Cornbread or Cornbread Muffins

I've made this in the Dutch Oven while camping, and it was moist and delicious. I have tried several different cornbread muffins, and this one is perfect...sweet, but not too sweet. Moist, but not too moist... I can't say enough good about this. SO, if you're cooking up some chili and need a good recipe, LOOK NO FURTHER! Thank you Shauna!!

ingredients:
1½ cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
½ cup cornmeal
1 Tbsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 ¼ cup milk
2 eggs
1/3 cup oil
3 Tbsp. butter (or applesauce)

directions:
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, cornmeal, baking powder and salt.

2. In a small bowl, combine milk, eggs, oil and butter (or applesauce). Mix Well.

3. Add wet mixture to flour mixture; stir just until blended.

4. Heat oven to 350. Prepare batter as above, grease an 8-inch square baking pan. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake at 350 for 35 minutes.

for cornbread muffins:
Grease or paper-line 18-20 muffin cups. Pour ½ cup batter into muffin cups, filling 2/3 full. Bake 15-20 minutes.

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Oatmeal Fruit* Bar

I hate having to "watch what I eat"...these were delicious and I SO wanted to gobble down several. I contained myself to a small bite...ugh! Very Very Tasty, and a great dessert option. She made it with apricot preserves, and it was great, but it would be fabulous with ANY of your fruit favorite preserves. Thanks (again) Lisa!

ingredients:

1 1/4 cup flour

1 1/4 cup quick oats

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

2 tsp. vanilla

3/4 cup melted butter

directions:

1. Make the crumb and crust mixture by combining the above ingredients in a mixing bowl.

2. Grease a 9x13" pan and press all but 1 cup (save out) crumbs into the pan.

3. Spread 10 oz. preserves over the crust to within 1/2" of edge. Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture and 1/2 cup coconut.

4. Bake at 350 for 22-27 minutes until edges become golden brown.

*These would be great served warm with a small scoop of ice cream on top. Yum!

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Apple Dumplings ~ Delicious Dessert

I had this at my sewing holiday party. It was SO yummy, and evidently easy to make...my 2 requirements for getting it on this blog. I'm trying to not over-do it this holiday season, and this really put my will-power to the test. SO GOOD--I can't wait to try it again! Thanks Lisa for the recipe!

ingredients:

2 sticks of butter

2 pkg. crescent rolls (8 rolls each)

4 granny smith apples, pealed, cored & thinly sliced

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 tsp. cinnamon

salt, pinch

1 can Sprite or 7-Up

directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Melt butter and put on the bottom of a 9x13" pan.

3. Wrap apple slices (about 1/4 apple) in a crescent roll and place seam side down in the melted butter. Repeat, using all 16 crescent rolls.

4. Sprinkle with cinnamon, sugar and salt (you can mix these together prior, or just sprinkle each over top). Pour the can of soda all over the dumplings.

5. Bake for 45 minutes.

*I can imagine that these would cook nicely and be delicious in a Dutch Oven!

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Pumpkin Swirl Bread or Bundt Cake

My friend passed this recipe along to me and I tried it last night with my sewing group. It was rather tasty, and made a very nice impression. Pumpkin is devine! Thanks Lori!

ingredients:
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 orange's zest (optional but highly suggested!)

1 3/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon*
1/4 tsp nutmeg*
*OR 1 1/4 tsp. pumpkin spice

1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 egg
1/4 cup water

directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Blend cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 egg and orange zest. Set aside.

3. Combine flour, 1 1/2 cup sugar, baking soda, salt and spices. Set aside.

4. Mix together pumpkin, melted butter, 1 egg and water. Add to flour mixture, mixing just until moist.

5. Reserve 2 cups of the pumpkin/flour batter. Grease well a bundt cake pan. Pour the non-reserved batter into the bottom of the bundt cake pan. Spoon and spread cream cheese mixture over batter. Pour and spread the reserved 2 cups of the batter over the cream cheese layer.

6. Bake for 60 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes. Invert cake onto cake plate. Dust with powdered sugar for garnish and to make it look ultra pretty!

