Peppermint Mocha Cake Balls

 

Photo source:  Southern Living

"These peppermint mocha cake balls are perfect for holiday parties and family get-togethers since there's no cake slicing required. Cake balls are also perfect for beginner bakers and seasoned holiday bakers alike because it doesn’t matter how pretty your cake looks coming out of the oven. You’ll crumble the cake and form them into tasty, bite-sized treats anyway, so you don’t have to worry about making anything look perfect."  Comment from Southern Living

These are the perfect party cookies.  They make an awesome presentation, can be set out individually and sound like very delicious little treats.  

Click here to go to the Southern Living recipe page.

Sparkling Linzer Cookies

Photo source:  Southern Living

 

"Try this versatile recipe with other fillings, such as cranberry preserves or orange marmalade. For the chocolate lovers, there's always Nutella. You can also customize the center cut-outs. You could keep it simple with a smaller circle or punch out a mini snowflake. It’s easy to put your own creative spin on these festive sandwich cookies."  Comment from Southern Living - Editor's Note: This recipe was developed by Tricia Manzanero Stuedeman; the recipe tips were written by Alana Al-Hatlani.

I have heard of Linzer Cookies, but never had them.  They look delicious and festive.  Great presentation for any special occasion.

Click here to go to the Southern Living recipe page.

Italian Cream Cake

 

"While the exact origin of Italian cream cake is unclear, it likely emerged in the mid-20th century in the Southern United States. Made with buttermilk, coconut, pecans, and cream cheese frosting, the popularity of this cake quickly expanded beyond the Southern states as it became a favored offering at weddings, holidays, and more.

You might be wondering where its name came from. While we can't say for sure, it may be that the richness of the cake was associated with the type of luxurious desserts often found in Italian cuisine, or that an Italian baker in the South was its original creator." Comment from Southern Living

This is one cake I have never had and really never heard of it growing up.  Maybe it was known as something else in my part of the world.  Anyway, it has a nice presentation and sounds delicious.  This is a made from scratch cake.

Click here to go to Southern Living recipe page.

Chocolate Lasagna

 

Photo source:  Southern Living

"The prep for chocolate lasagna is simple: It's just crumbled chocolate cookies and butter for the crust. For the layers, you'll mix up one spread of cream cheese, sugar, milk, and whipped topping; then you'll make a chocolatey topper made from instant pudding and milk. To finish it all off, you'll add a layer of airy whipped cream and a sprinkling of mini chocolate chips."  Comment from Southern Living

Looks cute.  Would you call it a pudding cake?  Very interesting.  Nice Presentation!

Click here to go to the Southern Living recipe page.

Slow cooker breakfast casserole

 

Photo source:  Taste of Home

"Slow-cooker breakfast casserole is a low-effort, utterly irresistible overnight recipe packed with breakfast favorites like eggs, sausages, hash browns and cheese. Kids and adults alike are going to love it."  Comment from Taste of Home

Why didn't I think of this?  Breakfast is what I cook the most - morning, noon and night.  Love it so much any time of day.  How convenient to throw everything in the slow cooker and breakfast is ready with no hassle.  I'm going to try this one for sure!

Click here to go to the Taste of Home recipe page.

Oven Roast Beef

 

Photo source:  Favorite Family Recipes

"Our Oven Roast Beef is tender, flavorful, and perfect every time! This easy Sunday roast has been a tradition in our family for years. We hope you love this classic recipe as much as we do. Includes best cuts, cook times, and expert tips for best results."  Comment from Favorite Family Recipes

Love Favorite Family Recipes' recipe for a basic roast as it is well explained for a beginner cook and includes variations, side dishes, a recipe for gravy, how to store and what to do with leftovers.

Click here to go to Favorite Family Recipes excellent recipe page.

Cowboy Cookie Bars

 

Photo source:  All Recipes

"These cowboy cookie bars are perfectly balanced and tasty. The addition of shredded coconut make them extra moist."  Comment from All Recipes

They remind me of what would be a super brownie.  They are loaded with all kinds of good stuff, but I would add peanut butter chips too.  Variations are always possible on all recipes, just maintain a good balance of the original recipe to retain the correct texture.

