I love fall.. Apples for everyone!

As I was getting ready for lab this morning, my email pinged.. I didn't have to be in to the lab for another two hours! So, with time on my hands, I decided to start cleaning.. Mom and Dad are headed down tonight!

I found myself staring at a drawer of apples picked from the apple trees back home, and I remember a recipe I had had my eyes on for a while.. Applesauce!

Crockpot, check! Apples, check!! Cinnamon and brown sugar, check!!! Peeling the apples.. No check.. (Mom knows from experience, I am the slowest peeler. Ever.) Well, I bucked up and peeled the buggers, chucked them in the pot, generously added cinnamon and brown sugar, and turned on the pot as I walked out the door.

Four hours later, I opened the door to the wonderful aroma of warm apples and immediately was sidetracked to the pot for a taste test (yes, I still had my backpack on). Of course I had to brag about the deliciousness that was in my kitchen to Matt, who begged for a sample. So, once it was cool enough, I put some in a container and ate the rest myself! (Sorry Mom and Dad, I'll just have to make more!)

Applesauce
Ingredients:
Apples, peeled and diced
Cinnamon
Brown sugar

How to:
1. Put your diced and peeled apples in the crock pot (I used my 1.5 quart, about seven small apples)
2. Add some cinnamon (I generously added it)
3. Add some brown sugar (again, I added a generous amount)
4. Turn pot on low for about four hours for small pot
5. Enjoy!

I did!

Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake

As per request of my dear friend Kelsey...

Back at the beginning of September when my life was still blissfully relaxing as rotations had yet to start, Mom, Dad, Kiefer, and Kelsey made the short six hour trip through corn and soy beans to the lovely city of Ames.  The cozy stay in my single bedroom apartment was punctuated by a trip to Cedar Rapids so that Kiefer and I could showcase our endurance in the New Bo Half Marathon, a race we had been training for for the majority of the summer!

What is a race without carb loading?!  And, more importantly, what is a birthday without cake (Mom was turning 29 in a few short days)?!  I was craving chocolate, I knew Mom enjoyed cheesecake, and everybody loves birthdays and cakes..  The result?  A mixture of recipes gathered from Pinterest and Mom's cookbook!

So, my dear friends and family, when you want heaven on earth, make sure you have plenty of time to bake (two days is adequate, as I'll explain later) and to eat at a luxurious pace.  I divulge to you my recipe.

Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake
Ingredients for Cookie Crust (made from previous experimental crusts):
     Package of Oreos (or off-brand Oreos), finely crushed
     4 Tbsp Butter, melted
How To:
     1.   Preheat oven to 350 degrees
     2.   Blend ingredients together
     3.   Press into the bottom of a greased, spring loaded pan
     4.   Bake 10 minutes and let cool (5 minutes with cookies about does it!)

Ingredients for New York Style Cheesecake (garnered from Mom's cookbook, my go-to cheesecake recipe):
     2 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened
     1 3 oz package cream cheese, softened
     1 C sugar
     1/4 tsp vanilla
     3 eggs
How To:
     1.   Cool oven to 300 degrees
     2.   Beat cream cheese in large mixer bowl
     3.   Add 1 C sugar gradually, beat until fluffy
     4.   Add vanilla
     5.   Beat in one egg at a time
     6.   Pour over crumb mixture
     7.   Bake until center is firm, about 1 hour
     8.  When cake is cool, cover and place in fridge for at least four hours, or overnight (I did it overnight)

Ingredients for Chocolate Mousse (yes, chocolate mousse as the name of the recipe suggests!  Recipe from blogger on Pinterest):
     6 oz semisweet baking chocolate, chopped
     3 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
     3 eggs, separated
     1/4 C + 2 Tbsp sugar
     1/2 C heavy cream, cold
     1/2 tsp vanilla
How To:
     1.   Place chocolate and butter in heatproof bowl and place over a saucepan with simmering water (I just melted in a saucepan over heat, just watched to make sure it didn't burn!)
     2.   Melt chocolate and butter and stir with whisk until smooth
     3.   Remove from heat and cool slightly
     4.   Add egg yolks to chocolate one at a time
     5.   Set aside
     6.   In another bowl, beat eggs whites until foamy
     7.   Gradually whisk in 1/4 C sugar
     8.   Whisk until stiff peaks form
     9.   Beat heavy cream in chilled bowl (stuck my mixing bowl in the freezer with my beaters) until it begins to foam and thicken up
     10.   Add remaining 2 tbsps sugar and vanilla
     11.   Continue to whip cream until it holds soft peaks
     12.   Gradually and gently fold egg whites into the chocolate mixture
     13.   Delicately fold in the whipped cream (sounds silly to delicately fold.. but you want your mousse to still be fluffy!)
     14.   Place mousse on top of cooled cheesecake
     15.   Cover cheesecake with foil and place in the fridge for a few hours (IT NEEDS TO BE COOL BEFORE ADDING THE GANACHE, YES, GANACHE, LAYER!)

