Sweet and Spicy Pretzel and Nut Mix

I just received this holiday snack idea from Food52 entered by drbabs. I have many recipes for sweet, spicy and salty nut mixes. This one seems to be another interesting recipe to make during the holidays.
You can use a variety of your favorite nuts for this recipe or make them with only one kind.  The recipe makes 4 cups. I use a combination of 1 C Pecans, 1 C Almonds, 1 C Cashews, 1 C Pistachios.
Here's my adapted version of the recipe.

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
A Sheet Pan lined with Parchment Paper

4 C of Nuts
2 TBS Butter, melted
1/3 C Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Allspice
1 tsp ground Cloves
1 tsp ground Ginger
1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 TBS Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
3 TBS Pure Maple Syrup
2 tsp Salt
4 C Pretzel Twists

Spread the nuts in an even layer on the sheet pan.
Bake for 10 minutes.

In a large Mixing Bowl:
Brown Sugar
Cinnamon
Allspice
Cloves
Ginger
Cayenne Pepper
Cocoa Powder
Maple Syrup
Butter
Whisk well.
Add the warm nuts and stir until they are well coated.

Add:
Pretzels
Salt
Gently fold them in, to coat well.
Spread the mixture on the sheet pan and return to bake for 12 - 15 minutes. Stir a couple of times during baking.
Remove the pan to a rack and cool completely.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Pretzel Rolo Candy Turtles

This is a very easy treat to make. It only requires 3 ingredients and a minimal amount of time. They're a great item to serve at a Christmas Party.
Kids and Adults love them.


Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees to roast Pecans.
250 degrees to heat the Turtles.
Sheet Pans lined with Aluminum Foil.

1 package of miniature , square Waffle Pretzels.
1 - 13 oz. package of unwrapped Rolo candies.
Toasted Pecans, recipe to follow.

Place the pretzels in rows, on the sheet pan.
Top each one with a Rolo Candy.
Heat them in a 250 degree oven for 4 minutes.
The candy will begin to soften.
Remove the pan and immediately press 1 Pecan on the top and lightly press it into the melted candy.
Transfer to a new piece of foil and refrigerate until cooled and set.

Toasted Pecans:
350 degree oven.
Spray a Sheet Pan with a vegetable cooking spray.
Line the pan with a single layer of Pecans.
Stir them half way through the baking time.
Bake for 5 minutes

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Scalloped Apples two ways!

Scalloped Apples:

This is a Thanksgiving Favorite in our Family!

It's great any time of the year.

I wanted to recreate the flavor of Apples that we used to get at Luby's Cafeteria when I was a kid. I loved them and they always had them around Thanksgiving. I created this microwaved version. They are exactly as I remembered them.
I recently added a Crock Pot method.
These are always on our Thanksgiving menu.

It's definitely a Best of the Best Recipe no matter how you prepare them.

10 C peeled, cored and sliced tart apples (about 8 med. apples), of course it depends on the size of the apples.

This is the preparation stage of the apples.

After they're coated with the sugar and spices they are dotted with butter.

They are then microwaved with a cover slightly ajar.

This is the final product.

I just made a double recipe for Thanksgiving 2015
I serve them every year.

1/3 C Sugar

2 TBS Cornstarch

1 tsp Cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground Nutmeg

3 TBS Butter ( I cut it into 4 pieces per Pat)

Raisins and Pecans (optional). Add as many or as little as you like.

Place Apples in a 2 1/2 Quart Microwavable Baking dish with a cover

Combine Sugar, Cornstarch,Cinnamon and Nutmeg in a small bowl

Sprinkle over the Apples and toss to coat well

Add Raisins and Pecans if desired

Dot with pieces of Butter

Cover and microwave for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.

 This is my Apple, Corer, Slicer, Peeler,   " Thingamajiggy ".

My father built a wooden stand for it.

This is the perfect recipe for this machine!

NOTE: I often double the Sugar and Spice Mixture. I add the first measurement at the beginning of cooking the Apples. When they're done, I top it with an additional amount of the Mix and stir them well. Then let them cool completely.

I don't double the amount of Butter.

Enjoy!

Peace in the Kitchen!

Scalloped Apples in a Crock Pot:

14 Apples (I prefer Jonagold or Fuji, you can use Granny Smith too.
2/3 C Granulated Sugar
4 TBS Cornstarch
2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
4 TBS Butter, cubed

Optional:
Raisins
Chopped Pecans
Dried Cranberries
The prepared Scalloped Apples can also be made and then used as a Pie Filling. The Pie is great with the Optional ingredients added.

Apples:
Peeled
Cored
Sliced  (not too thin)

In a small bowl:
Sugar
Cornstarch
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Whisk well.

Place Apples in a Crock Pot.
Sprinkle with the Sugar mixture.
Toss to coat.
Distribute the Butter evenly over the top.

Begin cooking on High.
When the Butter melts, turn the temperature to low and continue
cooking for 5 hours.
Stir often.

