Baked Rice with Sausage Recipe

Hey hey guys and dolls, your loyal blog mistress is back along with ma to bring you another week's worth of yumtastic food. Can you believe Christmas is already over with and the new year is just a few days away? Nuts I tell ya. Fear not though, we'll be rolling out more recipes for you all throughout "2012". Speaking of Christmas Ma and I hope the portly white bearded fella brought you everything you wanted and more. I know he spoiled us over here. I am in a love affair with my new Betsey Johnson bag and bracelet as well as my Gleeful stuff. Ma is also digging her new snuggy...yes I said snuggy. *shrugs* who knew? OH! and I got some amazing cookbooks for Christmas. Including Ms. Nadia G's Bitchin' Kitchen cookbook. If you're unfamiliar with Ms. G...well lift up that rock and head on over the cooking channel and give her a watch. Trust me she is awesome and we plan on making a few of her "bitchin'"(<--ha, bitchin'...get it?...no?) recipes.
So enough about Christmas let's get to the real reason we meet here every Tuesday, the recipes!

This week was Ma's pick and it's a casserole that she found from the awesome Taste of Home website. I know you're probably saying "UGH, not another one from them" but hey they've given us some home runs and besides if it ain't broke don't fix it. It's something hearty and for you cheese haters out there (like Ma). *mumbles "cheese haters you ever heard of such a thing?"* Anywho, intruiged? Ah, come on I know you are so here's what you'll need:


Baked Rice with Sausage Recipe




12-14 Servings
Prep: 30 min.
Bake: 50 min.

Ingredients:
2 pounds bulk Italian sausage
4 celery ribs, thinly sliced
1 large onion, chopped
1 large green pepper, chopped
4-1/2 cups water
3/4 cup dry chicken noodle soup mix
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 cup uncooked long grain rice
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons butter, melted


Directions:
*In a large skillet, cook the sausage, celery, onion and green pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink and vegetables are tender; drain. In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil; add dry soup mix. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until the noodles are tender. Stir in canned soup, rice and sausage mixture; mix well.
*Transfer to a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Cover and bake at 350° for 40 minutes. Toss bread crumbs and butter; sprinkle over rice mixture. Bake, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes or until rice is tender. Let stand for 10minutes before serving. Yield: 12-14 servings.





This was actually pretty good. I enjoyed the bread crumb topping the creaminess of the actual dish.
So let's move on shall we? Oh you noticed there are no pictures from us?....*crickets* how about them Lions?
OH FINE! I acidentally deleted them. *hangs head* I know I should've saved them immediately but somehow they went to the land of never seen again photo's. I blame our poodle Charlie. You never know he could've stepped on my phone and zip it was gone. That's my story and I'm sticking with it.



Tid Bits:
*As always not a fan of the sausage? Try turkey with it or even veggie meat.

*We wanna throw out there that they do make low sodium soups. So if you're not into high salt or you just think the stuff is bad for ya then use the low sodium soup.


Ma's Spot: I love one pot dinners. Thery're so simple and easy clean up. I really enjoyed this recipe. The rice was great and the combination of the canned soup/dry soup really went well together. So if you're looking for an easy fast meal I encourage you to try this.





Baking Corner: Chocolate Trifle






Prep Time: 30 Min
Cook Time: 25 Min
Ready In: 8 Hrs 55 Min
Servings: 12

Ingredients
1 (19.8 ounce) package brownie mix
1 (3.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
1/2 cup water
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 (1.5 ounce) bar chocolate candy


Directions
1.Prepare brownie mix according to package directions and cool completely. Cut into 1inch squares.
2.In a large bowl, combine pudding mix, water and sweetened condensed milk. Mix until smooth, then fold in 8 ounces whipped topping until no streaks remain.
3.In a trifle bowl or glass serving dish, place half of the brownies, half of the pudding mixture and half of the 12 ounce container of whipped topping. Repeat layers. Shave chocolate onto top layer for garnish. Refrigerate 8 hours before serving.



Dinah: This is one of my all time favorite desserts to make, especially for a party. My only variation is I swap the brownies for chocolate cake and it seems to give it a creamier texture. Brownies can have a very dense texture and with the other components (<---big word for the day, ha.) it would give off a weirdness all the way around. I like my desserts to gel nicely together. So if you are a lover of chocolate then this is something right up your alley.

