Coffee Cake

This is very simple!

1/2 cup shortening

1 1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup milk

3 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

Topping

4 Tbsp margarine, melted

1 cup brown sugar

2 Tbsp flour

4 tsp cinnamon

Cream shortening sugar and eggs. Mix in milk, add dry ingredients to batter and mix until well blended. Spread batter into pan. Mix together ingredients for topping. Sprinkle topping over batter and bake 350 for 30-40 min.

Turkey Focaccia Club

• CRANBERRY PECAN MAYONNAISE:
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup whole-berry cranberry sauce
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons chopped pecans, toasted
• 1 tablespoon honey
   
• SANDWICH:
• 1 loaf (8 ounces) focaccia bread
• 3 lettuce leaves
• 1/2 pound thinly sliced cooked turkey
• 1/4 pound sliced Gouda cheese
• 8 slices tomato
• 6 bacon strips, cooked

Directions

• In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, cranberry sauce, mustard, pecans and honey.
• Cut bread in half horizontally; spread with cranberry pecan mayonnaise. Layer with lettuce, turkey, cheese, tomato and bacon; replace bread top. Cut into wedges. Yield: 4 servings.

Slow Cooker Chicken BBQ Sandwiches

6 frozen skinless, boneless chicken breasts halves

1 (12 oz) bottle of BBQ sauce, I use Sweet Baby Ray's

1/2 cup Italian salad dressing

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. liquid smoke

Place chicken in a slow cooker. In a bowl, mix the barbecue sauce, Italian salad dressing, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and liquid smoke. Pour over the chicken.

Cover and cook 3-4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low.


Serve with coleslaw. Looking for a yummy coleslaw recipe, click here.
http://lovetocookagain.blogspot.com/2012/04/memphis-style-coleslaw.html

Black'nd Blue Buffalo Chicken Sliders

I haven't made this yet but looks so good. If you make it please let  me know if it's good, bad or if you had to tweak something.

6 fried chicken tenders

1/4 cup buffalo wing sauce

1 cup blue cheese salad dressing

2 tablespoons light mayonnaise

2 teaspoons blackening seasoning

12 dinner rolls

1. Preheat oven to 425. Cut each chicken tender in half; bake 10-12 minutes or until thoroughly  heated.

2. Toss hot chicken with wing sauce. Combine salad dressing, mayonnaise and seasoning.

3. Place in bun; chicken and blue cheese sauce. Serve.

Philly Cheesesteak Pizza (Rachel Ray)

Another family favorite. :)

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), plus additional for drizzling
• 3 to 4 large onions, sliced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pizza dough, store-bought or from your favorite pizzeria
• Cornmeal or flour, for sprinkling
• 2 cups (a few generous handfuls) shredded provolone cheese
• 1/2 pound deli-style roast beef, roughly chopped or torn

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Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F. If you're using fresh dough from a pizzeria, take it out of the fridge and bring it up to room temperature before stretching it out.

Place a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, add EVOO. Add the onions to the pan, season with salt and pepper and cook until caramelized, about 15-20 minutes, stirring every now and then so the onions don't burn. When caramelized, remove from heat and reserve. 

Sprinkle some cornmeal or flour on the baking sheet so it doesn't stick on the bottom then roll out the dough and stretch it to make it fit the pan. Brush it with EVOO and bake for 10-15 minutes, until almost cooked through. 

Spread the caramelized onions out over the dough to cover. Add the torn pieces of roast beef and cover with cheese.

Bake for about 5 minutes, until the cheese bubbles and brown up.

Bruschetta-Style Chicken over Risotto

Just made this last night for the family and they loved it. We used fresh mozzarella! So good!

1 8-oz package risotto mix, any flavor

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 large tomato, chopped (1/2 cup)

1/4 cup jarred roasted red peppers, drained and chopped

1/2 cup shredded baby arugula

4 oz mozzarella, diced

1/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette

salt and pepper

1/2 cup plain bread crumbs

2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan

1 1/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin

1 small clove garlic, minced

1. Prepare risotto as package directs, using 1 Tbsp olive oil. Mix tomato, peppers, arugula, mozzarella, vinaigrette, salt and pepper in a bowl. 

2. Mix bread crumbs and 1 Tbsp Parmesan. Dip chicken in crumb mixture. Warm 1 Tbsp oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken until golden, about 7 minutes, turn halfway.

3. When risotto is nearly done, stir in garlic and 1 Tbsp Parmesan; cook 3 minutes. Serve chicken over risotto, topped with tomato mixture.

Lasagna Soup

Thanks for reminding me about this one Mom!

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds Italian sausage (bulk or with casings removed)
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 6 cups chicken broth

• 2 bay leaves
• 8 ounces fusilli pasta
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil
• 8 ounces ricotta
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Pinch of pepper
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella

Instructions

1. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the sausage and sauté, breaking it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until the sausage is no longer pink, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain any excess fat from the pot. Add the onions and sauté until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes and sauté for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and sauté until the paste turns a rusty brown, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice, the broth, and the bay leaves and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.
   
2. Add the pasta, then increase the heat to medium-high and boil the soup until the pasta is tender to the bite, following the time recommendations on the pasta package. Discard the bay leaves, then stir in the basil. If desired, season with salt and black pepper to taste.
   
3. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, the Parmesan, the 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and the pinch of pepper. To serve, place about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture in each bowl, sprinkle with some of the mozzarella, and ladle the soup on top. Makes about 13 cups.