Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pecan Chocolate Chip Crunch Cookies

Is there an end to the different kinds of cookies you can make?  I think not.  These are by far my all time favorite.  I know, I say that about every new batch I come up with... but I really mean it this time.

1 cup butter flavored Crisco (+ 2 Tbsp water)

¾ cup sugar

¾ cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp maple extract

1 cup all purpose flour

1½ cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 cups chocolate chips

1 cup chopped pecans

In large mixing bowl, cream sugars and Crisco together, and add eggs and vanilla and maple extract. 

Combine flours, baking soda, and salt together.  Add to mixing bowl and blend well.  Fold in chocolate chips and pecans. 

Bake 375° 9-11 minutes.  Makes 5 dozen.

© Crackerberries 2012

Chili Nacho's

Aunt Millie’s Silly Chili Nachos

2 green/red peppers, chopped

8 cooked meatballs, diced or sliced

1 medium onion, chopped

1 ½ cups red kidney beans, drained (not rinsed)

1 ½ cups tomato sauce

1 red Chile pepper, finely chopped

1 tsp chili powder

½ tsp cumin

6.5 oz tortilla chips

1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

¼ cup parmesan cheese

8-10 black olives

3 small Chile peppers, sliced

Sour cream

Salsa

Preheat oven to 450°.

In medium skillet, sauté onions and peppers for five minutes.  Stir in meatballs, kidney beans, tomato sauce, and spices and cook just until heated. 

Spread tortilla chips on cookies.  Spoon chili over top and sprinkle with cheeses; top with olives and Chile peppers.  Bake 450° for 10-12 minutes, just until cheese starts to bubble and edges of chips start to brown.  Serve with sour cream and salsa on the side.

© Crackerberries 2012

White Pizza

Chicken Chile Pepper White Pizza

Pizza Dough

6 oz cream cheese

1 Tbsp sour cream

1 tsp Italian seasoning

½ tsp garlic salt

1 cup basil seasoned sundried tomatoes

1-1½ cups chopped cooked chicken

½ cup sliced jalapeno and Chile peppers

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven 400°

Soak sundried tomatoes in 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil.

Combine cream cheese, sour cream, Italian seasoning and garlic salt in mixing bowl and blend until smooth. 

Spread cream cheese mixture over pizza dough.  Finely chop tomatoes and sprinkle over cheese.  Cover with chicken and peppers, and top with mozzarella cheese.

Bake 400° 20-32 minutes.

© Crackerberries 2012

Pasta Bake

Sloppy Joe’s Pasta Bake

2 cups mixed pasta (shells and elbows)

1 onion, diced

1 cup chopped green/banana peppers

1 lb ground beef

(You could use a can of Manwich Sloppy Joe to make this even quicker and easier)

2 cups tomato sauce

½ cup ketchup

¼ cup V-8 juice

½ tsp ground marjoram

½ tsp ground thyme

½ tsp garlic salt

1 tsp basil leave

1 tsp oregano leaves

1 tsp fresh ground pepper

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to  350°.

Cook pasta according to package instructions.  Drain.

In Dutch oven, brown ground beef with onions and peppers.  Add spices, tomato sauce, V-8 juice and ketchup and cook just until bubbly.  Drain water from pasta and add to ground beef mixture.  Mix well.  Sprinkle with cheese and bake 350° 20-30 minutes until cheese melts and is slightly golden.

© Crackerberries 2012

 

Zucchini Relish

There is a comical story that goes along with this recipe.  For years I’ve been trying to get my grubby little hands on the Averill family’s secret zucchini relish recipe.  My grandmother died and no one wanted to share that recipe with me.  Finally, I twisted some arms, and broke some legs, and one of the relatives gave me the recipe.  Not long after that, I received a jar of zucchini relish from my cousin from the Hill side of the family – (the other side of the family).  He and his wife also included a copy of the Hill family’s secret zucchini relish recipe.  To my hysterical surprise, the Hill family recipe is identical to the Averill family recipe.  How do you suppose that happened? 

I'm taking a big chance giving the secret away, but seeing how they don't read my blog, I'm going to share it and no one will even know.  Enjoy, it really is a tasty relish.

12 cups shredded zucchini
4 cups finely chopped onions
4 cups finely chopped green/red peppers

Combine veggies in large glass bowl.  Sprinkle with 1 cup canning salt, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.  Drain and rinse well.

