Homemade Coffeemate Creamer

I didn't start drinking coffee until I was in my late 30s.  Diet coke sustained me in college and my early years of working.  Then, I laid off caffeine during my baby years.  Can't remember why I started drinking it in the morning, but now I'm hooked.  Please note, I am not a coffee purist.  I buy Trader Joes cheapest caffeinated and decaffeinated coffees, grind them at the store and mix them into my own half-caff at home.  I also enjoy my coffee sweet and creamy.  Yep, my 17 year old daughter drinks it black, and I need the sweet stuff.  Ha!  Here's an easy recipe for homemade Coffeemate that is super easy and really delicious!  Enjoy!

Homemade French Vanilla Coffeemate

1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 3/4 cup milk, cream, soy milk, almond milk, etc
2 tsp vanilla extract

Mix well and store in refrigerator.


Visit this site for lots of other flavor options!

http://www.mrshappyhomemaker.com/2013/03/homemade-coffee-creamer-over-20-flavor-varieties/

Sometimes you feel like a Nut, sometimes you don't - Mounds Bars

Mounds is one of my favorite candy bars!  Chocolate and coconut...nothing better!

Mounds Bars 
* 24 graham crackers, crushed
* ½ cup melted butter
* ¼ cup sugar.
Combine crumbs, butter and sugar. Press mixture into pan. Bake at 350F for 9 to 13 minutes.
* 1 can sweetened condensed milk
* 2 cups flaked coconut
* ½ pkg chocolate chips
* ½ pkg butterscotch chips
Spread coconut then milk over graham cracker crust. Melt chips together and pour over top. Chill. Cut into bars. Keep refrigerated.

Mom's Brownies

Mom didn't make brownies from a mix.  When I was a kid, I longed for Betty Crocker, but got made from scratch instead.  Little did I know how lucky I was!  Ha!  Here's Mom's recipe for you try!

Mom’s Brownies 
Grease jellyroll pan. Preheat oven to 350.

Cream together:
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 cup margarine or butter-flavored Crisco
Add 4 eggs, one at a time.
Add:
* 1 cup flour
* 1 cup Hershey’s chocolate syrup
* Chopped nuts (optional)
Pour onto to jelly roll pan. Bake 30 minutes in 350 oven. Cool.

When cool, frost with combination of:
* 1 ½ cups sugar
* 6 Tbsp. margarine
* 6 Tbsp. milk
Boil above ingredients for ½ minute and then stir in:
* ½ package of chocolate chips

Sue's Wild Rice

Love me some wild rice.  It's the Minnesota in me, I guess.  You can find wild rice here in Nashville...with these ingredients, it tastes just as good as home!

Sue's Wild Rice 
* 1 cup wild rice
* Small onion, chopped
* Celery stalk with leaves, chopped
* 1 can cream of mushroom soup
Wash rice. Cover in pan with water (1/2” over rice). Simmer just until rice curls. Drain. Meanwhile sauté onion and celery in a little butter. Add rice and 1 can soup. Cook on low until soup is absorbed.

Use Your Leftovers to make Fried Rice!

Here's a tip for all you Costco shoppers: Always buy 2 rotisserie chickens.  Serve the first to your family that day you buy it (I keep mine in warming drawer) and use the second for a salad, casserole, soup.

This recipe for fried rice is a great way to use up extra cooked chicken, steak, bbq, you name it.   Hope you give it a try!

Fried Rice

3 cups cooked white rice (made from 1 cup dry according to package directions)
2 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 cup frozen peas/carrots
1 onion, diced
1 Tbsp minced garlic (from a jar)
2 eggs
2 cups chopped chicken breast (or other meat)
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce

Heat oil in large skillet on medium-high.  Add peas/carrots, onion and garlic.  Saute until tender.  Add 2 eggs and scramble into vegetables.  When egg is cooked, add chicken, rice and soy sauce.  Stir constantly until chicken is heated through.

The only chicken salad recipe you need!

Love me some Miss Daisy's food.  She sells it at our own Grassland Market and also does catering.  Check out www. missdaisyking.com.  Her caramel cake is to die for.  The poppy seed chicken tastes like home.  And her chicken salad is the best around.  The recipe for her chicken salad was printed in an old Junior League of Nashville cookbook.  It's truly the best chicken salad recipe out there!  Enjoy!

Best Chicken Salad

1 large hen or 4 whole chicken breasts ( I prefer white meat)
1 cup diced celery
1/2 cup sweet pickle relish
1 cup finely chopped pecans (toasted, optional)
1 to 1/2 cups Hellman's mayonnaise
salt and black pepper to taste

In a large pot, boil the chicken in salted water until the meat begins to fall off the bones.  Cool.  Remove the skin and bones. Cut the chicken with scissors into small pieces and place in a large bowl. Add the celery, pickle relish and pecans. Mix.  Add the desired amount of mayo and season to taste. For a variety you may add grapes, chopped apple, or fresh pineapple bits.  Finely chopped almonds may be used instead of pecans. 

