Wednesday, December 10, 2025

Better Than Anything Toffee

 


Photo source: Mom on Timeout

"The best toffee recipe EVER!  Sweet milk chocolate, crunchy pecans, and rich, buttery toffee – what’s not to love? This Better Than Anything Toffee is easy to make and makes the perfect treat OR gift year-round!" . . . description from Trish of Mom on Timeout.

Great for gift giving . . . who doesn't like toffee?

Click here to go to the recipe.




Wendy's Copycat Chili

 


Photo source:  Taste of Home

"Next time a craving for Wendy’s chili strikes, forget about a trip to the drive-thru and head to your kitchen instead. This copycat Wendy’s chili recipe creates a hearty, homemade version that’s not too spicy and just as delicious as the real deal" . . . recipe description from Taste of Home.

There was a time Wendy's had a salad bar that included the chili and other items.  For the longest time I would get a baked potato and top it with chili.  Not sure how the chili is now since I haven't been in a while, but it used to be excellent.  Hoping this recipe is the same.

Click here to go to the recipe.




Buckeyes

 


Photo source:  Mom on Timeout

This recipe comes from Trish at Mom on Timeout who says this about the recipe: "Buckeyes are the perfect no bake candy to make for the holidays! With a creamy peanut butter center and a sweet chocolate exterior, this easy buckeye recipe is a crowd favorite! Bonus – only a handful of ingredients are needed!"

I've never had a Buckeyes candy, but if it is anything like a Reese's  Peanut Butter Cup, I would love to make this and the other chocolate/peanut butter recipes I've posted.  

Click here to go the recipe.




Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

 

Photo source:  Martha Stewart

"A combination of lemon zest and juice adds plenty of citrusy brightness, while three whole tablespoons of poppy seeds ensure each and every bite is loaded with their nutty crunch" . . . a description of the muffins from Martha Stewart.com.

When The Captain was in the hospital, the Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins were his favorite food of everything and made him so happy.  Funny how food conjures up memories.  They are also one of my favorite muffins.  Gotta make these!

Click here to go to the recipe.




New Orleans-Style Spicy Shrimp


Photo source: Taste of Home

 
The name of the recipe and the photo is all I need to know that I'm going to make this soon with my variation.  I've already been thinking about this :)  The recipe calls for shell-on shrimp, but I would use peeled/deveined shrimp with maybe a little more sauce and serve over white rice.  I can taste it now.  

This recipe comes from Taste of Home and the creator has this description of the shrimp:  "This shrimp captures their favorite flavors from the Big Easy, with the right touches of spice and heat."

Click here to go to the recipe.



Pecan Pie Cake With Browned Butter Frosting

 


Photo source: Southern Living

This cake is so pretty!  If I needed to make a cake, this would be the one.  It looks so delicious, but it must be since pecan pie is awesome in itself.

This recipe comes from Southern Living and they have this to say about the cake: "The fragrance and taste of this pecan pie cake will transport you back to Grandma's kitchen.

Click here to go to the recipe.



No-Bake Key Lime Cheesecake

 


Photo source: Martha Stewart

The editors at Martha Stewart.com description of this cheesecake . . . "Our key lime cheesecake is an easy mousse-like treat that blends the tartness of key lime pie with the richness of cheesecake. It's a no-bake wonder dessert, so you don't even need to turn on the stove."

Click here to go to the recipe.  Looks like a winner!  Love that it is no bake.






Pecan Pie Brownies

 


Photo source: Southern Living

"Pecan pie brownies are an unique dessert that's the perfection combination for people who love chocolate and pecan pie and could never decide between the two. Made by baking a sheet of thick chocolatey brownies and then adding a rich layer of pecan pie filling on top, these brownies pack a lot of flavor into each bite" description from Southern Living.

What can I say?  The photo really says it all since it is a definite winner.    I would give these brownies as a homemade sweet treat gift.

Click here to go to the recipe.



Cashew Clusters

 


Photo source: Taste of Home

Cashews and chocolate sound perfect to me.  Perfect for homemade gift giving and your family will love them.  I've had similar candy and it was awesome.

This recipe comes from the Taste of Home.  The recipe creator says "I make this recipe for many bake sales at the local community college where I work. They are always the first to sell out."

Click here to go to the recipe.









Tuesday, December 9, 2025

Pecan Pralines

 


Photo source:  Southern Living

They look delicious and perfect for homemade candy gift giving for special occasions.

This recipe comes from Southern Living.  This is what they say:  "Try out our recipe for authentic Texas-style pralines that are creamy and crispy, but certainly not the chewy."

Click here to go to the recipe page.




Homemade Turtles

 


Photo source:  Southern Living

One of my favorite candies.  It is the perfect candy for special occasion gift giving.

This recipe comes from Southern Living. This is what they had to say:  

"Making candy yourself might seem intimidating, but our turtle recipe uses ingredients like sweetened condensed milk, corn syrup, and light brown sugar to make a foolproof caramel. The chewy caramel gets stirred together with crunchy toasted pecans, covered in sweet chocolate, and finished with a sprinkle of flaky salt for the perfect combination of flavors and textures. This recipe comes together relatively quickly; in under two hours, you’ll have homemade candy you can be proud of sharing with friends and family."

