Cinnamon Swirl Quick Bread

 This quick bread will make you smile. It is moist and tender, almost like a cake instead of bread.   This bread is great for breakfast or as a snack through the day or as an after school treat.

Ingredients

1/2 c butter, softened
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1 c. buttermilk
1 Tbs. vanilla
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 c. flour
1/3 c. brown sugar
2 Tbs
1 tsp. cinnamon, or more

Glaze (optional)

1/4 c. powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1/2 to 2 tsp. milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease an 8-inch loaf pan.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugar together.  Beat thoroughly until smooth.

Add the egg and beat well. 

Pour in the buttermilk and vanilla. Mix until combined.

Add the baking powder, baking soda, salt and flour to the batter. Mix only until combined. Do not over mix or the bread will be heavy and tough. 

Pour 1/4 of the mixture into the prepared loaf pan.  

Sprinkle 1/4 of the cinnamon sugar mixture over the top. Keep alternating between the batter and cinnamon sugar, ending with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Swirl through the batter with a knife or a long toothpick to get a swirled effect. 

Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

Cool for 10 minutes, then remove the bread from the pan. 

If you want to glaze your bread, combine powdered sugar, vanilla, and enough milk to make it a glaze consistency. Drizzle over the warm bread. Only add enough milk to reach a drizzling consistency. You don't want it too thick or too thin.  

Cut and serve when the bread is cool.

Notes

If you don't have buttermilk, you can make your own. 

In a measuring cup, add 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice. Then pour in enough milk to measure 1 cup.  

Instead of making this into a loaf, you can use muffin tins instead. Bake for about 15 to18 minutes, or until they test done.

Stuffed Meat Buns

This is one of our favorite meals. A tender, fluffy bun filled with flavorful meat and cheese. These are perfect to serve as a meal, or you can take them along as a snack on the go.

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef
2 carrots, chopped fine or grated
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. bouillon
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. garlic powder
red chili flakes to taste
salt and pepper to taste
3 or 4 Tbs. salsa
1/2 c. cheddar cheese, shredded or pepper jack

Bread Buns Ingredients

3/4 c. warm water
1/2 Tbs. yeast
3 Tbs. sugar
2 1/2 c. flour
1/4 c. milk powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 egg

Directions

In a bowl, combine warm water, yeast, and sugar. Place in a warm location for 10 minutes, so it can bloom. 

In a large bowl, combine flour, milk powder, and salt.

Pour in the yeast mixture, olive oil and egg.  Mix with a mixer or wooden spoon until a soft dough is formed.

Place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough for 7 to 9 minutes, or until it is smooth and elastic.  Add more flour if necessary.

Lightly oil the bowl you mixed the dough in. You don't need to wash the bowl first.  Place the dough in the bowl, turning the dough over to ensure that all sides of the dough are oiled. Cover with a tea towel and place in a warm location.  Let rise for about an hour, or until doubled in size. 

While the dough is rising, it is time to make the beef filling. 

In a large cast iron skillet, add ground beef, onion and carrot.  Break the beef up into small pieces. We use a potato masher or a fork to help break up the meat. Cook until the beef is no longer pink and the onions and carrots are tender.

Stir in thyme, bouillon, oregano, and red chili flakes. Salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the salsa.

Simmer for about 2 minutes, then remove from heat.  If the meat seems too dry, add a little more water. Don't add too much, as you don't want the meat to be overly wet or soupy. 

Stir in the cheese and set aside. The cheese does not need to fully melt.

Punch the dough down when it has doubled in size.  Place the dough on a lightly floured surface. 

Cut the dough into 12 equal pieces. Form each one into a dough ball. Take one piece of dough and roll it out into a circle about 5 inches in diameter. 

Place about 1/4 cup of the meat filling in the center of the dough. Bring up two opposite edges of the dough and pinch the edges together to seal. Then repeat with the other two sides to completely seal in the filling.  You don't want it to leak out.

Place the seam side down on a greased baking sheet. Repeat the process with the remaining dough, and the meat and cheese mixture.

Cover and place the buns in a warm location until doubled. This takes about 30 to 45 minutes, depending on how warm it is. 

Bake at 350° for 20 minutes, or until the buns are golden brown. Serve warm.

Vanilla Pudding

One of our favorite desserts is Vanilla Pudding.  It is so smooth and creamy, pure comfort food.  Making this classic dessert is not hard at all. In fact, it is as easy as opening a box of the store-bought mix and pouring some milk in.  I have the super easy version of this pudding below in the notes that makes it even simpler.

Ingredients

2/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. cornstarch
4 c. milk
1 egg, beaten
3 Tbs. butter
2 tsp. vanilla

Directions

In a bowl, beat the egg thoroughly. Set aside.

In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch.  

Slowly pour in the milk, whisking constantly to keep the cornstarch from clumping or lumping.  Over medium heat, cook the pudding until it comes to a boil.  Boil for one minute. The pudding should be thicker.

