Nate the Great's Mommy set the dessert on the table. MMMMMM Apple Crisp. One bite and it was wow! Light and buttery, cinnamony, and just right sweetness. This apple crisp just whispers in your ear and wraps you in warm apple flavor kissed with butter and cinnamon. Where did you find this recipe, I asked. (just for you, of course!) In grandma's community cookbook, she said. Of course. Every cook who knows someone from that little town has a fat orange covered spiral bound cookbook on the shelf or in the kitchen drawer. Apparently even those who weren't even in kindergarten yet when it was published! How could I have missed it? Granted there are 7 apple crisp recipes in the book, including one with marshmallows, one with eggs and one with raisins. Interestingly they all call ... [Read More]
Fall
Gumbo Sloppy Joe Sliders
Creamy Gumbo Sloppy Joe Sliders are a great addition to the appetizer table for Game Day. Or for any party! They are delicious, filling and different from the usual. Slider means you still have room to sample other goodies – and circle back for more Sloppies! They are tasty and amazingly easy to make. Saute onions and brown the ground beef in the same skillet. Mix the two soups together in a medium bowl. Just the soups straight from the can – no other liquid needed. Add the soup to the meat and onion mixture in the skillet and bring to simmer. I simmer a few minutes to let the meat absorb the moisture and flavor. Any excess moisture is also reduced. You don’t want the sloppy joes to be --- “soupy”. Sorry – just had to do that!! Choose your favorite slider bun – Hawaiian ... [Read More]
Apple Walnut Cake
Apple Walnut Cake sings fall with apple chunks, walnuts and spicy goodness. Add cream cheese icing and sing Happy Birthday. Which is what we did for Wheels birthday. It was so good I made another cake -- just because -- a week or so later! I tweaked the amounts of the sugars, reducing them considerably to lower the carb count. The cake is just right sweet -- enough to complement the cinnamon and nutmeg and not overpower them. I just googled "complement". It says "a thing that completes or brings to perfection". Just exactly the description I was looking for! Don't bother to peel the apples. I used my favorite Gala, cutting them into slices and then cutting across the slices to make half inch long chunks. Buy the less expensive walnut pieces for this and save yourself time and ... [Read More]
Cheesy Beef Stromboli
Hearty. Cheesy delicious. Filling finger food. Meal in a crust. You'll love Cheesy Beef Stromboli. Plus it is quick and easy! Just beef and cheese - no tomato sauce. Each sentence: one more word than the last. Now it is time to talk about the food! :-) Brown the beef and let it cool. Unless you brown the beef as you buy it and toss it in the freezer in 2 cup packages. (Highly recommended! Especially if you buy on sale!) If you are using beef from the freezer, thaw in the microwave. Add egg and cheese. Grab your favorite cookie sheet and spray lightly with cooking spray. Crack open a roll of refrigerated pizza dough and unroll it on the cookie sheet. Pat out until it touches the edges. Spread meat filling over the dough, leaving about 3/4 inch uncovered on all the ... [Read More]
Rhubarb Apple Crunch
I was delighted to find some late season rhubarb at the farmer’s market this past weekend. I’ve been pining for Rhubarb Crunch. It’s late enough in the season so I added some apple to the dessert to celebrate fall. This actually was the first rhubarb of the year because I totally missed rhubarb last spring. In fact, we missed the farmer’s market. We heard it was going to move but not where. In May, a facebook page celebrating the move came through my feed – but the farmer’s market was not on the highway where it was supposed to be. Then one Saturday morning I happened to drive through the mall parking lot. And there was the farmer’s market on the OTHER side of the mall from where it was last year. The fb page? Turns out it was the same city name -- but in a different ... [Read More]
Warm and Cheesy Bacon Dip
The hard part of making this warm, comforting bacon cheesy dip is finding a place to hide it so that it can cool a bit. Everybody wants to dig in right away! Good. But too hot to really taste the deliciousness. Put it on a cracker and wave it in the air to cool it. Better. Best -- wait a bit longer until it is Goldilocks “just-right”. No burned tongue and the flavors shine. Easy to make. About 5 minutes and it is ready to pop in the oven. Use only precooked bacon pieces. Look for the brands with larger pieces if you can find them, as they will make a smoother, more flavorful blend. Onion can be omitted or if you want more kick, add another green onion or two. Add pepper, if desired. NO salt as the cheese contains all the salt necessary. Serve with a basket of dippables like corn ... [Read More]
