We had a very snowy 2021 Valentine’s Day. The light and fluffy flakes had been coming down for days and my yardstick inserted in the snow was clocking in at a whopping 17”. We had intended to go out for dinner but decided to settle in at home. I made a batch of these Hazelnut Dump Brownies to have with a scoop of ice cream for dessert. Everything is basically dumped into a bowl, mixed together and tossed in a greased baking pan. Then, the mini chocolate chips are sprinkled over the top… easy enough! This is a super simple recipe with extraordinary results. PS. It’s still snowing! ❄️❄️❄️
Hazelnut Dump Brownies
2 cups sugar 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup baking cocoa 1 teaspoon salt 5 large eggs, room temperature 1 cup canola oil 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup hazelnuts, chopped 1 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips
Directions
In a large bowl, mix in the first 8 ingredients. Pour into a greased 13×9” baking pan. Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips.
Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack.
This one our most flavorful breakfast casseroles. The mixture of apples and breakfast sausage, teamed up with a light batter and homemade maple syrup make this a winner in our household.
Sausage and Apple Breakfast Bake
1 or 2 pounds bulk pork sausage 2 cups biscuit/baking mix 1-1/3 cups skim milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon butter extract 2 large eggs 1/4 cup canola oil 2 medium apples, peeled and thinly sliced 2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon Maple syrup
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13×9” baking pan; set aside. In a large skillet, cook and crumble breakfast sausage until no longer pink; drain. In a medium mixing bowl, combine biscuit mix, milk, extracts, eggs and oil until blended; stir in cooked sausage. In a small bowl, mix together cinnamon and sugar. Transfer biscuit mixture to a greased 13×9” baking dish. Evenly top with apples; sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake until set, 30-40 minutes. Serve with syrup.
During the recent Thanksgiving holiday, the weather turned cold. I had an idea to cook up a large pot of hearty soup; a comfort food that is always a good idea during the Midwestern winter months. I had plenty of leftover vegetables that I’d purchased to make stuffing and to season other dishes. So, Friday morning I threw a few chicken breasts into a pot of simmering water and set out to make a soup for those looking for a comforting bowl of deliciousness during the weekend.
While I could have used my leftover turkey for this recipe, I chose to leave it for sandwiches as the family likes to pile turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce on a hearty wheat bread for traditional turkey leftover sandwiches. I did, however, toast some super thin Pepperidge Farm’s bread to act as a crispy accent to the smooth and creamy soup. I hope you try this delicious soup as this one warms the soul…
Note: I keep chicken stock base in my pantry for times when I don’t have chicken broth on the shelf. Follow the directions on the side of the container to substitute this base for the canned broth.
Creamy Chicken Rice Soup
1 tablespoon oil 1 cup carrots, chopped 1 cup celery, chopped 1/2 cup onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 1/3 cup long grain rice, uncooked 3/4 teaspoon dried basil 1/4 teaspoon pepper 2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) chicken broth 3 tablespoons flour 1 can (5 ounces) evaporated milk 2 cups chicken breast, cooked and cubed
In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat; sauté carrot, celery and onion until tender. Add garlic; cook until vegetables are translucent. Stir in rice, seasonings and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered about 15 minutes, until the rice is tender. In a small bowl, mix flour and evaporated milk until smooth; stir into soup. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in chicken and heat through.
My daughter K kept asking about various bread machines and wanted to know if it was worth purchasing one to make an occasional loaf of homemade bread. I suggested she try this easy bread making method that turns out a delicious, crusty and flavorful loaf. Knowing that we had all of the ingredients on hand, we quickly stirred together the bread, yeast, salt, and water. We popped the shaggy dough into a bowl and covered it with plastic wrap. Then, we headed out the door for holiday shopping. When we returned home, it was time to pop it in the oven. This is a great recipe!
No-Knead Artisan Bread
3 cups flour 1/4 teaspoon yeast, active dry or instant 1 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 cups hot water, about 125-130° F 2 Tablespoons, extra flour for bench
Combine flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Stir in water until it’s well combined. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for 3 hours. After 3 hours, transfer dough to a well-floured surface and sprinkle with a little more flour. Using a bench scraper, fold dough over 5-10 times to shape into a rough ball. Tear off a sheet of parchment paper large enough the fit in and up the sides of your Dutch oven. Place dough in a parchment paper-lined bowl and cover with a towel. Let stand on counter top for about 35 minutes.