Ma: The only bad thing about this was my family wouldn't give up their shares of the trifle and let me eat the whole damn thing! You have to...I repeat you have to fix this recipe. The wonderful taste of the cake and cream was unbelievable. I could never make this recipe by myself because the outcome would be me eating all by myself. It's too good to share! Out of all the desserts my daughter has made me this is one of my favorites.




That's all folks until "2012". Have a wonderful and SAFE New Years peeps and we'll see you in the new year!


Spoons & Spatula's,
~Dinah & Ma

OUR MASSIVE HOLIDAY BAKING HAUL!

It's time.
Yes, time.
You've heard about it for months.
You've been dreaming of it.
You've even had a day dedicated on your calendar for it.

It's....
IT'S....

OUR MASSIVE HOLIDAY BAKING HAUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Too dramatic?? *sigh* we need our own cooking show. This would be much more effective if we had a camera in front of us.

Welcome back kiddies, this week we're doing a 180 for this holiday season and bringing you our best holiday cookies/bars. This is like our Superbowl of baking. Every year people look forward to our bags of treats. I don't want to go all crazy but my Auntie Dee did mention something about cutting someone's hand off if they touched even the bag or her Nummy Bars. Ha, she's a silly one. I mean she has to be right? Who would cut off someone's hand if they touched their bag of treats...? I mean really....wait. She totally would. *sigh* Well, to save everyone's much needed hands we decided to keep the peace and give up some of our goodies to you guys so you and your fam's can enjoy them as well!

Let's get this going; we have 5 amazing recipes for you to try and this is what you need for each:



Golden Kolacky




Total Time: 45 mins
Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:
* 1/2 cup butter , softened
* 4 ounces cream cheese , softened
* 1 cup flour
* fruit preserves

Directions:
1. Combine butter and cream cheese in large bowl; beat until smooth and creamy.
2. Gradually add flour to butter mixture, blending until mixture forms soft dough.
3. Divide dough in half; wrap each half in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm.
4. Preheat oven to 375. Roll out dough, ½ at a time on a floured surface, to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into 3 inch squares.
5. Spoon 1 teaspoon preserves in center of each square. Bring up two opposite corners to center; pinch together tightly to seal. Fold sealed tip to one side; pinch to seal.
6. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned.


Dark Chocolate Cherry Fudge




Estimated Times
Preparation Time: 8 mins
Cooking Time: 6 mins
Cooling Time: 2 hrs cooling

Servings: 24 servings (2 pieces per serving)

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup (5 fl.-oz. can) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 2/3 cups (10-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Dark Chocolate Morsels
3/4 cup (4 oz.) dried cherries, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
LINE 8-inch-square baking pan with foil.
COMBINE sugar, evaporated milk, butter and salt in medium, heavy-duty saucepan. Bring to a full rolling boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring constantly, for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
STIR in marshmallows, morsels, dried cherries and vanilla extract. Stir vigorously for 1 minute or until marshmallows are melted. Pour into prepared baking pan. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm. Lift from pan; remove foil. Cut into 48 pieces.

VARIATION: For an equally delicious fudge, try substituting 3/4 cup dried berry blend for the cherries.



Chocolate Snickerdoodles




Total Time: 28 mins
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 8 mins

Ingredients:
* 1 1/2 cups sugar
* 1/2 cup butter , softened
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 2 eggs
* 2 1/4 cups flour
* 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
* 2 tablespoons sugar
* 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
2. Beat 1 1/2 cups of sugar and butter until fluffy.
3. Add vanilla and eggs and mix well.
4. Add flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa; mix well.
5. In another bowl mix the 2 Tbs. sugar and cinnamon.
6. Shape dough into 1 inch balls and roll in cinnamon mixture.
7. Bake for 8-10 min or until set. Immediately remove from cookie sheet.



Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies




Prep Time: 15 Min
Cook Time: 10 Min
Ready In: 25 Min

Ingredients
* 3/4 cup butter, softened
* 3/4 cup white sugar
* 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
* 2 eggs
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 3 cups rolled oats
* 1 2/3 cups butterscotch chips

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl beat the butter or margarine, white sugar and brown sugar together. Add the eggs and vanilla, beating well.
3. Stir together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir until blended. Stir in the oats and the butterscotch chips. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
4. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until the edges begin to brown.


