Pecan Bread with Butter Sauce

1 c. sugar

1 c. brown sugar

4 eggs, beaten

1 c. olive oil

1 1/2 c. self-rising flour

1 t. vanilla

2 c. chopped pecans*, divided (I use cookie pieces)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In a medium bowl, mix together sugar, brown sugar, eggs and oil until smooth. Gently stir in flour and vanilla. Finally, mix in 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans. (or 3/4 c. each pecans and toffee bits) Pour into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle top with remaining pecans (& toffee). Bake for 35-40 minutes until pick comes out clean. Top warm cake slices with butter sauce.

Butter sauce:

14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

2 T. butter

1/2 c. chopped pecans* (I use cookie pieces)

Melt butter in a small pan over medium heat. Pour in condensed milk & stir. Continue to stir until heated thoroughly, add pecans. Stir again then remove from heat. Spoon this delicious sauce over individual slices of warm cake.

*I have also used 1/2 pecans and 1/2 toffee bits..Yum!

Sour Cherry Pie

2 unbaked pie crusts, (I use frozen ones-- follow directions on pkg.)
5 c. pitted sour cherries
1 T. lemon juice
2 t. brandy (optional), or rum extract
1/2 t. almond extract
1 c. sugar or splenda
1/4 c. cornstarch
butter
milk
sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine cherries, lemon juice, brandy (if using) and almond extract. Combine sugar and cornstarch. Pour over cherries. Pour mixture into pie crust. Dot top with butter. Make a lattice pattern over top of filling with 2nd crust, if desired. Brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Place pie on parchment paper covered baking sheets to catch any spillage. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake another hour. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream. Yum!

Blueberry Streusel Cheesecake Bread

1/2 c. butter, softened
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 1/4 c. milk + 2 T.
2 eggs
4 c. SR flour
2 t. cinnamon
2 t. vanilla
4-5 c. fresh blueberries
1 t. lemon zest (optional)

Filling:
2, 8 oz. pkgs cream cheese, softened
1 t. vanilla
1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 t. lemon juice

Topping:
1/2 c. butter
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 t. cinnamon
3/4 c, SR flour
1/2 c. chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 large and 6 small loaf pans with cooking spray. Beat soft butter and sugar together. Add eggs. Beat well. Add milk on low speed. Add vanilla, Mix. Add flour and cinnamon. Blend on low. Gently fold in blueberries and zest. Divide batter evenly among all pans. Allow room for filling and topping. Combine all filling ingredients and beat until smooth. Spread on top of bread batter in pans. Place all topping ingredients in food processor except nuts, or combine by using 2 forks, if processor not available. Pulse until crumbly. Add in nuts. Divide & top batter in pans. Place pans in oven. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, until pick comes out clean. Remove from oven to cool for 10 minutes. Invert onto plates to cool completely. Do not overbake or bread will be very dry! (I made 2 large heart shaped loaves, and 6 small loaves* with this recipe.) *may use muffin tins instead, if desired. Tastes delicious with coffee or hot cocoa in the mornings.

The first 2 pictures are before baking, the others are after baking. The streusel topping can not be seen, as the bread is inverted onto plate:

Crockpot Pepper Steak Soup

2.5 lbs. sirloin tip steak, cut into strips (can also use flank or london broil)
1/4 c. flour
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
2 T. oil
1 pkg onion soup mix
4 c. beef broth (2 cans)
1 T. tomato paste
1 T. worcestershire sauce or teriyaki sauce
1 T. A-1 sauce
1 green pepper, cut in strips
1/2 onion, sliced
1 t. cumin
2 c. uncooked egg noodles*, optional

Combine flour, salt, & pepper in a ziploc bag. Add steak strips. Seal bag and toss until coated. Brown in oil, about 6 minutes. Place in crockpot. Sprinkle with soup mix. Combine broth, paste, and sauce. Pour over beef. Add other seasonings. Cover and cook on low 8 hours. Add noodles. Cover and cook 30 more minutes. Serve with sour cream if desired.

*This recipe can also be served over rice or as a wrap. We had them as a wrap and they were delicious! Just place meat, cheese, lettuce, chopped tomato, salsa, sour cream, etc...inside a flour tortilla. Fold over one side, then the bottom, then the other side. Serve with chips and fresh fruit. Yum!