2½ cups white vinegar
6 cups sugar
¾ tsp nutmeg
1½ tsp celery salt
½ tsp black pepper
¾ tsp turmeric
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp dry mustard

Combine all ingredients except for the cornstarch.  Cook in preserving pot until it starts to thicken (about 30 minutes).  Stir often.  Add cornstarch mixed with a little water during the last 5-10 minutes of cooking.  Pour into hot sterilized jars and process in boiling water bath 10 minutes.

© Crackerberries 2012

Corn Chowder

Specialty Corn Chowder

1 Small hunk of salt pork, chopped

2 medium onions, peeled and coarsely chopped

2 lbs red potatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 large carrot, shredded

1½ cups frozen kernel corn

1 can cream style corn

1 small sweet red pepper chopped

1 cup half and half

½ cup milk

3 tbsp butter

½ tsp celery salt

Fresh ground pepper

Sauté salt pork and onion together in Dutch oven while peeling potatoes or until onions are golden.  Add to onion and pork and barely cover with water.  Cook 15-20 minutes until potatoes are tender. 

Drain off most of the water and add remaining ingredients and cook until hot and slightly bubbly.  Serve with Saltine crackers.  This gets thicker as it matures in the fridge the next day.  Some meals just taste better after they sit for a day, this is one of them. 

© Crackerberries 2012

Chile Pepper Pear Preserves

Hot Chile Pepper Pear Preserves

Make this using the crunchy pears that are like apples.

Ingredients:

Pears

Sugar

Hot Chile Peppers

Gran Gala Liqueur

10 cups peeled, cored, coarsely chopped hard pears

1¼ cup water

Bring to boil with cover on, reduce heat and cook 20-30 minutes, stirring often to soften pears.  Drain excess water.

*1 cup roasted hot Chile peppers, de-seeded and cored and finely chopped.

7 cups sugar

Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer stirring often 1½ - 2 hours to further soften pears.  Return heat to medium-high and cook stirring often 45 minutes longer or until it reaches the **gel stage (220°). 

Remove from heat and stir in ¼ cup Gran Gala Liqueur, continue to stir 2-3 minutes longer to prevent the fruit from floating to the top; spoon into hot sterilized jars and process in boiling water bath 10 minutes. 

Yield 5 pints.

• To roast peppers, preheat oven to 450°.  Spread peppers on cookie sheet; roast 4-5 minutes until skins blister.  Place in zip lock bag to sweat in their skins for 10-15 minutes.  Once this is done it is easy to slide the tip of a spoon or butter knife in and slip out the seeds and white core.  WEAR GLOVES WHEN WORKING WITH HOT PEPPERS.

• The gel stage is reached at 220°.  Another way to test the gel stage is to place a small plate in the freezer.  Towards the end of cooking time, place a spoonful of the hot mixture on the plate, and return it to the freezer for two minutes.  Check to see if the mixture has gelled.

© Crackerberries 2012

Chicken and Herbs

Four+ Herbs Chicken

1½ -2 lbs chicken leg quarters

3-4 cloves garlic, sliced

Fresh basil leaves

Fresh oregano leaves

Fresh lemon balm leaves

1 tbsp tarragon leaves

Sea salt

Fresh ground black pepper

Olive oil

Wash chicken.  Preheat oven to 350°

Place chicken in cast iron skillet.

Finely chop basil, oregano, and lemon balm leaves and combine with tarragon leaves.  Slide pieces of garlic underneath the skin of the chicken with 1 tsp of the herbs. 

Rub the outside skin generously with extra virgin olive oil.  Salt and pepper and sprinkle with remaining herbs. 

Bake 50 minutes at 350°.  Flip chicken and increase heat to 400° and cook 10-15 minutes longer. 

© Crackerberries 2012

Pear Pie

Harvest Time Pear Pie

1 9-inch pie crust

10 pears, peeled, cored, and sliced

1 cup fig conserves

¾ cup sugar

2 Tbsp whole wheat flour

Pinch of salt

1 tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp nutmeg

½ tsp cardamom

1-2 tbsp butter or margarine

Preheat oven 400°.

Combine sugar, flour, and spices together.  Add to pears, and mix well.  Fold in conserves. 

Spoon mixture into pie crust, and dot with 1-2 tbsp butter or margarine; lay top pastry over top.  Pinch edges all the way around, and crimp to seal.  Cut air vents in top of crust.  (Use a festive cookie cutter before putting top pie crust on — be sure not to cut all the way through.)

Bake at 400° for 50 minutes, reduce heat to 350° to cook an additional 10-15 minutes, sliding a sharp knife in one of the air vents to check tenderness of pears.  You may need to tent aluminum foil around the edges if they start to get too brown. 