Ingredients for Ganache (oh, we are almost done with this deliciousness! Recipe from blogger found on Pinterest)
     1/2 C heavy cream
     4.5 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
     1.5 tsp vanilla
How To:
     1.   Heat the cream in sauce pan over medium heat, heat until just BEFORE it boils
     2.   Place chocolate in cream, and remove from heat
     3.   Add vanilla and stir mixture until smooth
     4.   Allow ganache to cool for about 15 minutes before pouring mixture on top of mousse cheesecake
     5.   Smooth ganache onto mousse (it will firm quickly because of the cool cake)
     6.   FRICKIN' ENJOY THAT BIT OF HEAVEN ON EARTH YOU'VE JUST CREATED!!!

There you have it..  Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pumpkin Spice Kiss Cookies

I found Pumpkin Spice Hershey Kisses at the store after finding a recipe for cookies!  They are yummy!

Pumpkin Spice Kiss Cookies

1 1/2 packages Hershey’s Pumpkin Spice Kisses
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 1/4 cups canned pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.  (I lightly greased the pan).

Unwrap the Pumpkin Spice Kisses. (about 65 of them) Place them in the freezer for at least 30 minutes. This is important because the Pumpkin Spice Kisses melt much faster than the regular Kisses.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice. Set aside.

In a bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix together the butter, sugar and light brown sugar on medium high speed for 4 minutes until light and fluffy.

Add in the egg and mix to combine.
Then add in the vanilla extract and the pumpkin. Mix on medium speed for a couple of minutes.

Slowly add in the dry ingredients on low speed. Mix until it’s almost combined.
Take a spatula and fold the ingredients together.

Using a Tablespoon, scoop the cookie dough. Then use a spoon to scoop the dough out of the Tablespoon. The cookie dough will be sticky so don’t worry. Place the cookie dough balls onto the baking sheets lined with parchment paper.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 12 minutes.

Once the cookies come out of the oven, press a Pumpkin Spice Kiss in the middle of each cookie.

Immediately (and carefully!) remove the cookies from the baking sheet with a spatula and cool them on a cooling rack.

Apple Pork Roast

Another trial run tonight on a crock pot meal!  Apple Pork Roast.  It was pretty tasty - unfortunately the pork roast was pretty fatty.

Ingredients
1 acorn squash, chopped
2 tart apples, cored and peeled
1 onion, chopped (skipped this)
1 package onion soup mix (used garlic soup mix)
1 cup apple juice
1 cup chicken broth
2 1/2 lbs pork loin roast

Instructions

1.  Pierce skin of acorn squash and microwave approx. 3 min to make it a little softer to cute and pare. Clean out seeds and pare skin.  Cut in 2" cubes and place in crock.
2.  Slice apples and onion and add to crock.
3.  Nestle the pork roast down in with the fruit and veggies.
4.  Sprinkle onion soup mix over and pour apple juice and broth over all.
5.  Cover and cook on low for approx 8 hours.

Not sure if it will be made again....

Ring Bologna Hash Brown Casserole

What to do with Ring Bologna???  Search google to find a recipe since I couldn't find one on Pinterest!  I found Ring Bologna Hash Brown Casserole.  Why not give it a try!  :)  It actually turned out pretty good.  Both Kiefer and Paul liked it.  Paul said it was a feel good meal.  Kiefer said it might be nice to try it with a spicy italian sausage!  

Here is the recipe if you want to give it a try!

