Candied Pickles (changing dill to sweet pickles)

32-46 oz. jar of dill pickles (whole or spears)

2 1/2-3 c. sugar (depending on how sweet you want your pickles)

1/2-1 c. vinegar (apple cider or white)

Drain the juice from the pickles. Slice pickles into thick rounds, chips, or smaller chunks. Place back in jar. Pour the sugar and vinegar straight into the jar with the pickles. Screw the lid on tight. Shake the jar vigorously. Set on counter at room temperature for a few hours. Turn it periodically so the sugar dissolves into syrup. Move the jar to the refrigerator. Marinate for 3-7 days, shaking the jar every day. 

*a heaping Tablespoon of pickling spice, a pinch of red pepper flakes, a few  cloves of garlic, or a dash of hot sauce, may be added if desired. 

Cheesy Eggs

2-3 eggs

milk, just a little

cheese, your choice, shredded or sliced

butter

Combine eggs, (out of shell of course) and milk until the right consistency. Place a pat of butter in skillet set to medium until melted. Add eggs mixture. Cook eggs until starting to set up, then add cheese. Use a spatula/scraper to stir (scramble) eggs until cheese is all melted. Pour onto plate to serve. 

*Be sure to watch closely as they cook quickly and will burn.

Crockpot Jiffy Cornbread

2, 8.5 oz. boxes Jiffy corn muffin mix

2 eggs

1/4 c. sugar

1 c. sour cream

1/2 stick butter, melted

Line or spray crockpot. Whisk together corn muffin mixes and sugar. Add eggs, sour cream, and melted butter. Stir just to combine. Do not overmix. Pour in crockpot. Smooth with spatula. Place lid on crockpot and cook on high for 2-2 1/2 hours or low for 3 1/2-4 hours. The cornbread is ready when the center is fully set. Turn off crockpot and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

 

Stuffed Salmon

2 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 egg

2 t. mustard

1 T. mayo

1 t. lemon zest

1/2 t. Old Bay seaoning

4 oz. crabmeat

6 T. panko, divided

2 T. Parmesan cheese, grated

2 T. chopped parsley, for garnish, optional

2 center cut salmon fillets, 6 oz. each

1/4 t. kosher salt

olive oil

Preheat over to 350. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine cream cheese, egg, mustard, mayo, lemon zest, and Old Bay until fully combined, a few lumps is ok. Add crabmeat, 4 T. panko, Parmesan cheese, and parsley. Gently fold in with spatula until combined. Place salmon on baking sheet. Use a sharp knife to cut a slit lengthwise down the center of each fillet to form a pocket for the filling. Sprinkle salmon with salt. Stuff each fillet, moundingit on top of each fillet, if necessary. Sprinkle with remaining bread crumbs. Lightly drizzle oil over top and add a pinch of Old Bay. Bake 18-22 minutes. Internal temp should be 145-165 degrees. I served with a Caesar salad and baked potato.

*Store bought stuffed salmon is cooked the same way, sometimes a little higher temperature.

Cranberry Pecan Sandies

4 c. plain flour

2 c. butter, softened (4 sticks)

1 c. powdered sugar

2 T. water

1 T. vanilla

2 c. fresh cranberries, chopped

1 1/2 c. pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 325. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside. Beat butter and sugar together until combined. Add water and vanilla. Beat until combined. Mix in flour 1 c. at a time. Stir in cranberries and pecans. Roll into 1" balls and place on baking sheets. Flatten slightly with bottom of a drinking glass. Bake 18-23 minutes until edges start to turn brown. Remove from oven and place on wire rack to cool. Dust with powdered sugar while warm.

Crockpot Teriyaki Smokies

28 oz. Hillshire Farm Little Smokies

1 c. pineapple chunks, drained

3/4 c. teriyaki sauce

1/4 c. light brown sugar, packed

1 T. soy sauce

1 t. garlic powder

sliced green onion, for garnish, optional

Place smokies in bottom of lined crockpot. Add all other ingredients. Stir. Cover and cook 3-4 hours on low. Serve warm with garnish.

Five Ingredient Hot Dip

1 lb ground chuck, cooked and drained

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

2 c. shredded mexican cheese

1 pkg taco or fajita seasoning

1 c. medium salsa

Tortilla chips

Preheat oven to 400. To drained ground chuck in skillet, add seasoning pkg. Cook 1-2 minutes. Spread cream cheese evenly in the bottom of pie or small baking dish. Pour salsa over top. Spread ground chuck mixture over top. Add cheese. Cover with foil and bake until heated through and cheese is bubbly, about 15 minutes. Serve warm with tortilla chips. Enjoy! 

Cinnamon Apple Pull Apart Bread

1 apple, diced, your choice, I like Fuji or Honeycrisp

2 t. cinnamon, divided

2 t. sugar, divided

2 t. brown sugar, divided

1 t. vanilla

16 oz. can biscuits, cut in half

2 T. butter, melted

1/3 c. chopped pecans, optional

Icing:

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

3 T. milk (more if needed)

1/2 t. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a loaf pan and set aside. Mix together diced apples with cinnamon, sugar, and brown sugar. Add vanilla. Set aside. Combine remaining cinnamon, sugar, brown sugar and nuts, set aside. Spread cut biscuts out on a clean surface. Brush each biscuit slice with butter and sprinkle with nut mixture. Add diced apple mixture to each biscuit piece. Stack the biscuits up in 3 different rows, and place them in a long row in the loaf pan.Brush the top with more melted butter. Sprinkle remaining apples and pecans on top. Bake 25-30 minutes. If the top is browned but the inside isn't fully baked, cover with foil and bake additional 10-15 minutes. Whisk together icing ingredients until smooth. Add more milk if needed. Drizzle over baked bread before serving. Yum!

Simple Roasted Butternut Squash

1 medium butternut squash*

2 T. olive oil

garlic, minced

salt and pepper to taste

*The easiest way to peel butternut squash is to poke/stab holes in it and place it in the microwave on high for 3 minutes. After it cools, you can easily cut the peeling off , scoop out the seeds and pulp, and cut it into cubes. (The skin may change color a little bit but it doesn't affect the flavor.)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine butternut squash cubes with oil & garlic. Toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange on baking sheet in a single layer. Roast in oven until tender when pierced with a fork (about 20-30 minutes).

May also use frozen precut butternut squash from the grocery store. 

Top with shredded cheese and pomegranate seeds if desired. This makes a colorful dish for the holidays.

Crockpot Taco Tortellini

1 lb. ground chuck, cooked and drained

1 small onion, diced, cooked with beef

1 pkt taco or fajita seasoning

10 oz. can Rotel, drained, (I used 1 can diced tomatoes & 1 can chilies, drained)

1 c. beef broth

1 c. heavy cream

36 oz. bag refrigerated cheese tortellini

1 1/2 c. shredded Mexican cheese

green onions, sliced, optional

Place beef and onions in bottom of lined crockpot. Add taco seasoning, rotel, beef broth, and cream. Cover and cook 3 hours on low. Stir in tortellini, cover, and cook additional 30 minutes until warmed through. Add cheese and stir until melted. Top with green onion if desired. I served with Caesar salad.

*tortilla chips or fritos taste good with this as well.