Double Chocolate Cookies

You'd betta wear a helmet 'cause these cookies will blow ya mind!

...Well maybe not but they are really really good.

1 bag dark chocolate chips (Ghirardelli)
1 bag semi sweet chocolate chips

3 eggs

1 C sugar

1/3 C all purpose flour

1/2t baking powder

1C nuts (I omitted)

Melt dark chocolate in a double boiler with butter. In a small bowl mix baking powder and flour. With mixer beat eggs and sugar until thick. Stir in chocolate mixture. Gently mix in semi sweet chocolate chips and nuts. Using a sheet of plastic wrap form dough into two logs about 2" thick. It will be very soft. Refrigerate at least one hour or until firm. Preheat oven to 375 (I did 350 because my oven runs hot) Unwrap dough and  cut into slices. I did thicker and then cut them to about the size of a quarter. Place on greased cookie sheet or use parchment.  Bake about 7-8 minutes for small cookies or about 12 for larger ones. They are easy to burn so on the first batch just do a couple cookies and see what works. You want to bake until they have a light crust on the top but the inside is still soft. They are great when they are still warm,. I am going to test them out with vanilla ice cream!

Cowboy Potatoes

This recipe is from Bren who got it from Jen. Very good potato casserole. (AKA party potatoes) I'm going to use it for brunch!
 
2 lbs. frozen hash browns
1/2 c. melted butter
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 can cream mushroom or chicken soup
1 pk. sour cream (16 oz.)
2 c. shredded cheddar
2 c. cornflakes (crushed) – optional

Defrost hash browns and combine in large mixing bowl w/ 1/2 c. butter.  Season with salt & pepper.  Add chopped onion, soup, sour cream, & shredded cheese.  Stir thoroughly.  Pour into 4 qt. casserole.  Cover potatoes w/ cornflakes.  Bake @ 350 degrees for 45 + min.  Do not cover.
* For next day, cover w/ foil and refrigerate.  Allow extra baking time.
 

Great Grandma Kase's Banana Bread

This is another recipe from Grandma Hladnick: "This is a recipe of my mother, Grandma Kase. She had this recipe for a long time." Great way to use those bananas once they have reached the "questionable" state.

Enjoy!

1C sugar
1/2C margarine
2 eggs
1C mashed bananas (usually about 3)
1t cinnamon
2C flour
1t baking soda
1t salt
1/2C chopped pecans (optional)

Cream together margarine and sugar. Add beaten eggs.
Sift flour with salt and baking soda. Add alternately with mashed bananas.
Bake in loaf pan for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

French Onion Soup

It's soup season and I love how it can warm you up. French onion is one of my family favorites but it is hard to find a good recipe for it. Recipes are everywhere but a good one is the challenge. This is the Famous Barr french onion soup recipe. I use variances of it when I make mine and I am usually happy how it turns out. This is the master, and I will list what I omit and what I change. I have never tried to make the "FULL" recipe. Too time consuming and it makes a ton.

3lbs onions peeled
1 bay leaf
2t salt
3qt beef bouillon. (I use 4 cans of beef broth, if it is lacking beefy flavor, I just add a couple of bouillon cubes to it)
1 stick butter
1/2t pepper
2T paprika (1/2T sharp 1 1/2 sweet both from Penzey's, you might want you use about half that much, it's pretty spicy)
3/4C flour (sometimes I use it sometimes I don't, more often I use corn starch slurry)
1C white wine (optional and I have never used it)
French Bread
4 1/2oz shredded Swiss cheese (I use whatever is on hand, Swiss, mozzarella, or provel)
caramel coloring (optional, the paprika can make it look deep reddish/orange without it, I don't care about color, I care about taste so I don't worry about it either)
Slice onions into small pieces. Melt butter in large soup pot and add onions. Saute slowly for 1 1/2 hours (I'm more like a half hour on medium heat) Add bay leaf, salt, pepper, paprika, and flour and saute for an additional 10 minutes (I don't add the flour) Add bouillon and wine and simmer for two hours (about a half hour to an hour for me)Adjust color with food coloring (I omit but sometimes I do add a little milk to make it creamy and to cut back the paprika kick) Cool and put in refrigerator overnight. (I skip this, I don't make dinner the night before!)
To serve fill fireproof container with warm soup top with slices of french bread and then top with cheese. Place under boiler until brown about 5 minutes at 350 degrees. (I toast the bread in the oven and then I melt the cheese in the microwave. )

Sorry if this is confusing. I probably should write this out as two recipes but you guys are smart and can figure this out!

Rolo Brownies

YO! I know it has been a while since I added something new but I don't want to just put something up for the sake of doing so. I want it to be tasty and worth reading. So here we go. Rolo brownies. First time I had them Missa made them, I tried to make them, failed (overcooked) then I tried again and they were good.

1/4 C butter
1 box yellow cake mix
2/3 C evaporated milk
36 Rolo's cut in half
(OR about a cup of caramel chips and a cup of chocolate chips, which is what I did)

Grease a 9 x13" Pan and preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Mix everything but the candy. It will be very thick. Put 1/2 of the mixture into the pan and spread out. Bake for about 10-15 minutes. Remove from oven and place rolos cut side down on partially baked dough. Do not try to reposition them. If using the chips, sprinkle them out evenly. They are just going to melt anyway. Then carefully drop by teaspoon the remaining dough on the top. Do not spread. Bake again for about 20-25 minutes, until golden brown. Do not try to cut until completely cool or you will just make a gooey mess. Enjoy!

