Rum Balls

Yeah it's not a meal but My MeetUp Group is having a goodies exchange so I made um...

2 1/2 c Vanilla wafers, crushed (I always wonder how to measure something like this out.. do you fill the cups with whole cookies then crush or crush then measure??? I Crush then measure)
1c chopped nuts (I used pecans)
1 c powdered sugar (plus some extra to roll um in )
Dash of salt
1 1/2 Tbsp Cocoa
1/2 c rum (you can also use Brandy , OJ or Bourbon)
2 1/2 tbsp light Karo syrup




mix all together, refrigerate for 10 minutes so that  the dough firmer and easier to roll. roll into bite size balls which you then roll in powdered sugar, put them back in the fridge till you are ready to eat them.









So it was brought to my attention that I had cocoa in the picture but not listed in the ingredients list (Thanks, Linda  :0) )  So I have fixed it.... sorry if you tried them and hated them.

Muffin Flop...

Well it had been awhile since I made any muffins. We have been traveling so no fresh fruit around remembering  I had a bag of frozen berries,  I  went on line looking for a recipe. Well the recipe I found was called the Best Berry Muffins ever and called for using frozen berries.  I follow the directions to a tee even over filling the muffin tin cups,  which I normally just ignore but the promise of beautiful muffins was more then I could resist.  Bad bad plan.... muffin batter over flowing  into the bottom of the oven, which in turn caused  Hubie to wake-up to a the house filled with smoke. Oops...

Can you imagine not buying bread at the grocery store??

 I have not bought a loaf of bread since I started this blog.  A couple of times when Charlie has wanted a PB & J and I hadn't baked any bread because we just returned home from travel I thought about running up and grabbing a loaf but I didn't. I would just tell him we need to bake some bread and he would gladly help me.

This is the loaf I have been baking lately....

Amish White
2c warm water (110 degrees)
2/3 c white sugar
1 1/2 tbsp active dry yeast
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 c vegetable  oil
6 c bread flour
all-purpose flour for surface and removing stickiness from dough

In large bowl dissolve sugar in warm water then stir in yeast, allow to proof.

Mix oil and salt into the yeast mixture. Add flour in 1 cup at a time. Knead dough on lightly floured surface ( I have found that a wood cutting board works great) until smooth. Place in well oiled bowl turning to coat. Cover with a damp towel allow to rise until doubled (about 1 hour)

After rise punch down dough, knead (on floured surface) for a few mintues adding some flour to remove stickiness from dough. Divide in half shape into loafs and place in two well oiled  9 x 5 loaf pans. Allow to rise for 30 minutes or until dough has risen 1 inch above pan.


Bake at 350 for 25- 30 minutes.

Apple Cranberry Pork Chops

6 Pork Chops
1 1/2 tsp Salt
1 1/2 tsp rubbed sage
1 tbsp vegetable oil
3 apples sliced
3 tbsp maple syrup
3 tbsp all purpose flour
2 c  chicken broth
1 tbsp vinegar
1/3 c dried cranberries


Preheat oven to 350

Using sage and salt season pork chops evenly on both sides. In large skillet over medium flame heat vegetable oil and brown pork chops. Transfer pork chops to a shallow baking dish and save drippings from browning pan.

Peel core and slice apples layering over pork chops, drizzle with maple syrup.

Sprinkle flour over the pan drippings and cook until brown, stirring occasionally. Add chick broth and stir constantly until mixture is smooth. Bring to boil , stir in Vinegar, 1/2 tsp salt, and cranberries. Pour mixture over pork chops cover with foil and bake for 50- 60 minutes

Abandoned Blog...

Sorry..... I pulled a muscle in my back  then  traveled with my Hubie to Oklahoma City... came home for four days and then off to Tennessee then to Florida and arriving home this past Monday at 1:30 AM.  

Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate " Chocolate Cake and Frosting

• Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate " Chocolate Cake
• 2 cups sugar
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans. 

Batter is very thin!!

2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING. 10 to 12 servings.

VARIATIONS:
ONE-PAN CAKE: Grease and flour 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Heat oven to 350° F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely. Frost.

THREE LAYER CAKE: Grease and flour three 8-inch round baking pans. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost.

BUNDT CAKE: Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Frost.

CUPCAKES: Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. Heat oven to 350°F. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost. About 30 cupcakes.


"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. 

yummy frosting

should of made my frosting thicker

This cake was awesome!!

Dressed up Coleslaw

This is so easy and people always enjoy it!

1/2 bag coleslaw mix
1/2 jar coleslaw dressing
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 pumpkin seed (can also use sunflower seed, sliced almond)
celery seed


Mix all together refrigerate for a couple of hours.

Sugar Cookies

This time we used Alton Brown's cookie Recipe and Peggy Cullian's icing. They turned out good I had a little trouble rolling the dough out with it cold. but after you do it a few times you get the hang of it.


Sugar Cookies
3 c all purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking power
1/4 tsp salt
1 c unsalted butter, softened
1 c sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tbsp milk
powder sugar for rolling out the dough

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Place butter, and sugar in large bowl of stand mixer beat until light in color. Add egg and Milk beat until combined.

Put mixer on low speed and gradually add flour mixture. Beat until  bater pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
Divide dough in half and wrap in wax paper and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat over to 375

Sprinkle surface with powder sugar . Remove 1 wrapped pack of dough at a time
.

