The Cookbook Experiment: Ginger Cookies

Sometimes it is hard living in a house with family that have completely different ideas about what certain types of food we should have and others that are off limits. There is one member of my family that does NOT like chocolate chip cookies. Its a travesty, I know. I needed to find a cookie that everyone would like so I turned to my trusty church cookbook.

The recipe I found was "Ginger Cookies" by Sandy Viner. Sandy is one of the hardest working people at the church. She is the secretary, a Sunday school teacher, my mentor, my friend and a mother.  This recipe seemed like a real winner.

Ginger Cookies by Sandy Viner

(1 1/2) cups shortening, some butter added for flavor
(2) cups granulated sugar
(2) well beaten eggs
(1/2) cup molasses
(2) teaspoons soda
(2) teaspoons cinnamon
(2) teaspoons cloves
(1) teaspoon ginger
(1/2) teaspoon salt
(4) cups flour

Cream shortening and sugar together; add eggs. Sift dry ingredients together; add with molasses and beat. Chill. Form in small balls; roll in mixture of 6 tablespoons sugar and 4 teaspoons cinnamon. Place 2 inches apart. Bake in 375 oven for 12 to minutes.

My take-a-ways for this recipe:

• I only had cinnamon. I could not find my ginger and I did not have cloves.  I used (2 1/2) teaspoons in lieu of the (2) called for in the recipe.
• I did not let the dough chill. I had no time for that and they rolled into balls to put on the cookie sheet just fine.
• I forgot to roll them in the cinnamon/sugar mixture. They were still amazing.
• This makes a LOT of dough. My large Kitchen Aid could barely handle that this recipe made.
• I used (1) cup of butter and (1/2) cup shortening. Why? Because butter. But do not neglect putting in the shortening as it is an important ingredient.
• With my oven I baked them exactly 12 minutes and did fine. They stay soft for only a few minutes then they turn into snap cookies.
• Don't neglect to add the salt. It is an important ingredient.
• These cookies are amazing. They have become one of my families favorite cookies. 

The Cookbook Experiment: Hawaiian Surprise Cake

Tonight's dessert cookbook experiment is a cake from Mr. Dick John. He has a lot of recipes in this book and so far I have liked them all.This was no exception.

Hawaiian Surprise Cake by Dick John

(1) package yellow cake mix with pudding
(1/2) cup oil
(4) eggs
(1) small can mandarin oranges, undrained

Beat cake mix, oil, eggs and oranges for 2 minutes.  Bake in a 9" x 13" pan in a 350 degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool

Frosting:

(1) 8 ounce container of Cool Whip
(2 1/2) cups well drained, crushed pineapple
(1) small box instant vanilla pudding mix

Mix all together with a spoon.  Spread over cooled cake.  Decorate with flaked coconut and orange slices.  Refrigerate.  Serves 12.

My (and Paulina's) take-a-way for this recipe:

• I made the cake portion. I did not have a cake that had pudding in the mix so I just used a standard yellow cake mix.
• I did not have a small can of mandarin oranges. I did have the large can and went ahead and used it all without any noticeable difference. 
• Paulina made the frosting. She states and I agree that a homemade whipped topping using heavy whipping cream. 
• Paulina added some strawberries to the top of hers.  

The Cookbook Experiment: Deep South Sausage and Pintos

Tonight's cookbook experiment is another recipe from Mrs. Doreen Lay. She is an awesome lady and she has quite a few awesome recipes in this book. I have been very curious to try this particular one because it sounds like something my mom and dad would have loved. Pinto beans were an every week kind of meal in our house when I was little. Mom and dad had to feed seven children so beans were a staple.

Deep South Sausage and Pintos by Mrs. Doreen Lay

(1) pound link sausage
(1) large onion, chopped
(1) green pepper, chopped
(1) 16 ounce can pinto beans
(1) 8 ounce can tomato sauce

Fry sausage until brown on all sides.  Drain off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat. Add onion and green pepper; saute until tender.  Add remaining ingredients. Stir to blend, simmer 10 minutes and serve hot with cornbread. Serves 6

My take-a-ways for this recipe:

• This recipe is very easy. It also does not list any spices to add. I found that a little bit odd.
• It has a very plain clean flavor without any spices added.
• Of course, me knowing my Italian husband like I do, no spices added would simply not do.
• I cannot give you exact measurements. I just added until it smelled right to me.
• I added, chipotle chili powder, regular chili powder, steak seasoning blend, Italian seasoning blend and some crushed red pepper.
• I let the dish simmer and bubble for about 30 minutes on very, very low to let the flavors marry up and get happy.

