Spicy Chicken

This is one of my favorites and a staple in our house. It is easy to make the rub ahead of time so that you can have a fast dinner when you need it.

The recipe below makes enough rub for several dinners.

Rub Ingredients

8 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. coriander
2 tsp. ground pepper
1 tsp. cinnamon
4 tsp. salt

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients and mix (set aside what ever you don't need and save for future dinners)
2. preheat oven to 400
3. Take enough chicken breasts for dinner, rinse and dry
4. Sprinkle each breast lightly on both sides with rub
5. Place chicken breast on a baking pan
6. Bake for 30 minutes or until done

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Elly Says Opa's Spiced Roast Chicken Thighs

Garlic and Lemon Pan Fried Chicken

Quick, yummy and healthy dinner!

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and slightly smashed
1 lemon, halved
1 egg
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
2 Tbsp. romano or parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. chopped rosemary
4 thin chicken breast filet's

Directions

1. Heat the oil and garlic in a skillet
2. Once golden brown and soft remove the garlic (about 7 minutes). Keep the oil in the pan.
3. Combine breadcrumbs, cheese, rosemary, salt, pepper and zest from half the lemon
4. Press browned garlic
5. Combine egg, lemon juice from 1/2 the lemon, and crushed garlic in a bowl. Whisk.
6. Rinse and dry the chicken
7. Dip the chicken into the egg mixture, and then dredge into the breadcrumb mixture.
8. Heat the garlic oil, add the chicken. Cook until done (approx 5 minutes total)
9. Serve with lentils and slices or wedges of the remaining half lemon.

Banana Cake

Moist and bananay, this cake will make you smile. Carin made this for us, and we gobbled it up. She had to make a second one the next day. I keep buying bananas, hoping they will get overripe and another banana cake will be made.

It's the perfect way to relax when served with coffee or tea, but you can also serve on its own as a dessert.

Ingredients
3 eggs
4/5 cup (2 dl) sugar
2 tsp vanilla (or vanilla powder)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
4 very ripe bananas
7 tbsp (100 g) butter
2 cups (5 dl) flour
2/5 cups (1 dl) milk

Directions
1. Melt butter
2. grease loaf pan with butter and sprinkle with flour
3. Mix eggs and sugar
4. Peel and mash the bananas with a fork
5. Mix the bananas, butter, and milk
6. sift in the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt into the banana mixture
7. Pour mixture into the pan
8. Cook at 350 F (175 C) for 45 minutes

Recipe adapted from recepten.se Saftig Banankaka

Salted Double Chocolate Double Peanut Butter Cookies

You had me at chocolate peanut butter. The double on both fronts just sweetened the deal. Normally I love my cookies fresh out of the oven, but these cookies are best once cooled (or the day after if you can wait that long). I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter (8 tbsp or 1 stick) - Room temperature
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips (60% ghirardelli chips)
1 cup peanut butter chips (Reese's Peanut Butter chips)
Coarse salt for sprinkling

Directions

1. Whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking salt and salt
2. Mix together butter, peanut butter and both sugars
3. Add eggs and vanilla
4. Add flour mixture
5. Mix in chips using a rubber spatula
6. Refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes
7. Form tbsp sized dough balls (approx)
8. Flatten top of cookies just a tough and sprinkle with course salt
9. Bake at 350 for 8 minutes on silicone baking mat or parchment paper
10. Remove from baking pan immediately to cool

Recipe adapted from Brown Eyed Bakers Double Salted Chocoalte Peanut Butter Cookies

Chunky Cheese Queso

This is soooo bad for you but, really, quite yummy. Unfortunately, it's so good that people tend to overeat. Adapted from Southern Living 1999 Annual Recipes

Ingredients
1 lb ground hot pork sausage
1 (16 oz) jar process cheese spread
1 (16 oz) loaf of Velveeta cheese
1 (20 oz) jar of hot salsa

Directions
1. Brown sausage in a large skillet, stirring until it crumbles and no longer pink. Rinse and drain.