Lip Smacking Lemon Cookies




Minutes to Prepare: 180
Minutes to Cook: 15
Number of Servings: 24

Ingredients
*1/2 c butter, softened
*1 c sugar
*1 egg
*2 tbsp lemon juice
*2 tsp grated lemon peel
*2 c flour
*1 tsp baking powder
*dash ground nutmeg



Directions:
Beat butter in large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. add sugar, beat until well blended, add egg, lemon juice and

peel, beat until well blended
combine flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg in large bowl. gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture at low speed, blending well after each addition.
shape dough into 2 logs, each about 11/2 inches in diameter and 61/2 inches long.wrap each log in plastic wrap. refrigerate 2 to 3 hours or up to 3 days.
preheat oven to 350F. grease cookie sheets. cut logs into 1/4 inch thick slices, place 1 inch apart on cookie sheets.
bake about 15 minutes or until edges are light brown. transfer to wire rack to cool.. store in an airtight container.
2 cookies is one serving
Number of Servings: 24


There you have it. Most of our fabulous cookies for you guys to give a try and (hopefully) enjoy! Now you may be wondering where these mysterious things called "nummy bars" are. Well, sadly they are a secret. It's a recipe that Ma has perfected over the years and if it's okie with everyone I'd like to keep my hands, ha.



That's it guys, we'll meet you guys back here next week for our regular scheduled program. Before we sign off for the night, Ma and I both want to wish all of our amazing readers a happy, healthy, and wonderful Christmas! Here's to you guys and a certain plump jolly man in a red suit and a pristine white beard bringing you everything you want this holiday season.



MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY HOLIDAYS!



Spoons & Spatula's
~Dinah & Ma

Ma's Version of Italian Wedding Soup

Hey guys! Another Tuesday is here so we're back to bring you more yummy goodness.
The whole time we've had this blog I can't believe we've never shared our recipe for Italian Wedding Soup. It's a staple in our family since A: We are Italian and B: Ma is the queen of soup making.

Just a little of a back story for you folks. My great-grandpa and grandpa came here from the lovely country known as Italy. Which means we have lots of sass and we talk with our hands..a lot. HA! So a few years ago Ma and I went out to dinner at one of our favorite restaurant's Eastside Mario's. They served this amazing soup (which was of course Italian wedding soup) and the whole entire time Ma was trying to figure out the ingredients so she could make a mock version at home. Which is what we bring to you now. Oh, and you don't need an actual "wedding" to enjoy this dish. Actually, come to think of it when Geoff and I got married we didn't serve Italian Wedding Soup. Huh, that's odd. Also, it's getting super chilly outside so I'd say a warm soup is in order!

Get your pots and bowls out here's what you'll need:



Ma's Version of Italian Wedding Soup


Ingredients:
4 cans of low sodium chicken broth
2 cans of water (use the chicken broth cans once the broth is in the pot)
2 chicken bouillon cubes (dissolved in 2 cups of water)
Chicken seasoning to taste
1 package of frozen spinach
1 1/2 bags of meatballs, thawed (preferably the Italian style)
1 box of petite pasta (any shape)
1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning (add more if you like)


Directions:

*Boil your macaroni according to package. Rinse in cold water and set aside.

*In a stock pot place everything in except the meatballs and spinach. Put your stove on low simmer and place pot on burner. Let it simmer on low while you prepare the spinach and meatballs.

*Take frozen meatballs and place them in the microwave on high for 2 minutes or until your meatballs are thawed. Place your spinach in a microwave safe bowl and defrost. Microwaves may very. While the spinach is defrosting cut your thawed meatballs in half then in quarters. Place the quartered meatballs into the simmering broth. Take your spinach, place into a clean dish towel and give it a good squeeze to let all the juice out. Break up the spinach and place in your pot.

*Stir and turn your heat up to medium. Cook for 15 minutes. When done ladel into bowl and add your macaroni as much or as little as you like. Serve and enjoy!




Soooo good. No joke. Everytime this is made I become this soup grubbing weirdo, ha. The meatballs and spinach make this soup magnificent. :D.



Tid Bits:
*As we've covered before it's time for a friendly reminder. ALWAYS ring out your spinach. No squeezing = greeny goopy soup. Not good kiddies.

*If you have time use your own meatball recipe instead of buying the premade packaged meatballs. When you're on a tight schedule the premade packaged meatballs work great.


Ma's Spot: I've been making this recipe for many years. It's always a family favorite. I do have my favorite turkey meatball recipe to use but as working women time to make a home cooked meal is limited. So don't be afraid to grab the premade ones. They work just as good. I like to separate my pasta because in my family some a lot of pasta and some like a little. So with all the soups I make I always cook my pasta on the side so they can add in the amount they want to use. So if you're looking for something hearty and easy to make I recommend this soup with a nice salad or breadsticks.