The Cookbook Experiment: Breaded and Baked Eggplant

One of tonight's cookbook experiments was Mrs. Lona Martin's Breaded and Baked Eggplant. Lona is an amazing women and one of a trio of sisters that attends our church. They are a force to be reckoned with! All of them are just so dang awesome. I love them.

Breaded and Baked Eggplant by Lona Martin

Olive oil cooking spray
(2) eggs
(2) cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs
(1) large eggplant

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray. Whisk eggs in wide, shallow bowl and set aside.  Place the bread crumbs in a similar bowl set next to the eggs.  Trim the ends off the eggplant, then use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin. Cut the eggplant into 1/2 inch slices. Use a fork to dredge each slice through the egg, then through the bread crumbs, flipping to evenly coat both sides.  Arrange the slices in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.  Spritz the eggplant slices with cooking spray, then bake for 20 minutes. Use a spatula to flip the slices and bake another 20 minutes, or until both sides are just crisp and slightly browned.

My take-a-ways for this recipe:

• I have always been kind of intimidated by eggplant. I have no idea why I am letting some big purple bulbous veggie make me nervous!
• I was not really sure what to expect with this recipe as I think I have only had eggplant one other time.
• I only used one cup of bread crumbs. I would say start with one and then add more if needed. I did not need more because my eggplant was not too big.
• This turned out really well even though I used regular cooking spray. I don't think I have ever bought olive oil spray.
• My husband (the Italian) said I did not cut them thick enough. He said he would have preferred them to be thicker. I did not even know he liked eggplant! Learned something new about my amazing man.
• I would like to make this again and put it on top of a bed of rich spaghetti and sauce.
• Thanks Lona! This was easy and delicious and gave me a lot of ideas.

The Cookbook Experiment: Chocolate Eclair Dessert

Tonight's dessert cookbook experiment is "Chocolate Eclair Dessert" by one of the most amazing women that you will ever meet. Sandy McConnell is such a champion of faith. I have the utmost admiration for her and her faithfulness to God, to church, to her family. She is selfless and giving. I am a much better person for having her as my friend. She lifts me up. One knows for certain that when she says she is praying for you that she means it.

Chocolate Eclair Dessert

(1) box low fat graham crackers (24 crackers)
(2) boxes Vanilla instant pudding (fat free)
(4 1/2) cups skim milk
(12) ounce Lite Cook Whip (thawed)
(1) box chocolate instant pudding (sugar free)

Place 8 crackers in bottom of 13" x 9" pan. Mix vanilla pudding with 3 cups milk, mix well and let stand for 2 minutes. Gently fold in lite Cool Whip. Pour half over the graham crackers. Top with another 8 graham cracker, pour remaining pudding mixture over crackers. Top with last 8 crackers. Mix the chocolate pudding mix with 1 1/2 cups milk, let stand 2 minutes. Spread over graham crackers, let sit 6 hours or overnight to soften the graham crackers. Strawberries can be used as a garnish for this.

My take-a-ways for this recipe:

• No ounce size was listed for the pudding mixes. By process of elimination I determined that the (3) ounce size is what was required.
• Truthfully, I did not do anything "lowfat" or "sugar free". I used regular graham crackers, regular pudding and whole milk. 
• This is so amazing!!! Thank you Sandy!

The Cookbook Experiment: Taco Soup

Tonight's cookbook experiment is another excellent recipe by Sharon Giambrone. I love Sharon and I love her recipes too. My family loves anything to do with tacos and I thought I would give this one a try. It sure is easier than trying to wrangle all the ingredients together for regular tacos and tonight after a rough day at work and a rough time at physical therapy I needed easy.

