Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake

This lemon blueberry pound cake is moist, delicious and so easy to make. Juicy blueberries and a burst of lemon makes up the cake, and then you have a sweet, vanilla glaze over the top. You can serve this pound cake anytime you want a delicious treat.

Ingredients

3/4 c. butter
1 c. sugar
2 Tbs. lemon zest
4 eggs
1/4 c. sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. plus 2 Tbs. flour, divided
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 c. milk
1 c. blueberries

Glaze

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
5 to 6 Tbs. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.  Get a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Grease the bottom of the loaf pan, then line the loaf pan with a sheet pan with parchment paper that extends about 2 inches past the sides. This will let you remove the loaf from the pan easily.

In a bowl, cream the butter, sugar and lemon zest together. Beat until light and fluffy. This takes about 2 minutes.

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

Add the sour cream and vanilla.  Mix well.

Stir in baking powder, salt and 1/4 of the flour. Pour in a little of the milk. Alternate between the flour and milk, beginning and ending with the flour.  Be careful to not over mix.  It is all right that you have a couple of streaks of flour left

In a separate bowl, combine the blueberries and 2 Tablespoons flour. Gently fold the blueberries into the mixture. 

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.

Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center of the loaf. The top should be a golden brown color.

Allow the loaf to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before removing from the pan. Finish cooling the loaf pan on a wire rack. 

When the loaf is cool, begin making the glaze.

In a bowl, combine powdered sugar, milk and vanilla.  Beat until smooth. The glaze should be thin enough to pour, but no so thin that it is like water. If the glaze is too thin, mix in a little more powdered sugar. If the glaze is too thick, pour in just a little bit of milk.

Drizzle the glaze over the top of the loaf.

Serve and enjoy with a cup of coffee, tea or a glass of milk.

Italian Beef Sandwiches Recipe

This is a recipe you can start early in the day, and let it slow cook until you are ready to eat. It is an easy recipe and one that my family loves.  Beef roast, seasoned with Italian salad dressing, herbs and spices, then slow cooked for most of the day, makes the meat so tender.

Ingredients

3 lb. beef roast
1 (1 oz.) pkg.  dry Italian salad dressing
1 Tbs. oregano
3/4 Tbs. basil
1 tsp. garlic powder.
2 1/2 to 3 c. water, or beef broth
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (16 oz.) jar pepperoncini peppers
1 can mushrooms, drained
cheese, sliced
tomato, sliced
8 hamburger buns

Directions

If using an oven, preheat oven to 175 to 200°.

Rub all sides of the roast with the dry Italian salad dressing, oregano, basil, and garlic powder. Salt and pepper as desired.

Place the roast in a slow cooker or in a cast iron Dutch oven. 

Pour in the water around the roast. Add the onions, and garlic.

Bake for 5 to 6 hours, or until the met is tender and can easily be shredded with a fork.

Shred the meat with two forks.  You can remove the meat to a platter, or leave it in the slow cooker or Dutch oven. 

Stir in the pepperoncini.  Pour in as much of the pepperoncini juice as you want, as this gives the meat additional flavor. If you are unfamiliar with pepperoncini peppers, try using just a few at first.  You can always add more if you find that you like the flavor and want more of them.

Serve on buns and top the meat with mushrooms, a slice of cheese, tomato, and/or lettuce if desired.

Notes

We add the onions to the pot while the meat cooks, as it gives the meat some flavor. However, you can add the onions at the end of cooking time, when you add the pepperoncini peppers if you want. 

You can substitute half of the water or broth with beer or with a mixture of beer and wine.

You can toast the cut part of the buns first if desired. Spread some mayo, or butter over the bread as well before you put on the meat.

Chocolate Chip Bars 

This recipe I got in my Home Economics cookbook. It was a collection of recipes that each student that took the class submitted. Since then, it has become one of our favorite bar cookies and the one we make most often.

Ingredients

1 c. butter, room temperature
3/4 c. granulated sugar

3/4 c. brown sugar

2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 1/4 c. flour

1 (12 oz.) pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips 

1 c. chopped nuts (optional)
 

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°. Grease a 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking sheet or jelly roll pan. 

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

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

Mix in vanilla. Beat well.

Add baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the flour into the butter mixture, mixing well. 

Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. 

Spread into prepared pan. Bake 20 to25 minutes, or until golden brown.

Serve and enjoy!

Sausage and Vegetables Skillet Dinner

This is a quick and easy meal full of delicious vegetables and flavorful sausage.  You can change out the vegetables and the variety of sausage, and it will be different every time. 

