As I hunted for my first recipe to try, I found myself entranced by the Favorite Recipes of Pennsylvania Meats.  It appears to be a fundraising tool but does not say from whom it was purchased.  The publishing date is MCMLXV or 1966.  I thought I would begin with something simple and not too unusual like jellied veal loaf.

I chose this simple ground beef noodle casserole.  It’s a great dish that can be quickly prepared on a school night.  The leftovers also reheat quite nicely.

Ingredients:

1 med. onion, chopped
butter
1 lb. ground beef
1 8-oz. package noodles (I used egg noodles)
1 Tbsp. salt
1 can tomato soup
1 sm. can mushrooms (I had fresh and chopped 6)
1/2 lb. American cheese, grated (I used cheddar and mozzarella)

Preheat oven to 350.  Brown onion in butter; add beef and brown.  Cook noodles in 3 quarts salted water until tender.  Drain; rinse in hot water.  Add to meat.  Add remaining ingredients except cheese.  Mix and place in greased casserole.  Top with cheese.  Bake for 30 minutes. 

Mrs. Bert Wynn, of Rebersburg, PA contributed this recipe.  You can add other vegetables like black olives, broccoli, zucchini and many others.  If you have a large family, I suggest doubling the recipe so you are certain to have some leftovers.  This is one of those dishes that tastes even better after an overnight refrigerator session.  My guy gives the best gifts.  Enjoy!

xo–me

When I was in college, I worked at a restaurant that was famous for their peanut butter pie.  We sold more slices and complete pies than anything else on the dessert menu.  I have been looking for a peanut butter pie that would remind me of this delicacy of yesteryear and, with this recipe, I just may have.

Ingredients:

2 3-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 c. creamy peanut butter
2 c. powdered sugar
12-oz. container frozen whipped topping, thawed
9-inch graham cracker pie crust

Blend cream cheese and peanut butter together until smooth and creamy; set aside.  Mix powdered sugar and whipped topping together; blend into cream cheese mixture.  Spread in pie crust.  Refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours.  Before serving, top with whipped cream.

I use Martha Stewart’s recipe for homemade whipped cream (for pie topping):

1 c. heavy cream
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar

In a deep mixing bowl, beat cream until soft peaks form.  Sprinkle sugar over cream; beat until soft speaks return.  Do not overbeat. 

For the fresh whipped cream, chill the whisk or beaters and bowl in the freezer for 15 minutes.  I allowed the pie to sit on the counter for 10 minutes before I added the cream, cut and served.  Next time I may crush some Reese’s Peanut Butter cups and sprinkle over the whipped cream.  Enjoy!

xo–me

It’s a simple graham cracker crust we are making today.  Many of you will ask, why not just grab a pre-made one from the baking aisle at the market?  I too love convenience but it is so simple to make, you can honestly tell your family you made the entire pie, not just the filling.  I know you can skip right past those stacks of crusts and into the cookie aisle to get a box of graham crackers.  I know you can.

Ingredients:

12 graham crackers, finely ground (1 1/2 cups)
5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1/4 c. sugar
1/8 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350.  Pulse all ingredients in a food processor until combined.  Firmly press mixture into bottom and side of a 9-inch pie dish.  Bake until crust is fragrant and edges are golden, 12 to 14 minutes.  Let cool completely on wire rack.

My BFF, Martha Stewart, shared this recipe with me.  Well, full disclosure, through one of her cookbooks.  Make this crust today and set it aside for tomorrows pie recipe.

xo–me

The cookbook got me to thinking of my nephew, young William, who I fondly call the ‘Holy Terror’.  He is three and, well, he is three!  Into everything with his mind growing faster than a speeding bullet.  I love watching him learn and discover.  He is interested in everything.  Anyway, the cookbook got me thinking about recipes I could share here that he and Tricia could make together as well as other parents, babysitters, teachers and older siblings with their young ones.

Today’s recipe speaks to that group.  It’s one of the easiest recipes I have ever tried.  You can make this with your children or have it be the treat for the kids at the slumber party to make their own!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Original Bisquick mix
1/3 cup very hot water
1 packet of yeast (Add only if you prefer thick crust.  If you like regular, omit this ingredient)
sauce
mozzarella
Italian seasonings
toppings of choice

Move oven rack to lowest position.  Heat oven to 450.  Grease 12-inch pizza pan. 

Mix Bisquick and very hot water until soft dough forms.  Press dough into pizza pan, using fingers dipped in Bisquick to push to edges.  Pinch circumference to form rim. Bake 8-10 minutes and remove.  Spread pizza sauce, cheese, seasonings of choice and toppings of choice over dough.  Put back into oven and bake an additional 5-7 minutes until cheese is bubbling and melted.  

I have used it to make several types of pizza and just love it.  Remember, it’s not NY style nor Chicago deep dish.  Pizza crust love is in the eye of the beholder.  Enjoy!

xo–me

You may alter the recipe by sprinkling coarse salt over the top before the chocolate hardens if you have found yourself on board the sweet/salt train of late.