The addition of the Optional ingredients is great and it makes
a great Pie.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Mixed Potato Gratin

This is a combination of Yukon Gold Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes in a Gruyere and Parmesan Cheese Gratin.  It's made in a shallow 2 quart casserole dish.
We have a French friend that made this without the Sweet Potatoes. You can do this too by just replacing the Sweet Potatoes with additional Yukon Gold Potatoes. However, I like the combination of the two.
What a great addition this would be to your Thanksgiving Menu.

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Heavily Butter a shallow 2 Quart Casserole Dish.

Half of a Vidalia Onion, diced
1 TBS Butter
1 TBS Olive Oil
1 3/4 C Heavy Cream
2 TBS Fresh Chopped Parsley
1 TBS Fresh Chopped Chives
1 tsp Fresh Chopped Rosemary
1/2 tsp Pepper
1/4 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Nutmeg
5 Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled and sliced thin on a Mandoline.
4 Sweet Potatoes, peeled and sliced thin on a Mandoline.
2 C Whole Milk
2 C Shredded Fresh Gruyere Cheese
1/2 C Grated Parmesan Cheese
2 TBS Butter, cubed.


In a saucepan on medium high heat:
Heat Butter and Olive Oil
Add:
Onions
Saute until soft.

Add:
Heavy Cream
Parsley
Chives
Rosemary
Pepper
Salt
Stir and continue sautéing for 2 minutes, stir well.
Set aside to cool completely.

In a large glass mixing bowl that's microwave safe:
Yukon Gold Potatoes
Sweet Potatoes
Toss to mix together.

Add:
Whole Milk, not the Cream mixture!
Toss with your hands to coat everything.
Cover with plastic wrap and heat in the microwave for 5 minutes.
Stir the Potatoes and continue heating, covered for an additional 5 minutes.
Drain the Potatoes and discard the Liquid.

Spoon 1/2 of the Potato mixture into the Casserole Dish.
Add:
1/2 of the Heavy Cream Mixture.
Sprinkle evenly with 1/2 of the Gruyere Cheese and 1/2 of the Parmesan Cheese.
Repeat with remaining Heavy Cream, Gruyere Cheese and Parmesan Cheese.
Dot evenly with cubed Butter.
Cover with Aluminum Foil.
Bake for 30 minutes.
Uncover the casserole and continue baking for 20 - 30 minutes.
The top should be Golden Brown.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Apple Fritter Bread from Mom's Pantry Kitchen

Thanks to Mom's Pantry Kitchen for sharing this amazing recipe for Apple Fritter Bread.
Since I was a child, my favorite item at the Donut Shop has been an Apple Fritter.
My Grandmother always made Fried Cakes and they were the only Donut I would eat. To this day, if I go to a Donut Shop, I get plain donuts or, Fried Cakes, as my Grandmother called them.
When my Dad would take me to a Donut Shop, you know they didn't always exist, at least not in my town when I was little. So as soon as the first one opened, I fell in love with the Apple Fritter.
Here's a link to replicate the flavor and texture of the All American Apple Fritter and it's made in a Loaf Pan. It doesn't get much better than this to bring back that childhood memory at the Donut Shop!

http://www.momspantrykitchen.com/apple-fritter-bread.html


Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Macaroni Rice Salad

I recently discovered this recipe while looking through some vintage Mennonite Cookbooks in my collection.
I thought this sounded good.


Macaroni Rice Salad:

NOTE: Cook Macaroni according to package directions.

2 C uncooked Rice = 4 C cooked
1 C uncooked  Elbow Macaroni = 2 C Cooked
4 Hard Boiled Eggs, roughly chopped.
1/4 C Minced Onion
1 Carrot, shredded

Dressing:
1 1/2 C Mayonnaise.
3 TBS Prepared Mustard (your choice)
1 TBS Salt
1/4 C Sugar
2 TBS Apple Cider Vinegar

In a large Mixing Bowl:
Cooked Macaroni
Cooked Rice
Eggs
Onion
Carrot

In a medium bowl:
Combine all dressing ingredients. Mix well.
Pour over the Macaroni and Rice.
Toss well.
Refrigerate overnight.
Stir before serving.
Serve chilled.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Pumpkin Butter

Homemade Pumpkin Butter tastes great in the morning on an English Muffin or Bagel. We have a perfect recipe for Pumpkin Bread and we eat it with this Butter.
I like any recipe made with Pumpkin.

1 - 29 oz. can of 100% Pumpkin Puree
1 3/2 C Apple Cider
8 Dried Dates, rehydrated in water.
1/4 C Pure Maple Syrup
2 tsp Ground Ginger
1 1/2 tsp Allspice
A pinch of Ground Cloves
A pinch of Nutmeg
The Juice of 1/2 Lemon

In a large saucepan on medium low heat:
Pumpkin
Apple Juice
Dates
Maple Syrup
Ginger
Allspice
Clove
Nutmeg
Stir to mix well.
Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring often.
Remove from heat.
Add Lemon Juice and stir well to incorporate it.
Process the mixture with a Stick Blender until smooth.
You can also transfer it to a Food Processor in batches and pulse to puree it.
Spoon into jars and keep refrigerated.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!