Click here to go to the All Recipes recipe page.

Spaghetti Aglio E Olio UPDATED

Photo source: Food Network

My nana often made this meal for lunch with homemade garlic bread, salad (with oil and vinegar dressing and parmesan cheese) and iced tea with lemon.  It was such a treat for me and it still remains one of my favorite meals.

The photo and the following link to recipe and video comes from Ina Garten, but I make mine a different way . . . I think much easier!

My version starts off by getting my pasta water boiling and get the pasta cooking.

At the same time, I heat up a pan and melt about 1/2 stick of butter (depends on how much pasta you are making).  Add about 2 garlic cloves, making sure the garlic does not brown.

Angel hair pasta is what I prefer and the best thing is that it is ready in three minutes, so I have to work fast to put this all together.

As the garlic is sautéing in the butter, I start adding pasta water little by little.  (You'll need to experiment with how much pasta water you add.)  I love the way the pasta water slightly thickens the butter and also brings lots of flavor!  Right before the pasta is done, I throw in a handful of parsley.

Add drained pasta to the mixture, along with about 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese.  Mix together!  I always make sure that I have enough mixture to add to the pasta so that the pasta doesn't stick together.  I hate when that happens! Reserve some of the pasta water when draining in case you need more.

A note about my recipe . . . I prefer butter over olive oil because I really don't like the taste of olive oil.  You can use olive oil or a combination of both.  Whatever you prefer!  

All in all, I've got this recipe down to just five minutes from start to finish.  I've had lots of practice making it since I was a little girl!

Click here to get to Ina Garten's recipe.

The Food Network
Recipe courtesy of Ina Garten

2010, Barefoot Contessa How Easy is That?, All Rights Reserved
SHOW: Barefoot Contessa
EPISODE: Off Duty

Orange Rolls from scratch

Photo from I Am Baker

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN AUGUST 2019

When I had several orange trees in my yard, I developed a fondness for using oranges in my cooking and baking.  Even though my poor trees did not survive extremely cold winters, I still love to collect recipes utilizing oranges.

This recipe for Orange Rolls looks delicious and uses a scratch recipe for the rolls that can be used for many more breakfast pastry recipes.

The source blog is excellent for some awesome recipes and more!

Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

 

Photo source:  Southern Living

"Kisses make cookies sweeter. These Hershey's kiss cookies are among our favorite recipes for that very reason."  Comment from Southern Living Test Kitchens

Southern Living claims this is the most googled Christmas cookie for 2025.  I understand why.  I love peanut butter cookies and chocolate kisses, so it has got to be outstanding.

Click here to go to Southern Living Test Kitchens recipe page.

Shipwreck Casserole

 

Photo Source:  Real Simple

"Shipwreck casserole is a layered dish of potatoes, ground beef, sautéed vegetables, and cheese that’s baked until bubbling and golden. What about the name? Legend goes that after a shipwreck, the passengers saved what they could and turned it into this casserole for dinner. Whether you believe the story or not, it’s a deeply warming, satisfying meal for certain."  Comment from Real Simple

Interesting story.  Love the combination of ingredients, easy, seems to be delicious and a casserole I would like to make.

Click here to go to Real Simple's recipe page.

Caesar Chicken

 

Photo source:  Taste of Home

From the Recipe Creator: "With a crunchy Caesar crouton breading, this baked chicken has all the fixings of a Caesar salad. You can make your own dressing or use a pre-made bottle." Comment from Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

The breading sounds awesome and love that it is low carb.  Looks delicious!

Click here to go to the Taste of Home recipe page.

Angel Biscuits

 

Photo source:  Mom on Timeout

"These heavenly Angel Biscuits are lighter than air with a fluffy, soft interior that melts in your mouth. Truly the perfect side dish for breakfast or dinner! A delicious cross between my biscuit recipe and dinner rolls!

