Frosted Jumbo Pumpkin Cookies

Pumpkin is not just for making pies. They make delicious cookies as well. These cookies are big and full of flavor!

Ingredients

1 c. butter, softened
1 c. sugar
1 c.  brown sugar
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/8 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 c. flour
1 c. oatmeal
2 c. chocolate chips
1 c. walnuts, chopped (optional)

Frosting

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. butter, softened
3 3/4 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.  Line 2 cookie or baking trays with parchment paper.

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

Add pumpkin and vanilla.  Mix thoroughly.

Add cinnamon, baking soda, salt, baking powder and flour.  Stir in the oatmeal. 

Mix in the chocolate chips and walnuts if desired.

Drop by 1/4 cupfuls onto a baking sheet, keeping the cookies at least 2-inches apart. 

Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned, and the cookies are firm. Remove the cookies from cookie sheets and place onto wire racks to cool. 

Mix frosting, if desired.

In a small bowl, combine cream cheese and butter.  Beat until light and fluffy. You can tint with orange food coloring if desired.

Add the powdered sugar, and vanilla, beating until smooth.  Spread over cooled cookies.

Pork Chops and Mushroom Gravy

Tender, juicy pork chops in a rich mushroom gravy.  This is a one dish meal that is easy to prepare and one that your family will love.

Ingredients

1Tbs. butter
1 Tbs. olive oil
6 pork chops
salt and pepper to taste
1 onion, chopped fine
1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (8 oz.) can mushrooms, drained
2 Tbs. flour
1 tsp. hot sauce (optional)
1 1/2 c. beef or chicken broth
1/3 c. heavy cream

Directions

Season both sides of the pork chops with salt and pepper. 

In a cast iron skillet, heat butter and olive oil over medium high heat. Sear the pork chops until golden brown for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Remove the pork chops from the skillet and place in a covered dish to keep warm.

Sauté onions in the skillet where you cooked the pork chops until the onions are tender and translucent.  Add the minced garlic and cook another 30 seconds. Be sure to keep the garlic and onions moving, so the garlic does not burn. 

Stir in the flour.  Cook and stir for a minute or two to remove the flour taste.

Stirring constantly, pour in the broth, hot sauce and heavy cream.  Cook and stir until the mixture starts to thicken. Stir in the mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Place the pork chops back into the skillet, spooning the gravy over the top of the meat. 

Reduce heat to low and cook until the pork chops are tender, about 10 minutes. The internal temperature of the pork chops should read 145° for safe eating.

Serve with mashed potatoes and sweet peas.

Broccoli with Homemade Cheese Sauce

Serving broccoli plain, or with butter, is always a good tasting side dish. However, you can easily turn that dish into something that everyone will enjoy eating.  Cheese sauce makes almost anything taste better, and this cheese sauce is super easy to make.

Ingredients

4 c. broccoli, frozen
1 c. milk
1 Tbs. cornstarch
1 c. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded or cut into small cubes
1 Tbs. Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Prepare the broccoli according to package directions. Drain.

In a medium pot, whisk milk and cornstarch together until smooth.  Cook and stir over medium heat until the mixture thickens. Lower the heat to low.

Stir in sharp cheddar and Parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese melts and the mixture is smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Pour the cheese sauce over the warm cooked broccoli.

Serve and enjoy.

Homemade Shake and Bake Chicken

Ingredients

Homemade Shake and Bake Mix
1 lb. chicken
1 egg
1 to 2 Tbs. water or milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°.

Place the prepared Homemade Shake and Bake mix in a low sided bowl, or you can use a plastic bag. 

In a large resealable plastic bag or a wide, low-sided bowl or pan like a pie plate, pour in the shake and bake mix.

Break an egg into another low-sided bowl or pan.  Whisk the egg until light and well beaten. Add the water or milk to the egg and whisk that in until well combined. 

Coat the chicken in the egg mixture. Allow the excess egg to drain off the chicken. 

Dip the chicken pieces in the shake and bake mix. Gently shake off excess.

