Irish Cream Bundt Cake

THE CAKE

• 1 box chocolate cake mix
• 1 box instant vanilla or chocolate pudding mix
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup Bailey's Irish Cream liqueur
  

Preheat oven to 350 (f) and butter/flour a 10 inch bundt pan.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients.  

Dump mixture into bundt pan, and bake abt 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clear.

Let the cake cool about 10 minutes, and then dump it out onto serving dish.

Sift/sprinkle a few pinches of confectioners' sugar over the top of cake and then drizzle with the glaze below. 

 

THE GLAZE

Bailey's Cream Cheese Glaze

• 6 ounces Philadelphia Cream Cheese
• 3 tablespoon Bailey's Irish Cream liqueur
• Pinch of salt
• 1 lb bag of powdered sugar (confectioners sugar)
• 1 tsp milk (ONLY if needed!!!!)
• 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans (optional)

In a bowl, combine ingredients, beating until smooth. Gradually mix in the confectioners sugar.   Add as much extra cream or milk as needed.  You want this to be a thin icing.  Thick enough to call icing, thin enough to drizzle by spoon.

*Sprinkle with nuts, if desired.

 

**Store in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
**Bundt cake freezes well for up to a couple of MONTHS!

Chicken N Veg Couscous

• 1 cup water (or chicken broth)
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/4 cup sliced carrots
• 2 Tbs. red or green bell pepper, chopped
• 2/3 cup couscous
• 1 can chicken meat (or 1 cooked, shredded breast)
  

Place all ingredients, except couscous and chicken, in sauce pan.  Bring to high boil and remove from heat.  Stir in couscous and chicken meat and cover tightly.   Let sit at least 5 minutes or until couscous has “puffed”.

Great as a side dish, or a light main dish.

Corn Bake

1 can whole kernel corn
Milk (varies – see directions below)
1/4 tsp dry minced onion
2 tbsp butter (melted)
1/2 cup jiffy corn muffin mix

Preheat oven to 375.  Butter a casserole dish.

Drain the juice from the canned corn into a measuring cup, and add enough milk to make 2/3 cup.  Combine all ingredients, including the milk mix liquid.  Dump into buttered casserole dish, and bake 18-20 minutes.

EZ Broccoli n Cheese Soup

This tastes like TGIFridays Soup of the Day!

• 4 cups chicken broth (abt 32 oz so one big container of Swanson Broth)
• 1 cup half n half
• 1 cup water
• 4 slices cheddar cheese (about 1/3 a cup shredded)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon dried minced onion
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 cups broccoli florets (chopped into bite sized pieces)

In a large sauce pan (med high) or crock pot combine: broth, half n half, and water.  Whisk in: flour, onion, and pepper.  Once its well combined mix in the cheese.

Bring to boil stirring constantly, and then lower to LOW.  Dump in the broccoli, cover, and let simmer for 15-20 minutes or until broccoli is tender.  Remember to stir every 6-7 minutes to keep from sticking to the bottom of the pan, but do it quickly, and cover right back up.  This is to trap in the steam and the FLAVOR!

Serve hot and garnish if you wish.

Garnish (optional) 
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley

Amazingly great served with a super crusty bread, like ciabatta rolls.

Grans Fruit Cocktail Cake

• 1 can fruit cocktail
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 2 tsp soda
• pinch of salt

This is a basic “dump” style cake.

Beat eggs and sugar together add fruit cocktail, sift together flour salt and soda and add to sugar mixture.

Bake 30 minutes in a  prepared pan at 350.

German Chocolate CHeesecake Squares

The Cake

• 1  package dry yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 (8-oz) packages cream cheese
• 1 (3 oz) package cream cheese
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup cocoa
• 3 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla

I know this one looks difficult but it’s not.

First, put your warm water in a large mixing bowl, and dissolve the yeast in it.   Once the yeast is dissolved, stir in 1 cup flour, 1/4 cup sugar, salt, 1 egg, and the butter until smooth.  Add enough of the remaining flour to make the “dough” easy to work with.  Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic.  Cover and let rest 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350(f)

Grease a jelly roll pan and press dough into the bottom and up the sides to make a big “crust”.