Angel biscuits are a magnificent combination of a biscuit and a dinner roll. These heavenly biscuits use three different leavening agents: baking powder, baking soda, and yeast to create a lofty, softer than air biscuit that honestly just melts in your mouth." Comment from Trish of Mom on Timeout

Looks like an easy recipe for made from scratch biscuits.

Click here to go to Trish's recipe page.

Sausage Bread

 

Photo source:  Sip and Feast

"My recipe for Italian Sausage Bread yields a hearty and delicious homemade bread filled with sausage, onions, and cheese and is the perfect snack to serve for holidays!"  Comment from Jim at Sip and Feast

This homemade Italian Sausage Bread looks delicious.  Anything made with homemade dough is probably good.  I'd love to try this!

Click here to go to Jim's Sip and Feast recipe page.

Lemon Thyme Chicken

 

Photo source:  Taste of Home

"Lemon thyme chicken combines the citrusy freshness of lemon with the earthy aroma of thyme. It’s an easy and delicious way to prepare chicken breasts for a tender, juicy meal that can be enjoyed any night of the week. The sauce is light yet flavorful and perfect for pairing with various sides. This dish comes together quickly with 10 minutes of prep time and will be ready to serve in under 30 minutes."  Comment from Taste of Home

This low carb chicken recipe is a healthy choice that is easy and looks delicious.

Click here to go to Taste of Home recipe page.

Baked Tilapia

 

Photo Source:  Taste of Home

"Baked tilapia is a great beginner’s seafood recipe, especially for those scared of preparing fish. It cooks quickly and can be easily found in the frozen food section of most U.S. grocery stores, and at just about any fish counter. It’s mild in flavor, inexpensive, and comes in naturally portioned, ready-to-cook fillets." Comment from Taste of Home

Most people probably eat tilapia regularly, cooked the same way.  For myself I get bored and would love to find more ways to cook tilapia.  The recipe being low carb is a plus.

Click here to go to the Taste of Home recipe page.

Stromboli

 

Photo source: Sip and Feast

"My classic Stromboli combines pizza dough rolled with ham, pepperoni, and provolone cheese and baked until golden.  Sliced and served with a marinara sauce for dipping, stromboli is a simple but impressive addition to any appetizer spread."  Comment from Jim of Sip and Feast

Love this stromboli recipe that is completely made from scratch.  One of the most delicious meals or appetizers that you will ever experience.

Click here to go to Jim's recipe page.

Potato Chip Chicken Tenders

Photo source: Food Network

RECIPE COURTESY OF GEOFFREY ZAKARIAN

Show: The Kitchen
Episode: Cook Smart

Watch how to make this recipe.

I watched this episode of The Kitchen on the Food Channel with great delight as I could see so many variations using this recipe.  Links are listed at the end of the recipe.

The crispiness of the finished chicken was especially of interest to me.  Can't wait to try them!

Funeral Potatoes

 

Photo source:  Mom on Timeout

"Funeral Potatoes are the ultimate comfort food! This easy hash brown casserole is loaded with cheesy potatoes, onion, garlic, sour cream and has a crunchy cornflake topping. The perfect side dish!" Comment from Trish of Mom on Timeout

Although I have seen this recipe around for years, I never got around to making them.  I hope to make them soon, they sound delicious.

Click here to go to Trish's recipe page. 

Mamaw's Chicken and Rice Casserole

Photo source:  All Recipes

 

"There's nothing like an old-fashioned recipe straight from your grandma's recipe box. Need proof? Mamaw's Chicken and Rice Casserole is comfort food incarnate. This simple, affordable, and absolutely irresistible meal will warm you up from the inside out. Learn how to make, store, freeze, and serve this easy chicken and rice casserole."  Comment from All Recipes

This chicken and rice meal has all the ingredients I like, except I do not like instant rice and will have to figure out how to adapt the recipe.  Comfort food is the best!

Click here to go to All Recipes recipe page.