2. Stir together sausage and remaining ingredients in a slow cooker

3. Cover and cook at LOW 2 hours or until cheese melts. Serve with tortilla chips.


TO PREPARE ON STOVE-TOP.
1. Do everything above, cook on low heat stirring, until cheese melts.

Ham & Cheese Scones

And finally I'm adding the recipe for my absolute favorite scone from Alice's that I've adapted from the Alice's Tea Cup cookbook. I've made a few changes to get the dough to a consistency that I like and to increase the amount of cheese and ham, b/c ... I like cheese and ham.

Ingredients

3 cups flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
Ham steak (yes, a full 12 oz ham steak, diced into cubes)
1/2 a brick of cracker barrel cheddar cheese, diced into cubes (or 5-7 oz of your favorite cheddar cheese)
1/2 cub Gruyere cheese, diced into small cubes (about 1/4 pound ... maybe a little more)
1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter (10 tbs) - melted
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/8 cup buttermilk (reserved)
4 strands of green onions
Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 F

2. Chop ham steak and cheese into cubes, set aside.

3. Clean and slice the white portion of the green onions, set aside.

4. Combine flour, baking soda, and baking powder in a large mixing bow. Add the cheese, ham, and green onion. Stir to coat all pieces.

5. Mix in a dash of salt and pepper.

6. Melt the butter.

7. Add the butter and 3/4 cup buttermilk to the flour mixtured. Gently turn the mixture (DO NOT KNEAD!) until everything is damp, but not sticky. Add some of the reserved buttermilk to get the right consistency (depending on how moist/dry you like your scones to be).

BE VERY CAREFUL TO NOT MIX - OTHERWISE THE SCONES WILL BE TOUGH

8. Gather and place the mixture on a floured surface. Pat the dough into a disk and flatten until about 1.5 inches thick. Use a cup and cut out as many scones as you can. Place onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silimat. It is likely to be very crumbly, just do the best you can.

9. Gather remaining dough and repeat step 8 until all dough is used. Be careful to not over work the dough or it will get tough.

10. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes. BE CAREFUL TO NOT OVER BAKE, otherwise the scones will be dry. When in doubt, take the scones out of the oven and let cool. Test a scone to make sure it is done. If it isn't, pop it back into a pre-heated oven for another 5 minutes.

ENJOY!!!

B, B and the littlest b at Alice's Tea

The nieces enjoying the Wee Tea at Alice's Tea Cup.

Mixed Berry Oatmeal Scones

I've already professed my love for scones from Alice's Tea Cup, now... here is another recipe adapted from their cookbook. The cookbook recipe is for Oatmeal Scones, but I like fruit in my oatmeal scones so I've adapted this recipe to reflect my preference.

Ingredients

3 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (12 tbsp)
1 cup old fashion oatmeal
1 cup berries - whatever is in season (I used 1/2 cup raspberries & 1/2 cup blueberries)
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup buttermilk (reserved)
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup heavy cream (for brushing)
1/4 cup raw sugar (for sprinkling)
Smuckers Raspberry Preserves
Alice's Unclotted Cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 F

2. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a large mixing bow.

3. Grate the cold butter. Then work into the dry mixture w/ your hands until it has the consistency of fine breadcrumbs. I find that grating the butter makes it easier to mix in.

4. Add the oatmeal until mixed. Then add the berries -- gently combine in flour mixture so that they are evenly distributed and the berries are coated.

5. Add 3/4 cup buttermilk and vanilla to the flour. Gently turn the mixture (DO NOT KNEAD!) until everything is damp, but not sticky. Add some of the reserved buttermilk to get the right consistency (I would use about 1/4 cup, but it depends on how moist/dry you like your scones to be).

BE VERY CAREFUL TO NOT MIX - OTHERWISE THE SCONES WILL BE TOUGH

6. Gather and place the mixture on a floured surface. Pat the dough into a disk and flatten until about 1.5 inches thick. Use a cup and cut out as many scones as you can. Place onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silimat.