"Beefeater" sandwiches

These are very similar to the ones you can get from First Watch. We love them so this is a version of it. I like to make mini sandwiches, for Bryan and I we use about 1/4 -1/3 lb of roast beef

sliced French or Italian bread
deli roast beef slices ( I get the pinkest stuff you can at Dierbergs)
Parmesan cheese
cheddar cheese
tomato slices
butter

Take bread slices and put a thin layer of butter on one side of each, then sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on each. Use boiler in oven and toast until lightly brown. Now, there is probably a better way of doing this, but this is what I do. Take half of the pieces and sprinkle some cheddar cheese on the other side of the bread and microwave just long enough to melt it. Put on some tomato and roast beef, depending how much you want of each. and top with the other slice. Yum!

It's Hot! Microwave only! - Cereal Snacks

Yes, almost everyone has had them. A lot of people have made them. But dang-it, sometimes you have a hankerin' for some Rice Krispie treats and the recipe isn't on the box! I made them recently and had Stephen make more the next day because they were all gone already. I'm putting it on here so next time I tell him to make them I don't have to explain where to find the recipe and hope that he is getting the right one. I am also putting puppy chow because it is also a microwave snack and it is one of those you just forget about.

Rice Krispie Treats

1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)
10 oz marshmallows (normal bag)
6 C Rice Krispies

Measure out 6 C of cereal in a large bowl. Melt butter in microwave, then add marshmallows and microwave until melted. Make sure to watch them, they can get massive in there! Stir well and pour over cereal. Mix well and put mixture into a 9X13 pan and gently press to even it out. You can use waxed paper so your fingers don't stick. Allow to cool and cut into servings.

Puppychow

9 cup Chex
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Put cereal in large bowl. Melt peanut butter, butter, chocolate chips and vanilla in a smaller bowl in the microwave. Make sure not to burn the chocolate, you might want to microwave 30 seconds at a time and stir. Pour chocolate mixture over cereal and stir gently until it is all coated. Put the chocolate cereal mixture into a 2 gallon Ziploc bag and add the powdered sugar. Shake until coated. Spread out onto a cookie sheet or a 9X13 pan to cool so it doesn't get mushy in the bag.

Gooey Butter Cake

There are certain things that are St. Louis. Toasted ravioli, super thin pizza with provel cheese and gooey butter cake. For those who don't know what it is you are seriously missing out and you need to make it right away so that you might experience the glory.
Now there are two main distinctions in the gooey butter recipes. There is the official recipe and there is the church cookbook style recipe. There are a lot of differences between the two and I will list both but I have not made the traditional style one, I will simply list it for those who wish to know the difference. I use the church cookbook style gooey butter recipe because I like it better and it is easier with less ingredients. This is what works best for me, it is from three different recipes that I messed with until I was happy.


MY GOOEY BUTTER CAKE RECIPE

1 box yellow cake mix
4 eggs
1 stick butter (softened)
2 3/4 C powdered sugar (plus some for sprinkling on top)
1 t vanilla
1 package cream cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix butter, cake mix and two eggs until well blended. Grease a 9 x 13" pan and pat cake mix into the bottom of the pan. It will be very thick. Mix 2 eggs, powdered sugar, vanilla and cream cheese. Pour mixture on top of the cake mix in the pan. Bake for 20 -25 minutes. While still hot, sprinkle on powdered sugar. Let cool completely before cutting.

TRADITIONAL GOOEY BUTTER CAKE RECIPE.

Again, I have not tried this, it is more for reference to see the difference in the recipes.

For crust:
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened

For filling:
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1 egg
1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
Powdered sugar

1. Prepare the crust. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine 1 cup flour and 3 tablespoons sugar. Cut in 1/3 cup butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs and starts to cling together. Pat into the bottom and sides of a greased 9-by-9-by-2-inch pan.

2. Prepare the filling. In a mixing bowl, beat 1 1/4 cups sugar and 3/4 cup butter until light and fluffy. Mix in egg until combined. A bit at a time, alternately add 1 cup flour and evaporated milk, mixing after each addition. Add corn syrup and vanilla. Mix at medium speed until well blended.

3. Pour filling into crust-lined pan. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until cake is nearly set. Do not overcook. Let cool in pan

Black Bean Dip

This is a recipe from Bryan's Aunt Andrea. Doesn't look pretty but it tastes wonderful.

1 15oz can of black beans
1C grated Monterey Jack cheese
1 7oz can of Herdez Salsa Verde (I used Trader Joe's, probably any salsa verde will work)

Drain beans and mix with salsa and cheese in bowl. Place in oven safe dish and bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, until bubbly. Serve with tortilla chips. (If it is a little runny, it will thicken as it cools)

Random restaurant in Hannibal

On a lazy drive back home Bryan and I stopped in Hannibal to go to the Mark Twain cave that was written about in his stories and to wander around the town a bit. Bryan picked this restaurant based on this sign:

The Rumor Has it Bar and Grill is not a high falutin' establishment but it was perfect day and they had tables outside. Food was really good. I have never had a waitress under 30 so excited about a Ruben sandwich. I got a "girrrrrrl you gotta get the Ruben, it is awesome!"

