Holiday Orange Spiced Coffee

If you're a coffee lover, you might look forward to all of the holiday coffee flavors that come out once a year........ Gingerbread, Pumpkin, Peppermint Mocha and Egg Nog.

Here's a different twist to a tasty holiday coffee created by Kraft Foods. This recipe is made in a Drip Coffee Maker.

I have recipes for other flavored coffees, on the blog.

Holiday Orange Spiced Flavored Coffee:

1/3 C of your favorite Coffee Grounds. (we like French Roast)

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

1/8 tsp Ground Cloves

1/4 C of a good English Orange Marmalade

3 C Water

This is prepared the same as if preparing a pot of coffee in you Drip Coffee Maker:

In the filter basket:

Coffee Grounds

Cinnamon

Cloves

You don't have to mix it.

Add the Orange Marmalade to the empty Coffee Pot.

Fill the reservoir with the Water and brew as usual.

Stir to mix well when it's done brewing.

Serve hot with cream
It definitely needs cream to mellow out the spices.

Enjoy!

Peace in the Kitchen!

Tex - Mex Onion Casserole

I have so many recipes with Onions. I have an entire recipe book about Onions.
This casserole has a kick of heat to it. That's how we like it in Texas.

Tex - Mex Onion Casserole

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
A 1 1/2 - 2 quart casserole dish (I make mine in a 2 quart Terra Cotta Bram)

Tex - Mex Onion Casserole.

6 TBS Butter, divided
3 Large Vidalia / Sweet Onions, roughly chopped
2 C shredded Pepper Jack Cheese or Hatch Jack Cheese
1 C Italian Herb Bread Crumbs
2 Large Eggs
3/4 C Heavy Cream
1 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Black Pepper
1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 - 4oz. can of Diced Green Chiles, slightly drained.


In a skillet on medium heat:
Melt 4 TBS of the Butter
Add Onions and sauté until tender.

In the Casserole Dish, layer in the following order:
1/2 of the Onions
1 C of the Cheese
1/2 of the Bread Crumbs
Remaining Onions
Remaining Cheese

In a mixing bowl:
Eggs
Cream
Salt
Black Pepper
Cayenne Pepper
Green Chiles
Whisk well
Pour into the casserole.

In a small skillet:
Melt the remaining 2 TBS of Butter.
Add remaining Bread Crumbs and sauté until golden brown.
Sprinkle evenly over the casserole.
Bake for 25 - 30 minutes.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Fleur de Sel Caramels | Gimme Some Oven

I have a friend that wanted to make homemade Caramels. I understand they're not easy to do.
I found this recipe and it looks amazing.
If anyone has made them successfully, please comment and give me some tips.



Fleur de Sel Caramels | Gimme Some Oven

Hot Dogs with Cheddar Cheese and Sautéed Apples from Food and Wine

I'm vegetarian and I love Veggie Dogs. I like different combinations of condiments and accompaniments with Hot Dogs. I like idea of a Pretzel Bun with my Hot Dog.
This recipe that, I adapted from Food and Wine, is very appealing to me.

1. 2 TBS Butter
2. 3 large Granny Smith Apples—peeled, halved, cored and cut into scant 1/2" wedges
3. 3 TBS  Brown Sugar.
4. A pinch of Cinnamon
5. 6 Hot Dogs ( I use a Veggie Hot Dog)
6. 6 long Pretzel Rolls 
7. Thinly sliced Sharp Cheddar Cheese
8. Preheat the oven to 450°. 
9. In a large skillet:
10. Melt Butter. 
11. Add the Apples and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until barely softened and just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.
12.  Add the Brown Sugar and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the Apples are tender and lightly caramelized, about 10 minutes longer. 
13. Stir in the Cinnamon and keep warm.
14. Heat a grill pan. Grill the Hot Dogs over high heat until lightly charred all over, about 5 minutes. 
15. On a baking sheet, place the Hot Dogs in the Rolls and top with the Cheddar Cheese. Bake for about 3 minutes, just until the cheese is melted.
16.  Top with the Apples and serve at once.

Enjoy! Peace in the Kitchen!

Crockpot Chocolate Nut Clusters

I created this recipe after doing research on many different variations of Holiday Crockpot Nut Clusters.
I wanted a version without Peanuts. I decided to make mine with Cashews, Almonds, Pecans and Hazelnuts.