Dip the chicken in the shake and bake mix, making sure all surfaces of the chicken is coated with shake and bake.

Lay the chicken on a baking sheet and bake for 35 minutes or until the chicken is done. The chicken should have an internal reading of 165°.

Serve with mashed potatoes, gravy and a coleslaw salad.

Shake And Bake Mix

 

Shake and Bake already made  that you buy in the grocery stores is expensive.  You can save a ton of money by making it yourself.  Your chicken or pork chops will still have that crispy oven baked coating, but it will taste so much better.

Ingredients

4 c. dry bread crumbs, bought or homemade
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 Tbs. salt
1 Tbs. paprika
1 Tbs. celery seed
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. parsley
1/2 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp oregano

Directions

In a large bowl, combine bread crumbs, oil, salt, paprika, celery seed, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, chili powder, parsley, basil, and oregano.  Mix well until there are no big clumps.

Pour into a jar with a tight-fitting lid. 

To use:

Pour some o0f the Shake and Bake seasoning mix into a low sided pan, dish, or a large zippered bag.

Dip the meat in water, milk or a beaten egg. Allow the excess moisture to run off. 

Place the meat in the shake and bake seasoning mix, making sure both sides are coated. Shake off excess.

Bake meat until done.

Chicken can take between 40 and 45 minutes. If the chicken is boneless, bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Bake pork chops for 15 to 20 minutes.

Skillet Bread

Bacon grease adds great flavor to this skillet bread.  If you don't have bacon grease, you can use butter and oil mixed together. Or even shortening will work, but it won't be as tasty.

Ingredients

2 c. self rising flour
4 Tbs. cold butter
1 to  1 1/4 c. buttermilk
2 Tbs. bacon grease, oil and butter mix or shortening

Directions

In a bowl add the self rising flour, and butter. Using a pastry cutter or 2 dull table knives held in your hand, cut the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs or small peas.

Pour in butter 3/4 c. buttermilk, stirring as you pour.  Pour in the rest of the buttermilk until you have a dough that holds together. It should be wet and sticky. 

Heat a 10-inch skillet with bacon grease on medium to medium high heat.  

Add the batter. Smooth the dough with a spatula, so it goes out to the sides. 

Place a lid on the top and cook on medium low for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the bottom is browned.  When the bread begins to pull away from the sides of the skillet and the top is firm, it is time to turn the bread over.  Carefully turn the bread over and replace the lid. Cook another 10 minutes, or until the other side is golden brown. The bread is done, when you insert a knife in the center, and it comes out clean.

Cut or just pull off pieces of the bread and serve with butter.

Notes:

You can also bake this bread in the oven at 400° for20 to 25 minutes.

Easy Mongolian Beef

Mongolian Beef

 Mongolian Beef is one of our favorite go to recipes. The meat is flavorful and tender and when served over a bed of rice, you have a complete meal. 

With the rising meat prices, we buy a beef roast and trim off the fat. This is so much more economical than buying a steak.

Ingredients

1 lb. beef roast or steak with fat trimmed off
1/4 c. cornstarch
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. minced ginger
1/3 to 1/2 c. soy sauce
1/3 c. water
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 onion sliced into half rings
salt and pepper to taste
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
hot cooked rice

Directions

Slice the roast against the grain into 1/4 inch thick slices. Place the slices in a glass or plastic bowl. Sprinkle the cornstarch over the sliced beef, making sure each piece is fully coated with the cornstarch.  Set aside.

In a large cast iron skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the roast slices in a single layer to the skillet and cook for one minute on each side.  You will probably need to cook the meat in batches because you don't want to crowd the pan. This will give your meat that nice sear to lock in the juices.  Remove the beef when done and set aside.

Add the onion to the pan. Sauté until the onion is translucent and tender.  Add the ginger, and garlic. Saute for 15 seconds.  

Stir in soy sauce, water, and brown sugar to the skillet.  Bring the mixture it to a boil. Add salt, and pepper to taste, along with the red pepper flakes.

Add the steak to the skillet. Cook and stir until the sauce thickens and the meat is heated through. Serve over a bed of rice.