Ingredients

8 oz piece of ring bologna, cut into 1/2 inch slices and quartered

1 pound hashbrowns, thawed

1/4 cup melted butter or margarine

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup cream of chicken soup (I would use cream cheddar soup next time)

salt & pepper to taste

Topping

3/4 cup crushed corn flakes or cracker crumbs (I used croutons)

1/8 cup melted butter or margarine

Instructions

Mix all of the ingredients together.  Put in a greased 9x9 pan (I used a round casserole pan). Mix crushed croutons and melted butter together.  Spread topping on top.  Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 50 minutes.  (can be mixed ahead and baked later).

OMG Chicken

I found this recipe on Pinterest (where most of my recipes are coming from).  this is another recipe that goes to the DO-NOT-MAKE-AGAIN!  The name of it is OMG Chicken.  It said to cook for 25 minutes, but at 25 minutes it didn't seem done, so I cooked it another 20 minutes.  Paul thought it was good, Kiefer said it was cooked to long and I didn't like the flavor!

Simply mix 1/2 cup of sour cream and 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese.  

Spread over chicken breast in a baking dish.  

Sprinkle Italian bread crumbs on top.  

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. OMG

Apple Pie

With the few remaining apples from our trees, I decided to make an apple pie!  Not just any apple pie, but Penny's apple pie.  Penny's recipe is the best in the world!  :)    

Crust  (I use the kind you can take out of a box and roll out).                      

2 cups flour

1/3 cup cold water

2/3 cup oil

dash salt

Pie Filling

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoon flour

dash salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

3 cups apples

Directions: Mix crust ingredients and roll between 2 pieces of wax paper.  Put crushed cornflakes in bottom of pie tin.  Layer with 1 crust.

Mix filling ingredients and add 3 plus cups slice apples.  Pour in pie pan.  Dab 2 T butter on top of applies.  Cover with 2nd crust.

Bake 450 degrees for 10 minutes and 350 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes.  Put foil over crust area.

Crock Pot Mac and Cheese

Who doesn't love a good old bowl of Mac and Cheese?!  And who gets really sad when it overcooks by a few minutes and turns grainy?  This girl..

Crock pots may be the best invention in the kitchen of a busy grad student: throw everything into the pot and let sit, maybe stir it a few times, and go back to hours of interpreting papers and preparing for lab work and courses the next day.  Or go to the lab and come back at the end of the day!  This experiment was along the lines of the first; I was at home while my mac and cheese brewed.  I checked on it, stirred it, and had a hearty sample every time I wandered into the kitchen, which was quite often (who loves procrastination when homework is dull)!  It was fantastic, but I had a few more minutes of studying to do, so I let it sit just a bit longer.

Bad idea.  The recipe calls for 2.5-3.5 hours.  I am done at two hours if not 1.5 next time unless I switch to my smaller crock pot (I used my 5 quart I think is its size..  It's much larger than my 1.5 quart!).  Make sure you check the consistency of the cheese often as it starts to thicken!  Don't let it get grainy!

Crock Pot Mac and Cheese

Ingredients:   

     8 oz noodles (already cooked)

     2 C cheese (I used shredded mild cheddar)

     1 C evaporated milk

     1/2 C milk

     2 Tbsp oil

     4 Tbsp butter

     salt and pepper to taste

     other spices to taste (I used garlic salt, italian seasoning, and basil)

How To:

     1.   Generously butter the sides of your crock pot (original recipe called for 3 quart)

     2.   Throw everything into the pot and stir it up

     3.   Turn the crock pot to low for 2-3.5 hours (as I said before, depends on pot size)

     4.   Stir occasionally

     5.   DO NOT LET GET GRAINY!  OTHERWISE YOU WILL BE SAD!

     6.   Enjoy if it is smooth and creamy, toss out if grainy and eat edamame

:)

Cheddar-Beer Chicken

Well - tonight I made another new meal for the guys.  Good thing they like to try things!  (Good or Bad).  Tonight's meal was okay.  I modified the recipe a bit (partly because I don't eat onions, I didn't have bacon and didn't have Bass Ale)!  