Serve warm with ice cream if desired.

© Crackerberries 2012

Parmesan Crusted Burgers

Parmesan Crusted Burgers

1 lb ground beef

½ cup Italian style bread crumbs

1 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp onion powder

1 egg

¼ cup parmesan cheese

¼ cup finely shredded mozzarella cheese

½ tsp garlic salt

1 tsp fresh coarsely ground pepper

½ tsp BBQ spice

Combine ground beef, bread crumbs, 1 tsp garlic salt, onion powder, and egg and mix well.  Shape into four patties. 

In small bowl combine parmesan cheese, garlic salt, pepper and BBQ spice and mix well.  Roll outside edges of patties in mixture, shake off excess.  Add mozzarella cheese and mix well.

Place patties in preheated cast iron skillet on medium heat and cook for 7 minutes.  Flip and cook an additional 4-5 minutes.  In the meantime, preheat broiler.  

Divide parmesan mixture over each patty.  Place under broiler for 2-3 minutes or until cheese is slightly golden and bubbly.  Remove from skillet and serve on buns or alone with favorite sides.

© Crackerberries 2012

Peanut Butter Crunch Buns

Peanut Butter Yeast Buns

(Bread machine)

Yeast Bun Dough

1 egg

¾ cup water (70°-80°)

¼ cup butter flavored Crisco

¼ cup dry milk powder

¾ tsp salt

1½ cup all purpose flour

1½ cup whole wheat flour

¼ cup sugar

2¼ tsp yeast

Combine all ingredients (starting with wet items first and ending with yeast last) in bread machine.  Make a small well in the top of the dry ingredients for the yeast.  Select the dough setting (this typically takes an hour and 20 minutes so plan accordingly). 

Turn out dough on lightly floured surface.  Divide dough in half.  (I freeze one for later).  Roll each into 10x15 inch rectangles.  Let rest and make filling.  (Each half will make 12 buns).

Peanut Butter Filling

¾ cup brown sugar

¼ cup flour

¾ cup crunchy peanut butter

3 Tbsp margarine

Combine in bowl and mix well.  Divide in half and spread over each rectangle.  Roll up the long side of the dough and pinch along the sides to seal.  Slice into twelve rolls.

Place on lightly greased cookie sheet and cover with dish towel to let rise 30-45 minutes or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 375°.  Bake 20 minutes.  Remove from cookie sheet and place on wire racks to cool slightly.  Drizzle with orange glace if desired.

Orange Glaze

1 cup confectioner’s sugar

2-3 Tbsp orange juice

Combine in bowl and mix to desired spreading consistency.  Drizzle over each bun and serve immediately.  Store leftovers in air tight container.

© Crackerberries 2012

Pizza Burgers

Pizza Burgers

1 lb ground beef

12 slices pepperoni

½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

½ cup pizza sauce

4 hamburger buns

Condiments

Shape hamburger into 4 1 inch thick patties.  Place in freezer for about an hour to slightly freeze. 

Preheat oven to 375°

Remove from freezer and slice each burger through the center.  Press down gently with thumb on bottom patty creating a small well in each burger.  Add 1 tablespoon of pizza sauce to each well, top with chopped pepperoni and mozzarella cheese.  Place tops of burgers back on top and squeeze to seal sides. 

Place on rack on cookie sheet.  Cook at 375°for 20 minutes; flip and cook an additional 10 minutes.  Serve on toasted buns with more pizza sauce or other favorite condiments.       

© Crackerberries 2012

Homemade Shake N Bake Chicken

Chicken

 1 lb chicken leg/thigh pieces

2 Tbsp teriyaki sauce

1 tsp Sriracha hot chili sauce (A.K.A. Rooster Sauce)

½ cup Italian style bread crumbs

½ cup whole wheat flour                    

1 tsp onion powder

½ tsp ground black pepper

2 tsp BBQ spice

1½ tsp coarse sea salt

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

 

Combine teriyaki sauce and Sriracha sauce in zip lock bag.  Add chicken and let stand for 30 minutes on counter top, flipping over often.  Remove from bag and discard marinade.

In another zip lock bag combine bread crumbs, flour, onion powder, pepper, BBQ spice and salt.  Shake well to combine.  Add chicken pieces a couple at a time and shake well to coat. 

Place vegetable oil in cast iron skillet and swirl around to cover bottom.  Place chicken in skillet.  Bake at 350° for 20 minutes, flip chicken and bake 20 more minutes.  Remove from skillet immediately.

© Crackerberries 2012