Hummingbird Cake by Paula Deen

2 sticks (1 cup) butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 4 medium)
One 8-ounce can crushed pineapple
Frosting, recipe follows
Optional garnishes: sweetened flaked coconut, chopped macadamia nuts

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray three 9-inch baking pans with nonstick baking spray.
2. In a large bowl, beat the butter, granulated sugar and vanilla at medium speed with a mixer until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Add to the butter mixture alternately with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition. Add the bananas and pineapple, beating until combined.
4. Using a measuring cup, spoon the batter into each of the three prepared pans, one scoop at a time to ensure an even distribution. Slam the pans against the counter to get any air bubbles out of the batter.
5. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Remove from the pans and cool completely on wire racks.
Spread some Frosting between the layers. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake. Garnish with coconut and nuts if desired.

Frosting:
2 sticks (1 cup) butter, softened
Two 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Beat the butter and cream cheese together with a handheld electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Beat in the confectioners' sugar in increments. Lastly beat in the lemon juice and vanilla.

This was a good cake. It tasted like a cross between a carrot cake and a pineapple cake. Since making it, I've heard of Hummingbird Cake a handful of times.

Firecrackers

1 to 1/2 boxes of mini Saltines crackers, unsalted* 
1 c canola oil
2 t crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)
1 1oz packet Ranch Salad dressing mix

Toss all ingredients in a gallon sized bag, or a very large bowl,  until all the oil has been absorbed.

These are addictive! I made some for a girlfriend getaway a few months ago and they couldn't keep their hands out of the bag.

Breakfast Tater Tot Casserole

1 pound ground pork breakfast sausage (or cubed ham or bacon, whatever you like best)
2-4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups milk
4 eggs
2 pounds frozen tater tots

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Spread the sausage, bacon, or ham evenly in the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Spread cheese over meat. I use 4 cups of cheese, but you can use less if you prefer to reduce the calories.
3. In large bowl, beat together milk and eggs. Pour over cheese. (May be refrigerated overnight at this point).
4. Top with frozen tater tots.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes. Some ovens may take more or less time. Cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

In my opinion: Something was missing and there were too many tots!

Roasted Carrots and Zucchini

1. Preheat oven to 425 F

2. Cut your veg into 8-cm/3-inch sticks, making sure they are even in thickness.

3. Line a baking tray with baking paper and a light layer of olive oil.

4. SEASON – go with the usual salt & pepper and branch out to one or two of the following (Choose Your Own Adventure-style): paprika, cumin, cayenne, crushed red peppers, thyme, rosemary, sage – really, whatever takes your fancy and suits your meal. Using premixed spice blends is a great option too – Italian, Mexican, Old Bay – you know, just not all at once.

Lightly toss your vegetable batons with a tablespoon or so of olive oil (not too much) and the herbs and spices.

5. Spread your seasoned veg over your lined tray and roast, tossing halfway through, for about 20 minutes or until golden and slightly browned at the edges.

Bacon Wrapped Green Beans

1 pound fresh green beans
10-12 slices of thick-cut bacon  *I used regular bacon
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 cloves of garlic, minced  *I only used one
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with non-stick spray.
Wash and thoroughly dry green beans, then season with salt and pepper. Bundle together about 5-8 green beans – this will depend on your size of beans and the amount of beans you get for one pound. Bundle together as many as you’d like! Using a slice of bacon, wrap it around the center of the beans to hold it together. Lay the bundle bacon seam side down in the baking dish to hold it together. Repeat with remaining beans.

Heat a small saucepan over low heat. Add butter, brown sugar and garlic and whisk until melted and combined. Using a pastry brush, brush the mixture over top of each green bean bundle. Cover the bundles with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 10-15 (it took more like 25 minutes for me to get the bacon somewhat crisp, and I still ended up putting it under the broiler for a minute) minutes more, just until bacon gets crispy.

Cover with foil. Bake at 400 for 30 minutes.

These were good! I am enjoying all these new roasted veggie recipes. Next time I'll have it with my Chicken Roll Ups Recipe.

Cheesy Chicken Ranch Lasagna

2 (12 oz) cans evaporated milk
1 (1 oz) pkg. Hidden Valley dry Salad Dressing & Seasoning Mix (not the dip blend) *
3 C. cubed, cooked, chicken
1/8 tsp pepper
1 (16oz) lasagna noodles, cooked (I used 9 noodles)
1 1/2 to 2 C cheddar cheese, grated
1 1/2 to 2 C mozzarella cheese, grated

1. Combine evaporated milk and Ranch dressing and pepper in a 3 quart heavy saucepan. Heat over low heat, stirring frequently until dry ingredients are dissolved. Simmer, uncovered, 25 minutes, stirring frequently. Sauce will thicken slightly. 