In a bowl, beat the cream cheese and gradually beat in the 1 cup sugar.  Beat in the coca and work until its “fluffy”.  Beat in the 3 eggs one at a time, and then the vanilla.  Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl. 

Pour this mix into your crust and bake abt 25 minutes or until crust is golden brown.  Remove from heat and cool.

While this is coming to room temp, make your topping…

The Topping

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2/3 cup flaked coconut
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1 tsp vanilla

In a medium sauce pan: heat sugar, milk, and butter over med-low heat.  Make sure to stir constantly, until it becomes thick. (10-12 minutes).   Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients.

Lather this ooey gooey goodness onto the top of your cake, and refrigerate at least an hour.

Yep.  You’re welcome. =D

Easy Cheeseburger Macaroni

• 1 pound ground beef
• 2.5 cups cold water
• 1/3 cup catsup
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp prepared mustard
• 2 cups macaroni noodles, uncooked
• 3/4 lb Velveeta (cubed)
• 1 bunch green onion (chopped)

In a large deep skillet, brown the beef and drain.

Stir in the water, catsup, onion powder, and mustard.  Bring this to a high boil, and add the noodles.  Cover and reduce heat to medium and let simmer for 8-10 minutes.   Remove lid and add Velveeta.  Stir until melted and mixed.  Remove from heat.   Stir in the chopped green onion.

Serves great with side salad!

Pumpkin Mouse Pie

• 1 package vanilla instant pudding
• 3/4 cups cold milk
• 1/2 cup solid packed pumpkin
• 3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 3.5 cups cool whip
• 1 baked pie shell

Prepare pie filling mix as directed on package with 3/4 cup milk.  Blend in pumpkin, spice and 2 cups whipped topping.  Spoon into pie shell.  Chill at least 4 hours to set.  Top with remaining topping to serve.

Cheddar n Beef Goulash

• 1 can cut green beans, drained
• 1.5 tbsp butter
• 1.5 lbs ground beef
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1/2 tsp seasoned salt
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp lemon pepper
• 2 can sliced mushrooms
• 1 15oz can tomato sauce
• 8 oz NO YOLK noodles, cooked
• 1 cup shredded cheddar

Preheat oven to 350(f)

In a skillet melt butter, and brown beef.  Add onion and cook until tender.  Blend in the flour and seasonings until well mixed.  Stir in mushrooms and tomato sauce.  Mix well and simmer for at least 5 minutes.  Add noodles and green beans.  Mix well. 

Pour into greased (buttered) casserole dish and sprinkle with cheese.  Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned.

source: from Nana’s recipe box

Mocha Chiller

• 1 cup milk
• 1 TBSP Cocoa powder
• 1 TBSP sugar
• 1/2 tsp instant coffee
• 3 drops almond extract
• 1 scoop vanilla ice cream

Place milk, cocoa, sugar, coffee granules and almond extract in a blender, and blend.  Add ice cream and blend until smooth.

makes 2 coffee cups

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cake

*swoon* lol

So apparently this week was all about the sweets.  As such, I felt I wanted to finish the week off with a doosey.  Here, my friends, she is.

THE CAKE

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 2/3 cups cocoa
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup brewed coffee, room tmp

THE FROSTING

• 1 small package of cream cheese (3oz)
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 cups confectioners sugar
• 2 TBSP milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• some choc chips for decorating (not required)

Preheat oven to 350(f)

In a large bowl combine all the dry ingredients in the CAKE recipe.  Gradually beat in: eggs, oil, vanilla, and milk.  Beat for about 2 minutes or until everything is well incorporated. Fold in the coffee.  Pour this mix into your greased cake pan (13x9) and bake for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Let cool completely before trying to ice.

For the icing:  In a large bowl beat the cream cheese and peanut butter.  Then gradually beat in the sugar, milk, and vanilla. (Be careful not to overbeat because the icing can get “hard”.

