Maple Bacon Cream Cheese Fudge

6 oz Ghirardelli white chocolate chips
(1) 4 oz block cream cheese (softened)
2 cups powder sugar
1/4 cup butter
4 drops maple extract
3 pieces bacon (precooked, cooled and crumbled)
Wax paper

Line a 4x4 pan with wax paper.
Mix the butter, cream cheese, sugar, maple and butter with electric mixer.
Melt chocolate chips in microwave, 30 sec intervals then stirring.
Mix all together.
Pour into prepared pan.
Sprinkle the bacon on top and pat into fudge.
Place in fridge and let cool 2 hours.
Remove from fridge, turn over onto a cutting board and peal wax paper off.
Then cut fudge into squares.
Turn them right side up, place on a plate and serve.

Pistachio Rocky Road Cookies

1 box chocolate chip Jiffy muffin mix
1 box pistachio instant pudding
1/2 cup chopped pistachios
1 egg
1/2 cup butter room temperature
3/4 cup mini marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350°.
Mix muffin mix, pudding, egg, and butter with electric mixer till well mixed.
Fold in nuts.
Using a tablespoon size spoon drop cookies about 3 inches apart.
Bake for 5 min then add 2-4 marshmallows per cookie.
Place bake in the oven to cook about 2-3 more minutes.

Homemade Top Ramen

4 stocks of celery chopped
4 carrots chopped
1 large breast of chicken cooked and chopped
1 teaspoon garlic (optional)
1 tablespoon onion minced
1 cube chicken bouillon
2 cups water
1 tablespoon butter
1 lb angel hair pasta (cooked per package instruction and set a side)

In a larger skillet place the carrots, celery, garlic, onion's and butter till the veggies are slightly tender.
Add the water, chicken bouillon cube and chicken to the pan bring to a boil.
Lower the heat to medium low and add the precooked noodles.
Let them simmer about 3-5 min.
Then server in a bowl.
Makes enough for 5 servings.

One Pot Shell Lasgna

1 lb box shell pasta
1 lb hamburger
2 cups marinara sauce
1/2 cup Ricotta cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup cottage cheese
4 cloves roasted garlic, pressed
2 scallions chopped
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
Salt and Pepper to taste

Boil pasta per package, drain and set aside in strainer.
Using the same pot, spray with Pam then brown hamburger with scallions, Italian seasoning, and garlic.
When the hamburger is brown add the marinara let simmer 4-5 minutes.
Turn heat off and add the pasta mixing thoroughly.
Then add all cheeses, making sure to mix them through-out the dish.
Cover with lid and let sit for 5 minutes
Serve with a side salad.

Spring Back Into Gardening

Before you start anything take stock of your tools, and what you already have for garden. Then, you'll first want to clear any fallen leaves, branches, dead plants, and other compost debris from the gardens surface, then weed thoroughly. If you only have a few weeds pushing up, pull them out. If your garden has been fully invaded by weeds, break out the rototiller, or hoe, and turn the top layer soil over, and sift out the plant matter. Rotating the soil will also churn up a number of hibernating pests so you might as well get rid them now. Check any plants for slugs, snails, or aphids, treating any infestations you find. Your local gardening store will have an aisle of commercial insecticides, find what you need, but there are plenty of natural remedies like my Garlic Fire that are nearly as effective.

If last year's crop has drained your soil's nutrients, you'll need to change it before planting again. The process of changing soil includes adding materials in order to increase or modify the soil's physical characteristics. Get a soil test kit from your local center to determine the gardens pH balance. This, in addition to the type of soil you have, determines the type of changes you'll need. I bring a bag of soil with me when I go to buy the kit and save myself a return trip. Once you do have all the changes you need, it's just a matter of digging up the top 6 to 12 inches of soil, thoroughly mixing the materials in, and then raking them level. Give it a week for the pH to level out and then start planting.

P.S.

I would love to meet you on Facebook or on Twitter! 

Apple Fritter Bread

1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup milk
2 medium apples, chopped and peeled (if you like)

Glaze
1/2 cup of powdered sugar
2 tablespoons of half and half

Bread:
Preheat oven to 350°. 

Spray a loaf pan with non-stick baking spray.

Mix chopped apples with 1½  tablespoons granulated sugar and 1½ teaspoon cinnamon. 

Mix brown sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl. Set aside, this will be the cinnamon mixture.

In another medium bowl, beat white sugar and butter together until creamy.
Using a hand mixer beat in eggs, vanilla extract, and milk.
In a separate bowl sift flour and baking powder together.

Add flour mixture into creamed butter and beat until blended.

Pour half the batter into the prepared loaf pan.

On top of the batter add half the apples and half the cinnamon mixture.

Stir it slightly into the batter.
Pour the remaining batter over apple layer.

Add remaining cinnamon mixture, and swirl it through the batter using knife or spoon.
Then top it with the remaining apples and pat them slightly into the batter.

Bake approximately 50-60 minutes or until you can insert a knife and it comes out clean.

Let the bread cool about 10 minutes before glazing. 

Glaze:
Mix powdered sugar and half and half together until creamy.

Drizzle over the bread.

I used the apple corer to help slice apples.

Right before it went in the oven.

P.S.

I would love to meet you on Facebook or on Twitter! 

BBQ Black Beans

(2) 1 lb cans  La Costena black beans (keep the liquids)
1/4 cup sweet yellow onion
1/4 cup  sweet pepper
1/4 cup precooked ham
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon ketchup

Finely chop or mince the onion then just set it to the side.
Finely chop or mince the pepper then just set it to the side.
Chop the precooked ham then just set it to the side..
In a medium sauce pan, pour the beans, onions, ham, peppers, sugar, liquid smoke, red pepper flakes and ketchup.
Set it on the burner, on low for 2 hours stirring occasional. This will let it cook down reducing the liquid.

P.S.

I would love to meet you on Facebook or on Twitter!