Apple Crunch Cakelets (Muffins)

My sister shared this recipe with me a few years ago and it is a family favorite. Delicious, easy and versatile! These come together really quickly.  They are great hot out of the oven with a little butter or cold the next day for a snack. (My eight year old told me he wished he could have them for a snack every day.) I have also made these with pumpkin. Just use an equivalent amount of pumpkin in place of the grated apple and substitute a little pumpkin pie spice for the cinnamon. Try some other variations as well--banana, blueberry, mashed sweet potato or whatever strikes your fancy.                                             

1/4 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1 cup apple (peeled and grated)

Cream shortening and sugar until well blended. Add egg. Beat until smooth. Add dry ingredients with milk and stir just until blended. Stir in apples. Drop in 12 greased muffin tins (or 24 greased mini muffin tins). Sprinkle with brown sugar. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes (10-15 minutes for the mini muffins).

Pumpkin Dip

2 8oz packages of cream cheese, softened

1 15oz can pumpkin

1 to 2 cups powdered sugar, to taste

1/4 tsp. ginger

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Stir softened cream cheese in a mixer. Add pumpkin and spices. Fold in sugar 1/4 cup at a time. Chill before serving. Serve with ginger snaps, vanilla wafers or graham crackers!

Coke Chicken

This has a surprisingly great taste and is very easy. It turns in to a BBQ tasting sauce.

Around 6 boneless chicken breasts (I cut them in half)
1 can of caffeine free coke (It is 1 1/2 cups of the soda. I use diet)
1 cup of ketchup

I like to double the sauce because I don't think it makes enough.

Place chicken breasts in to a skillet. Pour the coke over that. Add one cup of ketchup. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and stir. Let it simmer for an additional 10 to 15 minutes. (15 if you double the recipe.)Stir occasionally.

I serve this over rice or mashed potatoes.

Crockpot Chickenetti

This recipe comes from Sister Mayes in the Rochester 3rd Branch cookbook. We tried it out and it was a hit with the boys so I thought I'd go ahead and post it for anyone not blessed with one of Tiffany’s-young-women’s-project-cookbooks. I wondered if the spaghetti noodles would get too overcooked in the crock pot for three hours but they were fine. If you like your pasta more al dente you could always just stir in the noodles at the end.

1 cup chicken broth
16 oz. package spaghetti, cooked
4-6 cups cubed and cooked chicken, or turkey breast
1-10.75 oz. can cream of mushroom or celery soup (I used the celery)
1 cup water
1/4 cup green peppers, chopped (I omitted this)
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 medium onion chopped fine
1/2 pound white or yellow American cheese (I just used Colby—that’s what I had and it was great. Sister Mayes has a note that she uses Velveeta)

Put chicken broth, spaghetti and meat into a large slow cooker. In a  large bowl, combine soup and water until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients and pour all into slow cooker.Cover and cook on low for 2-3 hours (I did mine for 3 hours and the celery was still just a bit crunchy).
Options:
  • #1--for a creamier dish  add one can of cream of chicken soup as well (I used this option).
  • #2—Add a 4.5 oz. can chopped green chilies for more zest.
I served this with a green salad and homemade rolls. Easy and tasty.

Simple Apple Pie

This simple recipe for apple pie is my family's favorite. We steer clear of cinnamon and other spices and just revel in the pure apple-y deliciousness.

6 to 8 large Golden Delicious apples*, peeled, cored and sliced thinly
6 to 8 tablespoons of butter, cut into small cubes
1/2 cup white sugar (I used a heaping half cup plus just a little more)

Prepare crust for 9-inch 2 crust pie. Layer sliced apples in bottom crust dotting each layer with some of the butter and sprinkling with some of the sugar as you go. Prepare your top crust (make sure to cut a vent for steam). Trim, seal and flute the pie. Bake in a preheated 450 degree oven for 12-13 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and bake another 25-40 minutes longer until the crust is golden brown and the apples are done. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream if desired.
It is also good served cold out of the fridge the next morning for breakfast. :D

*Most people usually use Granny Smith apples for pie but with this recipe Golden Delicious are the best. Other apples will work in a pinch but Golden Delicious are my favorite.

Tomato Soup

It is a cold, fall evening and my family requested tomato soup! I found this recipe on allrecipes. Good stuff! Perfect for a cold fall evening. This was served with grilled ham and cheese sandwiches on sourdough. YUM!

2 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes (I had diced, I just blended them smooth)
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
18 fresh basil leaves, minced (I couldn't find any at the store!?! Used the dried stuff...)
garlic to taste
dried onion to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 cup whipping cream (I used 1/2 cup whipping cream and 1/2 cup milk)
6 TBSP butter or
salt and pepper to taste

In a large saucepan, bring the tomatoes and broth to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer. Add basil, garlic, onion and sugar. Reduce heat to low; stir in cream and butter. Cook until butter is melted.

Honey Butter

Yesterday morning my family enjoyed hot scones and honey butter while watching General Conference.
These "scones" are not the typical english, cake like, scones. We fried wheat bread dough. They are absolutely perfect with this honey butter recipe on top;

1/2 cup of softened butter
1 1/2 to 2 TBSP of honey
1/2 cup of marshmallow fluff or marshmallow creme

Mix together well. So easy, and SO very tasty. This is fantastic on pancakes, cornbread, a spoon, or whatever. ;)