This cake is one of my favorites. It is the ugly step-sister of cakes because it isn't pretty to look at but when you take a bite a little love affair will start. It is very moist and a little dense which makes it a perfect dessert to have during the cold fall and winter months. We had company over last night so I wanted to make a cake that I knew would impress. It starts with a baked oatmeal cake and a caramel glaze. After the cake is baked you pour the glaze on top and broil it until the coconut browns ever so slightly. When the cake cools the topping is a little chewy. So good. Make this next time you want to impress guests. This recipe is a keeper.
This is what the cake looks like as you put it in the oven.

When there is 5 minutes of baking time left start on the caramel glaze. Pour the glaze on the hot cake.

Cake with caramel coconut topping ready to go into an oven set to broil.




Watch the cake while it is under the broiler. Do you see those yummy caramel bubbles? Let cake broil until the coconut is slightly browned and caramel is bubbly. Fantastic!

Oatmeal Cake
*Amy W.

1 1/2 c water
1 c. oatmeal
1 cube butter, softened
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
1 t. vanilla
1/4 t. nutmeg
1/4 t. cinnamon

Directions:
1. Set oven to 350 degrees
2. Boil water and add oatmeal. Stir and let sit 15 min.
3. Mix together all other ingredients and add oatmeal. Pour into greased 9x13 pan. Bake 30 minutes (don't overbake). Turn oven to broil while preparing caramel glaze for cake.

Carmel Glaze
1 cube butter, softened
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. evaporated milk
1 c. coconut

1. Cook top three ingredients until boiling.
2. Add coconut and continue boiling 1 minute.
3. Pour over warm cake.
4. Place cake in oven (watching closely) until coconut is lightly browned.

Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipping cream. Printable recipe.

I love baked potatoes. I love mashed potatoes. When my husband and I go out to dinner I often have a hard time deciding between the two. This is the answer to all my potato problems. Twice Baked Potatoes...are they mashed? Yes! Are they baked? Yes! Whether you make them for Christmas Eve dinner or Easter brunch they will be fantastic! Give them a try.


Twice Baked Potatoes
*Pioneer Woman

8 baking potatoes, scrubbed clean
canola oil
8 slices bacon, fried
2 cubes butter, cut into slices
1 c sour cream
1/2 c milk
1/2 tsp Lawry's seasoned salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 c grated sharp cheddar cheese
2 green onions sliced

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 F
2. With a paper towel, rub the outside of the potatoes with canola oil.
3. Place the potatoes o a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked inside and the skins are slightly crisp. Turn the oven down to 300 F.
4. Dice the fried bacon into bits.
5. Throw the butter, sour cream, bacon, milk, seasoned salt, and pepper into a large bowl.
6. While the potatoes are still hot, hold each potato in a towel and cut in half lengthwise.
7. With a large spoon, scrape out the insides into the bowl with the other ingredients.
8. Repeat until all the potatoes have been scraped. Reserve the potato shells on a large baking sheet.
9. Use a potato masher to mix the ingredients together.
10.Stir in 1 cup of the grated cheese.
11. Slice the green onions.
12. Add onions to the bowl. Stir, taste, and adjust the seasonings as necessary.
13. Fill each potato half with the potato mixture and return to the baking sheet.
14. Top with the remaining 1 cup grated cheese.
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and the potatoes are hot.
*If freezing these potatoes, omit the green onions...freezing makes them taste bitter.
Printable recipe.
This is the secret ingredient for these yummy potatoes. Love 'em!

Wow that was a tongue twister! I made these little pot pies when I realized I didn't have frozen pie crusts in the freezer for this recipe. I used the same recipe but poured the chicken mixture into six ramekins instead of a pie shell.

I pulled out my Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry (any puff pastry will do), waited the required 10 minutes for it to thaw, rolled it out and cut it into squares with my pizza cutter. After I scooped the chicken mixture into individual ramekins, I placed a puff pastry square on top. Then I adorned them with little designs I cut with little cookie cutters.

Finally, I bushed them with a beaten egg, and cooked at 350 for about 20 minutes (or until the pastry looked golden brown. De-lish.

Spaghetti is my go-to when I have no idea what I'm going to make for dinner. I love this recipe because it takes the store-bought jar of spaghetti sauce and amps it up a couple of notches. I love mixing in the noodles so they can absorb the tomato-y goodness. Don't know what to fix tonight? Give this a try.