Spread icing over cake and decorate with chocolate chips.  Then sit down and eat till you ‘bout pop.  Or at least that’s how I do it. =D

Quick Nutty Fudge

• 1 lb powdered sugar
• 1.2 cup cocoa
• 1.4 tsp salt
• 6 tbsp butter
• 4 tbsp milk
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 1 cup nuts (chopped or crushed) *I prefer walnuts*

Combine all ingredients except nuts in a double boiler*.  Stir until smooth and mix comes to the “soft ball” stage.   Add nuts and spread into a buttered candy dish.  Cool and cut into serving sized squares.

*If you are like me and don’t have a double boiler:
I fill up (like an inch or two from the rim) my big spaghetti pot with water, and bring it to a boil.  Then place the smaller pan with all my ingredients in that pot.  Be careful to not get burnt while holding it, and to not let boiling water boil/splash into your fudge mix.  Means you have to stir and work one handed (the other is holding the pan) but it works.

Peanut Butter Fudge Ice Cream Pie

Yep. Basically every single word in that title makes me DROOL. haha!!!

• graham cracker pie shell
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 qt vanilla ice cream (softened but not melted)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2 cup cashews (chopped)
• 6 oz chocolate fudge topping (sold in with the ice cream toppings)

 

In a large bowl, mix peanut butter and honey.  Be careful not to over mix it because the peanut butter will start to stiffen.  Stir this mix into the ice cream.  Mix only  until incorporated.  Then spread half of this mix into the pie shell.  Top with half of the nuts and drizzle with abt 3/4 of the fudge. Then repeat, using up the rest of the ingredients.  Pop in the freezer to let set.  Takes 5-6 hours.

 

source: Nana’s recipe box

Easy Fried Rice

This is my recipe for fried rice.  Its actually super easy to make.

• a bag of Boil in the Bag Minute Rice


• Olive oil (or wok oil)


• onion (abt half a medium, chopped)


• garlic salt


• 2 eggs


• frozen peas and carrots


• frozen corn


• soy sauce

Fried rice works best if you use day old left over rice.  Unfortunately, I never know ahead of time when I am going to want some so I never have “old rice” on hand!  haha!! 

What I do is make a bag of boil in the bag rice following the directions on the box.  Drain and put in a plastic bowl.  Then sit the bowl in the freezer to cool it and let it get sticky.  After 3-4 minutes get the bowl out and toss the rice around so ALL of the rice is cooling off not just the top layer.  You’ll do this every few minutes until time to use the rice. =D

While the rice is chilling off, chop your onion. 

In a wok or deep skillet, heat abt 1 1/2 tbsp of oil.  Make sure to “swoosh” it around in the pan to coat the sides.  While that is heating…

In a bowl mix 2 to 3 large eggs.

Dump the eggs in the skillet and scramble them to “soft scrambled” stage.  You want them to look like scrambled eggs, but to still be kind of wet and shiny.  Remove from heat and set this aside.

Wipe out your skillet and add about 2 tbsp of oil.  Let it heat  and then “swoosh” it around to coat your pan.  Once it’s good and hot, dump in the onion and about 3 or 4 good shakes of garlic salt.  Let onion cook until it starts to go clear.  (don’t forget to keep tossing your rice every few minutes while this is going on.)

Once the onions run clear,  dump in your sticky rice.  Then add soy sauce to taste.  I like my rice to look really brown with sauce because most of the flavor is going to cook out of the soy sauce anyway.  3 or 4 good jigs.

Mix this well, and then add enough vegetables to make you happy.  I usually put in abt 2 handfuls of frozen peas n carrots, and then a HUGE handful of frozen corn.  I love corn in my rice.  Then just mix and cover to let the veggies heat through.

Remember to stir every few minutes or your rice will stick to your pan.  It’s ready to eat once the carrots go tender.

*This recipe is the side dish version.  You can add meat, like chicken, to make it the meal if you like.  I love LOVE to put in a package of those lil Smokies!

Anyhoo!  Happy eating!
(yes it’s 2am, and I just made myself some rice.  I got the munchies! lol)

 

 

Cool n Easy, the Pie

• 1 can eagle brand sweetened condensed milk
• 1 can medium sized mandarin oranges
• 1 medium can pineapple chunks
• 1 large bowl cool whip
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 graham cracker crust pie shells

Drain and cut up oranges and pineapple.  Mix in milk and lemon juice.  Fold in the cool whip.  Pour into ready made shells and chill until ready to serve.

