Pepperoni Tortilla Pinwheels 

We first had these in a restaurant years ago, and we thought they were the best.  Since then, we save a lot of money by making our own instead of getting them at a restaurant.

Ingredients

1 (12 oz.) pkg. sliced pepperoni
1 (8 oz.) pkg cream cheese, softened
1 c. sour cream
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (or more if desired)
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 (4 1/2 oz.) can green chilies, drained and chopped
1 (4  1/2 oz.) can olives, drained and chopped
1 onion, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Cut the pepperoni into small pieces. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, red pepper flakes and garlic powder.  Beat until thoroughly mixed.

Stir in pepperoni, cheddar cheese, green chilies, olives, onions, and garlic powder.  Mix well. 

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Spread the cream cheese mixture thinly and evenly over one tortilla wrap, stopping about 1/4-inch from the edge of the tortilla wrap.   Roll the tortillas up tightly. Repeat with the remaining tortilla wraps. 

Wrap each rolled tortilla in a sheet of plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

When ready to serve, cut the tortilla wraps with a sharp serrated knife into a 1/2-inch or 3/4 inch slices. 

Serve with salsa, sour cream or guacamole.

Notes

You can add or change out and use different ingredients with this recipe. Try adding bacon, ham, diced chicken, smoked salmon, or even dill pickles. If you want a more Mexican flavor, sprinkle in some taco seasoning or a seasoning packet from Ramen noodles. 

Tortilla Pinwheels will keep up to 4 days in the refrigerator or up to 2 months in the freezer.

Cinnamon Muffins

These quick and easy muffins, seasoned with cinnamon and nutmeg. Then dipped in melted butter add a coating of cinnamon sugar, and you have a delicious treat that is sure to please. They disappear fast at our house.

Ingredients

1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 c. milk
1/3 c. butter, melted
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla

Cinnamon Sugar Topping

1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3 Tbs. butter, melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.  Grease or use paper liners in each muffin cup.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg.

In another bowl, mix milk, butter, egg, and vanilla together until well combined.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.  Pour in the milk mixture.  Stir only until the flour is moistened. Do not over mix the batter or the muffins will be tough.

Spoon the batter into each muffin cup, filling them about 2/3 to 3/4s full. 

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of a muffin. Allow muffins to cool for about 5 minutes before removing them from the muffin tin.

Pour melted butter into a shallow bowl.

In another shallow bowl, combine cinnamon and sugar. 

Dip the muffins tops in the melted butter.  Then, dip them in the cinnamon sugar mix.  If you did not use paper liners for the muffin cups, you can dip the entire muffin in butter and then dip them in the cinnamon sugar if desired. However, you may need to melt more butter and mix up extra cinnamon and sugar. 

They are best when served warm.

Vegetable Ground Beef Stew

With the rising cost of beef roasts and stew meat, ground beef is a good alternative to making this stew.  It saves you some money, and it is comfort food. This dish fills you up while adding healthy vegetables. It's so easy to make, and it is so delicious.

You can use leftover, cooked and cut up chicken meat, ham, or sausages instead of the beef. For vegetables, you can use any kind that you and your family like best. 

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 carrots, sliced into thin rounds
2 celery ribs, chopped fine
2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 (14 1/2 oz.) cans diced tomatoes with chilies
3 1/2 c. beef broth
1/4 c. red wine (optional)
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
1 cube beef bouillon
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
2 c. frozen peas or mixed vegetables

Directions

In a deep cast iron skillet or Dutch oven with a lid, add the ground beef, onion, green pepper, garlic, carrots, and celery. Cook until the ground beef is no longer pink. Drain

Stir in the diced tomatoes with chilies, beef broth, tomato paste, beef bouillon, oregano, basil, thyme, and garlic powder.

Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low.  Cover the skillet or Dutch oven with a lid. Simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, so it does not stick to the bottom.

Add the frozen peas or vegetables to the stew. Cook for another 10 to 15 minutes.   Test the vegetables to make sure they are all tender and done.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve and enjoy!

Brown Sugar Pound Cake

This brown sugar cake bakes up into a very moist cake. The cake is flavored with toffee bits and pecans in the batter. If you like caramel, and cake, you'll love this pound cake.

Ingredients

1 1/2 c. butter
2 c. brown sugar
1 c. sugar
5 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. whole milk *see notes
3 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. pecans chopped, (optional)
1 (8 oz.) bag toffee bits (Optional)

Caramel Frosting

1/4 c. butter
1/2 c.  brown sugar
1/4 c. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 c. powdered sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 325°.  Grease and flour a 10-inch  pan.

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

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. 

Pour in the vanilla and mix well. 

In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. 

Alternately, add some flour into the butter mixture, mixing just until incorporated. Then, mix some milk into the batter. Continue adding and alternating between the flour and milk. Mix after each addition just until incorporated, and end with the flour. 

Stir in the chopped pecans. 

Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan. Spread the batter out evenly in the pan.

Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until the cake tests done. Insert a toothpick in the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is done. 

Remove the cake from the oven. Place the cake on a cooling rack and allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 45 minutes. Then remove the cake from the pan and let it cool completely on a wire rack.