Ladle some of the hot pudding into your beaten egg, whisking constantly to keep the egg from cooking. Add maybe about a half a cup of the hot pudding.  Slowly pour the egg mixture back into the hot pudding, whisking constantly.  Bring the pudding back to a bubble or a simmer and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Add butter and vanilla.  Stir until the butter melts. Serve and enjoy while the pudding is warm. Or you can refrigerate the pudding for later. Just cover the pudding with a sheet of plastic wrap, pressing it down lightly on the surface of the pudding. This keeps the pudding from forming a skin across the top.  Place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Serve with whipped cream if desired. 

Notes

If you want an even easier way to make this pudding, mix the sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Slowly pour in the milk and beaten egg into the sugar. Cook, stirring or whisking constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil. Cook and stir until the mixture is thickened. This takes about 1 to 2 minutes longer.  Just remember to constantly stir the pudding, or it will burn on the bottom of the saucepan. 

Garlic Parmesan Pork Chops

 

This is a quick and easy meal to prepare, especially if you don't have a lot of time to cook. Tender, juicy pork chops with a Parmesan garlic coating.  Serve with mashed potatoes, peas and a slice of homemade bread for a delicious meal.

Ingredients

6 pork chops
salt and pepper to taste
1 c. seasoned breadcrumbs
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 eggs, beaten
2 Tbs. olive oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°.

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

Beat eggs in a separate shallow dish or pan until well beaten

In a shallow dish or pan, combine seasoned breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese and garlic powder.

Dip the pork chops in the beaten egg, coating both sides.  Allow the excess egg to drip off. 

Dip the pork chops in the seasoned breadcrumb mixture, coating both sides.  Shake off excess.

Heat oil in a heavy oven safe cast iron skillet over medium heat.  Sear the pork chops on one side until golden brown. Turn them over and sear the other side until golden brown. 

Place the skillet in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes. Bake the pork chops until the internal temperature is 140°.  Remove from oven and let rest for a couple of minutes.  Serve and enjoy.

 Notes

If you don't have any breadcrumbs, use stuffing mix. Just put some in a plastic bag and use a rolling pin to crush the stuffing into crumbs.

If you like the taste of garlic, add more to the seasoned breadcrumb mixture.

Corn Creole Casserole

This is an easy recipe to make, and it is perfect as a side dish. Whole kernel corn, rice, tomatoes and jalapeños, makes this a colorful and flavorful dish. You can make it as hot as you like.

Ingredients

4 Tbs. butter
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 Tbs. flour
2 (11 oz.) cans whole kernel corn, or Mexican style corn and peppers mix, undrained
2 c. tomatoes, diced
2 c. cooked rice
2 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped (optional)
1 to 2 jalapeños, chopped
1 tsp. Worcestershire
1/2 tsp. hot sauce (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
grated cheese

Directions

In a cast iron skillet, or a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Sauté onion and bell pepper until light brown. 

Add flour.  Cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes to remove the flour taste.

Add corn, tomatoes, rice, hard-boiled eggs, jalapenos, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce and salt. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper as desired.

Pour this into a large greased casserole dish.  

Sprinkle cheese over the top.  

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes, or until cheese melts and everything is heated through.

Baked Chicken Breasts Supreme

Start the chicken marinating the day before and you will save time.  Plus, this will make your chicken, tender and juicy when you serve it for the next day's meal.  This meal is pure comfort food that your family will love and request often.

Ingredients

2 c. sour cream or plain yogurt
1/4 c. lemon juice
4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. celery salt
2 tsp. paprika
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. granulated garlic
1/2 tsp. pepper
6 chicken breasts
1 3/4 c. bread crumbs
1/3 c. butter

Directions

In a bowl, combine sour cream, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, celery salt, paprika, garlic, onion powder, granulated garlic and pepper.

Coat all sides of the chicken breasts with the sour cream mixture. Place the chicken in a large bowl, cover and refrigerate the chicken overnight. 

The next day, place bread crumbs in a shallow dish. 

Remove chicken from the refrigerator. 

Dip the chicken into the bread crumbs, coating all sides evenly. Place the chicken in a single layer in a large, shallow baking pan. 

In a saucepan, melt the butter.  Pour the melted butter evenly over the chicken breasts.

Heat oven to 350°.  Bake the chicken breasts for 60 to 70 minutes, or until the juices run clear. The meat's internal temperature should register 170° on a meat thermometer.

Poultry Seasoning Blend

It is easy to make your own poultry seasoning. With just a few simple ingredients that you probably already have in your cupboard, you can make your own spice blend. Why not save some money over the prepackaged mixes when you can easily make up a batch at home?

Not only can you can use Poultry Seasoning on chicken or turkey, but you can add it to soups, stews, and hamburger meat dishes.

Ingredients

3 Tbs. ground or rubbed sage
2 Tbs. thyme
2 Tbs. rosemary
1 Tbs. marjoram
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. pepper

In a mortar and pestal, or a spice/coffee grinder, combine sage, thyme, rosemary, marjoram, nutmeg and pepper.

Grind the ingredients until they are finely ground and thoroughly blended. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place to preserve freshness and flavor.  Mark the jar, so you know what spice blend is inside for easy identification.