*this recipe makes TWO pies.

source: Nana’s recipe box

Nana Bran Bread

• 1 – 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking POWDER
• 1/2 tsp baking SODA
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup margarine, softened
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cups Bran flakes (crushed to abt a cup)
• 1 1/2 cups ripe bananas (abt 3)

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350(f)

Sift together all DRY ingredients except sugar and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat sugar and margarine.  Add the egg and mix well.  Mix in the cereal and mashed bananas.  Add the flour mixture, mixing only enough to combine it.  Dont over beat it or you wont have any banana chunkies left in your bread! 

Spread the batter in a buttered loaf pan, and bake at 350(f) for abt 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Let cool abt 10 minutes before trying to remove from pan, and then remove from pan and let cool on a cooling rack completely before trying to slice.

 

source: Nana’s recipe box

**this is the best smelling bread…  Nothing like waking up to this cooking in the morning.  It just fills the entire house and feels like HOME.  *sigh*

EZ Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cups diced cooked chicken (I just boil it)
• 2 cups broccoli
• 1 (8 oz) package of fresh mushrooms
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 1 garlic clove (minced)
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 (12oz) package of NO YOLK egg noodles, uncooked

In a deep skillet or wok, heat the oil and then add: chicken, broccoli, mushrooms, onion, garlic, and ginger.  Stir often.  Cook until heated thru and broccoli goes tender crisp and bright green.  Add soy sauce.  Continue to cook about 5 minutes, meanwhile – make the noodles as directed on package, and drain.

To serve: place some noodles on serving dish and top with the chicken mixture. 

makes 4-6 servings.

source: clipping from Nana’s recipe box

*Mushrooms make me sick, so I usually leave them out.  I have never eaten this WITH the mushrooms in it, but Mr C loves it either way so I am sure are worth adding.

Country herb Roasted Chicken

• abt 2.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
• 1 package Lipton Savory Herb with Garlic Soup Mix
• 2 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp olive oil

PREP:  Combine all ingredients except chicken in a freezer bag.  Use your finger “smashing” the bag until it’s all mixed up.  Then add the chicken and refrigerate for about an hour.

Preheat oven to 375(f)

Place chicken in a 13x9 baking dish.  Brush with the remaining mix left in the bag.  Bake 45 minutes, uncovered – or until chicken is no longer “pink”.

Makes 4 servings.

**TIP:
Don’t have to use a brush!  I just use scissors and nick off on corner of the freezer bag, and then use it like an icing bag and “ice” on the rest of the mix.  Then you just toss the empty bag in the trash.  No mess, no extra clean up!  Yep, I am exactly THAT lazy.  =D

source: clipping from Nana’s recipe box.

Saucy Steak Skillet

• 1 lb beef (boneless round steak), cut into serving sized pieces
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped (abt a cup)
• 1 can (16 oz) whole potatoes, drained (reserve liquid)
• 1/4 cup catsup
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp bell pepper flakes
• 1 tsp instant beef bouillon
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp dried marjoram leaves
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 package (10 oz) frozen Italian green beans
• 1 jar (2 oz) sliced pimiento, drained

Coat steak and then tenderize by beating with a meat mallet.  Brown beef in oil in at least a 10 inch skillet.  When meat starts to brown, scoot it over and dump in the onions.  Cook until onions are clear and tender, and then drain oil.  Add some water to the potato liquid until it equals 1 cup of fluid and then mix the liquid and catsup into the pan with the onions and the meat.  Add Worcestershire, pepper flakes, bouillon, salt, marjoram, and pepper.  Heat to boiling, and then lower.  Cover and simmer until the beef is tender. abt 1.5 hours.

Meanwhile, rinse frozen beans.  After the meat is tender, add the beans pimentos and potatoes.  Heat to boil again, and then reduce heat to simmer and cover with lid.  Let simmer until beans are tender crisp.  10-15 minutes.

Serve hot.

**I am not a big meat fan, and I especially hate steak, and steak type food.  I love this however.  It is very yum, and the meat comes out so tender you barely have to chew.

Makes 4 servings +

 

source: Clipping from Nana’s recipe box