And it was. Bryan's burger was very good and pure beef taste. Skip the fries and go for the onion rings. Fries were good, onion rings were better. Prices were very reasonable.

My attempts at Salsa

Salsa is good stuff and fresh salsa is awesome. The problem is that there is so much variance of what people like in terms of flavor and heat. Stephen's project this summer was to keep the variety of pepper plants alive that I bought for him to make salsa with because he likes hot and spicy things. I had no idea what I was buying, I just grabbed a variety. Three of them seem to be winners for different reasons. The Habaneros have flowers but haven't produced anything and the Tai Hot aren't ready so I can't judge them. The gypsy peppers are just kind of there and haven't used them too much. Here are the peppers we grew and used, what they look like and their Scoville Units

Serrano 22,000













Anaheim 2,500












Caribbean Red 400,000










For the salsa we also used jalapeno (jalapeno is 8,000)
and a long skinny one purchased at Dierbergs that only listed it as "pepper." which didn't have a lot of heat, just nice flavor. I will try to find out what the heck it was but so far every visual guide I have found doesn't list it. A lot of times salsa doesn't really have good flavor, it is just hot. I wanted to focus on the flavor first and then build up the heat. The equipment I used proved invaluable. The first, surprisingly, was the salad spinner. The second was my Kitchenaid food processor. I am not going to be able to give a specific recipe list, sorry, but more a guide of things to add. The problem is with a true recipe you need measurements but there are too many variables, such as how big are the tomatoes, how are their flavor, how hot is this particular pepper, etc. So this is my process if you would like to try your own hand at making and experimenting.

Equipment:
2 cutting boards
2 knives
rubber gloves
food processor
salad spinner

Ingredients
Serrano pepper
Anaheim pepper
Caribbean Red pepper ( I didn't use this for my personal batch and you might not be able to find it)
Jalapeno
mystery long green pepper
green bell pepper
lime
garlic gloves
tomato (several, around 5)
white onion
salt
cilantro (optional)

OK! This is my process. I keep two cutting boards for this I didn't want to get any of the oil from the peppers on where I would be cutting up the other ingredients. Stephen and my first experiment was good, just too watery, then last Saturday when I was watching James Cecil chop up the tomatoes and we were complaining about the watery salsa issue I realised the salad spinner might take care of that, which it did beautifully. So when it came time for me to try I got that thing out right away. It got all of the water out and most of the seeds.

Since this was a experiment with many small batches being made I decided to get all the basic ingredients ready first so I could just mix them up with the peppers rather than having a puree. First, each ingredient was chopped up separately in the processor and returned to bowls. This includes the onion, garlic, green bell pepper, tomato (post spinner) and lime. Now most recipes call for lime juice, I chopped off a chunk off small each end squeezed out the juice and threw the middle section rest in. The lime zest added a beautiful flavor to it. If you are not sure about that just add the juice, but I will be adding the zest from now on.

Now the peppers. This is important, Please please please use gloves when handling/chopping the peppers. Use a cutting board and knife just for them. This is not a joke. Do not eat the peppers by themselves, especially not the Caribbean red. It is the fifth pepper from getting to the levels of pepper spray. Cecil literally had puffy burns on his face from it because he didn't realise how dangerous the thing was. They went down but yikes! It has a wonderful flavor and adds that warming heat in small quantities. Basically it is a five to ten second delay, and it will become milder after the salsa has sat for a day or two.

There were two small main batches we made. One was medium but flavorful and the other was a hot. Both had the same beginning. This is listed in "abouts." All of these ingredients were already chopped except for the peppers.

1st batch
Serrano pepper about a 1" piece
Anaheim pepper 2" piece
mystery long green pepper 1" piece

These were added to the processor and chopped up with about a teaspoon of the lime Then I added the rest of the ingredients.

green bell pepper 1 T
garlic gloves 1 t
tomato 1 1/2C
white onion 2 T
salt 1t

You might have to add more or so of each of these. Just experiment The second batch was the same, except this time the burn was added.

1" of jalapeno
1/2" of Caribbean red

The jalapeno was the nice initial hot flavor and the Caribbean red balanced out the finish. These were good to eat right away, they didn't need to sit. The lime can get too potent overnight so you might want to put a little more juice and a less zest. We were eating some right away so it was pretty darn good. Again, this was stuff I liked. I don't know what everyone else enjoys so like I mentioned before, it is hard to make a recipe for this. Enjoy experimenting!

Places we like in Chicago

There are more restaurants than you can imagine in Chicago, so I am not going to say these are the best or whatever. However, these are a few restaurants that Bryan and I like and make a point of going to when we are visiting Jessi and John. If anyone has a place they particularly like please let me know! We always like to try something new!

First up - Portillo's

This is one of the few things we can thank Steve's ex for. It is very good and known for their hot dogs. Order at a counter type. I do not eat hot dogs, but I am more than happy with the roast beef sandwiches and their chopped salad with their house dressing is amazing. There are several locations but I believe the main is downtown (it is the biggest one I have gone to) It even has a very nice patio for the month that it is pleasant weather.

