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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Potato Soup

On this anniversary of the 1st time we had this recipe, I thought I would post the recipe for everyone to enjoy. It was about 3 years ago, a friend had us over for some warm soup before heading out to trick-or-treat. It was great, so of course, I got the recipe! We had it again tonight (a Halloween favorite)--and actually, it is great for any time of year, but especially when it is brisk outside and when you want to feel warm inside. YUM! Thanks Shauna!

ingredients:
5 or 6 medium to large potatoes, pealed & chopped into small pieces
1 1/2 cups cubed ham (you can also buy cut up/cubed ham in packages--this works great!)

6-8 slices of bacon, cooked crisp & crumbled
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 pint cream
4 chicken bullion cubes
1 tsp. pepper
salt to taste
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 cup milk
2-3 cups shredded cheese (cheddar is great)

directions:
1. In pot, add potatoes and just enough water to cover the potatoes (if you want a thinner soup, add just a bit more water--thicker, less). Cook until tender. Mash the potatoes once cooked (keeping all of the water with the potatoes).

2. Cook bacon. Reserve bacon drippings. After cooling, crumble the bacon.

3. In the bacon drippings, sautee onion until clear.

4. Whisk together milk and cornstarch and add to the soup. Add additional milk for a thinner soup. Crush the bullion cubes and add to the soup.

5. Add onion, cut up bacon, cream and ham to the potatoes. Salt and pepper to taste.

6. Add 1 cup of the shredded cheese into the soup and whisk together well.

7. Sprinkle cheese over soup while serving.

We love having crescent rolls with this soup...they are perfect for dipping into the soup. Enjoy!

CrockPot Option:
1. Into the crockpot: potatoes, water, ham, bacon, sauteed onions, bullion, salt, pepper. Let cook on low for 6-8 hours, or High for 4-6.

2. Mash up the potatoes and add the remaining liquids (cream, milk w/ cornstarch, additional milk) and cheese.

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Zucchini Bread

What to do with all that zucchini that is growing in your garden?? This bread is delicious! I found the recipe on the web, but tweaked it quite a bit according to other people that have tried it. It turned out fabulous. My favorite zucchini bread recipe ever (and I've made several recipes). It is moist, but not mushy. Enjoy!

ingredients:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour (or you CAN use all white)

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

2 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. ground nutmeg

3 eggs

1 1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup apple sauce

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups grated zucchini

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

directions:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together flours, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix together well.

2. In a mixer, mix together eggs, sugars, apple sauce, vegetable oil, and vanilla.

3. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet. Mix well. Stir in the zucchini and walnuts (if using) until just combined.

4. Pour batter into 2 well greased loaf pans. Bake at 325 for apx. 50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool!

*Great with cream cheese spread on it!

*Throw in some chocolate chips for a more dessert-type bread.

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Anniversary Chicken

I have made this a few times and it is great! I'm not sure where the recipe came from as it is on the Internet, in church cook books etc. Certainly, I didn't come up with it, but I enjoy it and so I thought I'd pass it on to you! I've made it in both the oven, and in the crock pot. I like both equally. It almost "looks" prettier if done in the oven, but it tastes just a little more tender in the crock pot. Your choice! I imagine you can easily put this in the dutch oven and have a great camping dish too! Enjoy!

ingredients:

6 boneless/skinless chicken breasts or 10+ breast tenderloins

1/2 cup teriyaki sauce

1/2 cup ranch dressing

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

6 strips of bacon or bacon bits

chives (optional)

oven directions:

1. Cook bacon (unless you are using the bacon bits) and cut up/crush into small bit pieces. Set aside.

2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm about 2 tbsp of olive oil or butter. Put the chicken in the skillet and saute until they are lightly browning. Place chicken in a 9x13" baking dish.

3. Mix together the teriyaki sauce and the ranch dressing. Pour over chicken. Next, place a generous amount of shredded cheddar over each piece of chicken and sprinkle with the bacon bits and chives (if using).

4. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

crock pot/dutch oven directions:

1. Cook bacon and cut/crush into small bits (if not using bacon bits). Place raw or frozen chicken in the crock pot.

2. Mix together the teriyaki sauce and ranch dressing. Pour over the chicken. Sprinkle bacon bits over chicken.

3. Cook on Low for 6-8 hours or High for 4 hours.

4. When serving, make sure each piece has some bacon with it and the generously sprinkle the shredded cheddar over each served piece of chicken. Garnish with chives (if using).

Enjoy!

.....I got a lot of "Thanks for the Yummy Dinner, Mom"s after serving this. The kids LIKE it, and the hubby couldn't get enough. It really is a delicious chicken dish!

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