Skillet Lasagna

by penji1
Skillet Lasagna

Skillet Lasagna

This was the easiest and fastest lasagna I’ve ever made and it tasted good too.

8 ounces ground beef

3/4 cup chopped green, red, or yellow sweet pepper

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

1 (23.5 oz) jar pasta sauce

1 cup water

3 cups dried wide egg noodles

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan or Romano cheese

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1  Spray a large skillet with cooking spray.  Heat over medium heat.  Cook beef, peppers, onion and garlic until meat is browned through.  Drain fat.  Stir in pasta sauce and water and bring to a boil.  Add noodles and stir.  Return to boiling, reduce heat to simmer, cover and simmer 10 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally.

2  Stir together ricotta, Parmesan and Italian seasoning.  Drop cheese mixture by spoonfuls into 10 or so mounds, about 1 tablespoon each, on top of pasta mixture. Sprinkle each mound with Parmesan.  Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 4 – 5 minutes or until cheese is heated and melted.

recipe from Better Homes and Gardens

Easy Tom Kha Gai (Chicken Coconut) Soup

by penji1
Easy Tom Kha Gai (Chicken Coconut) Soup

Easy Tom Kha Gai (Chicken Coconut) Soup

We have a much beloved and much anticipated tradition in our family for Christmas Eve dinner.  Everyone gets to pick 1 or 2 things that they want for dinner and that’s what we have.  It’s usually a smorgasbord of deliciousness!

Courtney wanted this soup from her favorite Asian restaurant but they were closed so I said I would give it a go.  Honestly the hardest part of making this soup was the trip to the local Asian market and then trying to find all of the ingredients, that took awhile and the hubs even went with me to help.

Everyone loved it, said it was thicker and creamier than the version from their restaurant and also spicier so a win for me!

3 lemon grass stalks, trimmed, cut into segments, and pressed with back of wooden spoon to release oils

6 cups coconut milk

2 cups cold water

3 Thai bird chilies, halved

2″ galangal root

6 Thai lime leaves

6 cloves garlic, smashed

1 teaspoon Thai chili powder (I could not find this at the Asian market so used regular chili powder)

1 pound chicken, cut into strips

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup lime juice

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1 tablespoon coconut sugar (couldn’t find this either so used regular sugar)

1 onion, chopped

5 ounces Beech mushrooms

1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half

salt to taste

1/2 cup fresh cilantro

1  Combine lemon grass, coconut milk, water, chilies, galangal root, lime leaves, garlic, and chili powder in a large stock pot and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 35 minutes.

2  With a large slotted spoon, remove lemon grass, chilies, galangal root, lime leaves, and garlic from pot.  Add chicken, salt, lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, and onion to pot.  Simmer for 10 minutes.

3  Add mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, and cilantro to pot and stir to combine.

recipe from Tasty

Salted Caramel Mocha Bundt Cake AKA Coffee Creamer Cake

by penji1
Salted Caramel Mocha Bundt Cake AKA Coffee Creamer Cake

Salted Caramel Mocha Bundt Cake AKA Coffee Creamer Cake

I have been working on this cake for awhile, how to get the delicious taste of coffee creamers, especially the seasonal ones, into a cake?  I think I’ve figured it out because this was delicious!  I made it in my castle bundt pan but you can make it in any bundt shaped pan.

Salted Caramel Mocha Bundt Cake AKA Coffee Creamer Cake

Salted Caramel Mocha Bundt Cake AKA Coffee Creamer Cake

Here’s an aerial view looking down on the delicious castle.

cake

1 cake mix, flavor to go along with you choice of coffee creamer, I used chocolate fudge for this cake

1 small box instant pudding mix, flavor to go along with your cake mix, I used chocolate to go with the chocolate cake mix

4 eggs

1/2 cup oil

1 cup coffee creamer, I used Salted Caramel Mocha

glaze

2 – 3 cups powdered sugar

2 – 4 tablespoons coffee creamer

1  For the cake, preheat oven to 325.  Spray bundt pan generously with cooking spray for baking.

2  Combine cake ingredients in mixing bowl and beat on medium for 3 – 5 minutes until well combined.  Pour into prepared pan.

3  Bake 45 – 60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool in pan 10 – 15 minutes then turn out on serving platter and allow to cool completely.

4  For the glaze, whisk together powdered sugar and coffee creamer until you have a thick glaze but not so thick that it can’t be poured.  Drizzle generously over the top of the cooled cake.

 

 

Andes Mint Brownies

by penji1
Andes Mint Brownies

Andes Mint Brownies

I needed some chocolate last night, there were far too many eggnog and gingerbread treats in this house and not enough chocolate so I took care of it!

brownies

1 1/3 cups flour

1 cup cocoa

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 cup canola oil

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 eggs

2/3 cup Andes baking chips

ganache

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 – 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Andes baking pieces for sprinkling

1  Preheat oven to 350.  Spray 9 x 13″ pan with cooking spray for baking.

2  Whisk together flour, cocoa, salt and baking powder.

3  Beat together oil and sugar until blended.  Beat in vanilla and eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Gradually add flour mixture then stir in Andes baking chips.  Spread into prepared pan.

4  Bake for 35 – 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pan.

5  Microwave chocolate chips and cream at 30 second intervals until melted and smooth.  Spread over cooled brownies then sprinkle with Andes baking chips.

recipe adapted from Taste of Home

Puffy Gingerbread Cookies

by penji1
Puffy Gingerbread Cookies

Puffy Gingerbread Cookies

The hubs loves gingerbread cookies.  Me, not so much but I make them for him because I love him.  I decided to try out my new Wilton Christmas Cookie Pan which I got last year after Christmas for half off or more.

