Overnight Coffee Cake

Occasionally, I like to treat my kids with something special for breakfast. This overnight coffee cake is super simple to make, and it tastes, so good.  

By preparing the cake the night before and setting it in the refrigerator, you don't have to get up early to make it.  All you do is take it out of the refrigerator and place it in the preheated oven.  What better way to wake up the family then with the scents of cinnamon and nutmeg wafting through the house.

This recipe does call for nuts, but you can leave them out.  I rarely add nuts to our recipes.  We aren't allergic to them, we just don't like them in our food.

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
1 c. buttermilk *
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg

Topping

3/4 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 c.Pecans or walnuts (Optional)

Directions

 

Grease and flour a 9 x 13-inch cake pan.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add eggs and buttermilk. Mix thoroughly.

Stir in the baking powder, soda, salt cinnamon and nutmeg.

Mix in the flour until the better is smooth.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.

  

In a small bowl, combine the topping ingredients of brown sugar, cinnamon and nuts, if desired.

 

Sprinkle half of this mixture over the top cake batter. Take a knife and cut through the batter to swirl the sugar and cinnamon mixture through the cake batter. Then, sprinkle the remaining sugar cinnamon mixture evenly over the top of the cake.  Do not cut through or swirl this. 

 

Cover the pan with clear plastic, or foil, and place in the refrigerator for 8 hours or longer.

The next morning, preheat oven to 350°.

 
Remove the coffee cake from the refrigerator and take off the plastic wrap.

Bake 35 to 45 minutes, or until cakes tests done with a toothpick. To test, insert a toothpick in the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, you know it is done. 

 

Cut while the coffee cake is still warm. Eat and enjoy. 

 

Notes *

 

If you don’t have buttermilk, you can substitute it by mixing the milk, add 1 tablespoon vinegar.    Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes before adding it to your cake. Don't worry when the milk turns lumpy, because that is what it is supposed to do.  

 

Pork Stew

A delicious, and hearty pork stew. Made with pork, potatoes, onions, carrots and potatoes in a thick stew.  A bowl of this comforting stew will warm you in the inside, and fill you up.  It is an easy recipe to make, and it is bursting with flavor. 

 

Ingredients

1 Tbs. olive oil
1 ½ pounds boneless pork shoulder roast or pork steaks, cubed
1 small onion
3 cloves garlic, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
4 c. chicken broth
1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 tsp. rosemary
1/2 tsp.  oregano
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp.  paprika
1 Tbs. tomato paste
salt and black pepper to taste
2 potatoes peeled and diced
1 sweet potato peeled and diced
2 carrots, diced
1 c. sliced mushrooms (Optional)
1 (15 oz.) can green beans or peas or use frozen vegetables
1 Tbs. cornstarch (Optional)
2 Tbs. cold water (Optional)

Directions

In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, pour in olive oil.  Add the cubed pork onions and garlic.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Cook until the pork is browned.  

Add broth.  Scrap the bottom of the Dutch oven to scrape off any brown bits from the bottom of the pot. That is where the flavor is.  

Add in the tomatoes, rosemary, oregano, bay leaf, paprika and tomato paste.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low.  Cover and allow the contents in the pot to simmer for 1 hour.  

Stir in potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, and mushrooms. Turn the heat back up to medium high and until it is boiling.  Reduce heat to low.  Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. 

Stir in green beans or peas. When the stew starts to bubble, simmer for another 15 minutes uncovered.  Taste the stew and season with more salt and pepper if desired. 

If you want a thicker soup, you can thicken it.  In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and cold water together until smooth.  Pour into the simmering pot, stirring constantly.  Simmer for 5 minutes, or until the stew is thickened.   If it is still not thick enough for you, repeat the mixture of cornstarch and cold water.  Slowly pour the mixture in, because it can thicken fast.  If you get it too thick, pour in a little more chicken broth.

Serve and enjoy!

Broccoli Rice Casserole

This is an easy dish that my family likes.  It can be served as a side dish, or you can add some cut up, cooked chicken pieces to the dish to make a meal.  