Fogo de Chao
Meat. SOOOOO much meat. You get a card. One side is red. One side is green. Red means leave me alone. Green means BRING MEAT. And they do....so much meat. Small bits so you can try everything. We aren't talking Pondersoa "quality." This is lamb, and filet mingnon (with or without bacon) and steak and chicken and pork....The whole thing isn't cheap but we were able to go on a weekday and it was less expensive. It was worth it. They also bring sides to the table, and one thing I liked alot is that they would give you a clean plate every so often. A word to the wise, the salad bar is there to slow you from the meats. Eat a little so you don't get sick but don't fill up on the amazing cheeses and veggies they have or you will have less room for meat.

Pizza
There are two places we get pizza for Chicago style. Perry's and Giordanos.
Perry's is heavy thick pizza. As in one sliced kicked Bryan's brother Kevin's butt and Bryan himself usually maxes out at 3. I am a 1.5 slice person. I prefer it to Giordanos, but it is more out of the way and there is only one location. It is my favorite Chicago style.
Giordanos is also very good. Heavy pizza and leftovers are good for breakfast. Both of these serve the traditional sauce on top which keeps everything from getting overdone, especially when you microwave it later.

Goose Island
They make beer but like most "smaller" breweries (meaning not Miller or AB) they have a restaurant. I am not a beer drinker but I do like me a root beer now and again. Good pub style food. Parking can be a pain in the butt though.

Cucumber Tomato Salad

It is hot. And humid. And I don't want anything heavy to eat. So I had bought some cucumbers and tomatoes at the farmers market and wanted to do something with them. I decided to make a salad with them and found a pretty basic recipe (basically I needed proportions) for this salad. The one I saw had cumin in it, but I didn't want the spicy flavor. This is a cool side dish when you don't want a real salad or something heavy.

1 cucumber chopped
2 tomatoes chopped
1 small white onion chopped (or just half of one - depending how much you like onion)
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 T white vinegar
1 T balsamic vinegar
1 t parsley (I didn't have fresh, I used dried and it was fine)
1 t cilantro (can be omitted)
salt and pepper to taste

Mix everything well and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. You can also serve with fresh mozzarella.

Strawberry and Candied Nut Salad

This salad is so good it almost could be qualified as a dessert. It is like the Supercrack of salad, except it doesn't cause hookers to explode. This salad is comprised of a few steps but worth it. You will need for the salad itself two types of lettuce. I like to use romaine and iceberg mix. Then there is the Colby/Jack shredded cheese, sliced strawberries, candied nuts and dressing.

Poppy Seed Dressing
2 C sugar
1 1/4 C vinegar
2t dried mustard
1t salt
3T poppy seeds
1/4 C dried onion flakes
1/4 C orange juice
3 C canola oil

Put everything in blender except oil. Blend well, then add oil and blend again. This makes a lot so you can half the recipe and still have plenty. Keeps for a few weeks.

Candied Nuts
1 egg white
1 T water
2 C chopped nuts (I use a combo of sliced almonds and crushed pecans)
3/4 C sugar

Grease a large baking dish ( 9 X 13 is fine ) and preheat oven to 325. Beat egg white and water until frothy (I used a hand mixer for this) Add nuts and coat well. Sprinkle 1/2 C of sugar over nuts. Stir and spread out in the pan. Sprinkle on the additional 1/4 C of sugar. Bake for 10 minutes. Stir and bake and additional 10 minutes. Remove from oven, stir again and let cool. These are very good on their own. Good to make for holidays, you can add some cinnamon and use pecan halves or whole almonds.

OK! Salad itself needs:

2 heads of lettuce chopped (Romaine and Iceberg) or other mixed greens.
1 C of shredded Colby Jack or Cheddar Jack cheese
2 C or so sliced strawberries
1 C Candied nuts
Poppy Seed Dressing

Some folks have dietary issues so I like to put all the ingredients in little bowls next to the lettuce so folks can pick and choose what to put on. Basically you just put a some of each item on the salad. That or if there is a space issue (like a family pot luck) I just put everything on but the dressing and toss. This is one of the few salads people will go back for seconds. I have also added Mandarin oranges and other fruits before. It is all wonderful! Enjoy!

White Castle Dip

This is wonderful and disturbing at the same time. Kristi has brought this before. Tastes just like White Castle hamburgers. Great crock pot dip, you can serve with chips or on buns.

2 pounds ground beef
1 package Lipton onion soup mix
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Brown beef and drain. Put everything in a crock pot.
Stir well, cover and cook on low for about 2 hours stirring occasionally.

Party Pizzas!

Ok- they are silly but I tell you what, you bring out a tray of these at a party it is like a pack of lions taking down a kill. I like them because you can make them ahead of time and freeze them. They may not be mini quiches but they are damn tasty in all of their cheese food product glory.

1 lb pork sausage
2 T ketchup
½ t oregano
1 lb Velveeta (if you cut it into smaller pieces it will melt faster)
2 t garlic
2 loaves party rye bread

Fry sausage and drain, add all ingredients except Velvetta and mix well. Add Velvetta and cook until it is totally melted an mixed with other ingredients. Using a teaspoon spread on bread. Keep and eye on the Velveeta, you don't want it getting too hot on the bottom of the pan. Bake for 5 minutes in 375 degree oven. If frozen, bake for 15 minutes.

Snickerdoodles

I know, this is one of the basic cookie recipes, but sometimes you just find the one that works well for you. These are some of my favorite cookies.