Wilton Christmas Cookie Pan

Wilton Christmas Cookie Pan

I can’t find it on their website so it must be discontinued but this one you can find on Ebay.

I wasn’t sure how it would work but it worked great, making the cookies nice and soft and puffy, see?

Puffy Gingerbread Cookies

Puffy Gingerbread Cookies

I used this gingerbread cookie recipe found here.

Wilton Cookie Icing

Wilton Cookie Icing

I used this Wilton cookie icing which I got from Michaels.

I think this will be a new Christmas cookie tradition for every year now since that cookie pan makes it so easy!

 

 

 

Cranberry Pecan Bread with White Chocolate Glaze

by penji1
Cranberry Pecan Bread with White Chocolate Glaze

Cranberry Pecan Bread with White Chocolate Glaze

It was awesome!

bread

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 butter, softened

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup chopped pecans

3/4 cup dried cranberries

glaze

1 cup white chocolate chips

2 tablespoons heavy cream

2 tablespoons chopped pecans for sprinkling

1  For the bread, preheat oven to 350.  Spray loaf pan with cooking spray for baking.

2  Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.

3  Beat together sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy.  Add flour mixture, alternating with buttermilk.  Beat just until blended after each addition.

4  Fold in pecans and cranberries.  Pour batter into pan.  Bake for 50 – 60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Allow to cool.

5  For the glaze, put white chocolate chips and cream in a microwave safe bowl and microwave at 30 second intervals, stirring between, until melted and smooth.  Drizzle over top of bread then sprinkle with chopped pecans.

recipe from Taste of Lizzy T

Nutty Eggnog Bars

by penji1
Nutty Eggnog Bars

Nutty Eggnog Bars

And the holiday baking continues . . .

cookies

2/3 cup butter

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup chopped macadamia nuts or pecans

icing

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

2 – 3 tablespoons eggnog

1  Preheat oven to 350.  Spray 9 x 13″ pan with cooking spray.

2  Melt butter over medium heat, adding sugar when butter is almost fully melted, stir to combine.  Remove from heat and cool slightly.

3  Stir in eggs and vanilla then add flour, baking powder and nutmeg and stir to combine.  Fold in nuts.

4  Spread dough in prepared pan.  Bake 25 – 30 minutes or until edges begin to pull away from pan and top is lightly browned.

5  Let cool then cut into bars.

6  Combine icing ingredients until desired texture is obtained then drizzle over bars.

recipe from The Girl Who Ate Everything

Courtney’s Apple Pie

by penji1
Courtney's Apple Pie

Courtney’s Apple Pie

Now that is a good looking apple pie, don’t you think?  My daughter Courtney made it for Thanksgiving.  (I know, I’m a little behind on blogging.)  I think this might be the first time on my blog posting a recipe that I did not make myself, I answered a few questions for her but that was it.  Cort decided she wanted to make an apple pie for Thanksgiving and got the recipe from her friend Keeley.  Keeley also made the pie crust for her so this was a group effort.  I don’t love pie but I had a bite and it was pretty good.

2 pie crusts, homemade or store bought

4 Golden Delicious apples

2 Macintosh or Honey Crisp apples

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup flour

1 egg

1 tablespoon water

1  Preheat oven to 425.

2  Peel and cut apples into small pieces.  Combine cinnamon, salt, sugar, and flour in small bowl.

3  Line pie plate with one of the pie crusts.  Alternate filling and apples on top of crust in pie plate.  Top as desired with second pie crust, being sure to vent.

4  Whisk together egg and water and brush over top crust then sprinkle with sugar.

5  Bake at 425 for 15 minutes then reduce heat to 350 and bake for 40 minutes more.  After that the recipe says “should taste good”, I love that so much!

Thanks Keeley for the recipe!

 

 

Holiday Eggnog Quick Bread

by penji1
Holiday Eggnog Quick Bread

Holiday Eggnog Quick Bread

What’s Christmas without eggnog?

Holiday Eggnog Quick Bread

Holiday Eggnog Quick Bread

bread

2 eggs, beaten

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup eggnog

1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/4 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 1/4 teaspoons nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

icing

1 cup powdered sugar

2 – 4 tablespoons eggnog

dash of nutmeg

nutmeg for sprinkling

1  For bread, grease loaf pan with cooking spray for baking.  Preheat oven to 350.

2  Whisk together eggs, sugar, eggnog, butter and vanilla.

3  In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, nutmeg and salt.

4  Add dry ingredients to wet and stir just until combined.  Pour into prepared pan.

5  Bake 35 – 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing.

6  For icing, whisk together icing ingredients and pour over cooled bread.   Sprinkle with nutmeg.

recipe from The Foodie Affair

 

Giant Christmas House Gingerbread Cookie

by penji1
Giant Christmas House Gingerbread Cookie

Giant Christmas House Gingerbread Cookie

I should have put something else in the photo for reference but this cookie is actually 12″ tall.  I made if for my neighbor Rebecca and her kids, thought the kids would find it fun.

I got the cookie pan last year on clearance after Christmas at Walmart I think.

Sweet Creations by Good Cook Gingerbread House Cookie Pan

Sweet Creations by Good Cook Gingerbread House Cookie Pan

I used this cookie recipe found here.

I used this frosting which I bought at Michaels.

Wilton Cookie Icing

Wilton Cookie Icing

And then I used a bunch of Christmas sprinkles which I’ve bought from various stores such as Walmart and Michaels.

Merry Christmas blog following peeps!  I’m just getting started on the holiday baking so buckle up for a bunch of Christmas goodie themed posts!