Taco Soup by Sharon Giambrone

(2) pounds ground beef
(1) onion, chopped
(3) cans mild Rotel
(1) can Shoe-peg corn
(1) can black beans
(1) can kidney beans
(1) can pinto beans
(1) package dry ranch dressing
(1) package dry taco seasoning
(1) cup water

Brown ground beef and onions, drain. Add other ingredients and simmer at least 2 hours. Layer in bowl: Fritos or other corn chips, soup, cheese and sour cream.

My take-a-ways for this recipe:

• I drained the black beans and rinsed them.
• I had a green pepper I needed to use before it went bad so I chopped it and added it at the same time.
• I also had some bacon leftover (how did that happen in this household?) so I added that in. It was actually not a good idea because it got soggy. I should have saved it for the top as a garnish.
• Before I added any of the cans and after I drained the hamburger meat, I added the taco and ranch seasoning so that it could mix well and would not be lumpy in any of the juice/water.
• This was an excellent recipe. My whole family (minus the one vegetarian) loved it. I will definitely make it again.  Thanks Sharon!

The Cookbook Experiment: Do Nothing Cake

 Tonight's dessert is another one from the Littles family. Mrs. Alverta Littles is one seriously amazing woman. I love her quiet faith and steady hand. She is definitely someone you can believe when she says she is praying for you, you know she is.

Do Nothing Cake by Alverta Littles

(2) cups flour
(2) cups sugar
(2) eggs
(1) teaspoon vanilla
(1) teaspoon soda
(1) teaspoon salt
(1) large can crushed pineapple
(1/3) cup Wesson oil

In a 9" x 13" baking pan mix all cake ingredients.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.

Topping

(1) stick margarine
(1) cup sugar
(1) 5 ounce can milk, evaporated
(1) cup chopped nuts
(1) cup coconut

To make cake topping cook margarine, sugar, milk for 5 minutes over medium heat. Do not burn. Add nuts and coconut, spread over hot cake. Then cool.

My take-a-ways for this recipe:

• The can of pineapple is 20 ounces.
• Any vegetable or corn oil is okay for the Wesson oil.
• Truthfully, I would not have mixed the cake right in the baking pan if I had realized just how much stirring was required. I was constantly in danger of flour/sugar going overboard with how much mixing was required.
• For the topping I used butter in lieu of margarine...because BUTTER is better in my opinion.
• Please be very, very careful with the topping. I cooked mine over medium low and timed the five minutes just as it began to boil. This mixture is prone to bubble up (or spit as I call it) on you and could cause a burn. I would not stop stirring once you set the five minute timer.
• The recipe says to cool.  That did not happen. I cut immediately and it was a little rough. You could tell it needed to cool first.
• I thought the topping tasted like sweetened condensed milk, a light version, with coconut added in.
• Thank you Alverta, this was a good dessert for tonight and everyone (except my non-coconut eating oldest child) loved it.

The Cookbook Experiment: Snickerdoodles

My daughter Paulina felt like making something last night.  She chose the Snickerdoodles recipe by "Unknown".  I like Unknown....he/she never causes any problems!

Snickerdoodles by Unknown

Fun Fact: Snickerdoodles were a favorite of America's cookie-loving Dutch colonist.  No one knows where they got their funny name but, given their delicious flavor and texture, we're sure they'll be around for a few more generations.

(1) cup shortening
(1 1/2) cups sugar
(2) eggs
(2) teaspoons cream of tartar
(2 3/4) cups sifted flour
(1) teaspoon baking soda
(1/4) teaspoon sugar
(2) teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix shortening, sugar, and eggs thoroughly.  Blend flour, cream of tartar, soda and salt.  Stir into shortening mixture.  Shape dough into 1" balls. Roll in mixture of (2) tablespoons sugar and cinnamon.  Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet and bake 8-10 minutes. Makes 6 dozen cookies.

My take-a-ways for this recipe:

• We typically do not use cream of tartar because we do not like the taste. Instead we used (2) teaspoons of baking powder. Baking powder and baking soda together can be a substitute for cream of tartar anyway.
• These should have been called "disappearing cookies" because as soon as they came out of the oven they disappeared!
• The best part about this is that my daughter made them!