Make caramel frosting.

In a saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the brown sugar and milk.  Cook and stir over medium heat until the mixture is almost boiling.  Remove from heat and allow to cool 10 minutes.

Stir in vanilla.

Using an electric mixer, beat in powdered sugar. Mix until the frosting is smooth. It should be like a thick syrup.  Drizzle the mixture over the cooled cake.  

Notes

You can replace half of the milk with coffee or espresso.

Pork Tenderloin

 This recipe bakes either low and slow, or fast if you are in a hurry. The pork tenderloin stays moist and tender. This recipe is so simple and easy to make, and it will please the pickiest of eaters.

Ingredients

salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. coriander
2 Tbs. oil
1 1/2 to 2 lb. pork tenderloin

Directions

Preheat oven to 200° if you want to cook it low and slow. Or you can heat the oven to 400°.

In a small bowl, combine Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and coriander.

Pierce the pork loin with a fork all over. This helps the seasonings to go deep into the meat.

Rub 1 tablespoon oil over the outside of the pork loin.

Season the outside with salt and pepper. Then sprinkle the Italian seasoning, garlic powder and coriander all over the pork loin.  Rub the spices into the meat with your hands until it is evenly coated.

In a large cast iron skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil.  Brown all sides of the pork loin in the hot oil. 

Place the skillet, with the pork tenderloin's fat layer facing up, in the oven and bake for 5 to 6 hours or until the internal temperature is at least 150° to 160° F. on an instant read meat thermometer.  It may take more or less time, depending on your oven and the weight of the pork loin, so be sure to check it after 4 1/2 hours. 

If you are in a hurry and baking the pork loin in the 400° oven, bake for 7 minutes. Turn the pork loin over and bake for another 7 to 8 minutes, or until the pork loin reads 150° to 160°. 

Remove the pork loin from the oven and allow the pork loin to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting.

Bacon Deviled Eggs

We love deviled eggs. However, add some bacon over the top and these deviled eggs disappear quickly.   

Ingredients

12 large eggs
1/3 c. mayonnaise,  or more
2 tsp. prepared mustard
1 Tbs. scallions, finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste
4 slices bacon, fried and crumpled for topping
Paprika

Directions

In a large saucepan, carefully place the eggs on the bottom. Fill a large saucepan with water. The water should be at least an inch above the eggs.

Bring the water to a boil.  Cover and remove from heat.  Let sit for 15 to 20 minutes. Drain.

Run cold tap water over the eggs to cool them down, or place the eggs in a bowl of ice water. 

Peel the shell off of the eggs.  Cut the eggs in half lengthwise and place them on a dish or serving platter.   Carefully remove the yolks and place them in a small bowl.  

Mash the egg yolks with a fork, until there are no large pieces of egg yolk. The egg yolks should be like fine crumbs. You can use a food processor to do this for you as well.

Add the mayonnaise, mustard, and scallions.  Mix well. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, to taste.

Spoon the egg yolk mixture back into the empty cavity of the egg white. 

Sprinkle paprika over the top. 

Add some crumpled bacon over the top of the egg yolks.  

Notes

Sometimes our eggs do not peel very good.  When that happens, we make potato salad.  Do you have a way to cook eggs that doesn't take pieces of shell off along with the peeling? Post your favorite ways to make hard-boiled eggs that leave you with beautiful eggs when peeled.

Tangy Sauced Chicken

 This chicken will be falling off the bone tender. The sauce is tangy with a bit of sweetness. Serve this dish over rice and add some carrots on the side.

Ingredients

8 chicken thighs or 4 chicken quarters, with the big chunks of fat removed
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbs. butter
1 Tbs. oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic
1/2 c. ketchup
1/2 c. BBQ sauce
1/2 c. water
1/3 c. vinegar
1/4 c. butter
1 Tbs. paprika
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
1 Tbs. brown sugar
1 Tbs. honey
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. hot spicy mustard, or your favorite
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Heat the oven to 300°. * See notes below. Set out a baking dish.

Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. 

In a large cast iron skillet, heat butter and oil together until the butter melts. Brown both sides of the chicken.  You don't have to cook the chicken done, you just want some color on the outside of the chicken. 

Place the chicken in a baking dish. Or, if your cast iron skillet is large enough, just leave the chicken in there.

In a sauce pan, melt butter.  Add the onion, garlic, ketchup, BBQ sauce, water, vinegar, butter, paprika, cayenne pepper, brown sugar, honey, Worcestershire sauce and mustard. Over medium heat, bring to a bubble. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Pour the sauce over the chicken.

Cover with a lid.  Bake the chicken for about 2 hours, or until the chicken completely cooks thorough. Remove the lid for the last 15 minutes of cooking time.  Test the internal temperature of the chicken by using a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh. The chicken should be at least 165°.

Serve the chicken and sauce over rice. 

Notes

We like to cook the chicken low and slow. Set the oven temperature to 175° to 200°.  Bake for 4 to 6 hours, or until the chicken tests done. You can also use a crock pot instead of the oven.