Click here to go to the recipe.




Pecan Tassies

 


Photo source: Southern Living

Those Pecan Tassies look like cute little pecan pies.  I've never had one, but I'd love to try one, they look delicious.  

The recipe comes from Southern Living.  This is what they had to say:  "A cross between a shortbread cookie and a bite of pecan pie, pecan tassies are the kind of bite-sized dessert that offers just the right amount of decadence in an adorable package."

Click here to go to the recipe page.




Classic Sloppy Joes

 


Photo source:  Martha Stewart

It has been so long since I have had a Sloppy Joe and I have been craving one lately.  When I was in elementary school, I had a friend that I would have dinner with all the time and her mother made the best Sloppy Joes.  I will never forget them.  Maybe this recipe will be the right one like hers!

This recipe comes from Martha Stewart, click here to go to the recipe page.





Does Pie Really Need To Be Refrigerated?

 


Photo source:  Southern Living

Good question and I often wonder, but put it in the fridge to be safe.  Now we can all find out.

The article is from Southern Living and covers everything you need to know about the question and everything else you need to know about storing pie and how.

Here is what they have to say about the article:  "Whether you picked up a pie at your local bakery or baked one from scratch, knowing how to store it properly is the best way to keep it as fresh and delicious as possible. Different types of pies can benefit from different storage methods, whether your pie is fruit- or custard-based, a meringue pie, or other variety. Storing your pie properly won’t just help keep it fresh, it will also ensure food safety."

Click here to go to the article.




Copycat KFC Chicken Pot Pie

 


Photo source:  Maria's Mixing Bowl

The KFC Chicken Pot Pie is one of my regular orders from Door Dash, so I am very interested in making my own.  

This recipe comes from Maria's Mixing Bowl and Maria has the following description . . . "There’s nothing quite as comforting as a warm, golden pot pie, and this Copycat KFC Chicken Pot Pie is the ultimate weeknight dinner solution. They’re hearty, flavorful, and perfect for using up leftover chicken. Plus, the puff pastry topping adds a buttery, flaky crust that bakes to perfection in under 20 minutes."

Click here to go to the recipe.




Hot Tamale Pie

 


Photo source:  All Recipes


Chef John of Food Wishes, who is one of my favorite chefs on You Tube, is the creator of this recipe.  What I love about this recipe is the topping is made with a corn muffin mix like Jiffy and the filling sounds delicious.  I really can't wait to make this.

This recipe comes from All Recipes . . . click here to go to the recipe page that includes a video.



Alabama Corn Sticks (Cast Iron Pan Recipe)





Originally posted in 2014


When my first husband and I were married, one of the first things I wanted his mom to teach me was how to make corn sticks.  This is her recipe that I never tweaked . . . it makes the perfect corn sticks.

I love my corn stick cast iron pan and still have it after all these years.  That pan has made tons of delicious and crispy corn sticks!! 

Corn sticks is one of the items that was always made for our corn shucking parties.  I've written about those parties before, but the short version is we went to the corn farms and bought tons of fresh corn on the cob and invited friends to help us prepare them for blanching for eventual freezing. Everyone went home with lots of blanched corn and we had a blast in the process.  If you have ever shucked a large amount of corn, you know how boring that task can be!  Actually, we shucked all types of peas too.

Those corn sticks are the perfect compliment to a bowl of beans!





1 1/2 cup of cornmeal
1 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
3/4 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of sugar
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 1/2 cup of buttermilk
1 egg, beaten

pinch of cayenne pepper
pinch of onion powder


Sift together cornmeal, baking powder, soda, sugar, cayenne pepper, onion powder and salt; stir in buttermilk and egg, mixing well. 

Heat greased cast iron corn stick pans in a 400ºF. oven for 3 minutes or until very hot. 


Spoon batter into pans, filling two thirds full. 


Bake at 400ºF. for 25 minutes or until lightly browned.


Breakfast Crescent Ring

 


Photo source:  All Recipes

"Stunning breakfast crescent ring filled with bacon, eggs, bell peppers, and cheese. You can substitute sausage for the bacon if you like" from the recipe creator.

Love this versatile crescent ring.  And another use for crescent rolls!

This recent comes from All Recipes . . . click here to go to the recipe page.




Monday, December 8, 2025

Cheese Grits Casserole

 


Photo source: All Recipes

Cheese grits casserole has to be awesome since grits is so awesome, in my opinion.  Love grits so much, one of my favorites.  Sometimes I make a pot of grits, throw some butter and cheese in it and that is my meal.  Very satisfying.  I am going to have to try this recipe.

Click here to go to the All Recipes recipe page.





Buttermilk Pecan Pralines

 


Photo source:  Mom on Timeout


Pralines are another candy I have never tried.  They look so delicious and would be perfect for homemade candy gift giving.

This recipe comes from Trish from Mom on Timeout.  How she describes these pralines:  "Rich, creamy, and packed with pecans!  These homemade Pralines are a timeless holiday candy that everyone loves."

Click here to go to the recipe page.