Roll out to 1/4 inch thick moving around to make sure it is not sticking to surface.

Cut to desired shape and place on greased cookie sheet, parchment or silicone baking mat.

Bake 7- 9 minutes  or until edges are just beginning to brown.  Let cool for 2 minutes then move to rack to cool completely then frost if desired.

Royal Icing Cookie Paint 


3 egg whites at room Temperature
16 oz powder sugar (3 cups)

Beat egg and sugar together on low speed. After 30 Seconds scrape the sides of the bowl and increase speed to medium.

Beat until Mixture thickens about 3 minutes.

Storing Icing

Keep in airtight container , or cover with damp cloth or plastic wrap.

Can be refrigerated for 2 days. Before using lightly beat with whisk or fork.

French bread

This bread is so yummy!! I could see this replacing our store bought white bread.  I made two batches of this dough and the other did not rise,  I baked it and it came out VERY heavy and when I cut into it it was doughy. But I am pretty sure that that was because my water was not warm enough when I proofed my yeast.

I will make sure I alway check and that my water is at 110.

1 c warm water (110 degrees)
2 1/2 c bread flour
1 tbsp white sugar
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp bread machine yeast
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp water

Combine water , yeast and sugar  allow to proof ( let  sit for 10 minutes), then add salt and flour. Knead until no longer sticky.

Place dough in oiled bowl turning to coat all sides. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes or until doubled. Dough is ready if an indention remains when touched.

Pouch down dough on a lightly floured surface. I then hand formed mine into a loaf.  placed it on a oiled baking sheet. making deep slashes across the top.

Cover and let rise for 30 -40 minutes

Preheat oven to375

Mix egg yolk with 1 tbsp water and brush over top

Bake for 20 minutes or until Golden brown

Cinnamon Rolls

Dough

2 c flour
2 tbsp sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp butter
3/4 milk

Filling

4 tbsp butter

1 c brown sugar

3 tsp cinnamon

Glaze

1/2 c powered sugar

1/8 cup milk

1. Mix all filling ingredients, sprinkle 1/2 on the bottom of a 9x9 pan
2. In a large bowl mix together flour,  sugar, baking power and salt
3. Cut in butter
4. Stir in milk to form a soft dough.
5. Roll out on a lightly floured surface, in a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick
6. spread remaining filling on rolled out dough
7.  roll up and cut with a sharp knife into 18 rolls
8. Bake 20 -25 minutes at 400
9. For glaze combine sugar and milk mix until smooth, drizzle over rolls when done baking.

 

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Pork loin w/ Whiskey, Cranberries and apples

a Moppy original....

1 pork loin
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 apple peeled , corded and sliced
1/8 c Jack Daniels
1/2 c chicken stock
apple pie spice

1. Mix Chicken stock, dash of apple pie spice and whiskey together in crock pot on low. (whiskey will smell very strong, but it doesn't taste very strong when done
2. add Pork loin
3. top withe cranberries, apples and sprinkle with apple pie spice.
4. cook on low for 6 - 8 hours

Grilled Mahi Mahi with fruit Salsa

another of my own creations...

2 Mahi Mahi Fillets

1/2 cup Grapes  sliced
1/2 strawberries diced
1/2 cup cucumber  diced
3 tbsp strawberry preserves
1 tsp dried mint
1/2 tsp salt

mix together fruit, preserves and mint cover and place in fridge for at least an hour I  usually make these types of things up hours in advance.


Coat Mahi Mahi with olive oil grill for 10  mintues or until done and fish flakes easily in the last few mintues top with a small amount of your salsa. let diner add more as they wish.. enjoy.

Made from scratch Chocolate cupcakes with Vanilla cream Frosting

Moist Chocolate Cupcakes

1 1/2 c flour
1 c sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/3 c cocoa
1/2 c olive oil
1 c milk
1 tsp vinegar

mix all ingredients well in mixer should be brown and smooth

                                                                           bake at 350 for 20 minutes
makes 1 dozen

Vanilla Butter Cream Frosting
3 c powder sugar
1/2 c butter softened
3 tbsp milk
2 tsp vanilla


Beat all ingredients together until well blended and smooth

If frosting becomes too think beat in extra milk by the tsp.
makes about 3 1/2 c frosting

This frosting is just like eating sugar....  I will look for a different one to try next time.

Maple Oat Bread

Bread
1 1/2 c all purpose flour
1 1/2 c whole wheat flour
1/2 c oats
1 pk (.25 ounce)  dry active yeast
1/2 tsp ground clove
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 c warm water
1/4 cup maple syrup


Top of bread
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp oats

In large bowl stir together flours, oats, yeast, spices and salt. 

combine oil, water and maple syrup.  Stir into flour mixture.

When dough is stiff enough turn out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 7 minutes).

Knead in more flour is necessary to keep dough from being sticky (i didn't need to add any). Place dough in oiled bowl turning to coat. Cover and set aside in a warm place to rise till doubled in size.

 Punch dough down form into a tight ball by folding in sides, the tighter the ball the more it will rise instead of just spreading. Place on greased baking sheet with seam down . Let rise for 20 minutes or until your finger leaves a dent when you poke it.

 Preheat the oven to 375, mix topping , top, bake for 35- 40 minutes