Yield: 6-8 lunch servings for 24-36 canapes  

Spring Break Shrimp

Y'all know how much I love the beach.  Ahhh..... Shrimp at the beach are a special treat - they don't get much fresher!  Yum!  I call this recipe Spring Break Shrimp because you make it with a spring break staple:  Beer!  Make this shrimp boil the next time you're at the beach or at home when you're longing for the shore.

Spring Break Beer Boiled Shrimp

3 lbs fresh jumbo shrimp
2 (12 oz) cans of beer
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 Tbsp salt
1 tsp dried thyme, crumbled
2 bay leaves
2 Tbsp celery seed
2 Tbsp snipped parsley
1/4 tsp Tabasco sauce
Juice of 1/2 lemon (1-2 Tbsp)
melted butter or cocktail sauce

Rinse shirmp; drain.  Split shrimp down back; remove veins and legs, not shells.  Combine beer and seasoning in large kettle; bring to a boil.  Add shrimp; return to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until shrimp turns pink, 2-5 minutes.  Serve hot, peeling to eat, with melted butter or cocktail sauce.

O'Henry Bars

Oh my, these O'Henry Bars are yummy!

O’Henry Bars 

* 4 cups quick oatmeal
* 1 cup brown sugar
* 2/3 cup butter, melted
* ½ cup white corn syrup
* 3 tsp. vanilla
Mix oatmeal and sugar. Add rest of ingredients. Pour into bottom of well-greased 9x13 pan. Bake 12 minutes at 350F. Cool.


Frosting:
* 6 oz. chocolate chips
* 2/3 cup chunky peanut butter
Melt chocolate and peanut butter together. Spread on cooled bars.

Smoked Fish Dip

Smoked fish is really one of my favorite things.  I always, ALWAYS, order this as an appetizer at the beach.  It's perfect spread on plain ole saltines.  Love it!  Here's the recipe, so you can make it at home.

Smoked Fish Spread

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup Miracle Whip (not mayonnaise)
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 pund smoked whitefish, skinned, boned, and shredded

Combine all ingredients except fish; beat until smith.  Fold in fish and refrigerate several hours.  Serve with French bread or crackers.

Sue's Sugar & Spice Shrimp

This recipe comes from my older sister Sue.  She calls it Girly Shrimp.  Trust me, the guys will love it too!

Girly Shrimp (Sugar and Spiced Baked Shrimp) 

* 1 cup sugar
* 2 ½ tsp. kosher salt
* ½ tsp. freshly ground pepper
* 1 large garlic clove, peeled and minced
* 1 ½-inch slice fresh ginger, peeled and minced
* ½ tsp. cayenne pepper
* ½ tsp. ground allspice
* ½ tsp. turmeric
* 2 Tbsp. flour
* Vegetable oil for greasing baking sheet
* 24 jumbo shrimp, peeled with tail left on, deveined
* Juice of ½ lime
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. In mixing bowl, combine the sugar, salt, pepper, garlic, ginger, cayenne, allspice, turmeric and flour. Grease large baking sheet. Dredge the shrimp, a few at a time, in the sugar mixture and place on the baking sheet. Bake until the sugar is caramelized, especially on bottom, about 10 minutes. Remove shrimp from the oven, turn over with spatula and squeeze the lime juice over them. Place on platter and serve immediately.

Swedish Nuts..and, no, I'm not talking about my family

Yum, yum, yum...sweet Swedish nuts.  You find this in Minnesota, of course.  It's an easy recipe...I hope you like it!

Swedish Nuts 

5 ½ cups nut meats (almonds, pecans, etc.), toasted
2 egg whites
1 cup sugar


Preheat oven to 300.  Create stiff meringue from egg whites and sugar. Fold in nuts.

Melt ½ cup butter in jellyroll pan. Spread nut mixture in it until butter is used up.

Bake at 300 for 45 minutes.  Stir every 15 minutes to avoid burning.

Marilyn's Chocolate Chip Cookies

These oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are delish!  If you want to take a break from Toll House, give these a try!

Marilyn's Chocolate Chip Cookies
* ¾ cup flour
* ½ tsp. soda
* ½ tsp. salt
* ½ cup butter
* 6 Tbsp. sugar
* 6 Tbsp. brown sugar
* ½ tsp. vanilla
* ¼ tsp. water
* 1 egg
* 1 cup oatmeal
* 1 package chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 375.  Combine ingredients. Drop by spoonfuls on cookie sheets. Bake at 375F for 10-12 minutes.

