Blueberry Muffins

The 3 grandkids are here this weekend-actually 2 last night and Alana will be here this afternoon, so when I woke up this morning the thought of something from the oven for breakfast would taste mighty good with a glass of milk for the kids (and me and Dave!), so I looked through my set of Pine to Praire (love those cookbooks!) for a recipe for blueberry muffins since I had some in the freezer.  I chose this recipe because it 1) actually called for frozen blueberries and 2) it had cinnamon in it and cinnamon sugar topping it off-and we all LOVE cinnamon, especially warm out of the oven.  It made a small batch of muffins-I made 9 smaller ones, but would make 6 large ones with a little more baking time. 

Here's the recipe:
Combine 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, 2/3 cup brown sugar, 1 egg, and 1/3 cup milk until well blended.

add: 1 cup flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp salt just until incorporated. 

Stir in 1/2 cup frozen blueberries (I would try to use the wild blueberries which are tinier, although I used the regular sized and they were fine if that's what you find at your store only.  I just like the little berries spread throughout better.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes in a sprayed with Pam or greased muffin pan.  remove when still warm and dip tops in melted butter (the other 1/2 stick) and then in cinnamon sugar. 

Jodi's Mac and Cheese

I just got this recipe from my friend, Jodi, and tried it tonight for supper..let me tell you, I have made zillions of recipes for mac and cheese and didn't like any of them as much as Kraft Mac and Cheese from the box, but this one is GOOD.  It's so simple that I was wondering about it, but glad I took the leap of faith and went for it. 

All she does is cook enough macaroni to feed you family..I cooked a few cups of elbow macaroni..about halfway or so..mine said cook 11 minutes and I cooked it about 6-7 minutes.  drain.  in a buttered casserole dish start making layers with the macaroni, shredded real Kraft American cheese (I used slices because I had them) -do not use velvetta- and dots of butter.  I made three layers ending with the cheese and butter on the top.  pour a can of evaporated milk-must be evaporated milk-over the mixture.  LIGHTLY salt and pepper the top.  the cheese has salt in it remember.  Bake at 325 for one hour.  YUM.

Reading pillow for Sam

As I've stated previously, my granddaughter is working on a new quilt for her bed..I decided to make her a big reading bed pillow because she likes to read before she falls asleep or play with her kindle in the mornings while she wakes up, thus needs something big to "prop" herself up if she's anything like her grandma.  I used some cuddle fleece so it would be nice and snuggly for the main body (pain in the tush to work with) and used some of her fabric she had left for the back and letter on the front with chocolate pom-poms for a little cuteness.  The color is pretty off on these pictures..the letter is actually a darker brown and has aqua swirls in it and it's much deeper and bluer than it looks for the fluff..but anyway I like the end results and I am sure she will too.  The second picture is truer to color..  I am bringing it up to her later today with a pot of her favorite soup..my wild rice soup recipe from Byerly's..her real birthday was yesterday, so today will be more laid back and a little extension of her special day for her from me..

Taconite Tator Tot Hotdish

This recipe is a step up in flavor from the basicTator Tot Hotdish that was a stable when we were younger!  it gets it's kick from adding some garlic and Pepper Jack Cheese and I think it's the best!  It's actually from a contest some of the Senators had in Minnesota with a hotdish cook-off and Amy Klobuchar won..I am making it tonight for dinner with some salad and biscuits.  I usually make half the recipe because I don't like a ton of leftovers these days and instead of using a can of each soup I use the Campbell's mixed can of soup called cream of chicken/mushroom instead and still use the pound of hamburger because we are meat lovers around here.  Here is the link to the recipe.
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2011/01/26/taconite-tater-tot-hot-dish/.  Try it, I think you will like it!

Woullet's Brownie Enormous recipe

It's a chilly morning-frost on the rooftops and so, since I haven't baked since the rush of birthday baking occurred, I decided today I would bake some brownies and warm up the kitchen and also sooth Dave's sweet tooth for his evening/bedtime snack with them this week.  I love this recipe.  It's quick, doesn't take a ton of ingredients and is chewy, dark with chocolate and he loves walnuts in his brownies.  The recipe doesn't call for frosting, but I always top my brownies with frosting..these I topped with the Hershey's cocoa recipe on the back of the box (I make half the recipe)..simple and fluffy if you beat it..some people like to thin it with coffee to make more of a mocha frosting on the brownies, but I am a purist with ALL chocolate flavor. 

Here is the link to the recipe for the brownies:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/search/search-results.html?searchTerm=woullet+bakery+brownies+enormous&form=global&_charset_=utf-8

Beef Stroganoff

This recipe is actually one I got from my husband, Dave, when we were dating.  (back in the days when he was trying to impress me), which he did, with his cooking.  Somehow, he seems to have decided he "likes my cooking better" and for the last 20 years or so it's me that makes it and does 99.9% of the cooking.  Wonder how that happened?  Anyway, it's the requested entrée for Kim's 40th birthday party tonight and I am posting the recipe for those of you who want another easy, yet elegant and delicious main course.  I don't know anyone who doesn't like this, at least so far, when I've made it. 

BEEF STROGANOFF:

1 Sirloin steak..the size can vary depending on how many people you are serving and their appetites..I usually use about 1-1/2 lbs for the 3 of us, but my son loves it, so it should normally feed 4 adults with normal appetites easily.  I freeze it slightly so it's easier to slice into thin bite size pieces, trimming off all the fat and grizzle that you can. 

Heat a little oil and butter in a large frying pan.  Dust the sirloin slices in flour, shaking off excess, salt and pepper them and brown them on both sides in the pan, making a couple batches if necessary..remove and set aside in a dish.

Scrap pan if necessary and add a little more oil and butter.  Slice a peeled yellow onion thinly into rings, add to the warm pan and cook slowly until they are softened and carmelized.  add a small can of sliced mushrooms and cook until slightly browned also.  At this point you can also add 1 tsp of minced garlic being careful not to burn it.  I also have used just powdered garlic to taste.

Dump the browned meat back into the pan.  Add 1 can of beef consommé (Campbell's carries it) and let simmer until meat is totally cooked on low heat.  (about 10-15 minutes.  Add sour cream, about 3/4 to 1 cup, depending on your taste, and serve over buttered egg noodles, cooked per directions.

Jello Poke Cake

Tonight we are having a little celebration for my daughter, Kim's, 40th birthday with the family.  She picked the menu of beef stroganoff, sides, and this jello poke cake, that I usually make with strawberry jello, in an orange jello flavor.  I bought some rainbow sherbet to go along with it because the kids and Kim really like sherbet too.  Although it's super pretty cut, I am posting the finished product since I don't know if I will get a shot of it cut in the feeding frenzy tonight.  The jello makes streaks of color and flavor through the white cake, so it's pretty as well as delicious and light..

JELLO PUNCH CAKE:

Bake a boxed white cake according to directions on box.

While it's baking mix 1 small box of jello, whatever flavor you choose, and 1-1/2 cups of BOILING water until dissolved..set aside. 

Once cake is baked, set on a cooling rack and punch holes all over the top with the end of a wooden spoon or something about that size, almost to the bottom of the cake.  Pour the jello mixture over the holes.  Let cake stand until completely cool..then:

Mix small pkg of vanilla instant pudding and 1-1/2 cups cold milk together with a mixer or whisk until completely incorporated and thickened.  Add 1 small bowl of cool whip and fold in.  You can tint it or add well drained fruit to it if desired.  spread on top of cake and chill until set and ready to serve. 

You can use a chocolate cake and chocolate pudding with raspberry jello or do a lot of variations with the cake, jello and pudding in this and they are all yummy..