My sweet grandma Cynie always used to make it for us growing up.

She is an incredible cook.  She always puts so much love and thought into every meal.

Supper at her house always included cocktail hour with a simple appetizer, a main dish, starch, vegetable or salad, bread or rolls AND dessert.

She was quite the lady — to consistently cook like this for eighty plus years!  She leaves a great legacy.

Originally, this recipe was to be assembled in a baking dish and placed in the oven, which I’ve done for years because it’s the only way I’d ever known.  Well recently I tried it in the crock pot, and boy, was it delicious!

The slow roasting in the crock pot created an incredibly moist breast of chicken that just fell apart at the touch.  It was fun too, to put all of the ingredients in the crock and not have to worry about them.  I assembled the dish in the morning, went for an afternoon hike and when I arrived home, the scent of this goodness filled the air.  What a treat!

Unfortunately, it was so good that it was all devoured before I got to snap a picture of the final product, so please forgive.

Hope you get to enjoy this one in the new year!

Swiss Cheese and Sherry Chicken

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (if they’re real fat, slice the fat part of the breast in half width wise)
5 slices swiss cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/4 c plus 2 T butter, melted
1/8 c milk
1/8 c cooking sherry
1/2 box Mrs. Cubbison’s box stuffing (Stove Top is a NO go with this recipe.  It’s not hearty enough.)
salt and pepper

Coat crock pot with cooking spray.  Trim any excess fat off the chicken breasts and place breasts, as a single layer, on the bottom of the crock pot (If you have to layer a little, go ahead).  Season with salt and pepper.  Lay slices of swiss cheese over chicken.  It should look like this:

Whisk soup, milk and sherry together in a separate bowl.  Add 1/4 c butter and mix until blended.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Pour over chicken and cheese.  Top with dried stuffing and pour remaining 2 T butter over top: Remember to look for this brand of stuffing in the store:

Bake for 3 hours in crock pot at high heat (bake for 6 hours on low heat).  Since crock pots may vary, before eating, check to make sure chicken is no longer pink in the middle and is cooked all the way through.

Yet, I couldn’t resist passing on this MOST delicious cookie recipe to you for Pumpkin Cakies.

The recipe has a few features that I’d like to note:

1.  It calls for no eggs.  This came as a bit of a shock to me.  I had to pause mid-mixing and call Carrie to make sure that she didn’t leave anything out, that she did in fact email me the whole recipe.  She did.  With that being said, never fear,  these cookies still come out quite plump and incredibly moist.

2.  It calls for the use of canned pumpkin, which means this recipe will never go out of season.  Canned pumpkin is available all year at your local grocer, so you can make these treats to enjoy anytime you want.

3.  It creates cookies that will melt in your mouth if eaten just after baking.  Let them cool slightly from baking, then spread with vanilla frosting and enjoy!  I’d make sure you have a glass of milk on hand.

4.  For a bit of a twist, you can add chocolate chips to the batter and make a whole new type of cookie.

My sweet friend Carrie passed this recipe on to me.  She made these cookies for me once and that was all it took.  I was hooked.  Thanks CP!

Pumpkin Cakies

Combine:
1 c brown sugar
14 oz canned pumpkin
1/2 c oil
2 t vanilla

Mix dry ingredients together and add to above mixture:
1 t baking powder
1 t  baking soda
2 t cinnamon
1 t nutmeg
3/4 t salt
1/4 t ginger
1/2 t cloves
2 1/4 c flour

Drop onto greased cookie sheets (or cookie sheets covered in parchment paper). Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes.  Let cool slightly and top with icing below.

Icing:
2 c powdered sugar (it will have a better consistency if sifted)
2 T butter, room temperature
3/4 t vanilla
5 T heavy cream  (if you don’t have heavy cream, use milk)

Mix all ingredients using a mixer until combined.

I knew what it meant though, that I was going to have to start cooking again but to be honest, I was looking forward it.

For our first meal back I wanted to make something hearty and delicious.

I decided to cook pork chops.  My in-laws had blessed us with the perfect Christmas gift just before we left, a box of tender Omaha filets and juicy pork chops.  I still needed a side.

I asked Kyle what he wanted and immediately he responded, baked sweet potatoes (I’d made them in the fall, he fell in love, so he kindly put in his request once again!).

I’d found the recipe in an article entitled, “Healthy Living”, in the October 2011 issue of Martha Stewart Living.

Now, I’m not one to cook things simply because they’re healthy, so that’s not what caught my attention.  And as I may have shared earlier, I’m not the biggest fan of sweet potatoes, so that didn’t do it either.

It was actually the photo on the page of the magazine that made my mouth water.

As if that weren’t enough, I proceeded to read the list of goodies that would top the baked potato: roasted brussel sprouts, crumbled blue cheese, toasted pecans and a handful of craisins.  Wow, it all sounded out of this world to me!

It was, much to my surprise.  This dish creates the most delectable sweet and savory union, not to mention it’s super affordable and incredibly easy.

I should note that the tag line for the article was, Turn a Sweet Potato into a Meal.  I’m not so sure what Martha was thinking.  I don’t think one sweet potato with any amount of fixings would ever be enough to constitute a meal.  I’ve only ever served them as a side.

