Pumpkin Pie Squares

Here's an old time recipe...pumpkin pie squares. They are ALWAYS a hit! One of my co workers used to bring these to work quite often, so I thought of her today when I was making them. Isn't it funny how you associate certain recipes with people?

This dessert combo is delish....from the EZ melt in your mouth crust, and the sweet pumpkin layer to the buttery pecan topping. It's a perfect bite.

Besides this recipe being EZ and delicious, another advantage is that serves more people than a typical pumpkin pie. It fits a 9x13 pan, and I cut it into 12 big squares. If I was serving it with a big meal, like Thanksgiving dinner, I would cut them a bit smaller, into 20 squares. It's still a nice size, but won't make you feel stuffed after such a large meal. But that rarely happens to me..I'd just eat 2!

Pumpkin Pie Squares

Crust:

1 c. flour

1/2 c. quick oats

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. butter

Mix altogether and pat in an ungreased 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

Filling:

1 No. 2 can pumpkin

1 large can evaporated milk

2 eggs

1 1/2 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 c. brown sugar.

Mix and pour onto crust and bake another 20 minutes

Topping:

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. chopped pecans

2 T. butter

Mix and sprinkle on top. Bake for 15 minutes longer or until set.

Lunch Lady Brownies....Pinned it and tried it

Pinned it and tried it and LOVED it!!!!

I will never make another brownie recipe again. O.k. maybe I will, I'm always trying different recipes.....but  honestly this one is THEE winner so far. I have tried maybe 20 or 30 brownie recipes over the years...liked them all...but this one definitely is tops in my book. I loved how moist and fudgy it was, and the icing was so smooth and fudgy, too.

I made these for Valentines Day, so I added a few M&M's on top. 

I took my time, enjoying each bite of every brownie. I only made half a recipe and then of course I had to share half of that with Brent. And there's no cheating with him...he keeps track!

 But next time....I'll be making a full batch!

Lunch Lady Brownies

saltbox house

1 c. butter 

1/2 c. cocoa

2 c. flour

2 c. sugar

4 eggs

4 tsp. vanilla

1 c. chopped nuts

Melt the butter and stir in the cocoa. Add the flour and sugar. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Do not over mix. Add the nuts, if desired. Pour into a greased 9x13. Bake at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes. 

Wait only 10 minutes to frost the brownies with:

1/4 c. softened butter

1/4 c. cocoa

1/4 c.milk

dash of salt

3 c. powdered sugar

PW's Roasted Cauliflower

For Christmas my daughter gave me PW's new cookbook, Food from My Frontier. I've wanted it for a long time! One of the recipes I tried first was the roasted cauliflower.

What? A veggie is the first thing I tried? Usually it would be a dessert!

Well, it just so happens that I had a some cauliflower leftover from a veggie tray. As I was reading the cookbook, I came across this recipe.

Just maybe Brent would eat it made this way,as he's not too fond of it.

AND, he did!

I added some Parmesan cheese and it was a very tasty side dish!



Roasted Cauliflower
PW

1 cauliflower head, cut into pieces
1/4 c. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 c. panko bread crumbs  ( I added some Parmesan cheese)
4 Tbsp. butter

Spread the cauliflower on a cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Toss to coat.. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.Roast 15-20 minutes at 400.

Melt the butter and stir in the panko. Put the cauliflower in a baking dish. Sprinkle the mixture on top and return to oven for 5 minutes until golden brown.

Panakuchen...pinned it and tried it

I love this stuff! I have made this many times in a 9x13 pan, I call it oven pancakes. But I have never made it with the apples and cinnamon sugar or in round cake pans. That caught my attention and so I pinned it, and tried it!

It's even more delicious. The apples get so soft and the batter just curls around them in a golden puff. I like to make my own syrup, and drizzle it all over.

Panakuchen

smoked and grilled

1-2 apples,peeled

2 Tablespoons butter

4 eggs

3/4 cup flour

3/4 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons sugar

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

 In each of 2 (9 inch) round pans, melt 2 Tablespoons butter, coat the pans well.  Slice one apple and arrange on the bottom of the pans.