1 C butter
1 ½ C sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4 C flour
1 t baking soda
1 t cream of tartar
1/4 t salt
cinnamon sugar to roll cookies in

Mix all ingredients except cinnamon sugar. When mixed, roll dough into little balls and then roll in the cinnamon sugar. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 9 minutes or so at 380-400 degrees.

Honey Lime Salad Dressing

Want something other than ranch? Try this. Very different tangy flavor. All you need is a blender!

1/2 C honey
1t dry mustard
1t salt
1/2 C cider vinegar
1/4 C lime juice
1/4 C diced onion (I use the dried stuff from Penzey's)
1 C canola oil

Add all ingredients except oil, blend well. Add oil and blend. Done!

I love blueberry muffins!

I do. I forget how much I love them sometimes. This is a basic sweet muffin recipe that you can add whatever you want to it. I have been making this since I was little with my mom since it was something I could make from scratch with her that didn't have to be too precise...and didn't care that I added the blueberry juice to the batter because I thought since they are blueberry muffins they should be blue. (I still do that sometimes!) Nothing hard about this recipe, though I haven't tested it on Stephen yet. I'll make a cook out of that boy yet!

Yield 12 muffins
1 egg
1/2 C milk
1/4 C oil
1 1/2 C flour
1/2 C sugar
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 can of blueberries (or whatever you like) drained

Preheat oven to 400. Mix all ingredients except berries. Add berries with a spoon and fold them into the batter so you don't crush them. Fill muffin cups about 2/3 full. Bake 20 min or until light golden brown. Yum!

BBQ

As many people know Bryan and I love to get out of town, and one wonderful side effect is the fact that we have new restaurants to try, or have them recommended by folks that we are visiting. Here are two Bar-B-Que restaurants, one we have been going to for years, recommended by Mark and Brenda, and the other we found on accident on our way back from Gulf Shores.

The first is Oklahoma Joe's. It is in Kansas City and it is one of those places when people ask what is good I say "everything." I can't think of a place that I like better for BBQ. My favorite is the pulled pork and "KC's Best Fries" and Bryan's is the ribs. They even sell by the pound so I can take some home with me. This is the sauce I use when I BBQ. Now here is the part that folks have to get past. It is in a gas station. They have a nice dining area and if you get there after 12 the line is out the door for lunch. It is amazing.



The second is the one we found on accident. We were coming back from our trip, needed to stop and eat and I knew Grenada, Mississippi had hotels so it stood to reason they had restaurants. We were actually looking for something else when this place caught our eye. The giant BBQ on the side of the building and a picture of a pig was a good sign, and the full parking lot at 7:30 on a Thursday was another. The third was the quality of cars in the lot. Most were very expensive with a few cheaper ones thrown in. At one point ours was the cheapest car in the front lot, which considering we have a loaded Mazda 6 was pretty impressive for middle of nowhere Mississippi.

The place is called Jake and Rip's. It is about 20-30 minutes from Tunica/Memphis right off 55. Not only were the prices reasonable bordering on cheap, it was extremely good. We were seated quickly, side salads were loaded with toppings and were quality. Also they were $2.50. Extra sides were $1.50. Bryan and I decided to split one of their platters to try the variety. It all was good. The hickory flavor was a little stronger but very good. Bryan said it was some of the best ribs he ever had. I liked the pulled pork and chicken the best.


Now I have seen a lot very good reviews of this place and some not so good. Most seem to complain about the service, we had no trouble there and some complaining about the seafood, I mean, really-? ordering shrimp in a BBQ place then whining like a little girl? Catfish is a whole different ballgame. If it is a choice between McDonald's and this place, try this place for something different, it will add time to the drive but we thought it was worth it.

Snicker Apple Dessert

This is a recipe from Jen, I think it has been passed around her family. Simple and different, but you may want to warn folks of two things, contains peanuts, and NOT POTATO SALAD. I had it out at a family gathering and people were unsure of what it was exactly. Now I am requested to make it when strawberries aren't in season for chocolate coating. As you can see from the picture it isn't pretty but it is darn good.

6 regular Snickers bars
4-6 granny smith apples, chopped into small bite sized pieces
1 pack of Jello vanilla pudding
1 8oz container of Cool Whip

Freeze the Snickers, then double bag them in ziplock bags and crush them. (I use a hammer, takes out some aggression) In a large bowl mix all ingredients well and keep in refrigerator for at least an hour before serving. Do not make the night before, the cool whip softens too much and the apples can get very runny in the bottom. It tastes fine, just looks funky. This is a very good "I need to bring something to a pot luck" dish. Somewhere between a side and a dessert. Enjoy!

Grandma Hladnick's Beef Marinade

This is one of my Grandma's recipes. Very good for beef, especially kebabs.

1/2C soy sauce
1/2C red wine (semi dry)
1/4C brown sugar
1/4C Worcestershire sauce

Mix ingredients and marinade beef for at least two hours or overnight.

Cheddar Cheese Soup

This is another recipe from Disney, specifically Le Cellier Steakhouse in the Canada part of EPCOT. This is one of the Miller families favorite things to get there. Recipes from restaurants a lot of times don't give you all the information so you never get it quite right. I took two recipes for this soup, one from Disney cookbook and one from AllEars.net and sort of merged the two and I have it pretty darn close. This is also labor and time intensive because you can't walk away from it for more than 15 minutes, but it is very filling and very much worth it.