*You can also layer this the same way in a large 9" loaf pan.

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Bake Apple French Toast

Had this too at our girls weekend. It was SO delicious. We figured it would be just about the same to make it in the dutch oven, and so yummy on a camping morning. Thanks Shauna!

ingredients:
1 (16 oz) loaf french bread
8 eggs
3 cups milk
1/4 cup sugar, divided
5 granny smith apples, peeled & sliced
2 tbsp. cinnamon
2 tbsp. butter
1/2 cup dried cranberries/craisins (optional)*

directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Cut the french bread into 1 1/2" slices. Arrange the bread into a lightly-greased 9x13" deep baking dish.

2. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl until well blended. Mix in milk, 1/4 cup sugar and vanilla.

3. Pour half the egg mixture over the bread. Arrange the apple slices over the bread and sprinkle 1/2 cup craisins. Pour the remaining egg mixture over the apples and craisins. Mix the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon in a small mixing bowl. Sprinkle over the top.

4. Dot the top with the butter. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the apples are tender. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with maple syrup.

*The dried cranberries were not part of the original recipe, but I thought it would be a tasty addition. Also...maybe sprinkle some brown sugar over the top as well??

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Italian Baked Penne

I just got back from a fun weekend in Winter Park with my friends. We had a great time. We all take turns with meals, and it's fun to sample other people's cooking and recipes. This was made for us and it was really yummy. I kind of stood in and helped in the prep a little, and saw that it wasn't too difficult...and man--it was YUMMY! Thought I'd pass it on. Thanks Chance!

ingredients:

1 pkg. (16 oz) penne rigate pasta noodles

1 pkg. (1 lb) ground mild italian sausage

1 cup frozen chopped onion (I'm sure you could dice some fresh too)

2 garlic cloves, crushed or 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 pkg. (8 oz) sliced fresh mushrooms

1/3 tsp. black pepper

1 1/2 tsp. italian seasoning

1 can (14.5 oz) italian style diced tomatoes

2 cans (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes

2 1/2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped (optional)

8 oz. mozzarella cheese, cubed

1 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided

directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425. Bring salted water to boil in large pot. Add penne pasta and cook until al dente (read package cooking instructions). Drain and return to pan.

2. While pasta is cooking, heath large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage, pepper, italian season, onion and garlic and saute until sausage is cooked through, breaking up meat, about 10 minutes.

3. Add in diced and crushed tomatoes. Stir to combine with sausage/onion mixture.

4. Combine sausage/onion/tomato mixture with pasta, spinach, mozzarella cheese and 1/3 cup parmesan cheese. Pour into 13x9" baking dish. Sprinkle remaining 2/3 cup parmesan cheese over top.

4. Bake 15 minutes or until cheese is melted.

*Serve with a fresh salad. Very yummy! Enjoy!

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Chicken Scampi

I'm not exactly sure where I got this recipe...it may be from Allrecipes...but I had to pass it along. I finally tried it tonight (I've had it in my "to cook" file) for a while. Well, it did not disappoint. It is restaurant quality in my opinion. VERY good, and rather easy. The ingredients, I had in my fridge & pantry. It was very rich and yummy!

ingredients:
½ cup butter
¼ cup olive oil
1 tsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. dried basil
¼ tsp. dried oregano
6 garlic cloves, minced
¾ tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or 10-12 boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins)
Optional: sliced mushrooms

directions:
1. In a skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil and butter together until the butter has melted completely. Add parsley, basil, oregano, garlic and salt. Mix together. Stir in lemon juice.

2. Add the chicken into the skillet and sauté for about 3 minutes or until white. (You may need to move heat to med-high for sautéing.) Lower the heat and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes or until juices run clear. Add more butter if needed.

*Serve over Angel Hair pasta with rolls/bread sticks to soak up the tasty sauce.
*Garnish with dried/grated parmesan cheese.

I'm thinking I could really easily substitue the chicken with some shrimp...Shrimp Scampi! Ummm...

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