That’s just me though.  I want you to enjoy them as you wish, as a meal or a side.

Baked Sweet Potatoes

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart Living

2 medium sweet potatoes
4 brussel sprouts
1  T crumbled blue cheese
1 T pecans, chopped and toasted
1 T craisins
salt and pepper
olive oil
butter

Scrub sweet potatoes clean, poke a few holes in them with fork and wrap in tin foil.  Place potatoes in the oven and bake at 350 for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until soft.

Wash brussel sprouts and cut into quarters.

In a medium pan, saute spouts in touch of olive oil and butter on medium heat for about 15 minutes (or until sprouts have softened and browned).  After they’ve cooled, toss in bowl with cheese, pecans and craisins.

Remove potatoes from oven, discard foil and slice down the center.  Place small amount of butter on each potato, sprinkle with salt and pepper and top with goodies.

Sad, but good!

I hope you enjoy the fa-la-la of this special week and have yourself a Merry little Christmas!

I look forward to sharing many more stories and delicious recipes with you in the New Year!

They’re the perfect treat for any holiday party or gathering.

They’re SUPER simple, easy to make, and they carry with them such an incredible burst of flavor.  If you like dill, then you’ll adore these little goodies. Once I start eating them, I usually can’t stop all that easily.

My grandma used to make them for family gatherings and my mom would make them for guests to munch on at our annual neighborhood Christmas open house. My sisters and I were always giddy when there was a tub left.  We’d continue to enjoy them throughout the week.

I served these seasoned oyster crackers at my most recent Kitchen Gathering. They sat on the table to welcome guests as they arrived.

I served the crackers in a cute green Taste of Home Entertaining condiment dish with a mixture of olives.

I also served a cut of baby swiss that was hidden under the cheese dome.  For a little bit of sweet, my guests enjoyed a virgin strawberry daiquiri topped with fresh whip cream and a cherry.  It was all simply delightful. It was a good way to begin our evening of teaching and feasting together.

The Christmas season is upon us.  I love that Jesus is the real reason for the season, but I’m also grateful that in this season we enjoy the gifts of family, friends, festive gatherings and many delightful goodies.  May you enjoy too!

Seasoned Oyster Crackers

1 (1 oz) package Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
1/2 t dried dill
1/4 c vegetable oil
5 c oyster crackers

In large bowl, combine dressing mix, dill and vegetable oil.  Add oyster crackers, and toss to coat. Spread evenly on baking sheet.  Bake at 250 for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring gently after 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool before serving.

My friend Sara began this tradition three years ago when she and her husband had an abundance of apples on a tree in their backyard.  They didn’t know what to do with the apples.  Surely they wouldn’t be able to eat them all before going bad, so they decided they should use them all to make a variety of delicious creations.

One Saturday, they invited a small group of family and friends over to gather together and cook and feast on all things apple.  The deal was that the apples had to be featured in each dish that was prepared. This meant, apples in the appetizers, the soup, the salad, the main course, the desserts and the drinks.

They had so much fun that first year, and it was such a great way to use the apples, to try new recipes and enjoy one another’s company, that they decided to it again the next year and the year after.  This year my husband and I got invited, and boy, did we have a good time!

We made apple/cheddar crostini with cider reduction, pumpkin apple soup with hazelnut oil, a mixed green salad with apple pomegranate molasses dressing, roasted chicken covered in apple salsa, hot apple cider, apple pies, bars and of course, my apple dumplings.

The apple dumplings were a big hit. I guess they looked so good, that someone snatched one to enjoy before we even sat down to eat the meal.

I decided to make apple dumplings because they were something different and because they just sounded delicious (I’ve always delighted in the pre-made apple blossoms you could buy from the store and bake in the oven).

This year the tree didn’t produce enough apples, so each of us had to bring our own bag.  I brought a bag of mini Pink Lady apples for my dish.

We also had to bring the recipe with us.  I decided to combine two different recipes to make the dumplings.  The crust came from a blueberry slump recipe I’d featured on my blog in the past and I found the recipe for the filling online at my recipes.

Since this is the second to last day of the fall season (at least it is in my book!), this will be my last featured fall item.  I’m grateful for the abundance of God’s goodness.  I do hope you get to enjoy!

Apple Dumplings

2 c flour
1/2 t salt
2 1/2 t baking powder
1 1/2 T sugar
1/2 c Crisco
1/2 c milk

Mix dry ingredients, then mix in Crisco and milk to form dough for crust. Divide dough into 8 balls and set aside.

8 mini pink lady apples, peeled and cored
2 c sugar
2 c water
1/2 t ground cinnamon, divided
1/2 t ground nutmeg, divided
1/2 c butter

Bring 1 1/2 c sugar, water, 1/4 t cinnamon, and 1/4 t nutmeg to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly; reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in 1/4 c butter. Set syrup aside.

Combine 1/2 c sugar, remaining 1/4 t cinnamon, and remaining 1/4 t nutmeg.