The recipe I made:
1 package diced frozen hash-browns

1 red sweet onion (sliced - not chopped so I could pick it out)
5 boneless skinless chicken breasts, rinsed and patted dry
garlic salt
black pepper
3/4 cup Blue Moon Honey Wheat
1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup

Spray crock pot with PAM spray (I used Walmart brand - haha).  Sprinkle hash-browns in the crock pot.  Add peppers.  Pat dry chicken breasts, sprinkle with garlic and pepper.  Lay on hash-browns.  Mix soup and beer together.  Pour over chicken.  Cook in crock pot on low 6-8 hours.  The chicken got pretty dried out because they cooked about 11 1/2 hours.  Between going to work and coming home - we weren't able to eat early enough.  But it was still pretty tasty.  

The original recipe

1  large onion, peeled and diced large 
1  package (16-ounce) diced red potatoes, Reser’s® 
1  cup frozen diced green pepper, Pictsweet® 
4  boneless skinless chicken breasts, rinsed and patted dry 
11/2  teaspoons garlic salt, McCormick® 
11/2  teaspoons ground black pepper 
1  can (10-ounce) condensed cheddar cheese soup, Campbell’s® 
3/4  cup Bass Ale® 
3/4  cup bacon crumbles, Hormel® 
Fresh chives, finely chopped, for garnish

Directions:
In a 5-quart slow cooker, combine onion, potatoes, and green peppers.
Season both sides of chicken breasts with garlic salt and pepper. Place in slow cooker on top of vegetables.
In a small bowl, stir together cheddar soup, Bass Ale, and bacon crumbles. Pour over chicken.
Cover and cook on LOW setting for 31/2 to 41/2 hours.
Serving ideas: Serve hot with chive garnish.

Tator Tot Breakfast Hot Dish

Today was a slow start to the morning (sitting around the fire until 3:00 am does that to a person).  I started to make Tater Tot Breakfast Hot Dish but the guys want to go fishing so we settled for Chocolate Chip Muffins because the hot dish would take to long.  We had the hot dish for supper instead.  It was delicious.  We think it is better than the breakfast bake I make.

Tater Tot Breakfast Hot Dish  

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

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Brown sausage. Spread the sausage, bacon or ham evenly in the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch pan.  Spread cheese over meat.  I used 2 cups of cheese.

In large bowl, beat together milk and eggs.  Pour over cheese.  Top with frozen tater tots.  (I put it in the fridge for the day at this point).

Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes.  Cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

• 
  

Thanks for visiting our Blog!

My name is Pam .... The P in the title.  Sannie's Mom!  I love to cook but I am not the writer like Sannie is.  She has a way with her words.  :)  

Cooking runs in our family back to my Grandma Hart who was a baker, chef at a camp, restaurant owner, etc.  Grandma Hill also loved to bake and made many great things that she shared with us.  

While growing up I/we used to make 20 plus different types of Christmas cookies/bars every year.  Which I carried on to my adult life.  Where we (Sannie and myself) make many many types of cookies, bars and fudge.  Paul and Kiefer are enlisted to help in the stirring of fudge.  We also make lefse every year (mostly to share).  

We hope you enjoy our blog and our recipes.  

Tonight I tried a new recipe out on Paul and Kiefer.  It was Pizza Bake.  I normally make a pizza bake with crescent rolls which is delicious but thought I'd give this a try.  Everyone prefers the crescent roll recipe better.  

Pizza Bake

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 lb Italian sausage 
• 1 med onion, chopped ** 
• 1 bell pepper, chopped **
• 15 ounce jar pizza sauce
• 1/2 C Parmesan 
• 8 ounce mozzarella
• 1/2 tsp salt
• dash black pepper
• 1 C flour
• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 T oil
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt
• 1/4 cup fresh oregano* (I used 1 T of Oregano and 1 T of basil)
  
  ****(I omit peppers and onions because I am picky and use onion salt instead)

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350. Brown hamburger, sausage, onion, and bell pepper. Drain well. Add garlic salt and oregano (or Italian Seasoning). Add pizza sauce. Stir well. Grease a 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle mozzarella over bottom of it. Spread meat mixture over the cheese. In mixing bowl, add eggs, milk, flour, oil, and salt. Pour over meat in pan. Sprinkle parmesan cheese over batter. Bake 30 minutes.

I think I like Sannie's recipe for Chicken Tator Tot Dish better.  :)

Welcome!

