Sunday, December 21, 2025

Bisquick Apple Coffee Cake

 


Photo sources:  Simple Recipes

Perhaps you grew up eating or making this coffee cake, just as our founder Elise Bauer did. "A favorite family ritual growing up was this apple coffee cake on Sunday mornings," she writes. "My father would prepare it for his six greedy kids, all of us begging for him to pile on the brown sugar streusel topping." Elise says that her dad usually doubled the recipe to better feed their large family.  Comment from Simply Recipes

I've used Bisquick in my cooking since I was a young adult.  The many magazines I subscribed to had numerous recipes that included Bisquick, so I decided to try it.  Now I use it routinely for biscuits and pancakes and love it.  I've also adapted recipes using Bisquick, like a banana bread that took me years to perfect.  So I am anxious to try this apple coffee cake.

Click here to go to the Simple Recipes recipe page.





Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

 


Photo source: All Recipes

"An easy slow cooker chicken and dumplings recipe for a filling, comforting meal on a cold, snowy day. I have four children who are picky eaters, and they love this!"  Comment from All Recipes

Chicken and Dumplings is one of my favorite meals that I never thought of preparing in the slow cooker.  Great idea!

Click here to go to the All Recipes recipe page.






Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies

 


Photo source:  Maria's Mixing Bowl


"Over the years, we’ve made our fair share of sugar cookies, but this recipe with cream cheese might just be our favorite. Let us tell you, you haven’t lived until you’ve had these cookies!  Comment from Maria's Mixing Bowl

Sugar cookies are already delicious, but adding cream cheese is outstanding!  This has got to be the ultimate Christmas cookie.

Click here to go to Maria's Mixing Bowl recipe page.





Saturday, December 20, 2025

Grilling/Smoking . . . A Collection of Recipes




This post was originally written in 2015


There is nothing like the aroma of grilling/smoking meats outdoors.  The Captain and I recently treated ourselves to a grill/smoker since he is a master at smoking meats on the grill.

No gas grill here, we love the taste and aroma of meats prepared on a wood fire.  Since we will be putting our grill/smoker to good use, I have been looking for great grilling/smoking recipes.




Baklava from The Pioneer Woman

Photo source:  The Pioneer Woman


Baklava always takes me back to my childhood and the Greek family friends who were our neighbors.  I was blown away the first time I had a chance to try these syrupy sweet delicacies, I had never had anything like them.

It was a treat to see The Pioneer Woman prepare this delicious pastry on the Food Network.  While it is a rather tedious process, the results are well worth it.

Click here to go to the recipe page.





Chocolate Éclair Dessert

 


Photo source:  All Recipes

"This chocolate éclair dessert is a no-bake pudding dessert that's so quick and easy to make — everyone loves it! I always keep the ingredients on hand in case I need a quick dessert. It's best if it sits overnight before serving."  Comment from All Recipes

Love that it is quick and easy.  How can you go wrong with chocolate éclair?

Click here to go to All Recipes recipe page.





No Bake Oreo Pie

 


Photo source:  Southern Living

"This no-bake Oreo pie recipe is an absolute dream for cookies and cream lovers—rich, decadent, and intense. Plus, it’s super easy to make using just seven readily available ingredients. The crust holds up well despite not being baked, and the filling is creamy, light, and packed with bits of cookies for an irresistible texture."  Comment from Southern Living

This pie is made from scratch, not a instant pudding recipe.  It gets my attention when the filling contains whipping cream and cream cheese and the whole recipe calls for a family size pack of Oreos.  Delicious and sounds easy too!

Click here to go to the Southern Living recipe page.




Dr Pepper Sheet Cake

 


"This is a magical dessert that combines Dr. Pepper and spice cake. Tender, moist, and perfectly spiced, this Dr. Pepper cake is like a ginger chocolate cake with the added pizzazz of arguably the best soda out there. Bonus: This recipe uses a whole 12-ounce can for the cake and icing."  Comment from All Recipes

Sounds delicious and interesting!

Click here to go to the All Recipes recipe page.






Pecan Cheesecake Pie

 


Photo source:  Southern Living

"This pecan cheesecake pie looks like a classic pecan pie at first glance, but cut in, and you'll find a layer of cheesecake that magically rests between a traditional, gooey pecan pie filling and crunchy pecan topping. Pecan pie may be "the South's most popular pie," but this version balances the rich sweetness of the original with its tangy cheesecake filling, and brings it all together with a buttery, flaky crust for an irresistible end to any meal. With only 15 minutes of prep time, you'll be making this pie all season long."  Comment from Southern Living

Pecan cheesecake pie looks beyond delicious.  This pie is genius.  I have no words!

Click here to go to the Southern Living recipe page.





Friday, December 19, 2025

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 LivingEditor'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.






Thursday, December 18, 2025

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




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.