The Cookbook Experiment: Indian Corn Pudding

Tonight's cookbook experiment is Indian Corn Pudding by Ms. Stella Smith. Stella is one of the most amazing cooks ever. Her chicken salad and her pimento cheese are legendary at our church. Her chicken salad outdoes mine hands down.  I am so in love with her pimento cheese. It is sheer heaven. I have not had corn pudding in a very, very long time.

Indian Corn Pudding by Stella Smith

(1) 15 ounce can creamed corn
(1) 15 ounce can whole corn
(1) stick butter or margarine (I used butter..duh! Everything is better with Kerrygold)
(2) eggs
(1) cup sour cream
(1) box Jiffy corn bread mix

Mix all ingredients, pour into 8 x 8 or 9 x 9 dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes and then serve.

My take-a-ways for this recipe:

• The recipe does not say melt the butter but I assumed it was necessary so I melted it in the microwave first.
• The recipe also does not say whether to drain the water out of the can of whole corn. I drained it.
• I mixed everything in the dish I was baking it in. It worked out fine.
• This recipe is luxurious. It bakes up fluffy and tender. My suggestion would be to go fix it right now! What are you waiting for. I could eat this 3 times a day seven days a week, it is that good.
• Thank you Stella!

The Cookbook Experiment: PJ's Sweet Potato Souffle

Tonight's cookbook experiment was an over-load of potatoes! I know I shouldn't have but I did it! I made a hash brown casserole and this sweet potato one. Carbs, carbs, carbs! Tonight I just did not care.

This recipe is from an amazing woman named Pat John. She is another one of my true heroes of faith and the sweetest woman you will ever meet. I love her and her husband as if they were my own parents. I was excited to try this recipe.

PJ's Sweet Potato Souffle

(4) cups cooked sweet potatoes
(1/4) cup butter, melted
(1/2) teaspoon vanilla
(2) eggs, lightly beaten
(1/2) cup evaporated milk
(3/4) cup of sugar
Dash of salt

Cream potatoes and add melted butter, vanilla, eggs, milk, sugar and salt. Mix well. Place in 3 quart casserole dish, greased!

Topping:
(1) cup brown sugar
(1/2) cup flour
(1/3) cup melted butter
(1) cup chopped pecans

Mix sugar and flour. Pour melted butter over mixture and continue to mix until lumpy. Add nuts. Sprinkle topping over sweet potatoes. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

My take-a-ways for this recipe:

• I used a large can of drained Bruce's sweet potatoes (yep, I cheated!)
• I did not have any evaporated milk on hand so I used the whole milk I had in my refrigerator.
• I used walnuts in lieu of pecans because that is what I had in my cupboard.
• I did not have a 3 quart casserole dish so I used my 9" x 13" cake pan
• YOU MUST MAKE THIS!!! It is divine! I wanted to eat it ALL by myself and not share!
• Thanks Mrs. John! 

The Cookbook Experiment: Linda's Push Down Cake

I am very tired tonight but I still feel too stressed out to go to bed yet. Tomorrow I have an MRI and I am not a big fan of the machine. I get a little claustrophobic. I decided it was time to hit the cookbook a second time tonight. I searched through until I found a recipe that has all the ingredients that I already have. Linda Davenport's Push Down Cake to the rescue!

Linda Davenport is one of the sweetest, most amazing women that I know. She is fiercely loyal to her family, she has a smile that lights up a room and most importantly, I think, she has a quiet steady faith that I have been very grateful to come to know. She is one of my great women of faith that I look up to. Plus, her mom is as cute as a button, her daughters are amazing and you can see just how much she loves her grand-babies.

Linda's Push Down Cake by Linda Davenport

(1) box of Duncan Hines Cake Mix (any flavor)
(1) stick of butter (melted)
(3) eggs
(1) 8 ounce package cream cheese (softened)
(1) 1-pound box 10X sugar

Mix dry cake mix, butter and (1) egg.  Press down in a 9" x 13" pan.  Mix softened cream cheese, (2) eggs and sugar together and pour over cake mix.  Bake 35-40 minutes at 350 degrees.