Beat the eggs,flour,milk,salt,flour for 1 minute.

Pour 1/2 the batter into each pan of apples. Mix the suagr and cinnamon and sprinkle on top of each pan of batter.

 Bake at 400 uncovered,or  until puffed and golden brown. (20 to 25 minutes)

Home Made Maple Syrup

4 c. sugar
2 tbsp. corn syrup
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
2 c. water
1 tsp.vanilla
1 tsp. maple flavoring

Stir together the sugar, corn syrup, sugar and water until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil and boil 2 minutes, Cool 10 minutes and add the vanilla and maple flavoring. Makes about 4 cups

Melting Meatballs

Brent's mom makes the best meat balls!  

She has made this recipe for years and it's such a warm, hearty, wonderful comfort food. I like to serve it over potatoes or noodles. The best part is it's enough for the two of us for a couple meals....it tastes even better reheated. (You could make your own creamed soup and dry onion mix, if you need to control the sodium.)

Melting Meatballs

1 can evaporated milk

2 lb. hamburger

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

5 slices of bread, torn

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can of water

1 pkg. dry Lipton onion soup mix

Mix the burger, salt, pepper, milk, and torn bread. Shape into balls and place into a greased 9x13 pan. Mix the soup, water, and dry onion soup mix. Pour over the meatballs and bake at 350 for1 hour. 

Rueben dogs

I promise you, if you look close you will see the hot dog...it's hiding under all that deliciousness....

Reuben Dogs

1 c. sauerkraut

4 hot dogs or sausages

4 slices Swiss cheese

4 hot dog buns

dressing

Grill the hot dogs. Place the cheese in the bun, hot dog, then the dressing and sauerkraut.

Dressing:

1/4 cup  mayonnaise
1 tablespoon chili sauce
2 teaspoons dill relish
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon grated onion

Mix well.

Rice Krispie peanut butter balls

This recipe is actually called Jingle Bell Balls, but since I made them for Valentine treats I just call them Rice Krispie peanut butter balls.

And they really ARE a treat...gooey yet crispy, with bits of chocolate and a slight peanut butter flavor, everyone is sure to love them! We did!

I found the recipe before Christmas and meant to make them during the holidays, but it never happened. I saw it again recently and thought they would be fun for Valentines Day. I'll be making these often, probably in a pan, though, even though the balls are cute, I like EZ....I guess I am just LA-Z!

Happy Valentines Day!

Jingle bell balls

peter pan peanut butter

• 3-1/2 cups Rice Krispies cereal
• 3/4 cup M&M's
• 3-1/2 cups mini marshmallows
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup Peter Pan peanut butter
• 1/8 teaspoon salt 

Melt the butter, mini marshmallows, and peanut butter until smooth, add the salt, stir in the rice krispies and m&m's . Form into balls.

Cinnamon Sugar pretzels..pinned it and tried it

Of course I had to try these...every picture I saw on Pinterest drove me crazy.Sweet and salty....sounded delicious. So, I pinned it and tried it.

These were only ok for me, not quite what I had expected. But still, a fun and different snack to try! Has anyone else tried these?

Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels

Midwest living

1 (16 oz) bag pretzels
⅔ cup vegetable oil
½ cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

 Put pretzels into a roasting pan. Mix together vegetable oil, cinnamon and sugar. Pour over pretzels and stir to coat. Bake for 30 minutes at 300, stir twice.

Vanishing Oatmeal Cookies

My son loves these cookies. He's usually not much for baked goods, but he sure eats his share of these cookies! 

The recipe is right off the top of the Quaker oats box, and I have made them for years. They always turn out perfectly, and that teaspoon of cinnamon just gives them a perfect flavor. I add more raisins....can't have too many of them in these chewy cookies.

They are just plain delicious! 

