I'm not a fan of store-bought croutons because they can be so hard and not very flavorful. I made this recipe and decided this will be my go-to crouton recipe. Depending on how large your bread slices are you may want to make a recipe and a half of the butter/garlic mixture.
6 slices bread, trim crusts, cube (let bread sit out a few hours or overnight)
3 TBS melted butter
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried parsley
pinch salt
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a bowl, mix together the melted butter, garlic powder, parsley and salt. Add the bread cubes. Toss until well coated.
Spread onto a rimmed cookie sheet or a 9x13 pan.
Bake for 15 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and crunchy. Stir a few times during baking.
Source: www.savorysweetlife.com
Janice
This is a hearty soup that warms the tummy!
1 - 14 oz pkg Kielbasa, sliced
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 (15.5 oz) cans cannellini beans (white kidney beans), drained & rinsed
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
5 cups kale, chopped into small pieces
8 cups chicken stock
16 oz pkg sliced mushrooms
salt and pepper to taste
Place the sliced Kielbasa in a skillet and brown over medium heat. Place in the slow cooker. If there is a lot of grease, you may want to drain it off first. In the same pan, add the diced onion and garlic. Cook until tender. Add this to the slow cooker.
Place all of the remaining ingredients into the slow cooker except for the mushrooms. Stir to combine. It will appear as if there is too much kale. As it cooks the kale with wilt into the soup.
Cook on low for 7 hours. During the last hour and a half before the soup is done, add the sliced mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Source: www.themessybakerblog.com
Serves: 6
Janice
Whenever we visit Door County, Wisconsin, we always stop at the White Gull in for breakfast and share a piece of their wonderful coffee cake. Now that I have the recipe, our family can enjoy it any time.
Topping:
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 TBS cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Coffee Cake:
2 cups sour cream
2 tsp baking soda
4 cups flour
1 TBS baking powder
1 cup (2 sticks) butter; softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups pitted, frozen Montmorency or other tart cherries, thawed and drained
** I use fresh raspberries instead of the cherries
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
To make topping, mix together brown sugar, cinnamon and walnuts in a small bowl; set aside.
Stir together sour cream and baking soda in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, mix flour and baking powder. In a medium mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs to creamed mixture, one at a time. Stir in vanilla and beat until fluffy. Add sour cream and flour mixtures alternately to creamed mixture; blend thoroughly.
Spread one half of batter in prepared pan and cover with cherries (or raspberries). Sprinkle one-third of reserved topping over cherries. Spread remaining half of batter on top and sprinkle remaining two-thirds topping evenly over cake. Bake 60-75 minutes. Cover with foil after 30 minutes if cake is browning too quickly. Test for doneness by inserting knife in center. Serve warm.
Serves 12
Source: The White Gull Inn - More Favorite Recipes From Our Kitchen
Cindy
This recipe intrigued me so I just had to give it a try. Wow...so easy and delicious! These biscuits are so tender they just melt in your mouth.
4 cups Bisquick
1 cup sour cream
1 cup 7-Up
1/2 cup melted butter
Mix together Bisquick, sour cream and 7-Up. Dough will be very soft....don't worry.
Gently knead and fold the dough a couple times...just until the dough ingredients are all incorporated. You may need to lightly dust the dough and your hands with additional Bisquick so you can handle without it sticking too much to your fingers.
Dust your surface with Bisquick, pat dough out to about a 1/2 inch thickness and cut biscuits using a round cookie cutter or the rim of a drinking glass.
Melt butter in the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan.
Place biscuits on top of the melted butter and bake at 425 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.
Makes 12 biscuits
Janice
I received this recipe from a friend years ago and finally decided to make them. Why did I wait so long? These are so delicious. If you are a heavy chocolate dipper like I apparently am, you may want to make a recipe and a half of the chocolate dip.
4 TBS butter (do not melt)
2 cups graham cracker crumbs (finely grind in a blender or food processor)
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 cups chunky style peanut butter
1 - 12 oz pkg (2 cups) chocolate chips
1/4 bar paraffin wax, shaved
Mix together the butter, graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar and peanut butter.
Roll into balls, place on a wax paper lined cookie sheet. Refrigerate overnight.
Melt the chocolate chips and paraffin wax in a double boiler. Dip the candy in the melted chocolate and set set on a wax paper lined cookie sheet. Place the candies in the refrigerator for a few minutes until completely cooled. When dipping the candy, keep the double boiler on the heat to keep the chocolate warm.
Makes about 60 candies
Janice
I made these little snowmen for my Sunday School class. The kids thought they were so cute! They are super easy to make, too!
mini powdered sugar donut
candy corn
mini chocolate chips
Janice
This is the most decadent chocolate cake you will ever eat. It is so rich and dark and chocolatey. It will knock your socks off!
Cake:
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup Hershey's Dark Chocolate Cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup boiling strong coffee
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9 inch round baking pans.
Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla, beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in boiling coffee (batter will be thin). Pour into pans.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.
For cupcakes: Line 2 1/2 inch muffin cups with paper baking cups. Fill 2/3 full with batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 22-25 minutes. Cool; frost. Makes about 30 cupcakes
Frosting:
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) butter
1 cup Hershey's Dark Chocolate Cocoa
4 1/2 cups powdered sugar (sifted)
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Melt butter. Stir in cocoa.
Alternately, add powdered sugar and milk, beating on medium speed to spreading consistency. Add more milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla.
Makes about 3 cups frosting
Source: Hershey's
Eileen
This Sweet Potato casserole is a wonderful Fall dish. We especially enjoy this at Thanksgiving. Everyone loves the crunchy pecan topping.
Potato Mixture:
3 large eggs
5 lbs fresh sweet potatoes, boiled, drained, peeled and mashed (6 cups)
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
1 tsp vanilla
Topping:
1 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup plus 2 TBS flour
1 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cut into small pieces
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 baking dish.
Potato Mixture: Beat eggs in a large bowl. Stir in potatoes until well blended. Add remaining ingredients; mix well. Spread evenly in prepared baking pan.
Topping: Mix sugar, flour, nuts and oatmeal in a bowl. Work in the butter with your hands until well blended. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the potato mixture.
Bake 1 hour until the topping is browned and bubbling.
Serves 12
Source: Home Cookin' is a Family Affair
Cindy
Stuffing or dressing...what do you call it? I call it DELICIOUS! My Mom made this recipe for many years every Thanksgiving. Now this is the recipe that I make, as well.
3 sticks butter
3 cups chopped celery
1 1/2 - 2 cups chopped onion
1/3 cup chicken broth
1 TBS poultry seasoning
1 cup raisins
2 (14 oz) bags Brownberry Sage & Onion Stuffing
1 - 2 TBS celery leaves, chopped
2-3 cups chicken broth
In a saucepan, stir together the butter, celery, onions and 1/3 cup chicken broth. On medium heat, cook until celery is soft, about 15 - 25 minutes.
Mix together the poultry seasoning, raisins, stuffing cubes and celery leaves. Add this to the butter/celery mixture that you just cooked. Stir in the remaining 2-3 cups chicken broth.
Place in a large bowl or pan, cover and refrigerate over night.
This will be enough stuffing to stuff a 14-15 lb. turkey with some extra left over.
Cook the extra stuffing in a buttered 9x13 pan for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. You may need to add extra broth before cooking if it doesn't seem moist enough.
Serves 14-18 people
Kimberly