Minnesota Chow Mein Hotdish

Minnesota Chow Mein Hotdish.  Yep...love it!  It won't be mistaken for anything from a Chinese restaurant.  But if you're from the Upper Midwest, this "exotic" dish is comfort food.  Enjoy!

Chow Mein Hotdish 

Brown together:
* 1 lb. hamburger
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 1 celery stalk, chopped
* Pinch of salt
Add:
* 1 can vegetable soup
* 1 can cream of mushroom soup
* 1 can chicken & rice soup
Add 1 cup of water to soup mixture, combine with hamburger and 8 oz. package of Chow Mein noodles. Bake 45 minutes at 350.

Marshallow Salted Nut Bars - Say What?

Craving these!  Must make soon!

Marshmallow Salted Nut Bars 
* 2 cups Bisquick
* 1 ½ cups quick cooking or regular oats
* 1 ½ cups chopped salted peanuts
* ¾ cup packed brown sugar
* 1 egg
* ¼ cup margarine, softened
* 1 jar marshmallow crème
* 2/3 cup caramel ice cream topping
Mix baking mix, oats, peanuts, brown sugar and egg in large bowl. Stir in margarine with fork until mixture is crumbly; reserve about 1 ½ cups oat mixture. Press remaining oats mixture in ungreased jelly roll pan. Bake 10 minutes.

Spoon marshmallow crème onto hot crust; let stand 1 minute. Spread over crust. Drizzle ice cream topping over marshmallow crème; spread gently. Sprinkle reserved oats mixture over topping.

Bake 20 minutes or until golden brown. Loosed edges from sides of pan. Cut into 3”x1” bars while warm. 48 bars.

Mom's No-Boil Lasagna

Been craving my mom's lasagna lately.  As many of you know, my mom has dementia and doesn't cook anymore.   Luckily, I have her recipes.  Mom would make this for me on my birthday.  It tastes like home.  

Mom's No-Boil Lasagna

In large, deep skillet, brown together:
* 1 lb. ground beef
* ¼ cup chopped onion
* 2 tsp. salt
* 1 Tbsp. sugar
* 1 tsp. chili powder
* 1 tsp. garlic powder
* 1 ½ tsp. basil flakes

Add to beef. Bring to boil and simmer for 10 minutes:
* 6 oz. can tomato paste
* 6 oz. can tomato sauce
* 3 ½ cups water

3-4 cups shrdded mozzarella cheese.

Preheat oven to 325.  In 9x13 pan, ladle about 1 ½ cups sauce. Layer uncooked lasagna noodles, more meat sauce and grated mozzarella cheese. Make three more layers.  Bake at 325 for 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Make Your Own Granola

Here's my sister's recipe for granola.  It's a yummy, healthy treat!  Yum!

Granola 
* 6 cups rolled oats
* 6 cups rolled wheat
* 2 cups sunflower seeds
* 1 cup sesame seeds
* 2 cups peanuts
* 3 cups unsweetened coconut
* 1 cup wheat germ
Mix ingredients together.

* 1 ½ cup honey
* 1 ½ cup vegetable oil
* 1 Tbsp. vanilla
Heat together. Pour over dry ingredients. Bake on cookie sheets at 350 for about 35-40 minutes, stirring often. Add raisins or other dried fruit.

Favorite Chicken Manicotti with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

I love Southern Living Magazine.  It's beautiful, helpful, real.  I can't tell you the number of pages that I've clipped out over the years and stuck in "new house ideas" scrapbooks or recipe boxes.  Thank's to Pinterest, I no longer need to find the scissors and cut them out (although, I still do once in a while).  This recipe for chicken manicotti with roasted red pepper sauce is a perennial favorite.  Hope you give it a try.

SL Chicken Manicotti with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

1 (8-ounce) package cannelloni or manicotti shells 

4 cups finely chopped cooked chicken 

2 (8-ounce) containers chive-and-onion cream cheese 

1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained 

1 cup (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese 

1/2 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs 

3/4 teaspoon garlic salt 

1 teaspoon seasoned pepper 

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.  Stir together chicken and next 6 ingredients.

Cut pasta shells lengthwise through the other side. Spoon about 1/2 cup chicken mixture into each shell, gently pressing cut sides together. Place, cut sides down, in 2 lightly greased 11- x 7-inch baking dishes. Pour Roasted Red Bell Pepper Sauce (recipe below) evenly over shells.

Bake, covered, at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated. 