Meanwhile, place Dutch oven with lid in a cold oven and preheat to 450° F. When oven reaches 450° carefully remove the Dutch oven from the oven. Carefully, lift the parchment paper with the dough from the bowl and place gently into the hot pot. Cover and bake for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, remove lid and parchment paper. Return dough to pot and place uncovered, back in the oven. Bake 7-10 more minutes. Let it cool at least 15 minutes before slicing.
If you are looking for an easy coffee cake recipe that you can get to the table in no time at all, this is it! The base of the batter uses a boxed baking mix to add to the ease to which this coffee cake comes together. Great for the holiday season as you might have a few early morning guests in the house. It’s a winner!
Topping: ⅔ cup baking mix ⅔ cup brown sugar 4 tablespoons butter, cold and cubed ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ cup walnuts, chopped
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a deep 9-inch pie pan. Combine baking mix, milk, sugar, egg, cinnamon, and vanilla in bowl; mix well. Spread into the bottom of the prepared pan. For topping, in a medium sized bowl, combine baking mix, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, and walnuts. Using a fork or pastry blender until crumbly. Spread topping mix over cake batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 20-25 minutes. (Optional: Drizzle with powdered sugar/water glaze.
While rummaging through some piles of paper last week, I found a county fair cookbook that I had purchased many years ago. One of the dog-eared pages held this delicious recipe for County Fair Orange Cake. Looking further, I realized it was a cake that I had entered into the fair that year. While It didn’t receive the top prize, it’s always held a blue ribbon in my book. It’s incredibly easy to make and my family loves the bright citrus flavor of the orange juice, pudding mix and glaze. Yep, it’s a winner!
County Fair Orange Cake
1 (15.25-ounce) package yellow cake mix 1 (3.5-ounce) package lemon instant pudding mix 3/4 cup orange juice 1/2 cup canola oil 4 large eggs 2 teaspoons lemon zest
Orange Glaze: 1/2 cup sugar 1/3 cup orange juice 1/4 cup butter 1 teaspoon orange zest plus more for garnishing
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray and dust with flour. In a large bowl, combine cake mix and pudding mix. Add the orange juice, oil, eggs and orange zest; beat with a mixer at low speed to combine. Beat an additional 4 minutes with mixer on medium speed. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Transfer to a platter and poke holes all over with a skewer. Carefully, pour warm orange glaze over the cake. Garnish with more orange zest for serving.
For the Orange Glaze: Cook the sugar, orange juice, and butter in a saucepan over medium, stirring, until the butter is melted. Cook 2 more minutes and remove from the heat; stir in the orange zest.
While looking through one of my older cookbooks last week, I stumbled across a recipe for a breakfast sausage ball that would make for a welcome addition to my brunch menu. I had the few required ingredients on hand and I was in the mood to try something new. Talk about an easy recipe… 3 ingredients are combined with an optional dash of water to moisten the mix. Adding a side of scrambled eggs, coffee, orange juice and fresh fruit rounded out the meal. This is a plentiful recipe. If you make the full recipe, you’ll have extras to warm up for weekday quick fixes. I throw them in the microwave for 10-20 seconds and they are ready to eat. They freeze well too. A win-win for my busy family!
I’ve include the original recipe link below… along with the adjusted recipe that I am using instead.
Directions Preheat oven to 375 °F. Spray a baking sheet with vegetable oil cooking spray.
Combine all ingredients in a large glass bowl. Mix well with your fingers. The mixture will be very crumbly.
Form into 1 inch balls, squeezing the mixture so it holds together, then rolling it between the palms of your hands to form balls.
Place the balls on the baking sheet. Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown. To prevent sticking, move the balls with a spatula halfway through cooking.
I recently purchased a bag of pears, brought them home and placed them in the fruit bowl on my kitchen table. Those pears sat there all week as the family seemed to choose every other fruit in the bowl when snacking. I watched as the pears began to get overly ripe. Not wanting to waste the fruit, I remembered an apple cake recipe that I frequently make during the fall months. I thought I could easily substitute the pears into the apple recipe. So, I peeled and chopped the remaining pears and tossed them in. I was making a Father’s Day meal and thought this would be a lovely dessert.