My take-a-ways from this recipe:

• I have to say I did not think (1) egg and (1) stick of melted butter was going to be enough to mix with an entire box of cake mix, but I was wrong. You just have to have faith and mix it very well. After it is mixed well, I feel like it is best if you use the two tools that God gave you to press it down in the pan...your two hands of course! I worked it to the edges and around the pan and tried to make sure that no part was thicker than the other.
• I mixed the cream cheese, eggs and sugar mixture until it was really, really smooth. No lumps from the cream cheese OR the powdered sugar.
• Always break your eggs one at a time in a separate bowl. The first egg I cracked had blood in it.  Yuck. That could have ruined EVERYTHING if I had not broken it in a separate bowl first. It is just a good rule to follow even though you NEVER see a chef on TV do it.  Of course, they have assistants and loads of ingredients to re-do and re-take the scene if something like that happened. I do not and I am pretty sure you don't either.
• Linda is one smart lady! This cake is delicious!! Thank you!!

The Cookbook Experiment: Tuna Noodle Supreme

Tonight's dinner experiment came about because I was not feeling well enough to go to the store. I took stock of everything in the freezer, cabinet and fridge and then consulted the cookbook. The recipe that came the closest to the ingredients on hand was "Tuna Noodle Supreme" by Pat Hannas. Now, I have to confess I don't think I have ever met Pat but I have met and know Riley Hannas. He is a young man about the age of my son. They know each other from school and church youth group.

Tuna Noodle Supreme by Pat Hannas

(4 1/2) cups of wide egg noodles
(1) 12 ounce can Tuna, drained
(1) cup Sour cream and mayonnaise
(1/2) cup grated Parmesan cheese
(1/2) cup milk
(1) teaspoon Dijon mustard
(2) cups broccoli, cut up
(1/3) cup red bell pepper
(1/4) cup green onions, sliced
Salt and Pepper to taste

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta according to directions. Meanwhile, in a large bowl stir together sour cream, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, milk and mustard. Salt and pepper to taste. Add hot pasta, tuna, broccoli, red peppers and green onion. Stir until blended. Place tuna mixture in a baking dish. Cover and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until bubbly. Serves 6

My take-a-ways for this recipe:

• I did not have egg noodles and I was not going to the store. I used elbow macaroni.
• I have never seen a 12 ounce can of tuna. I used to 5 ounce cans of Albacore (my husband only likes Albacore so that is what I have on hand)
• Please don't use cheap Parmesan, even though this is a tuna recipe. Just don't.
• I was not sure if the recipe meant a cup of each sour cream and mayo or 1/2 of each mixed together. It's not clear. I only used half of each and it turned out to dry after it was baked. I guess it means (1) cup of each. Lesson learned.
• I used what I had and that was (1) 14 ounce bag of frozen broccoli. Should it have been fresh broccoli? It does not say. I cooked my broccoli in the microwave according to package directions first before I used it.
• I had about (1/2) cup of Parmesan leftover in the bag and figured it was not enough to use for anything else so I sprinkled it all over the top of the casserole before I put it in the oven.
• I did not have any green onions. I used some fire-roasted peppers and onions that I had in the freezer. 
• I did not have any Dijon mustard. I used some sweet and spicy mustard. It tasted good to me!
• The husband and son and I enjoyed it for the most part. My hubs said it probably would have been better with the egg noodles. I think he is right. BUT the best part about trying this recipe was that I did not have to go to the store.

Thanks Pat for the easy recipe!! I appreciate not having to go to the store. I guess I altered the recipe quite a bit but it got me through feeding everyone.

The Cookbook Experiment: Cheese Potato Puff

Tonight's cookbook experiment is a recipe from another amazing woman at church: Sally Dowdy. She is one of my heroes of faith, someone who you know if she says she will pray for you, she will.  She is a beautiful, courageous woman and I am grateful to know her.

The recipe is called "Cheese Potato Puff". This recipe is wonderful because I had all the ingredients on hand. It is also wonderful because it will satisfy not only my meat-eaters in the house but my vegetarians as well.

Cheese Potato Puff

(12) medium potatoes, peeled
(1) teaspoon salt, divided
(3/4) cup butter
(2) cups shredded cheddar cheese
(1) cup of milk
(2) eggs, beaten
fresh or dried chives

Place potatoes in a large kettle; cover with water. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook until tender.  Drain; mash potatoes until smooth. In a saucepan cook and stir butter, cheese, milk and remaining salt until smooth. Stir in potatoes; fold in eggs. Pour into a greased baking dish. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until puffy and golden brown. Sprinkle with chives if desired.