7. Gather remaining dough and repeat step 6 until all dough is used. Be careful to not over work the dough or it will get tough.

8. Brush the top of each scone with a little cream so that sugar will stick.

9. Sprinkle the top of each scone with a little raw sugar.

10. Bake for about 15 minutes. BE CAREFUL TO NOT OVER BAKE, otherwise the scones will be dry. When in dough, take the scones out of the oven and let cool. Test a scone to make sure it is done. If it isn't, pop it back into a pre-heated oven for another 5 minutes.

11. Serve with Smuckers Raspberry Preserves (very important that they be preserves) and Alice's unclotted cream.

ENJOY!!!

Banana, peanut butter, chocolate chip scones

One of my favorite places to go with friends is Alice's Tea Cup. I've been going with my bestie Ducky since 2007. I've since been taking all of my friends and family there to experience the delight of Alice's. Now, those of my family and friends that live out of town always demand to be taken there when they are visiting me (and I of course am more than happy to have an excuse to go myself). If you go, the thing to order is the two scones and a pot of tea combo. It's what I almost always get. And the bakers are always switching up the scone special of the day (although, buttermilk, pumpkin, and ham & cheese are on the menu every day).

A year ago, the bakers at Alice's served up a scone that blew my mind! It was the Banana, peanut butter, chocolate chip scone. And it was AMAZING! And then, oh then the owners of Alice's Tea cup went and published a cookbook. I was in heaven, and I've browsed the pages of this cookbook over and over again. Though thrilled, I was so sad when I realized that the amazing banana, peanut butter, chocolate chip scone didn't make it into the cookbook ... but there was a banana and butterscotch recipe that I adapted to bring you these perfectly wonderful scones. I hope you enjoy!


Ingredients

3 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 unsalted butter
2 bananas - sliced
1/2 cup gharidelli 60% chocolate chips
1/2 cup hersheys peanut butter chips
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup buttermilk (reserved)
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup heavy cream (for brushing)
1/4 cup raw sugar (for sprinkling)
Smuckers Raspberry Preserves
Alice's Unclotted Cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 F

2. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bow.

3. Grate the cold butter. Then work into the dry mixture w/ your hands until it has the consistency of fine breadcrumbs.

4. Add banana slices, chocolate chips, and peanut butter chips -- gently combine in flour mixture so that they are evenly distributed and the bananas are coated.

5. Add 3/4 cup buttermilk and vanilla to the flour. Gently turn the mixture (DO NOT KNEAD!) until everything is damp, but not sticky. Add some of the reserved buttermilk to get the right consistency (I would use about 1/4 cup, but it depends on how moist/dry you like your scones to be).

BE VERY CAREFUL TO NOT MIX - OTHERWISE THE SCONES WILL BE TOUGH

6. Gather and place the mixture on a floured surface. Pat the dough into a disk and flatten until about 1.5 inches thick. Use a cup and cut out as many scones as you can. Place onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silimat.

7. Gather remaining dough and repeat step 6 until all dough is used. Be careful to not over work the dough or it will get tough.

8. Brush the top of each scone with a little cream so that sugar will stick.

9. Sprinkle the top of each scone with a little raw sugar.

10. Bake for about 15 minutes. BE CAREFUL TO NOT OVER BAKE, otherwise the scones will be dry. When in dough, take the scones out of the oven and let cool. Test a scone to make sure it is done. If it isn't, pop it back into a pre-heated oven for another 5 minutes.

11. Serve with Smuckers Raspberry Preserves (very important that they be preserves) and Alice's unclotted cream.

ENJOY!!!

Alice's Unclotted Cream

This recipe is taken and adapted from the Alice's Tea Cup cookbook.