Well, I was right… this cake was super moist, and tasted delicious pared with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I’ll definitely be making this one again!
Glazed Pear Cake
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
4 cups pears, peeled and diced (apples work well too)
1 cup chopped walnuts
TOPPING:
1⁄2 cup brown sugar
1⁄4 cup milk
1 stick of butter
Cake:
Preheat over to 350 degrees. Grease a 9X13” baking pan. Mix all cake ingredients by hand in order the listed. Pour batter evenly into prepared pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes; remove.
Topping:
In small saucepan mix topping ingredients; bring to a slow boil for 3 minutes.
Pour over hot cake and return to oven for 4 minutes. Cool completely before slicing.
My daughter is a healthcare worker and was able to get a few days off this past week. She decided to come home to enjoy the peace and quiet of our tree-lined property. A brief get-away from the hustle and bustle of the crowded city…
While she was home, I decided to reorganize my pantry and she noticed a box of elbow noodles on the shelf. She remarked that a Mac and Cheese dinner would be a delicious treat. She said, “Mac and Cheese comforts my soul.” Naturally, I gathered the ingredients and I cooked up a huge baker filled with delicious cheesy goodness. I was sure to pack up the leftovers so she could take them back home with her and munch on them after a long night at work. I got a text shortly after she arrived home thanking me and letting me know how great it was to be back home. And, to reiterate her love for this Mac and Cheese recipe.
Layer in ingredients…Top with breadcrumbs…Bake until golden brown and bubbly…
Creamy and Crunchy Mac and Cheese
4 tablespoons butter
1 lb. (16 oz. box) elbow macaroni
2 (12-ounce) cans evaporated milk
1/3 cup milk
2 eggs
3 tablespoons hot sauce (I use Frank’s Hot Sauce)
2 teaspoons all purpose seasoning (I use Jack Stack Barbecue – Kansas City, all purpose seasoning)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated
16 ounces Mozzarella, grated
Topping
½ stick butter, melted
½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 9-x-13-inch glass baking dish; set aside. Cook macaroni according to package directions; until al dente. Drain well and return to pot. Add butter to noodles and toss until pasta is coated and butter has melted; set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the evaporated milk, whole milk, and eggs. Stir in the hot sauce, all purpose seasoning, garlic powder, and pepper; set aside. In another medium bowl, combine the cheeses; lightly toss and set aside.
For topping- In a small bowl, mix melted butter with breadcrumbs; set aside
Spread one third of the macaroni in an even layer in the prepared baking dish; cover evenly with one third of the cheese. Repeat with the remaining macaroni and shredded cheeses. Pour the milk mixture evenly over the contents of the baking dish, sprinkle with topping and bake until the top layer is lightly browned, 40 to 45 minutes. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
On Saturdays, I usually make a big homemade breakfast for all those that may have returned home for the weekend. While it’s usually just my hubby and I, when the kids travel home for a few days, I enjoy the time we have catching up around the breakfast table. When making pancakes, I usually use my old standby recipe, Oatmeal Pancakes, and stand at the stovetop griddle pouring individual mounds until I’ve cooked all of the batter into round-shaped cakes. Alternatively, this recipe is a lifesaver as I can mix up a batch of batter, pour it into a baking dish, and throw it into the oven while working on all of the other items that will need to be prepped and cooked. During the late winter/early spring, we tap our trees to make our own delicious maple syrup. Our family loves its rich flavor and I use a healthy dose for this convenient recipe.
Oven Baked Maple Pancakes
1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1/3 cup butter ½ cup maple syrup 1 ½ cups pancake baking mix ¼ cup packed brown sugar 1 cup milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 eggs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt butter. Stir in 1/2 cup brown sugar and the maple syrup until completely combined. Pour into greased 13X9” baking pan.
Mix remaining ingredients in a medium bowl, until well blended. Carefully pour over syrup mixture.
Bake uncovered 25-30 minutes or until top springs back when touched in center. Cut into 3-inch squares; turn each square upside down onto plate. Serve immediately.
Simply Made Kitchen and Crafts 