2. Layer half of lasagna noodles, chicken, sauce, and cheese in well-greased 9×13 pan. Repeat layers again. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

This sauce may curdle on you when heating it, it's OK. Mine did not, because I kept it at a low heat after I let it come to just a boil, and stirred, stirred, stirred. You may not need the full 25 minutes, so when you can tell it's starting to thicken, it's OK to add to the dish. It may curdle after it's baked, but again, it's OK.
*1 oz was not enough for me, I will use 2 oz next time.

In my opinion: This was a great recipe, I can't say this is healthy, but not every meal has to be healthy, right?

Oven Roasted Potatoes

Ack, I can't find the folder this picture is in.
These potatoes took forever, I'm not sure they were worth the trouble

1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 lb hickory smoked, thick sliced bacon
 3 1/2 lbs Yukon Gold Potatoes
 2 cloves garlic, minced
 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated
 coarse salt
 fresh ground pepper
 fresh parsley

Directions:
1. Scrub potatoes and place in a large pot.  Fill pot with water until potatoes are covered by 2-3 inches of water.  Bring water to a boil and cook for 12-15 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.  My potatoes were fairly large, so this took close to 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, partially freeze bacon for easier cutter.  (Ten minutes in the freezer works well.) Slice bacon strips in half, then cut into 1/2-inch pieces.  I like to cut my bacon prior to cooking.  It’s easier to work with in the skillet and easy to drain with slotted spoon.

3. Preheat oven to 425. Mince garlic & parsley. Brush olive oil and bacon drippings on pan. Place potatoes on pan. Sprinkle with s&p. Bake 20 minutes and flip. Bake 20 minutes. reduce to 375, turn potatoes and sprinkle with bacon, garlic, and parmesan.

Shannon's Sweet Hawaiian Crock Pot Chicken

I know, I know, no picture, ugh. This was a dump and go recipe. WE liked everything except the flavor of the soy sauce.

1 cup pineapple juice   (or 2 cans crushed pineapple)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup light soy sauce  YUCK, leave this out.
 2 pounds chicken breast tenderloins.

Directions:
1. Add all ingredients to the crockpot and cook on low 6-8 hrs and they should just fall apart. Enjoy!   

Note from Shannon: We made this tonight, with a few personal touches, and it turned out amazing! Instead of just pineapple juice, I added 2 cans crushed pineapple, 1 medium onion, rough chopped, ginger, salt, pepper and a container of teryaki sauce. As it cooked down, I added splashes of chicken broth to keep it moist. It turned out SO good. We served on a bed of rice seasoned with ground ginger and soy sauce.

Crock Pot Brown Sugar Bourbon Chicken

1 – 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 packet McCormick Grill Mates brown sugar bourbon marinade (I could not find at HEB, had to go to Wal-Mart).

1.  Place chicken breasts in the bottom of your crockpot.  Follow the directions on the back of the marinade packet and whisk together ingredients.
2.  Pour all of the marinade over the chicken.  Cook on high for 4 – 6 hours or until chicken starts to fall apart.
3.  Remove chicken breasts from crockpot and discard the remaining sauce.  Serve with your desired side dishes.
 It doesn't get much easier than this! I enjoyed this chicken. It makes me want to buy one of each of the seasoning packets and try them all.

Crock Pot Pesto Ranch Chicken

8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
6 ounce jar of pesto
1 package Ranch Dressing Seasoning Mix
1/2 cup chicken broth

Directions
 1.Turn crock pot to high setting. Place chicken thighs, pesto, ranch dressing and chicken broth into crock pot.
2. Stir gently to combine all seasonings. Close with lid and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.

This was a bit salty, otherwise, it was good.

Southwestern Chopped Salad with Creamy Cilantro-Lime Dressing

 

I found this on Pinterest, a very PUBLIC place to share everything, but was recently warned by blogger because I used someone else's work. If the original author could have been traced, I would have given credit to the author, as I ALWAYS do, linking back to the original post.
If the original author would have contacted me in the first place, this could have been handled differently. It was reported and blogger took this post down.

Hopefully I have now complied with the rules-good grief!



Large head of romaine
15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 large orange bell pepper
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 cups corn (I used frozen, thawed)
5 green onions
Creamy Cilantro-Lime Dressing* or other dressing of choice

Finely chop romaine, bell pepper, tomatoes, and green onions.
Place all ingredients in a large bowl and mix to combine.
Toss with desired dressing.
*Creamy Cilantro-Lime Dressing
1 cup loosely packed cilantro, stems removed and roughly chopped
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice (about 1/2 lime)
1-2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. white vinegar
1/8 tsp. salt
Directions
Puree all ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth.Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Oh yes, another good salad. Perfect summer meal!