1/2 lb bacon cut into 1/2" pieces
1 medium red onion cut into 1/4" pieces
3 celery stalks (ribs) cut into 1/4" pieces
4T butter
1C flour
2C chicken broth or stock
4C milk (I used Oberweis whole milk)
3/4 lb grated white cheddar cheese (This is the trick - most white cheddar is way too strong and almost sour, Cabot wasn't as good. If you can find it use Canadian Black Diamond. Sam's carries it.)
1T Tabasco sause
1T Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2C warm beer - Moosehead (Worth it to get it if you can find it, lacks the bitter aftertaste.)
Chopped chives for garnish.

In a large pot cook bacon until it is just starting to lightly brown - about 5 minutes. Add onion celery and butter and saute on medium for about 15 minutes. If you can cover the pot to keep the steam in it will speed things up, stir occasionally to keep from sticking. The onion and celery need time to soften. (The cook book recipe didn't give nearly enough time and they were still sort of crunchy in the first batch) Add flour and cook, stirring constantly for four minutes. Whisk in chicken stock and boil for one minute. Reduce heat for a low simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Add milk and continue to simmer for another 15 minutes. Do not let the milk boil. Remove from heat and stir in cheese, Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper until the cheese is melted smooth. Stir in warm beer. Serve with chives on top.

Spice Cake

This is a good, "hey I need something else for dinner/dessert/breakfast" recipe. It is so easy that I handed the recipe to Stephen and said "make this" and he had no problems. This is also one of the few cakes that Bryan actually likes. The best part is that all of the ingredients are usually ones you have around the house.

1 1/2C sugar
2C flour
1/2C margarine or butter
1t cinnamon
1t salt
1 egg
1t baking soda
1C sour milk (add 1T vinegar to make sour)

Mix the sugar, flour, butter, cinnamon and salt well. Remove 1C for topping. To the remainder add the egg, soda, and milk and mix. Pour into a greased and floured 9X12 pan, sprinkle on the 1C of topping. Bake for 30 minutes at 350.

Strawberry Puff Pastries

My mom used to make these a long time ago, but forgot how. Recently I decided to see if I could recreate it. It turned out pretty darn good! Very easy, but you do need a mixer, or you can cheat and use store bought caramel and use whipped cream from a can, but I can't bring myself to do that. There are four parts to the dessert. The pastry, the whipped cream, the fruit, and the caramel topping. This all can be made the night before, or last minute if you have everything on hand.

Ingredients
Puff pastry sheets - I used Pepridge Farms. You will find it in the freezer section with the pies.
Sliced strawberries or other fruit
Heavy whipping cream - quart
Powdered Sugar (about 6T)
Vanilla 2t
Brown Sugar 1/2C
Sugar 1/2C
Butter 1/2 C

Pastry
I just follow the directions on the box. I thaw, cut up into smaller pieces and bake about 375 for about 10-12 minutes

Caramel
In a sauce pot add 1/2C brown sugar, 1/2C regular sugar, 1/2C butter (one stick) and 1/2C heavy cream. I add 1t vanilla, I do not use artificial extracts. Heat on medium high in a pot until boiling for about two minutes. Stir occasionally. Allow to cool.

Whipped cream
6T or so powdered sugar, 1t vanilla and remaining whipped cream. Beat all ingredients until it forms stiff peaks. More sugar may be added, I am just guessing on the 6T, I add about 4 heaping tablespoons or so, it is an excuse to taste it.

Everything can be refrigerated overnight if needed.

To build the dessert, basically you will be making little sandwiches. Slice the pastry in half like a hamburger bun, on the lower part put the fruit, then about 2-4T of whipped cream and then the top layer of the pastry. Drizzle warm caramel on the top.
Sooooo good. Another good thing about this dessert is that you can break it in half completely. Only use on sheet of the pastry, a pint of cream and break the caramel sauce into fourths. Sometimes Bryan and I eat leftovers of this for breakfast. Don't judge me.

Places to Eat in Gulf Shores, AL

I know that most people do not know or share the love I have of Gulf Shores. My family has been going there for years, it is so calming to just get a condo and hang out on the beach and read or do some of the silly touristy things like go to Souvenir City or hit the outlet mall. The beach there is great, not too many shells that chop your feet up but enough that you can find some pretty ones. Even in July there are still areas of beach that are not covered with people. I am so thrilled that Bryan loves the place as much as I do.
Besides the chilling out factor, there is something else we love to do there - eat. There is nothing like eating seafood that was caught that morning or the day before. We have by no means tried every place there or even come close, and some places I can't remember it has been so long but here are a few places that are worth mentioning from this trip.

• King Neptune's
  By far our favorite. It is a little place, some might use the description of "dive" but the food could not be better or more reasonably priced. There are usually lunch specials for around 6 bucks.

• Big O's
  Almost next door to Neptune's, it has a little larger dining area. Amazing food, all you can eat GOOD shrimp for 11 bucks and the only cole slaw Bryan has ever liked.

• DeSoto's
  The selling point of this place is price. It is good, not amazing but still better than anything you are going to get in the Midwest. The lunch specials are cheap and there are more options for the lunches and the sides than most places. Picky eaters can find good food options here.
  