Ingredients

2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup confections sugar
Lemon

Directions

1. Add cream, sugar, and a squeeze of lemon to a mixing bowl.
2. Mix on high until stiff peaks are formed.
3. Stop - do not over mix or you will get butter.
4. Dip your finger in and taste to make sure it is of the desired sweetness.

Serve with scones and raspberry preserves

Långpannepaj with Bacon

This is a swedish recipe from "Hemmets Veckotidning". My MIL Carin made this for us last week and we gobbled it up. Great for leftover lunches and freezing. When I make this I will cheat by using store bought crusts (as reflected below), but you can always make your own if you are so inclined. Carin also lightened up this recipe by substituting the creme fraiche with milk.

Ingredients
3 nine (9) inch pie crusts
2 lb ground beef (800 g)
2 gold onions
1/3 cup crushed tomatoes (1 dl)
3/4 cups white or red wine (2 dl)
1 tbs dried thyme
oregano

topping
1/3 lb bacon (half a package) (140 g)
1 cup mushrooms (200 g)
2 peppers (color doesn't matter)
4 eggs
2 cups milk (5 dl)
1 cup grated cheddar cheese (300 g)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400
2. Cook pie crust for 10 minutes
3. Brown the beef.
4. Chop the onions and add to browned beef on low heat
5. Add tomato and wine
6. Simmer on low heat
7. Add spices, salt and pepper to taste
8. Slice the mushrooms and chop the bacon into small pieces.
9. Cook, drain, and set aside
10. Beat the eggs and milk. Mix in the cheese.
11. Split the gound beef between the three pie shells
12. Pour egg mixture over ground beef
13. Sprinkle chopped peppers over the egg mixture.
14. Cook for 30-40 minutes (until the egg is cooked through)

ENJOY!

Shepard's Pie

This is one of the recipes my sister will actually eat even though she doesn't like her foods mixed together. Another great one for taking leftovers for lunch.

Ingredients

2 pounds lean ground beef
2/3 cup chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 cloves garlic minced
2 pounds peeled potatoes
2 cups peas
4 tablespoon butter
5 medium carrots sliced
1 1/2 cups of beef stock
2-4 tablespoon flour (enough to make a medium thick gravy)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Sauté beef, onion, celery and garlic in a large pan until well done then strain off fat.
2. Boil potatoes until tender (about 20 minutes) then drain. Mash with butter.
3. Blanch carrots (just boil for a few seconds) and add to beef mixture.
4. Make a gravy with beef by whisking in enough flour to thicken.
5. When gravy comes to boil, add gravy to the beef & carrot mixture. Reduce heat & simmer 5 min.
6. Spoon meat mixture into a casserole dish then spoon potatoes on top.
7. Bake 20 minutes at 350 then top with cheese and let sit until cheese melts about 5 minutes.

* adapted from group recipe’s over the top shepards pie
http://www.grouprecipes.com/86436/over-the-top-shepards-pie.html

The Only Black Eyed Pea that I'll Eat Soup

My mom insisted that we eat black eyed pea soup for new years and I was skeptical. I'm glad that I trusted her and cooked this with her. So tasty! I brought the left overs for lunch two day sin a row.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large ham hock
• 1 1/2 cup cubed ham steak
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup celery, chopped
• 1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1 pound black-eyed peas, soaked overnight and rinsed
• 1 quart chicken stock
• Bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon dry thyme leaves
• Salt, black pepper, and cayenne
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped green onion
• 3 cups steamed white rice

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large soup pot, add the ham hock and sear on all sides for 4 minutes.
2. Add the onion, celery, green pepper, and garlic, cook for 4 minutes.
3. Add the ham, black-eyed peas, stock, bay leaves, thyme, and seasonings.
4. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 40 minutes, or until the peas are creamy
and tender, stir occasionally.
5. If the liquid evaporates, add more stock.
6. Adjust seasonings, and garnish with green onions.
7. Cook rice as directed by package and serve the soup over the rice.


* Adapted from Emeril Lagasse's Hoppin John recipe