Here are my take-a-ways from making this recipe:

• I was not exactly sure what size "medium" potatoes are. I made my best guess as you can see from the picture above.
• I chopped my potatoes before boiling them. I am not sure if that was correct or not but I was in a hurry to get dinner done and knew that chopped potatoes would soften faster while boiling.
• Because I am a cheese snob (I can't help it, I love cheese) I would encourage you to use really good cheese. I used some Murray's sharp cheddar.
• My eggs are so bright yellow because I now only buy cage-free brown eggs. Don't look up the differences in grades/types of eggs unless you want to be disturbed. I looked it up when I was trying to figure out egg safety and because of what I read, I now only use cage-free.
• You will need to temper the eggs when you go to fold them in if you potato/cheese/butter mixture is still hot. Don't scramble your eggs in the potatoes or you will have to start over.
• This recipe is DELICIOUS!!  I encourage you to try it. My whole family loved it. Thanks Mrs. Dowdy!!!

The Cookbook Experiment: Broccoli Quiche

Tonight my lovely daughter was the cook! Paulina is my youngest girl and she is quite amazing. Her baked goods are just to die for! She decided to tackle dinner tonight for me. I got to stay out of the kitchen (and that does not happen very often!).

The recipe that she picked is one from an amazing woman at church who is known far and wide for her cooking. She makes a chicken salad and a homemade pimento cheese that is so amazing. Ms. Stella Smith is a wonder woman. Paulina and I are anxious to try ALL of Ms. Stella's recipes.

Tonight's recipe was Broccoli Quiche. It is a vegetarian dish that once again includes broccoli. We seem to be on a streak of making things with broccoli. It is one of my son's Nick favorite vegetables.

Broccoli Quiche by Stella Smith

(1) box frozen broccoli, thawed (we used a bag, I don't think I have seen frozen vegetables in a box in a long time)
(1/2) cup onion, chopped
(1/2)  cup green pepper, chopped
(1) cup of cheddar cheese, grated (get the good stuff...yes, I am a cheese snob)
(1 1/2) cups of milk (we used whole milk, it is all we keep in the house)
(3/4) cup of Bisquick mix
(3) eggs
(1) teaspoon of salt
(1/4) teaspoon of pepper

Grease 10" pie plate and mix broccoli, green peppers, onion and cheese in the dish. In a separate dish mix the remaining ingredients; beat one minute then pour over ingredients in pie dish. Run a for through the dish to mix everything together slightly, sprinkle a little cheddar cheese on top and bake at 400 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. The right size pan is important. Adjusting the cooking time will be required if a smaller and/or larger pan is used. Make sure to cook it until it is set but don't overdo it.

This was DELICIOUS!!! The only take-aways from preparing this recipe for me is that I would have chopped the broccoli up smaller than it was in the package. Be sure to use the exact amount of green pepper as it adds a strong flavor. I think I would have liked more onion in it.

We are very happy to have tried this recipe and I am sure we will make it again. Thanks Ms. Stella!

The Cookbook Experiment: Super Sloppy Joes

Sharon Giambrone to the rescue again! I needed a quick and yummy dinner tonight so I dug through the cookbook again and found this gem by Sharon.  The best part is that I had almost all the ingredients in my pantry/fridge.  Thanks Sharon!!

Super Sloppy Joes by Sharon Giambrone
(1) tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
(1 1/4) pounds ground beef sirloin
(1/4) cup brown sugar
(2) teaspoons to (1) tablespoon of steak seasoning blend, such as McCormick brand Montreal Seasoning
(1) medium onion, chopped
(1) small red bell pepper, chopped
(1) tablespoon red wine vinegar
(1) tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
(2) cups tomato sauce
(2) tablespoons tomato paste
(4) crusty rolls, split, toasted and lightly buttered

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil and meat to the pan. Spread the meat around the pan and begin to break it up. Combine brown sugar and steak seasoning. Add sugar and spice mixture to the skillet. Reduce heat to medium and cook onions, peppers, red wine vinegar and Worcestershire sauce with meat for 5 minutes.  Add tomato sauce and tomato paste. Stir to combine. Reduce heat to simmer and cook Sloppy Joe mixture 5 minutes longer. Using a large spoon or ice cream scoop, pile sloppy meat onto toasted, buttered bun bottoms and cover with bun tops. Serve with your favorite sides or sliced tomatoes seasoned with salt and pepper, dill pickles and Deviled Potato Salad. Have  plenty of napkins on hand.