Ingredients:

1/2 +3/4 c. butter
heaping 1 c. all-purpose flour
heaping 1/4 + heaping 1/2 c. baker’s sugar
7 oz. semisweet chocolate, broken into pieces
3 Tbsp. dark corn syrup
14 oz. condensed milk

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease and line with parchment paper the bottom of a 9-inch square pan. 

Put butter, flour and sugar in a food professor and process until the mixture starts to bind together.  Press into the pan and level the top.  (I roll an orange over the mixture to even it out)  Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden. 

While baking, place remaining butter, remaining sugar, corn syrup and condensed milk in a heavy bottom pan.  Heat gently until the sugar has melted.  Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and let simmer for 6-8 minutes, stirring until very thick.  (I used a double boiler the first time I made caramel.  It’s an easy way to insure you don’t burn it.)  Pour over shortbread and let chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours or until firm. 

Finally, melt the chocolate and let cook, then spread over the caramel.  (This is where I sprinkled a small amount of coarse salt over the chocolate.)  Put back into refrigerator for 2 hours or until set.  Cut shortbread into 1 inch squares using a sharp knife and serve. 

To make pretty pieces you must have a very sharp knife.  I also dipped mine in boiling water before each cut.

Enjoy!

xo–me

I love Christmas, Easter, Independence Day, St. Valentine’s and just about every holiday but I must confess that Halloween holds a very special place in my heart.  My home has been decorated since October 1 and if I felt I could get away with decorating sooner, I would.  I have decor for each room, including the bathrooms.  If the color of each plastic bin in my closets are any indication, I have more orange and black than the other colors (green, white, blue and red for each of the aforementioned holidays) which can only mean I have a lot of Halloween decor.

Today I return to posting after a bit of a hiatus.  It’s been an interesting year for me, peppered with great heartache and great triumph.  I hope today this post will bring me back to something I love, writing this daily blog. Thanks in advance for forgiving me for my silence.

This colorful and fun recipe is courtesy of my sister-in-law Trish.  It’s her first outing as a room mother and I believe she has served the 3-yr-old class at my nephew’s preschool well with these yummy treats. It’s also a very simple recipe that you can make with your little ones.  Doesn’t everyone love creating a spider?

Ingredients:

Double Stuff Oreos
Pretzel sticks
Green, orange or red candies (I used caramel apple sugar babies)
Chocolate frosting

Break four pretzel sticks in half and insert each half into one side of the Oreo cookie. Repeat for the other side. Use the chocolate frosting as “glue” to put two eyes on each Oreo spider.

She believes she found this recipe in Parade Magazine.  I was shocked it didn’t come from her own creative mind.  Yes, she’s that good.  Enjoy!

xo–me

This recipe is very timely for a friend who was wondering what to do with his chicken thighs earlier this week.  Adam, this one’s for you!

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. dry thyme
1 c. pearl barley, rinsed and drained
8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
1/8 tsp. paprika
1 3/4 c. chicken broth
1/4 c. coarsely chopped pecans
chopped parsley

In a large slow cooker, combine onion, garlic, mushrooms, salt, thyme, and barley.  Rinse chicken, pat dry, and arrange over barley mixture.  Sprinkle with paprika.  Pour in broth.  Cover and cook at low setting until chicken is very tender when pierced and barley is tender to bite (6 1/2 to 7 hours). 

When chicken is almost done, toast pecans in a small pan over medium heat until gold brown, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Set aside. 

To serve, sprinkle chicken and barley with pecans and parsley.

The best part of this dish is how quickly a small portion will fill your belly.  It’s the perfect dish for a cool, autumn evening.  Enjoy!

xo–me

Ingredients:

12 thick slices bacon
1 large egg
1 Tbsp. water
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 c. fine dry bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 400.  Place bacon slices in a single layer on a baking sheet with a rim.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Drain off fat.

In a large shallow bowl, whisk egg with water.  Add mustard and Worcestershire sauce and mix well. Place crumbs on a piece of waxed paper.  Remove bacon from baking sheet and coat each piece on both sides with egg mixture, then in crumbs.  Return to baking sheet and bake until crisp, about 15 minutes.  Drain on a paper towel and serve immediately.

I know this is decadent but sometimes I make this and just eat it as a snack.  It’s that good.  Dip in some horseradish mustard and it’s a perfect snack.  Enjoy!

xo–me

Ingredients:

1 package turkey hot dogs
1 package Pillsbury crescent roll

Preheat oven according to package instructions.  Roll out dough and place hot dog parallel to the longest shortest part of triangle.  Begin rolling until complete.  Place blanket covered hot dog on non-stick sprayed baking sheet.  Bake until dough is golden brown, about 11 minutes.

Make sure you have plenty of ranch, mustard, ketchup, relish and mayo around to dip these beauties in.  Occasionally I will wrap a piece of cheddar inside for a nice surprise.  Enjoy!

xo–me

Ingredients:

1 shot grenadine
1 shot fresh lemon juice
ice
lemon flavored soda

Pour the grenadine and fruit juice into an ice-filled highball glass.  Fill with the soda pop and dress with slices of fresh lemon or lime.

It’s pretty, sexy and perfect for the ladies of Super Bowl Sunday.  And if you must, Thirsty Pete will add a shot of vodka for you.  Enjoy!

xo–me