• LuLu's
  Owned by Jimmy Buffet's "Sista" This restaurant is located on the inter coastal waterway so you can pull up your boat rather than car. It is very open on the inside, all walls are roll up in the dining area so basically you have a big pavilion. The food is good but a little pricier when comparing it to other places. You are paying for the fun factor but that does not stop us from going there and enjoying ourselves. Basically it is about what you would expect when you hear who owns it.
  

• Bahama Bob's
  We actually spent more here than any other place, but that is because of what we ordered. Prices about on par with LuLu's, the reason why it was more expensive was because we had never been there before we ordered a sampler seafood platter so we could try a little of everything and a order of popcorn shrimp. The popcorn shrimp were bigger than the regular shrimp you get at Red Lobster and really good. I think some of what we got was a bit overcooked so it wasn't amazing to me but it was still good. It was nice to sit right on the beach and look at the gulf.
  

• Foxy's
  Bryan went to work for a day and I walked to the only place within 2 miles. I wish I hadn't. It was a new restaurant, so I thought ok, I'll try it. I was sick within an hour and I couldn't look at shrimp for a while afterwards.
  

• Villaggio Grille
  Located on in the "Wharf" area this is a nicer restaurant that we went to after my seafood experience at Foxy's to get something other than seafood. They had it on the menu but I got a pizza and Bryan got a fancy burger. It was very good. Not as pricey as I would have thought by the look of it though they did have more expensive things on the menu. I loved the salad I got and the wood oven pizza was filling and tasty. We sat on the patio area and it couldn't have been nicer outside. The Wharf itself is also cool with concerts, a Ferris wheel, movie theater and shops. Technically it is in Orange Beach but it is only a few minute drive from Gulf Shores.
  

• Billy's Seafood
  This is not a place you eat it, this is the place you buy it. They catch it on their boats. Fresh as it can be and they ship.

Hot Wing Dip

Sometimes the ladies come over for cheesy horror movie night and part of the evening is eating dips. Emily usually brings this over and it is very good. This is also something Stephen can handle making and eats it for meals sometimes. I might not have the proportions that Emily uses exactly right but this is how we have been making it at home.

2 large cans of chicken or 2C of fully cooked chicken (sometimes I use the leftovers from a roasted chicken)
1C Franks Red Hot Sauce
1/2C Ranch dressing
1 package of cream cheese.
1C cheddar cheese (optional)

Put all ingredients into a crock pot on high, stir occasionally until everything is mixed and the dip is bubbling,
Turn temperature down and serve.
You can also get a jump start on this by cooking this on the stove and transferring to the crock pot to keep warm.

Meatloaf?

Ok, I know meatloaf isn't something most people are really excited about getting another recipe for, but this one is really very good. It is from the recipe book my brother in law Kevin gave me for my birthday last year. It is more flavorful than most, and makes two loaves, easy to cook one and freeze one. The pork makes the difference I think.

2 lbs ground beef
1 lb ground pork
4 large eggs
1 C seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 finely chopped onion
1/4 C finely chopped green bell pepper
1/4 C finely chopped red bell pepper
2 T plus 1/2 t Worcestershire sauce
1/2 t pepper
1/2 salt
1/2 C ketchup
1 T brown sugar
1 t dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 350 and lightly oil pan. Combine beef, pork, breadcrumbs, eggs, onion, peppers, 2T worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper until well mixed, but do not over do it. Divide in half and make two loafs and put in the pans. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until 155 internal temperature. In a small bowl mix brown sugar, ketchup, mustard and 1/2t of worcestershire sauce. Brush on loaves and cook for 10 more minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes for serving.

Pineapple Teriyaki Glaze

This is from one of my most favorite restaurants in the world, Kona Cafe in the Disney Polynesian Resort. Very easy, this is wonderful on chicken or steak. You can baste it on or serve it on the side.
You can find a lot of wonderful Disney recipes here.

1 C low-sodium soy sauce - Kikoman low sodium is still to salty, I use Trader Joe's
4 T brown sugar
1/4 C Sake - I used Trader Joe's brand for this
1/4 C Mirin (it is in the Asian food section. it is a little bottle with the soy sauce, can be hard to find, found it at Schnucks here)
1/2 t minced garlic
1/2 t minced ginger
1/2 C pineapple juice
1/2 C cornstarch and water (slurry) 1/2 cup water add about 1t cornstarch or so.

In a saucepan, bring all ingredients, except the cornstarch to a boil.
Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, then stir in the cornstarch and water mixture. Cook for an additional 10 minutes. Strain the sauce through a colander. Soooooo good. I sometimes serve this with some warm pineapple. If you refrigerate, you might want to add some more juice when you warm it up.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

I have no idea where stores get off selling these for 1-3 dollars each. They are so simple and delicious. There is only one challenging bit, you need a double boiler or you *might* be able to use a crock pot. The key is not letting the chocolate burn. Few things smell worse than burnt chocolate.

You will need:
Double boiler
Cookie sheets lined with foil
Room in fridge to fit strawberries. (I forget about this a lot)
Chocolate - any form but I use dark chips, because the almond bark is flavored chocolate, the dark balances it out.
Chocolate flavored almond bark, this is a trick sometimes. It is in the baking isle, I usually get it at Dierbergs.
Strawberries (washed)
Any random thing you want to coat with chocolate once you run out of strawberries. (pretzels, almonds, Oreos etc)

Fill the double boiler with about a inch of water or so and put it on medium heat.
I wait until some steam is coming out and then I add about half the chunks of the almond bark.
I squish them with a tiny spatula and when they are melty I add the chocolate and stir. You want a 1=1 ratio between the almond bark and the chocolate.
Sometimes I turn down the heat if there is too much steam coming out, you just need to keep the chocolate completely melted.