• Vanishing Oatmeal cookies
• Quaker Oats
• 
  
• 1/2  cup (1 stick) plus 6 tablespoons butter, softened
• 3/4  cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2  cup granulated sugar
• 2  eggs
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 1-1/2  cups all-purpose flour
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 1  teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2  teaspoon salt (optional)
• 3  cups Quaker Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
• 1  cup raisins

Cream the butter and sugars. Add the eggs and vanilla beating well. Add the dry ingredients. Stir in the oats and raisins. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.

• 
  

Southwest quiche

I was at the grocery store the other day and the checkout lady asked me if I wanted my free eggs. I wasn't sure what she was talking about, but she explained that I had over $60 of groceries and that qualified for free eggs this week.She even had an extra coupon and ran and got me the eggs! That was SO nice of her.

Needless to say, I will be shopping at that grocery store again.

Actually, to be truthful, I really didn't need any more eggs, as I had just bought some., but I figured I could find a way to use them up.

And I did.

I made this quiche...it was awesome!

So thanks again to the grocery store clerk!


Southwest Quiche

1 pie crust
3/4 c. cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 c. Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
1 (4oz.) can chopped green chillies
1 (2 1/2 oz.) can black olives
3 eggs
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 c. half and half

Fill pie crust with cheese, chillies, and olives. Mix eggs, salt and pepper with the half and half. Pour into pie shell and bake at 350 for 40 to 45 minutes, or until eggs are set.

Mexican Chicken...Pinned it and tried it

I couldn't wait to post about this dish. It was that good. And simple....but tasted incredible.  We actually had to force ourselves to stop eating it all. I served it with some Mexican rice and beans. I tried to save enough for us for lunch the next day, (it was hard)  as I am always looking for recipes that reheat well. This one did, it even tasted better,we thought. I would label this as one of the better finds I have pinned on Pinterest!

MEXICAN CHICKEN 

linda's low carb menus


1 pound boneless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon taco seasoning
3/4  cup enchilada sauce ( I used more)
1 cup cheddar cheese
3 green onions 

Sprinkle the chicken on both sides with taco seasoning; grill or cook on stove top. Cut the chicken into cubes and put in a greased baking dish.  Add the enchilada sauce and mix to coat the chicken. Sprinkle the cheese over the chicken and bake at 350º for 15 minutes,until hot and bubbly. Sprinkle the green onions over the top.

Trisha Yearwoods Charleston Cheese Dip

This was a delicious dip! Cheese and bacon... two of our favorites.

I've been trying some of Trisha Yearwoods recipes and each one is always a winner. I love watching her show on Food Network. She has some fun ideas.

 I think I need to buy her cookbook!

Charleston Cheese Dip

Trisha Yearwood
1/2 - cup mayo
1 - 8oz package cream cheese, softened
1 - cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 - cup grated Monterey jack cheese
2 - green onions, finely chopped
Dash of cayenne
8 - Ritz crackers, crushed
8 - slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the mayo, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, Monterey jack cheese, green onions and cayenne pepper.

Put the mixture into a  glass pie dish. Top mixture with cracker crumbs and bake for 15 minutes, or until heated through.

 Top with the bacon. Serve with crackers.

Paula's Stew

My crock pot has been working overtime lately. The weather has been so freezing cold for weeks, (-14 today plus wind chill)  that a hot meal waiting for you when you walk in the door is oh- so- welcoming!

A really simple and tasty meal is Paula Deen's stew. Honestly, you just want to lick the bowl clean. I get lazy and often skip the step of browning the meat before putting it in the crock pot,and it still is delicious.

When Brent walks in the door and smells this stew, he's one happy camper!

• 
  
• 
  
• Paula's Stew
• 
  
• 2 pounds stew beef
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 c.water...I use beef stock
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 clove garlic, peeled
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• Dash of ground cloves
• 3 large carrots, sliced
• 3 ribs celery, chopped
• ( I add 2 or 3 potatoes,too)
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Brown the stew meat in the oil. Transfer to crock pot. Add the rest of the ingredients except for the cornstarch. Cook on low 6-7 hours. Add the corn starch and stir, let simmer 15 minutes until thickened.