 

Normally, this dish is made with canned cream of mushroom soup, and you can use that instead of making your own.  But just by combining flour, milk and seasoning, you can   easily make your own.  It is cheaper to do, and it will be minus all the preservatives and other things they put in canned cream soups.

Ingredients

2/3 c. dry rice
1 1/3 water or broth
3 tablespoons butter
1 onion, diced
3 Tbs. flour
2 c. milk
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 can mushroom pieces, drained
3 tablespoons cream cheese
1/2 tsp. mustard powder
1/2 tsp.  paprika
1/2 tsp. salt more to taste
2 c. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded, divided (or your favorite cheese)
16 oz. frozen broccoli, thawed and cut into bite sized pieces
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 2 quart casserole dish.

In a medium saucepan, add rice and water or chicken broth.  Cook according to package directions until rice is tender. 

In a large cast iron skillet, melt butter over medium-low heat.  Add the onions and cook until they are softened and translucent. 

Stir in flour, and garlic powder.  Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, so the mixture does not burn.

Whisking constantly, gradually pour in milk. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture is thick and bubbly.

Turn the heat to low.  Stir in mushrooms, mustard powder, paprika, cream cheese, and 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Mix until the cheese is melted.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Add the rice, and broccoli, stirring to combine.   Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish, or you can leave the mixture in your skillet as long as it is ovenproof.  

Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.  

Bake 35 minutes, or until bubbly and the cheese is melted and lightly browned.

Million Dollar Chicken

If you are short of time and wanting a great tasting meal, this chicken recipe will not disappoint.  It is quick and easy to prepare.  You will be done making supper and enjoying the evening in no time.  The chicken is juicy and packed with flavor from the cream cheese, cheddar cheese and bacon. 

Ingredients 

2 lbs. chicken breasts (skin removed if desired)
6 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup crispy, cooked bacon, crumbled (About 8 slices of bacon)
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded and divided
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350˚. Get a baking dish or an ovenproof skillet.

Sprinkle salt and pepper over both sides of the chicken.  Place the chicken in a baking dish, or  a cast iron skillet.  

In a medium-sized bowl, combine cream cheese and mayonnaise.  Mix until well blended.  

Stir in crumbled bacon, onion and 3/4 cup shredded cheese. Mix well.

Spread the cream cheese mixture over the top of the chicken.

Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the chicken is full cooked and has an internal temperature of 165°

Notes

You can use boneless and skinless chicken breasts if you prefer.  They can be left whole, or you can thinly cut them or pound them.

You can also use green onions, but we don't have those in our grocery stores.  I just use a yellow onion instead. 

You can use pepper jack, Colby, or your favorite cheese in this dish.  You can also use a mixture of two or more cheeses.  We use bone-in chicken because it provides flavor, and it is generally cheaper than buying boneless and skinless chicken breasts at the store.

 Hot Chocolate Mixture

Nothing warms a body up better on a cold winter day than a big cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows. It is one of those drinks that comfort you.  

Not only does it warm you up, but it can bring about a sense of peace along with some happy memories. I can remember my mom making a big container of hot chocolate mix when I was little. All you had to do was heat some water, measure the cocoa mixture into a cup, pour in the hot water and stir.  Add in some marshmallows, then sit down and enjoy.

Of course, you don't have to drink hot chocolate only when the weather is cold, it is good any time of year. The prepackaged hot coco mixes are convenient, but if you are trying to save money, they are often expensive, and it has ingredients that do not belong in your drink powder. Also, if you make it from scratch, you control the sugar content. 

It takes just a bit of time to measure out all the ingredients, but it is worth it in the end. 
 

Ingredients

6 cups instant dry milk

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. salt (optional)

Directions:

 

Find a large container with a tight-fitting lid. Measure the milk, sugar, cocoa and salt into the container. Put the lid on the container tightly, and mix the ingredients by shaking the container.

 

To make Hot Cocoa

Heat water on the stove until it comes to a boil. 

Add a 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the hot cocoa mixture into a large mug or cup. The amount of cocoa mix you add depends on the size of your cup or mug.  For an 8 oz. cup we generally add 3 to 4 tablespoons of the hot cocoa mixture.  If you have a bigger mug, you will need to add more hot chocolate mix. Sometimes, you have to play with the amount of cocoa to find the perfect amount for your cup.