Okay, a few things to know:

• I did not have red wine vinegar. I have actually never tried it. I used balsamic vinegar and it tasted great.
• I did not serve on bread. I poured it over white rice and served it in a bowl. I needed something fast and did not want to run to the store for bread.
• I will NEVER buy Manwich again. This Super Sloppy Joe was AMAZING!

Dinner rescued again by the Princess Anne Plaza Baptist church cookbook!!

The Cookbook Experiment: Black Forest Dump Cake

Today I am trying a recipe by a fine man named Dick John. He is very special to me. This is the third recipe in my series of trying every recipe in this cookbook:

I was very intrigued by this recipe, who does not enjoy a good dump cake? I have never heard of a dump cake using a chocolate cake. I had to try it!

Black Forest Dump Cake by Mr. Dick John
(1) 8 ounce can of crushed pineapple, drained (save the juice)
(1) 21 ounce can of cherry pie mix
(1) 18 ounce box Devils Food cake mix
(1) cup chopped pecans
(1/2) cup melted butter
Whipped topping

Lightly grease a 13" x 9" pan. Layer with drained pineapple. Second layer - add the pie filling. Third layer - sprinkle dry cake mix over filling. Fourth layer - sprinkle with pecans. Combine the melted butter and pineapple juice and pour over top. Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees. Serve with whipped topping.

I cannot wait for this to finish.  It is looking and smelling so very good! Thanks Mr. John for the recipe!

The Cookbook Experiment: Dinner - Hamburger Rice Skillet

My daughter and I are cooking every recipe from this cookbook over time:

This is the cookbook from 2006 that our church, Princess Anne Plaza Baptist put together.

Tonight's recipe is from the most incredible Sharon Giambrone.  It is called Hamburger Rice Skillet.  My favorite part about this recipe is that I have all the ingredients in my fridge/cupboard.  Talk about making it easy on me as I don't like to leave the house very much anymore!! Thanks Sharon!! I love you!

Hamburger Rice Skillet
(1) pound ground beef
(1) med. onion in rings
(1) med. green pepper, chopped
(1) clove garlic, minced
(1) cup of medium grain rice
(1)16 ounce tomatoes, diced
(1) 8 ounce tomato sauce
(1) tsp. Worcestershire sauce
(1/2) teaspoon of basil

In skillet, cook beef, onion, pepper and garlic until brown, drain.
Add rice, cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Add undrained tomatoes, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, basil, 1 1/2 cup of water, 1 teaspoon salt.  Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, simmer 25-30 minutes until rice is tender. Stir occasionally.

I have to tell you, this is on the stove bubbling away right now and it smells like a little piece of heaven! Always trust an Italian cook!

I can't wait to put this plate in front of my Breezy!

Tommy True's Cream Dreams

Another night, another chance to make a recipe from the stack of Helen's treasures. I wanted something quick and easy as it's Saturday night and I need to get to bed on time because I have church tomorrow. As I culled through the whole box, I found this interesting one. It is labeled (2nd grade) Tommy True's Cream Dreams.

I have to say, I wonder who Tommy True is to Helen? Is he real or is it just a cute name for the recipe? I guess I will never know.

Here is what you need to do:

(6) ounces of cream cheese (okay, Helen says you need two packages of three ounce cream cheese but I don't think they sell it that way anymore, at least I have never seen it. But you are in luck! The very smart people at Philadelphia Cream Cheese have their eight ounce packages of cream cheese marked in ounces on the package)

(4) cups of powdered sugar, sifted
(3) 1 ounce square of unsweetened chocolate
(1/2) teaspoon of vanilla
dash of salt
(1/2) c. chopped walnuts

Let the cream cheese soften and then beat well in your mixer (I used my Kitchen Aid and beat it until it was smooth)

Sift your powdered sugar. This is an important step. It gets all the lumps out of the sugar and makes it light as snow.