2 C Whole Salted Cashews
2 C Whole Roasted Almonds
2 C Pecan Halves
2 C Whole Roasted Hazelnuts
1 - 12oz. bag of Hershey's SemiSweet Chocolate Chips
1 - 12 oz. bag of Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Chips
2 - 10 oz. bags of Reese's Peanut Butter Chips
2 - 1 lb. packages of Log House or Plymouth Pantry White Almond Bark
1 TBS Crisco
1 tsp Vanilla

Layer in a large crockpot in the following order:
Cashews
Almonds
Pecans
Hazelnuts
Semisweet Chocolate Chips
Dark Chocolate Chips
Peanut Butter Chips
White Almond Bark
Crisco
Do not stir.

Cover and heat on Low for 2 hours.
Add Vanilla and Stir to mix well.
Cover again and heat for 30 minutes.

Pour onto Waxed Paper to cool completely.
Break into clusters to serve.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Cap'n Crunch's Crunch Berries Cereal Cookies

I happen to love Cap'n Crunch Cereal. It was always my favorite cereal as a child and continued to be as an adult.
What a perfect cookie recipe for me, and........ maybe for you too!

Cap'n Crunch's Crunch Berries Cereal Cookies:

1 1/4 C flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1/3 C butter, softened
1 C granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp orange extract
2 C Cap'n Crunch's Crunch Berries Cereal. (for Halloween I use Peanut Butter Crunch Cereal)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

In a bowl:
Flour
Baking Soda
Salt
Whisk well and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer:
Butter
Sugar
Beat until creamy.
Add:
Egg
Vanilla
Orange Extract
Beat well.

Gradually add dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
Fold in the cereal by hand.

Using a 1 1/2" cookie scoop, drop cookies 2" apart onto a parchment paper lined sheet pan.
Bake for 11 - 13 minutes.
Transfer the pan to a cooling rack for 10 minutes.
Transfer the cookies to the rack and cool completely.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Apple,Cinnamon, Raisin Bread Pudding

Apple, Cinnamon, Raisin Bread Pudding

I've made the same Bread Pudding recipe since the early 70's. It's basic and it's my favorite. It's posted on the blog. I never thought I would ever make another one.
It's Fall, the weather is getting cooler and Apples are abundant. I decided to create this Fall Bread Pudding. I took parts of my original recipe and added to it, adapting it to create this recipe.

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
1 - 9"X13" pan
3 TBS of Butter
Make a Cinnamon/Sugar mixture with 1/4 C Granulated Sugar and 1 TBS Cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.

2 C Heavy Cream
2 C Whole Milk
1 C Granulated Sugar
1 C Brown Sugar
6 Eggs
2 TBS Vanilla
1 TBS Cinnamon
1 Day Old Baguette , 1/2" slices
1 C Golden Raisins
1/2 pound of Jonagold Apples. Peeled, Cored and roughly chopped.

Place the pan in oven with the 3 TBS of Butter , melt the butter and brush the pan evenly on the bottom and sides.
Leave the pan in the oven.


In a large mixing bowl:
Mix Bread and Milk by hand
Add all other ingredients.
Pour the mixture in the pan.
Sprinkle evenly with Cinnamon/Sugar Mix.
Bake for 45 minutes

Another option is to bake the Pudding in Muffin Tins lined with paper cups.
If you bake the Pudding in Muffin Tins, make sure to break up the bread into small pieces, not slices.
Spray the paper cups with a vegetable cooking spray.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Serve with The Queens Sauce:
1 Pint Heavy Cream
3 Eggs
1/2C Sugar
1/2 tsp Vanilla
1 C Brandy or Whiskey

In the top of a doubler boiler,  place the Cream and Eggs and whisk well
Add Sugar and Vanilla
Stir constantly for 10 minutes
Slowly add the Brandy or Whiskey and whisk until incorporated

Here's another Whiskey Sauce :

In a sauce pan, over medium low heat:
1/2 stick of butter
The juice of 1 lemon
1 C apple cider
1/2 C brown sugar
a pinch of salt
1 C Bourbon Whiskey

Cook to reduce to 1/2
Serve on the side with Bread Pudding.



Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!