 

Pour some of the hot water into your cup and stir until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Slowly add the rest of the water, stirring continually as you pour.

Add marshmallows, or whipped cream on top.  Enjoy!

 

Other Additions

 

For a richer tasting hot chocolate, add 1/2 cup of non-dairy creamer to the dry mix. You can choose from several different flavors such as Hazelnut, Irish Cream, and French Vanilla. 

You can add a teaspoon of cinnamon to the dry mixture so it has just a hint of spice. Or add a candy cane for a different flavor. 

Homemade Bread

Homemade Bread, Two Loaves

We no longer buy our bread at the store. The bread that you buy does not spoil, so that lets you know it has plenty of preservatives and chemicals in it.  It is so light, that you could eat the whole loaf and still not be full.  

This bread recipe is easy to make with just a few simple ingredients.  Nothing tastes better than warm, freshly baked bread from the oven.

Ingredients

2 cups warm milk

1 package or 2 1/4 tsp. instant yeast

1 tsp. baking powder

1 egg, room temperature

3 Tbs. sugar

4 1/2 to 5 c. flour

1 tsp. salt

1/2 cup or 1 stick, butter, softened

Olive oil

Butter for the top

Directions

Heat oven to 375°. Grease two 8.5 in x 4.5 in x 2.5

In a large bowl, combine milk, yeast, baking powder, egg and sugar. Set in a warm location for about 5 minutes to allow the yeast to bloom

 

Add 2 cups flour, and salt. Beat the dough with a wooden spoon, for 1 to 2 minutes.

Stir in softened butter.  

 

Add the remaining 2 1/2 cups flour.  Mix with a wooden spoon until it get too hard to mix.  Turn the dough out onto a floured surface.  Knead the dough for about 5 to 8 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic.  You may need to add more flour to keep the dough from sticking. The dough should be slightly tacky.

Place the dough into a greased bowl.  Pour a little olive oil over the top of the dough and sides of the dough.  Cover the bowl with a tea towel and place in a warm location until the dough is doubled in size.   

Punch the dough down.

Divide the dough in half.  Form each half into loaves and place into prepared bread pans.   

 

Lightly oil the tops of the loaves with olive oil.  Cover with a tea towel, place in a warm location and let rise for about an hour or two, until doubled in size.

Bake the bread fo30 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown.  Remove from the pans and place the bread on a wire rack.  Put some butter over the top. We use a cold stick of butter to butter the top of the bread loaves with. 

Notes

You can also use part whole wheat flour to make this bread as well.  

Flour measurements are never exact.  It depends on the amount of moisture in the air and in the flour. 

 Easy Beef and Beans With Biscuits

This is an easy recipe to make for supper if you are low on time.   Ground beef, pork and beans, onions, peppers cooked up together with biscuits over the top.  It is comfort food, and this is a dish that my mom used to make when I was growing up. 

Ingredients

1/2 lb. bacon (Optional)
1 lb. ground beef
1 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. chopped bell pepper
1 can (16 ounces) pork and beans
2/3 c. barbecue sauce
2 Tbs. brown sugar
1 tsp. salt, or to taste
1 can refrigerator biscuits
1 c. shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)

Directions

Heat the oven to 350 F.

In a large cast iron skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until evenly browned. Remove the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels.  Pour the bacon grease through a strainer into a container to keep and use for another cooking project.  

Crumple the bacon into bite size pieces and set aside. 

In the skillet you cooked the bacon in, add the ground beef, onion, and bell pepper. Cook over medium heat, until the beef is no longer pink and the onion is translucent. 

Stir in the pork and beans, barbecue sauce, brown sugar and salt.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is hot and bubbling.

If you are not using an oven-proof cast iron skillet, pour the beef and bean mixture into a 2-quart baking dish. 

Separate the biscuits; cut them in half. Place the biscuits, cut side down, over the top of the hamburger mixture. Sprinkle cheese over the top if desired.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the biscuits are golden brown.