Once the chocolate is ready I take the strawberries one at a time, first I dry them completely with a paper towel then I take them by the leaves and dip them once into the chocolate, then put them on the cookie sheet.

IMPORTANT - NEVER EVER ADD ANYTHING TO THE CHOCOLATE. THIS INCLUDES WATER, BUTTER, MILK, or OIL.
If moisture gets added, the almond bark will clump up and will not be usable. Nothing I have found will bring it back.

Once you have filled the cookie sheet place it in the fridge to harden the chocolate. You will be able to transfer the strawberries to another container once they harden. Just keep in mind to separate the layers with foil or waxed paper. Add more of both ingredients as needed. It depends on how many strawberries you need and how big they are. Just keep the 1=1 ratio.
If you want to get super fancy, they make vanilla almond bark, I have mixed this with white chocolate chips and made squiggles or double dipped the strawberries. You can do this after you have finished with the regular chocolate.
You can also coat frozen bananas or other fruits.

Enjoy!

French Toast Casserole

Mom makes this for brunch. Wonderful!

1 10oz loaf of french bread 18" long
8 eggs
3 C milk
1/4 C sugar
3/4 t salt
1 T vanilla
2 T butter cut into 5 pats
1/2 t cinnamon

Grease 13 X 9 baking dish, cut bread into 1" wide slices and arrange in bottom of pan.
Beat eggs milk sugar salt vanilla in large bowl (by hand is fine.)
Pour over bread in pan, bread will float. Cut each pat of butter into four pieces and dot each piece of bread with a piece of butter. Sprinkle cinnamon on top. Cover and refrigerate overnight - up to 36 hours. Place dish uncovered in cold oven and turn oven to 325 if glass pan 350 if metal. Bake 45-50 minutes until bread is light brown.
Remove from oven and let set 5 minutes. Serve with syrup or fresh fruit.

Grandma Hladnick's Funnel Cakes

Everyone loves funnel cake right? And usually won't think twice about dropping 3-6 dollars on one. This is my Grandma's recipe. Super easy and it makes a lot of them. I recommend topping with powdered sugar, strawberries and whipped cream. Just about everything is better with whipped cream.

Funnel Cake Recipe:

1 and 1/3 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 tablespoon baking powder
(sift the above items together)

then the following:

2/3 cup of milk
1 beaten egg

mix everything, then beat until smooth.

put 1 inch of hot oil in a pan (corn oil or canola oil, NOT vegetable oil)

cook until golden brown (may need to flip it over once)
take out of oil and put on either a paper plate or paper towel to soak up excess oil.

Jamabalaya Goodness

So I slack. A lot. Here is my 2nd post YAY! I figured this will be easier for those who like my cooking and want my recipes. Here is the first. This is from Penzey's

WARNING: This is labor intensive. Plan at least three hours start to finish. There is a lot of letting things simmer for 20-30 minutes in there, but it still takes time.

Chicken stock:
1 chicken 4lbs or so
3 garlic cloves
1 onion chopped in 4 pieces
2 celery stalks
1t salt
1t pepper

Jambalaya:
1lb smoked sausage (Andouille if possible)
3T olive oil
2/3 C chopped green bell pepper
2 minced garlic cloves
3/4 C chopped parsley
1 C chopped celery
1 28oz can whole tomatoes
2 1/2 C chicken stock
1 C green onion
1 1/2 t dried thyme
2 whole bay leaves
2t dried oregano
1T Cajun seasoning
1/4t cayenne pepper
2 C uncooked rice
1 medium tomato
1lb shrimp (I use the tiny salad ones because
they are bite sized and don't have a tail to mess with, the original full recipe calls for a whopping 3lbs of fresh shrimp, this is not happening in the midwest)
chicken left from stock

OK! Skin chicken and remove bits that are hiding in chicken Add all the stuff for the stock in a large pot and put enough water in it that the chicken is covered. Boil at medium high for 45 minutes until the chicken is cooked though. While the chicken is cooking is when I chop up the other ingredients. Take out chicken and let cool keep boiling stock off for about a half an hour so it is stronger. Once the chicken is cooled off pull meat from chicken into bite sized chunks Slice the sausage into thin pieces and brown them. Stir them so they don't burn. Remove and set aside. Add olive oil, bell pepper, garlic, parsley and celery to the pot and cook for 5 minutes. Open can of tomatoes and stick a knife in to chop them up a little. Add tomatoes, chicken, chicken stock, green onion, thyme, oregano, cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper and black pepper. Wash and rinse rice. Drain and add to mix with the fresh tomato and sausage. Cover and cook for about 45 minutes on low. Stir a couple of times to make sure all the rice gets cooked. Add shrimp. If using raw, make sure they are cooked until pink, if frozen until thawed. Transfer to oven safe dish and cook in 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes. YUMMY! This makes a lot of food.

Hello all!

Here I am. I'm not sure how I feel about this whole blogging thing but I figured it would be a good place to keep track of the stuff I make so I have my notes and pics in one place rather than on scraps of paper stuck to the inside of my cookbooks and in random files / drawers in the house. So here it goes.