Spaaaaahhhhghetti

1 lb ground beef browned (oil drained)
12 oz spaghetti noodles cooked al dente and drained
2 cans (or jars) prepared spaghetti sauce
1 onion chopped
1/2 - 1 tsp minced garlic
1 Tbs Red wine vinegar
1 Tbs (rounded) brown sugar

Saute onion in olive oil. Add minced garlic, browned ground beef and spaghetti sauce. Then add red wine vinegar and brown sugar. Stir and let simmer. Add cooked spaghetti noodles and fresh basil (optional). Serve with Parmesan or Mozzarella cheese. Printable recipe

I love Paula Dean. She is such a cutie and her accent is so fun to listen to. My sister mentioned this stew that PD made so I thought I'd try 'er out. It is called Old-Time Beef Stew. Stew is such a great comfort food. This one is flavored nicely...I knew Paula would pull through for us. I just wish I had some of this bread.

Old-Time Beef Stew
*Paula Deen

2 pound stew beef
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
2 c. water
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, peeled
2 bay leaves
1 medium onion, sliced
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. paprika
3 large carrots, sliced
3 ribs celery, chopped
2 Tbs. cornstarch

Directions:
Brown meat in hot oil. Add water, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, bay leaves, onion, salt, sugar, pepper, and paprika. Cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours. Remove bay leaves and garlic clove. Add carrots and celery. Cover and cook 30 to 40 minutes longer. To thicken gravy remove 2 cups hot liquid. Using a separate bowl, combine 1/4 cup water and cornstarch until smooth. Mix with a little hot liquid and return mixture to pot. Stir and cook until bubbly. Printable recipe.

Raise your hand if you have a little leftover ham from the holiday. I had some ham and a ham bone that I heard was good for flavoring soup. It has been cold here in the Treasure Valley so I thought a nice ham and bean soup would warm us up.

Add all ingredients and stir.

See all the water on the top? Let the soup simmer for a few hours until it looks more like this:


Ham and Bean soup
*Jodi Jenson

1 bag (2 lbs) great northern beans
3 carrots, diced
3 celery ribs; diced
2 dried bay leaves
1 cup diced ham
1 ham bone; optional
1 can vegetable broth

Rinse beans and pour into dutch oven or stock pot. Cover with water. Cook on med-high until boiling. Once boiling, place lid on pan and turn off heat. Let stand for 1 hour.

Rinse beans again and put in dutch oven or stock pot. Cover with water. Add bay leaves, ham bone, diced carrots and celery.

Let simmer 2 -21/2 hour. Remove ham bone and cut meat from it. Add ham to soup (add more ham as needed; 1-2 cups) and vegetable broth. Let simmer 20 min to incorporate.

Serve with crackers or crusty bread. Enjoy! Printable recipe

Hello all. Today is December first and it has been snowing for at least 24 hours. The kids are snowed out of school and we are all in our cozy home deciding what to do. I think soup is a must today. But first I must make the corn bread to go with the soup. My friend made this corn bread a few years ago and I have made it a ton since then. I love it with chili and stew and any kind of soup. My favorite is with melted butter and honey. I hope you like it.

Corn Bread
*Jenny C.

2 eggs
1 cup milk
Beat well in separate bowl

2 cubes butter, softened
2 cups Bisquick
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
4 heaping Tbs. Cornmeal
Mix well. Add milk mixture. Stir by hand (batter will be lumpy -curdled looking)
Pour into greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Printable recipe

My family hasn't been feeling well lately. Maybe it's the changing seasons or maybe it's because school is back in session. Whatever the reason I know exactly what my family needs to feel some love. Chicken Pot Pie. I made this the first time years ago when my in-laws were visiting. It was delicious and I knew it was a keeper. There is something about comfort food that warms your heart and your belly. Whether you use a ready-made crust or make one from scratch, this dish is delicious.


Chicken Pot Pie
adapted from Betty Crocker's Cookbook

1 pkg (10 ounces) frozen peas and carrots
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
2/3 cups milk
2 1/2 - 3 cups cubed cooked chicken or turkey
Pastry for 9-inch two-crust pie

Rinse frozen peas and carrots in cold water to separate; drain. Heat margarine in 2-quart sauce-pan over medium heat until melted. Stir in flour, onion, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is bubbly; remove from heat. Stir in broth and milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in chicken and vegetables.

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare pastry. Roll two-thirds of the pastry into 13-inch square. Ease into ungreased square pan, 9X9X2 inches. Pour chicken mixture into pastry-lined pan. roll remaining pastry into 11-inch square. Cut out designs with cookie cutter. Place square over filling. Turn edges under and flute. *please note, I buy a two-crust package of frozen pie dough and pour the chicken mixture in one pie shell, cut shapes in the other pie shell and invert over filled pie. Then I turn the edges of both pie shells to seal.* Bake about 35 minutes or until golden brown. I hope your family enjoys this as much as we do! Printable recipe