Blueberry Muffins

1 1/2 c. SR flour
3/4 c. sugar
1/3 c. oil
1 egg
1/3 c. milk (I had to add a little more for consistency)
1 c. blueberries (I used fresh, but frozen will work too)

Crumb Topping

2/3 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. SR flour
2 T. butter, cubed
1/4 t. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400. Thoroughly spray muffin tins. Combine flour and sugar. Add egg, milk, and oil. Mix well. Fold in blueberries, do not beat. Fill muffin tins to the top.(Be sure you spray around the tops too, they will overflow!) Make crumb topping and sprinkle on top of each muffin before baking. Bake 20-25 minutes until wooden pick comes out clean. (These muffins were huge! & delicious!)

Crumb Topping Directions:

Combine all ingredients with a fork. Sprinkle over tops of muffins before baking.

Brown Sugar Pound Cake with Whipped Cream

1 c. packed light brown sugar
1 c. butter (2 sticks)
4 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1 3/4 c. SR flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x5x3 loaf pan. In a large bowl, beat sugar & butter until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla. Add flour gradually to rest of ingredients. Pour batter into pan. Bake 1 hour or until wooden pick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes, then invert onto plate or tray. Cool completely. Garnish with whipped topping and fruit.

Whipped Topping

1 c. heavy cream
2 T. sugar
1/2 t. vanilla

Combine a;; ingredients in a chilled mixing bowl. Beat on medium-high speed until soft peaks appear. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 hours.

Crockpot Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Bread with Rum Glaze

2 2/3 c. Bisquick
1 1/2 c. mashed ripe bananas
3/4 c. sugar
1/3 c. butter, melted
1 t. rum flavoring
1 t. vanilla
3 eggs
1 t. ground cinnamon
3/4-1 c. milk chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 c. diced pecans

Glaze:
2 T. butter, melted
1 c. powdered sugar
1 T. rum flavoring (or 1/2 t. extract)
1-2 t. hot water, to reach consistency

Line a round crockpot. In a large bowl, combine: bananas, sugar, melted butter, rum flavoring, vanilla, and eggs until well blended. Stir in Bisquick, cinnamon, chocolate chips and 1/2 the chopped pecans, Pour into crockpot. Cover and cook on high for 1 hour 30 minutes-2 hours. (Mine took two hours) Bread is done when a wooden toothpick is placed in it and comes out clean. Turn off crockpot, uncover, & remove ceramic base to cooling rack. Let cool 15 minutes. Loosen bread from the edge and cool another hour. Meanwhile combine glaze ingredients until smooth and thick like syrup. Drizzle over top of cake if desired.and sprinkle remaining chopped pecans on top. Enjoy!

1st picture: after removing from crockpot. 2nd picture: after adding glaze.

Orange Sherbet Brownies

1 box orange cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 c. oil
Glaze: (optional)
1 c. powdered sugar
1-2 T. milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine cake mix, eggs, and oil until well combined Place in a sprayed 8x8 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Cool before adding glaze. Combine the powdered sugar and milk until smooth and spreadable. Spread over warm brownies. Cool before cutting. Enjoy!

*Other flavor cake mixes can be made using all the same ingredients and prepared the same way. Yummy!

First picture: right out of the oven. Second picture after being cut. I didn't add any glaze to these brownies.

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

1 1/4 lb ground chicken

1/4 c. Panko bread crumbs

1 large egg

2 scallions, chopped, optional

1/3 c. finely minced celery

1/3 c. finely minced carrot

1 clove crushed garlic

salt and pepper, to taste

1/3 c. Buffalo Hot sauce

1/4 c. bleu cheese dressing (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly spray a non-stick baking sheet. In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, panko crumbs, egg, scallions, celery, carrot and garlic; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Roll the mixture (1/8 cup each) into 26 round meatballs. Place meatballs onto baking sheet and bake until cooked through and golden, about 16 to 18 minutes. Place the meatballs in a bowl, add the buffalo sauce and gently toss to combine. Serve immediately, drizzled with bleu cheese dressing, if desired.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake

10 graham crackers

7 T. melted butter
24 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 ½ c. powdered sugar, divided
1 t. vanilla extract
1 ½ c. chocolate chips, melted
2 c. peanut butter, melted

Place graham crackers into a plastic bag and crush them into fine crumbs with a rolling pin/hammer. Pour the graham cracker crumbs into a bowl and combine with melted butter. Press the graham cracker crumbs in an even layer into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Refrigerate. (Or you can use a store bought extra large crust if desired) In a large bowl, mix together softened cream cheese, 1 ½ c. powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Add the melted chocolate and mix until the color is even. Pour the mixture over the graham cracker crust in the springform pan. Using a spatula or spoon, smooth the top. Refrigerate. In a large bowl, mix together melted peanut butter and 1 c. powdered sugar. Pour mixture over cheesecake in springform pan. Use a knife or spatula to spread evenly and smooth the top. Refrigerate for 2–4 hours. Enjoy!