Add the powdered sugar to the cream cheese two cups at a time and beat well. DO NOT forget to scrape the bowl so that all the sugar and cream cheese gets mixed together. It will develop into a rather stiff dough.

Don't worry, keep on mixing and keep on making sure you scrape down to get all the sugar and cream cheese well blended.

Next melt the chocolate. I have a confession. I did not use the unsweetened chocolate squares Helen called for. It is not an ingredient I keep readily at home. I used three ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chips instead. (1/2 cup of chocolate chips is equal to 3 ounces). I melted it in my microwave (I bet Helen did not!)

Add the chocolate and the vanilla to the cream cheese mixture and blend well. Scrape down again to make sure you combine all the ingredients together. It was at this point I tossed in the pinch of salt. I have no idea when the right time to add the salt was, but this was when I added it.

Additionally I did not add the walnuts. My family is pretty weird about added nuts in their desserts, so no nuts for us! (At least no nuts in the dessert! Trust me, there are plenty of nuts in the house!)

Butter a dish and spread the finished mixture in it and then place in the refrigerator to chill. Do not use cooking spray, use BUTTER.

This dessert is very, very sweet. I have not decided what it really should be used for. I think it would make an excellent filling for something, not sure what yet? It is pretty close to a cannoli filling if it were not so thick.

Tommy, wherever you are, this 2nd grade dessert of yours is quite the sweet little bit of joy. I am glad I found it in Helen's recipes.  I wonder what you are doing now?

Helen's Little Gems aka Thumbprint Cookies

Tonight I got the urge to try another one of Helen's recipes. As I poured over the many I have, this one stood out mostly because I have all the ingredients on hand. I love recipes that use staple ingredients that the average person keeps in their kitchen/pantry.

The title of this recipe is "Little Gems". I recognized it as one I have made in the past called "Thumbprint Cookies" but Helen's recipe calls for a lot more butter and I can tell you, I am totally okay with using MORE butter!!

Here is what you need to do:

3 cups of unsifted flour
1 cup of granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon of salt
1 1/2 cups of unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon of vanilla
strawberry preserves
pecan halves

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line baking sheets with parchment (Helen's note: I just spray them with Pam, forget the parchment! Isn't she adorable? It works too, I did not use parchment either)

Combine the first three ingredients using a mixer or food processor (I used my Kitchen-Aid). Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. (This worked great in my Kitchen-Aid). Beat yolk with vanilla and add to flour mixture.  Beat or process until completely blended.

Pinch of pieces of dough (about 3/4 teaspoon each) and roll into balls. Place on baking sheets. Using your finger (I used my thumb) make an indention in the center of each ball. Place about 1/8 teaspoon of jam in each and top with a pecan half. (I did not use the pecans.) Bake until light brown, about 20 minutes. Helen says to watch this carefully. Makes approximately 6 - 9 dozen if you make small cookies...Mine only made about 2 dozen because I made BIG cookies.

Feel free to substitute anything else for the strawberry jam. My favorite is raspberry preserves. I have even been known to drop chocolate chips in the thumbprint. The cookie is so wonderfully buttery that just about anything can go in that spot.

I hope you enjoy!

Snowflake Truffles

Tonight I am making a special treat for a friend.  She likes sweet things, which is appropriate since she is such a sweet and beautiful lady!  It is a recipe that I adapted from one I saw floating around the internet.  I had to modify the one I found as it contained nuts.  I try not to use nuts as I have friends with nut allergies. Here is my take on a fun, no-bake, quick truffle that is easy to make and tastes wonderful.

(2) 8 ounce packages of cream cheese softened
(1) 20 ounce can of crushed pineapple, drained
(4) tablespoons of powdered sugar
(1) bag of sweetened shredded coconut

Drain the pineapple very, very well.  Mix 3/4 of the can of pineapple with the softened cream cheese until well mixed.  Add the powdered sugar one tablespoon at a time until well blended, scraping the bowl often.  Put in the refrigerator for at least two hours until well chilled.

Remove from fridge.  Scoop into balls and roll in coconut.  Place on waxed paper and put back in the fridge until firm.

These are a sweet tropical treat!