Hi!  I'm Sannie (like the DaSani water, it also rhymes with Bonnie, Jonnie, you get the idea!), the S in the title!  I am a first year graduate student at Iowa State University, where baking and cooking are my ultimate stress relief that I constantly indulge in.  Already, I have a few delicious recipes to share that are in progress tonight!

I'll let Mom, the P in the title, introduce herself when she has a chance.  Just know, she is a phenomenal cook who spurred my interest in the art!

So...  Tonight, I have three projects in the works.  Crock pot cheesy tater tot and chicken hot dish is my dinner (it's almost done!).  Salsa and "snakebike" cuppy cakes are being prepared for tailgating tomorrow at ISU's home football games.  Go Cyclones!

Crock Pot Cheesy Tater Tot and Chicken Hot Dish
Ingredients:
     Tater Tots
     Cheese
     Chicken Breast
     (Self explanatory, right?)

How To:
     1.   Grease up your crock pot (I'm using a 1.5 quart I believe..  It's just me!)
     2.   Cover the bottom in tater tots.
     3.   Cover the tater tots with a third of your cheese (I'm using mild cheddar).
     4.   Next layer..  Diced chicken breast (I used one ridiculously large breast).  Add some salt and pepper!
     5.   More cheese, please!
     6.   Now, put the other half of your tater tots atop the chicken.
     7.   Here is where the last third of your cheese should go!!
     8.   Lid on, and turn on the crock pot to high for about 2.5 hours for the little pot, a bit longer if you're    
           using a larger!
     9.   Enjoy!


Salsa

This recipe has never been written down until now..  I am passing on the wisdom of a fantastic cook and one of my best friends who is currently serving in the U.S. Army.  I miss you, Jess!

Ingredients:
     4 Roma Tomatoes
     Green Onions
     1 Bell Pepper (whichever is the cheapest is what I grab)
     1 Cucumber
     1 Can of Yellow Corn
     1 Can of Black Beans
     Cilantro
     1/2 Bottle of Italian Dressing
     Lime and Lemon Juice to taste
     Hot Sauce, to taste
     Spices, to taste

How To:
     1.   Drain corn and beans.  Make sure to rinse your beans!
     2.   Dice those veggies!
     3.   Mix in a large bowl.
     4.   Add 1/2 bottle Italian dressing, lime, lemon, hot sauce and spices.  Adjust until you are happy with
           the taste of the deliciousness!
     5.   Bring to GAME TIME!

Snakebite Cuppy Cakes

Forwarning..  This is a modified version of the Irish Car Bomb Cup Cakes I normally make.  The birthday girl this weekend's drink of choice is a Snakebite: half cider and half Guinness.  So my Guinness cupcake batter is my obvious go to, and I'm attempting a powdered sugar cider frosting.  I am still unsure of the combination of the flavors, but there's only one way to find out if it's tasty.  Make something!

Ingredients:  Cup Cake
     1/2 C Guinness
     1/2 C Butter (butter works best.. I just tried shortening and it is not as good)
     Heaping 1/4 C Cocoa Powder 
     1 C Flour
     1 C Sugar
     3/4 tsp Baking Soda
     1/4 tsp Salt
     1 Egg
     1/3 C Sour Cream (strawberry yogurt added an intersting flavor, but I don't think I would try it again..)

How To:
     1.   Preheat oven to 350.  Grease up some muffin 
           pans or use those amazing creations that 
           come in the form of cupcake tin liners.
     2.   Simmer Guinness and butter in saucepan.  
           Remove from heat and whisk in cocoa 
           powder.
     3.   Blend sugar, egg, baking soda, and salt 
           together.  Add chocolate Guinness to mixture 
           and blend.  
     4.   Add flour and sour cream.
     5.   Fill cupcake tins up 1/2-2/3 full.
     6.   Bake until down, about 15 minutes.


Ingredients:  Powdered Sugar Cider Frosting
     3-3.5 C Powdered Sugar
     1/3 C Butter
     1/4 C Hard Cider 
     1/3 tsp Ground Cinnamon
     Pinch of Salt

How To:
     1.   Blend powdered sugar with butter.  Add cider, cinnamon, and salt.  Blend until fluffy.
     2.   Cross fingers and hope this works!


It actually wasn't all that bad!  Still, I prefer the Irish Car Bomb Cup Cakes :)