Ingredients

1/2 Tbs. butter
1/2 Tbs. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 sweet bell pepper
3 cloves minced garlic
1 (16 oz.) pkg hot kielbasa sausage, sliced 3/4 inch thick (Or use your favorite sausage)
3 potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 carrots, cut into 1/4 inch rings
1 (10 to 12 oz) package frozen broccoli
1/2 c. chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste

 Directions

In a large cast iron skillet, heat butter and olive oil over medium-low heat.

Add onion. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the onion has softened.  Add garlic and cook another minute.

Mix in the sausage.  Stir and fry the sausage until it is lightly browned, for about 5 minutes. 

Stir in potatoes, carrots, and broccoli. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cover and cook for about 15 minutes, without stirring. Stir well. Continue to cook, uncovered, until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally to keep things from sticking to the bottom of the skillet.

Serve and enjoy.

Notes

Add different vegetables or the ones you enjoy eating. You can use mushrooms, green beans, zucchini, peas

Asparagus with Balsamic Vinegar Butter Sauce

Asparagus is a delicious vegetable, and this recipe is sure to please even the pickiest of eaters. Bake the asparagus in the oven, then pour over the butter, balsamic vinegar and soy sauce. It may seem like a strange combination, but it turns out great.

Ingredients

1 lb. asparagus
cooking spray or olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbs. butter
1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. or more onion powder
1/2 tsp. or more garlic powder

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°.

Wash and trim away the woody parts of the asparagus. Arrange the asparagus spears in a baking pan, so they are spread out over the baking pan.

Spray them with cooking spray, or drizzle a bit of olive oil over them, but don't use too much, or it will be too oily tasting.

Season the asparagus with salt and pepper to taste. 

Bake the asparagus for about 12 minutes, or until tender.  

As the asparagus cooks, it is time to prepare the sauce.

In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Cook and stir until the butter browns, but do not let it burn. Browning the butter gives the sauce more flavor. Remove from heat.

Pour in balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, onion powder and garlic powder.  Whisk well.

When the asparagus is done, remove the spears to a serving platter.  Pour the sauce over the top of the asparagus.  

Serve and enjoy.

Chicken with Jollof Rice

This is an easy one dish meal that our family enjoys. It is easy to put together, so you don't have to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. You can use chicken legs, thighs or a mixture of both.

Ingredients

6 chicken legs or thighs
2 Tbs. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 onion, chopped
2 sweet bell pepper, diced
1 to 2 hot peppers (optional)
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs. ginger, chopped (optional)
1 c. tomato sauce
3 c. chicken broth
3 tsp thyme
2 tsp. curry powder (Optional. You can use more or less, depending on whether you like curry flavor)
3 bay leaves
2 c. rice

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.

In a heavy cast iron skillet, pour in the oil and heat over medium high heat.

Season the chicken legs and/or thighs with salt and pepper. Brown the chicken for 4 to 5 minutes, then turn the chicken over and brown the other side for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and place the chicken on a plate. Set aside.

In the same skillet, add the onion, sweet bell peppers, and hot peppers.  Sauté the vegetables until soft. Stir in the garlic, and ginger.  Cook for 1 minute.

Pour in the tomato sauce, and chicken broth. Stir well.  Mix in thyme, curry powder and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Place the chicken back into the skillet. 

Cover the skillet with a lid, or a sheet of foil.  Bake for 6 minutes, or until the chicken tests done at 165° and the rice is tender. 

Notes

Add 1/2 pound of vegetables to the dish for color and flavor.  You can add carrots, green beans or peas for a delicious meal.

Chicken Spice Seasoning

This seasoning blend is not just for chicken. You can use it to spice up beef, pork, or other dishes like chili, or vegetables. It does not take long to prepare and by making your own seasoning, you control what goes in it. If you don't like spicy, then omit the cayenne pepper. The ingredients may seem a bit long, but they are spices that almost everyone has in their cupboard or spice cabinet.

Ingredients

2 tsp. basil
2 tsp. crushed rosemary
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. mustard powder
1 tsp. paprika or smoked paprika
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. sage
1/2 tsp.  celery seed
1/2 tsp. parsley
1/4 tsp. or more cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. chicken broth powder (optional)

Directions

In a bowl, or large jar, add basil, rosemary, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, pepper, thyme, sage, celery seed, parsley, cayenne pepper, cumin and chicken broth powder.  

Mix the ingredients well. Pour the spice into a jar with a tight-fitting lid. 

Notes

If you want your spices like rosemary and celery seed more ground up, use a mortar and pestal, or a spice/coffee grinder. 

This recipe leaves out the salt, except for the dry chicken broth powder. I generally salt my chicken first, using as much or as little salt as we like.