily half it.

  • 1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
  • 2 cups sour cream
  • 1 cup blue cheese salad dressing
  • 1/2 cup hot sauce
  • 2 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken (I used canned chicken)
  • 2 cups (8-oz.) shredded provolone cheese
  • Celery, carrots and crackers

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sour cream, salad dressing and hot sauce until blended.  Stir in chicken and cheese.

Transfer to a greased 2-qt. baking dish.  Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.  (I would think this could be microwaved also)

Serve warm with celery, carrots, or crackers.

Makes 6 1/2 cups.

“God has two dwellings, one in heaven and the other in a meek and thankful heart.”

 

Mar27

Strawberry White Chocolate Poke Cake

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strawberrywhitechocolatepok

Strawberry White Chocolate Poke Cake

This is so light and refreshing and perfect for a Spring dessert.  I just love poke cakes!  Yum!!

  • 1 (18.25-oz.) white cake mix
  • 1 (16-oz.) pkg. sweetened, frozen sliced strawberries, thawed
  • 3 tablespoons strawberry jello
  • 1 (3/4-oz.) pkg. instant white chocolate pudding mix
  • 2 cups milk
  • 3 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced, divided
  • 3 cups frozen whipped topping, defrosted

Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with non-stick baking spray containing flour.

Mix and bake the cake according to the cake mix directions.  Remove cake from the oven and cool for 10 to 15 minutes.

Using a large wooden spoon handle, poke holes in top of warm cake at 1 inch intervals.  Poke the holes approximately 2/3 into the top of the cake.  Don’t poke holes all the way to the bottom of the cake.

Filling

Put thawed strawberries with juice into a blender.  Add strawberry jello and puree.

Spoon mixture over the top of the cake.  Make sure it soaks into the holes.

Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Topping

Prepare pudding mix with 2 cups milk following directions on package.  Fold whipped topping into mixture.

Assemble the Cake

Take cake out of the refrigerator.  Spread two cups sliced strawberries over the top of the cake.  Spread topping mixture over the strawberries.  Garnish the top of the cake with remaining 1 cups sliced strawberries.

Serves 12 to 15.

“Jesus is the only fountain who can satisfy the thirsty soul.”

Mar19

Pan-Fried Catfish

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panfriedcatfishPan-Fried Catfish

I don’t fry fish very often, but for catfish, I think it needs to be fried.  I made this for my son-in-law and grandsons (mama was away) and it went over very big.  We all loved it!

My farm-raised catfish was not large fillets, but if you get large ones, I would suggest cutting them in half.

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup fine-ground cornmeal
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2-3 cups vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 lbs. catfish fillets

Set a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet and place in oven.  Heat to 200 degrees.  Place 1/2 cup flour in a shallow dish.  In another shallow dish, mix the remaining 1/2 cup flour, cornmeal, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and cayenne.  In a third shallow dish, whisk eggs with 1 tablespoon of the oil until uniform.

Pat the fish fillets dry with paper towels and sprinkle each side with salt and pepper.  Drop the fish into the flour and shake the dish to coat.  Shake the excess flour from each piece, then, using tongs, dip the fillets into the egg mixture, turning to coat well and allowing the excess to drip off.  Coat the fillet with the cornmeal mixture, shake off the excess, and lay the fillets on another wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet.

Heat 1/2 inch of oil in a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over high heat (I used a very large cast iron skillet) until the oil reaches a temperature of 400 degrees.  (The oil should not smoke, but it will come close.)  Place 2 or 3 catfish fillets in the oil and fry, turning once, until golden brown, about 4 minutes.  Adjust heat as necessary to keep oil between 385 and 390 degrees.  (Use a candy/deep-fry thermometer or an instant-read thermometer that registers high temperatures to gauge the temperature of the oil.)  Remove the fillets from the oil with a slotted spoon and lay them on a plate lined with several layers of paper towels; blot to help remove any excess oil.  Transfer the fried fish to the wire rack in the warm oven.  Bring the oil back to 400 degrees and repeat the cooking process with the remaining fish fillets.

Serve with lemon wedges or tartar sauce.

Serves 4 to 6.

“Angels rejoice when we repent.”

 

Mar19

Delicious French Toast

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deliciousfrenchtoastDelicious French Toast

The only other word for this is heavenly!

  • 5 eggs
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 10 slices bread

Beat the eggs in a large bowl.  Add the cream, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla; mix well.  Melt some of the butter in a hot skillet.  Dip the bread into the egg mixture.  Fry in the skillet until light brown on both sides, turning once.  Repeat the process with the remaining egg mixture, bread and butter.

Heat oven to 200 degrees.  Put a cooling rack on a cookie sheet and place cooked French toast on it and put in the oven to keep warm while preparing the rest of the bread.

If the French toast isn’t all eaten, freeze!  I stack with a piece of parchment paper in between each slice and freeze.  Then I take them out one by one and put in the toaster on a light setting to heat up or put back in the oven to heat up.

“The more you feast on God’s Word, the healthier you will become.”

 

Mar13

Lime Pie

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limepieLime Pie

My friend, Betty, made this pie for bridge this month.  It was very light and delicious.  This would make an excellent St. Patrick’s Day dessert.

  • 1 baked pastry shell or prepared graham cracker crust
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup fresh lime juice (about 3 limes)
  • 2 or 3 drops green food color (2 was used, but 3 would be greener)
  • 1 (8-oz.) container Cool Whip or 1 cup heavy cream, whipped
  • 1 tablespoon grated lime peel

Beat egg yolks in small bowl until light and lemon colored.  Mix sugar, salt, lime juice and egg yolks in saucepan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens, about 5 minutes.  Cool; stir in food color.

Place Cool Whip in large mixing bowl, fold cooled lime mixture into it.  Add grated lime peel.  Spoon into pie shell; refrigerate at least 4 hours.  Garnish with whipped topping and grated lime peel, if desired.

“It takes the storm to prove the real shelter.”

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Mar13

Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe is for anyone that likes cold cookies, my husband for one.  The cookie stays soft, but the chips are hard.  Now, you don’t have to put them in the frig, but I have to say, they are delicious that way.  Try it and see what you say.

  • 2 cups butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 2 (3.4-oz.) pkg. instant vanilla pudding mix
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
  • 2 cups chopped nuts, opt.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, brown sugar and white sugar.  Beat in the pudding mix until blended.  Mix in eggs and vanilla.  Add flour and baking soda until blended.  Stir in chocolate chips and nuts, if using.

Using a cookie scoop, drop cookies onto ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.  Edges should be golden brown.

Makes 6 dozen cookies.

“Our tendency to wander is matched by God’s willingness to pursue.”

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