BAKING CORNER: Cinnamon Cookies



Total Time: 30 mins
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
cinnamon sugar


Directions:
1. In a mixer bowl, cream together sugar and butter; beat in egg and vanilla.
2. Combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt.
3. Add to butter mixture.
4. Blend well.
5. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours or till firm enough to roll into balls.
6. Shape dough into small balls about 3/4-inch in diameter.
7. Roll in cinnamon sugar to coat.
8. Set cookies 1-inch apart on lightly greased cookie sheets.
9. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or till the edges are lightly browned.
10. Cool slightly on pans, then remove to racks to cool completely.


Dinah: I found this recipe on random search on google and they came out adorable as well as yummy. The dough was a tad on the pie crust/dry side but once you start rolling the balls the warmth from your hands loosen the batter up. So these are a keeper, indeed.


Ma: Here's my review on those tasty sugary delightful morsels. They are delicious! My taste buds were jumping for joy. So if you're looking for something easy and delicious try these babies. They are good!



Next week is going to be something different. While we love bringing you our favorite recipes and well...some that suck, ha. We're taking a one week break to bring you our...
MASSIVE HOLIDAY BAKING HAUL!!!!!
Yes! I said it. It's going to be a whole blog dedicated to our yearly tradition of baking. It's going to be epic. Be too cool for school & don't miss it!
Have a great week guys!


Spoons & Spatula's
~Dinah & Ma

Corn Dog Casserole

Back again is your feeling better than ever blog mistress! Cold is gone (YAY!) but sadly it made a sprint through my fam. Ma got it bad, Geoff had a touch of it, and Aunt Jane ended up with it in the end. If the cold was an athlete it would be John Cena kicking everyone's butts last week. Oh and yes John Cena is an athlete, geez wrestling haters. Ha.

So now that we're all in tip top shape we're bringing you another recipe. This week seems to be a kid friendly meal. It reminds me of one of the best carnival foods known to man. Ah, the fabulous corn dog. It's okie you can say it, we're all friends here and we can admit our love for the corny (<--ha! corny, get it?...No?) food that most people wouldn't be caught dead eating. I think the frank with the crispy outer shell needs a little love. So tonight we're putting them into a casserole because we need to make it more adult friendly. Oh come on if I came up to you and said "Want this corn dog?" you'd probably say "pshaw, no." and then secretly wish you had taken my food offer. Mmmm hmm! So to conceal your love for this yummy food we're bringing you this week's recipe. Here's what you'll need:


Corn Dog Casserole

*Servings: 12
* Prep: 25 min
*Bake: 30 min.

Ingredients
* 2 cups thinly sliced celery
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1-1/2 cups sliced green onions
* 1-1/2 pounds hot dogs
* 2 eggs
* 1-1/2 cups 2% milk
* 2 teaspoons rubbed sage
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper
* 2 packages (8-1/2 ounces each) corn bread/muffin mix
* 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided

Directions
* In a small skillet, saute celery in butter for 5 minutes. Add onions; saute for 5 minutes longer or until vegetables are tender. Place in a large bowl; set aside.

* Cut hot dogs lengthwise into quarters, then cut into thirds. In the same skillet, saute hot dogs for 5 minutes or until lightly browned; add to vegetables. Set aside 1 cup.

* In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, sage and pepper. Add the remaining hot dog mixture. Stir in corn bread mixes. Add 1-1/2 cups of cheese. Spread into a shallow 3-qt. baking dish. Top with reserved hot dog mixture and remaining cheese.

* Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 30 minutes or until golden brown.







Dinah: This was pretty yum! The only thing I didn't care for were the hot dogs (I'm a turkey dog girl at heart). It had a nice light flavor to it and the spices complemented the dish quite nicely.



Tid Bits:
*Hot dogs aren't really my thing and if you're not of lover of hot dogs as well give turkey or veggie dogs a try with this dish.


Ma's Spot: When I found this recipe I thought "Man, this has got to be good!" and I was right. Who doesn't love a good corn dog? Now you can have it and not worry about the stick. Taking a bite of this is like walking down the midway of a state fair. So in the dead of winter enjoy this summertime treat. You can also make different sauces to accompany this dish. Such as sour cream, honey dijon, ranch, mustard, etc... That's how I made mine with a little sour cream on the side. My sister always had mustard with her corn dogs so that's what she chose for her side for this dish tonight. So any way you like it, give this dish a try. You'll like it. Easy to make and easy on the wallet.