Grilled Caesar Wrap

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon low-fat mayonnaise
1 small clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 8 ounces), trimmed
Pinch of salt
1 small romaine heart
2 1/2 tablespoons finely shredded Parmesan cheese
2 8- to 9-inch spinach wraps, warmed


1.Preheat grill to medium-high.
2.Combine lemon juice, oil, mayonnaise, garlic and pepper in a medium bowl.
3.Oil the grill rack (see Tip). Sprinkle chicken with salt. Cut romaine in half lengthwise, leaving the root end intact. Grill the chicken until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165°F, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Two minutes before the chicken is done, place the romaine on the rack and grill, turning once or twice, until lightly charred and beginning to wilt, 2 to 3 minutes total.
4.Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Cut the root ends off the romaine, then chop the leaves. Add the chicken, lettuce and Parmesan to the bowl with the dressing; toss until well combined. Fill each wrap.

Yes, another easy meal that was healthy and tasted good! Serve with fruit salad.

Trisha Yearwood's Key Lime Cake

1 3-ounce package lime-flavored gelatin
1¹/3 cups granulated sugar
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
5 large eggs, slightly beaten
1½ cups vegetable oil
¾ cup orange juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

GLAZE:
½ cup Key lime juice (from about 25 small Key limes or 4 large regular limes)
½ cup confectioners' sugar

CREAM CHEESE ICING
½ cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
1 1-pound box confectioners' sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans. (I had to use 2 10").
2. In a large mixing bowl, mix the gelatin, sugar, flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir to mix well.
3. Add the eggs, oil, orange juice, lemon juice, and vanilla.
4. Divide the batter evenly among the 3 pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Test for doneness by lightly touching the tops of the layers or inserting a toothpick.
5. Cool the layers in the pans for 5 minutes, then turn them out onto racks. While the layers are still hot, mix the lime juice and confectioners' sugar and pour it over the layers on the racks. You can pierce the layers with a fork to allow the glaze to soak in better. Allow the layers to cool completely as you prepare the icing.
6. Cream the butter and cream cheese. Beat in the confectioners' sugar until the mixture is smooth and easy to spread. Spread the icing between the layers and on the top and sides of the cake.
7. The cream cheese icing is optional. This cake is beautiful and tastes great with just the glaze poured over it.
 Key limes can be hard to find. Substitute regular lime juice for key lime juice without sacrificing flavor

In my opinion: This cake was fabulous!

Jessica's Chicken Cobbler Casserole (Southern Living)

I have the best friends who share the best recipes. My sweet friend, Jessica, made this casserole for me when I returned home from the hospital. Oh my goodness, I fell in love. This is going to be the first meal I prepare in the Fall when it cools down enough to use the oven.

6 tablespoons melted butter, divided
4 cups cubed sourdough rolls
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 medium-size sweet onions, sliced
1 (8-ounce) package sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup white wine
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup drained and chopped jarred roasted red bell peppers
2 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken

Preparation
Toss 4 tablespoons melted butter with next 3 ingredients; set aside.
 Sauté onions in remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat 15 minutes or until golden brown. Add mushrooms, and sauté 5 minutes.
 Stir in wine and next 3 ingredients; cook, stirring constantly, 5 minutes or until bubbly. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 9-inch square baking dish; top evenly with bread mixture.
 Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Chicken Bacon & Avocado Chopped Salad

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts     
salt and pepper                                        
1 Tbsp. olive oil                                      
8 cups chopped Romaine lettuce            
8 slices bacon, cooked and diced          
4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled            
2 avocados, pitted and diced        
2 roma tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup garlic vinaigrette (see recipe below)
1/4 cup chopped green onions

Garlic Herb Vinaigrette Ingredients:
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard (optional)
pinch of salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
1 Tbsp. dried Italian seasonings
1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil

1. Season chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add chicken. Cook for 3 minutes per side, or until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside. (Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the chicken.)
3. Remove chicken and let rest for at least 10 minutes. Dice chicken into small pieces.
4. Add the diced chicken, lettuce, bacon, blue cheese, avocados and tomatoes to a large bowl, and toss until combined. Drizzle or toss with garlic vinaigrette and serve immediately.
To Make The Vinaigrette: Whisk all ingredients together until combined

I have only just begun to appreciate serving salads as a meal. This is one of the first I tried and we were pleasantly surprised. We used our own dressings.