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

2 (7-ounce) jars roasted red bell peppers, drained 

1 (16-ounce) jar creamy Alfredo sauce 

1 (3-ounce) package shredded Parmesan cheese 

Combine ingredients in blender or food processor until smooth, scraping down sides.  

Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas with Homemade Fajita Seasoning

Truth be told, I prefer the taste of fajitas over tacos.  Since I'm not usually organized enough to purchase fajita seasoning before I crave them, I make my own seasoning.  Now don't ooh and ahh this statement.  It's easy and includes pantry staples.  Here's the recipe:

Fajita Seasoning

1 Tbsp corn starch
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Mix.  Makes approximately 3 Tbsp (about the same as a packet of pre made).

Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas

3 Green bell peppers, seeded and cut into strips
2 onions, halved and sliced
3 lb bag frozen chicken breast
3 Tbsp (full recipe) fajita seasoning

tortillas, cheese, sour cream, salsa, etc for topping

Place onions and peppers in bottom of crock pot. Sprinkle with 1 tsp seasoning.  Top with frozen chicken breast and sprinkle with remaining seasoning.  Cook on low 8 hours.  Serve in tortillas with your choice of toppings.

Gucci Bars....so chic

Yep, I'm a Gucci girl.  I carried a Gucci purse in high school and college (thanks mom and dad for sending me to Italy) and again when I turned 40.  I have too many pairs of Gucci loafers and sandals in my closet that I just can't part with. Love me some Gucci bars!  Hope you do too!

Gucci Bars

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup white sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened (do not substitute margarine)
1 regular size can deluxe mixed nuts, salted
12 oz package butterscotch chips
1/2 cup white corn syrup

Preheat oven to 350.  Combine first 4 ingredients with a pastry blender.  Press dough into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 pan, using your fingers.  (Be sure dough is in an even layer and reachers into the corners of the pan.) Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.  Cool to room temperature.  Spread can of nuts over the cooled cookie crust.  Combine butterscotch chips and white corn syrup in a sauce pan, heating and stirring until melted.  Pour over the nuts, allow to cool to room temperature and cut into squares.  Note: Do not freeze bars.

Make Your Own Spinach Dip

Back in the day, homemade spinach dip with sour dough bread was at each and every get together.  It's so yummy...why not?!  Here's a tried and true recipe...you will love it!

Spinach Dip

2 (10 oz) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and patted dry
1 (16 oz) carton sour cream
2 cups mayonnaise
2 (8 oz) cans water chestnuts, drained and chopped
2 (1.2 to 1.8 oz) packages dry vegetable soup mix (like Knorr)
3/4 to 1 cup sliced green onion
2 round loaves sourdough bread

Combine spinach, sour cream, mayonnaise, water chestnuts, soup mix, and onions.  Refrigerate for several hours or overnight.  Slice off the top third of one bread loaf; hollow out inside.  Cut removed bread and second loaf into bite-sized cubes.  To serve:  Fill hollowed loaf with spinach mixture.  Place cubed bread around loaf for dipping or serve with raw veggies.

Chicken Piccata (chicken with lemon, garlic, and capers)...Yes, please!

I love the savory flavor of chicken piccata.  I don't know if its the lemon or the garlic or the capers that make me crave it.  This is a classic Southern Living recipe. When you look at the it, you will see lots of ingredients listed.  However, don't let that put you off.  It only takes about 30 minutes to make.   Fast, easy, and delicious!  Perfect!

Chicken Piccata

4 medium chicken breasts
1/2 cup flour divided
1 tsp salt
2 eggs, beaten
2 tsp olive oil
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp garlic, minced
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup dry white wine
Juice of 1 large lemon (about 3 Tbsp)
2 Tbsp capers, drained and chopped
1 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley (optional garnish)

Place thawed chicken breasts between 2 pieces of waxed paper and pound with mallet or flat wooden spoon until they are about 1/4 inch thick.   In one pie plate place 1/4 cup flour and salt; mix.  In another plate, put beaten eggs.  One by one, coat chicken in egg, then dredge though flour until all chicken pieces are coated.  Heat olive oil in large skillet on medium-high heat; add 1 Tbsp butter.  When butter is melted add chicken, cooking approximately 5 minutes or until golden brown.  Turn chicken and lower heat to medium.  Cook another 4-5 minutes or until juice of pierced chicken is clear.  Transfer chicken to warm dish (or place in warming drawer).  Lower heat to medium-low and add garlic.  Mix stock, wine and lemon juice.  Add 1 1/2 Tbsp flour and mix until smooth.  Stir mixture into garlic in skillet, scraping down sides to get bits left over from cooking chicken.  Heat to a boil, and boil 1 minute.  Add capers and remaining 1 Tbsp of butter and cook until slightly thickened.  Pour over chicken and garnish with fresh parsley.