Baking Corner: Gingerbread Cookies II



Prep Time: 20 Min
Cook Time: 12 Min
Ready In: 4 Hrs
Servings: 72

Ingredients
* 6 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 tablespoon baking powder
* 1 tablespoon ground ginger
* 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1 teaspoon ground cloves
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1 cup shortening, melted and cooled slightly
* 1 cup molasses
* 1 cup packed brown sugar
* 1/2 cup water
* 1 egg
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Directions
1. Sift together the flour, baking powder, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, mix together the shortening, molasses, brown sugar, water, egg, and vanilla until smooth. Gradually stir in the dry ingredients, until they are completely absorbed. Divide dough into 3 pieces, pat down to 1 1/2 inch thickness, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place cookies 1 inch apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

4. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. When the cookies are done, they will look dry, but still be soft to the touch. Remove from the baking sheet to cool on wire racks. When cool, the cookies can be frosted with the icing of your choice.


Dinah: Gingerbread is one of my absolute fave cookies of all time so whenever there are some made...they don't end up lasting long. ;D. This is the recipe we use for our gingerbread cookies and they turn out swell for us. Very...well...gingerbready, ha!


Ma: What can I say with my long love affair with gingerbread cookies? After eating this recipe my love affair will continue. They are delicious, enjoyable, and fun to make. So grab up a stool for each child you have and have a good time making these with your kids.


That's it gals and fella's. You know the drill, we'll see you back here next week for more food goodness. Have a great week!


Spoons & Spatula's
~Dinah & Ma

Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole

Evening guys and dolls, tonight's blog will be a tad on the bland side as well as short and sweet. Your blog mistress is under the weather. Not sure how it started but once the sore throat hit I knew I was down for the count on doing anything fun for the next week. I'm well enough to bring a small bit of jazz your way. This past week was Thanksgiving and while ours was fantastic (we hope yours was swell as well <---hey, sick as a dog but I can still rhyme!) we have all this turkey leftover (which I'm sure you guys do as well). What can you do with leftover turkey? Why, make it into 10 different recipes, ha! Well we're only one recipe a week blog but you get the gist. I stumbled across this goodie so let's get cooking. Here's what you'll need:


Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole


Prep Time: 20 Min
Cook Time: 55 Min
Ready In: 1 Hr 15 Min
Servings: 8


Ingredients

* 3 tablespoons butter
* 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
* 1 cup water
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1 cup finely crushed herb-seasoned dry bread stuffing mix
* 1 cup cooked, diced turkey meat
* 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
* 2 cups leftover mashed potatoes

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over low heat. Blend in the flour. Slowly stir in evaporated milk and water, then season with salt, pepper, and onion powder. Stir sauce over low heat for 5 minutes.
3. In a separate saucepan over low heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Blend in the dry stuffing mix. Place the turkey in the prepared baking dish. Pour the sauce over turkey, then sprinkle with Cheddar cheese. Spread mashed potatoes over cheese. Top mashed potatoes with the stuffing mixture.
4. Bake 45 minutes in the preheated oven.







This was pretty yummy! At first it looked like a soupy mess but as it cooked it started to turn into something that I was excited to try. So it's another winner, I'd say give it a try with your leftovers. After all, what else are you going to do with them?



No tid bits tonight since the recipe is pretty spot on.



Ma's Spot: There wasn't one thing about this dish that I didn't love. I thought the white sauce was excellent. Of course I used my mashed potatoes and the finely crushed herb-seasoned dry bread stuffing mix with the butter made the perfect topping. I will make this again, again, and again.




BAKING CORNER: Crushed-Peppermint Cheesecake




Yield: Makes 12 to 16 servings

Ingredients

*12 ounces creme-filled chocolate sandwich cookies, such as Oreos, broken into pieces
*3 tablespoons melted butter
*1 1/2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature
*3/4 cup sugar
*1/3 cup sour cream
*4 eggs 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
*1 teaspoon vanilla
*1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
*1/2 teaspoon salt
*1/3 cup coarsely crushed peppermint candy


Preparation
1. Place cookies in a heavy zip-lock plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. Pour into a buttered 9-inch round springform pan and pour melted butter over crumbs; mix to coat, then press evenly over bottom and about 1/2 inch up sides of pan. Bake in a 300° oven until crust is slightly darker and looks a bit dry, about 10 minutes (leave oven on).