Take one ball of dough and roll it out flat, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Place apple at center of dough.  Place 1/2 T butter down into center of apple and sprinkle with more cinnamon and sugar.  Wrap dough around the apple, making sure there are no openings.  Place in a deep baking dish that’s been coated with cooking spray. Continue process until all apple are covered with crust and placed in dish.  Pour syrup over top.

Bake at 375 for 35 minutes or until apples are soft and crust is browned. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

1.  For a moist turkey, cook your turkey in a Reynold’s oven bag.

2. In order to enhance the flavor of boxed stuffing, add a bit of sautéed onions and celery to the mix.

3.  Eat a spoonful or two of stuffing right after you’ve mixed and just before baking.  It’s delicious this way!

4. If you plan to eat your Thanksgiving meal in the early evening, set the table mid-morning.  This way you’ll simply be able to enjoy the rest of your day, and the butter will be soft and spread ready by time you eat because you placed it out early.

5. Remember, that even though this is THE MOST amazing meal of the year, you can actually make it any other time of the year you’d like, so there’s really no reason you need to stuff yourself to the point it hurts (if you do, lay down, roll around and make some noise.  It may just help!).

6. Leftover turkey sandwiches on GOOD bread with cranberry, stuffing, lettuce, a spread of mayo and served with a sweet pickle are super tasty.

7.  Don’t forget the real reason for the holiday, giving thanks.  It’s a day that calls for us to be grateful. Here are some things I’m grateful for this year:

• I’m grateful that it’s my first Thanksgiving married, and I’m grateful for my husband.
• I’m grateful for an amazing family whom I love deeply and for incredible friends who bring me joy.
• I’m grateful to the Lord for His love, truth, forgiveness, saving and presence.  He is good!
• I’m grateful for a peaceful home, a warm bed and food that’s always on the table.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope you’re able to truly celebrate all that you’re thankful for, partake in a wonderful meal and be with the people you love!

It’s fall and I knew he was to have a busy week.  I wanted to surprise him one morning with a fitting breakfast treat. I made pumpkin scones.

I found the recipe on Pinterest.  The picture alone enticed me.  I mean just look at those soft orange, plump scones with a double glaze swirled about the top. Yum!

The recipe looked easy and it was.

The scones baked up quite nice.  I should warn you though that mine were a little more light and cakey rather than dense and buttery, as I imagined a scone would be.  I wondered if the recipe is more of a light recipe, with its use of half and half rather than heavy cream.

The only tricky parts to the recipe were the spices and the glazes.

I had cinnamon at home but didn’t have ginger, nutmeg or cloves.

When I went to the grocery store to purchase, the spices were nine dollars a bottle.  Oh my! I wasn’t ready to make that kind of investment and was sure I could find them for a much cheaper price (If you’re ever needing to purchase only a small amount of spice, Sprouts Farmers Market carries spices in bulk.  It’s a great, cheap way to purchase what you need. I would’ve done this but it’s too far from where I live.).  I borrowed a pinch of each from my gracious neighbor, thanks friend!

As seen in the picture above, the glaze is supposed to harden on top of the scones and make them look all decorative and pretty.

Well, I’m not sure what happened because my glaze didn’t harden, but ran down the sides of the scone.  Rather than remaining painted on top, the glazes disappeared.  It looked like they’d literally evaporated.  I’d waited until the scone had cooled completely to glaze them, so perhaps I didn’t mix the glazes properly.  They may have needed some more powdered sugar.

These scones do pair nicely with a hot cup of coffee!

If I were to make them again, I’d be more adventurous.  I’d add a bit more pumpkin, some dark or white chocolate chips and/or toasted pecans.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Scones

(recipe adapted from the shoebox kitchen and pictures taken from there too!)

2 c all-purpose flour
1/4 c plus 3 T granulated sugar
1 T baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/2 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t ground nutmeg
1/4 t ground cloves
1/4 t ground ginger
6 T cold butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 c canned pumpkin
3 T half-and-half
1 large egg

Powdered Sugar Glaze
1 c plus 1 T powdered sugar
2 T milk

Spiced Glaze
1 c plus 3 T powdered sugar
2 T milk
1/4 t ground cinnamon
1/8 t ground nutmeg
Pinch of ground ginger
Pinch of ground cloves

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In mixing bowl, whisk together pumpkin, half-and-half, and egg.  Set aside.  Sift together, into a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer) flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger.  Add cubed butter on top.

Now, using a mixer or the paddle attachment of your stand mixer on medium speed, mix butter and dry ingredients until your reach the consistency of coarse cornmeal (pieces of butter should be no larger than small pea).  Gradually fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients.  I used a spatula for this step, but had to use my hands in the end to get that last bit of flour to incorporate into a well-formed dough ball.  It’s important to make sure all dry ingredients have been moistened well.

On a well-floured surface, flatten and form dough into 12″ x 4″ x 1″ thick rectangle.  Using sharp knife, divide rectangle into three equal pieces, then slice each piece into four triangular pieces by making an “X” through them.  Place triangles of dough on parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 14 minutes, or until light brown.  Remove to cooling rack and let cool before icing.

Cover each scone with spread of powdered sugar icing using a basting brush and then drizzle spiced glaze over top.