2. Meanwhile, in a bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese and sugar until well blended. Beat in sour cream. Add eggs one at a time, beating to blend after each addition. Beat in flour, vanilla, peppermint extract, and salt until smooth. Pour cream cheese mixture into pan over baked crust.

3. Bake until edges are just golden and center jiggles slightly when pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour. Run a knife around edge of pan rim. Place pan on a wire rack and cool cheesecake completely in pan. Cover and chill until cold, at least 4 hours or up to 2 days. Run a knife around rim again, then release rim. If any liquid has pooled on surface of cheesecake, blot dry gently with a paper towel.

4. Decorate top of cake with crushed peppermint candy, pressing it in gently with your hands.

Note: PREP AND COOK TIME: About 1 1/2 hours, plus at least 4 hours to cool and chill



Dinah: I was looking for something to bring with me to my fam's Thanksgiving gathering and I decided on bringing something I have never made before. Cheesecake has always been a love of mine but I've been a tad shy on approaching the idea of making one. I decided Thanksgiving was the perfect time to go for it. My fam ended up loving it (as did I), it was the perfect balance of cheesecake and peppermint, and it was super easy to make.


Ma: Where do I begin with this delicious, delectable, mouthwatering dessert? After I ate it I realized it's one of the many things that makes the holiday season so wonderful. Peppermint, pumpkin, cinnamon, etc... all these things make you feel so cozy and warm during the holidays. I have to give a big thanks to my daughter for making this wonderful dessert. As I'm sure she'll be making again. The crust was such a wonderful added touch. So forget your diet for a bit and treat yourself by diving into this dessert.




Sorry for the light entry tonight guys. I'm hoping I'll be better by next Tuesday so I can bring you my full on spectacular self. So as always we'll see you here next week for more food goodness and not a sick (hopefully!) blog mistress. Have a great week guys!



Spoons & Spatula's
~Dinah & Ma

Spaghetti Goulash

Blog readers it's Tuesday and we're back with more good food to showcase for you. Before I go on writing let's take a moment out to admire the new holiday layout. Spiffy, eh? Done by yours truly. :D. Some may say it's a tad early for Christmas themed blog layouts or just the jolly holiday itself but come on! It's adorable and Christmas is pretty awesome if you ask us.

So on with the show, tonight was Ma's pick and I have been dreading it all week. Look, I love what Ma makes. I have extra poundage to show how much I enjoy her cooking throughout my life but this time she said the worst food word in the history of all culinary speech...GOULASH. I'd run but that would make me look like a wuss. Truth be told, that food and I haven't gotten along since the day my taste buds met that unfortunate dish. What made me such a Go..gou..yeah that word up there hater? Being a social gal that your blog mistress is during my teens I would spend my weekends sleeping over friends houses and the next day their parents would feed me this dish that makes my skin crawl (still does now thinking about it and I'm 26). They called it dun dun DUNNN....GOULASH! (and yes for dramatic effect I shall write that word big and nasty in all it's mushy glory) and it was made up of mushy elbow macaroni, cheddar cheese, creamed corn, tomato's (usually ketchup), and whatever meat was lying around from earlier days dinners. BLEH. Sounds mmmm delish right? Yeah, no. Now you feel my pure hatred for this dish.

When Ma came to me and said we were having the dun dun DUNNNN...GOULASH! I was like "Oh, hells to the no." but she kept swearing to me that this recipe would change my mind and cease my hatred. So, after huffing and puffing about it I decided to give it one more shot before buring it in the "I hate your food guts hall of fame."

What goes into this dish? Here's what you'll need:

Spaghetti Goulash
12-16 Servings
Prep: 25 min. Bake: 35 min.

Ingredients

* 1 package (16 ounces) thin spaghetti, broken in half
* 3/4 pound ground beef
* 3/4 pound bulk pork sausage
* 1 medium green pepper, chopped
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes
* 1 bottle (12 ounces) chili sauce
* 1 can (8 ounces) mushroom stems and pieces, drained
* 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper
* 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Directions

* Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain. In a large skillet, cook the beef, sausage, green pepper and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the tomatoes; cover and simmer for 45 minutes.
* Remove from heat; stir in the chili sauce, mushrooms, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and spaghetti.
* Transfer to a greased 4-qt. baking dish or two greased 2-qt. baking dishes. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover and bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until heated through.

Oh this is gonna sting but it needs to be said....*SIGH* *mumbles* Ma...you were right. It's delish and it nowhere near resembles that muck that my old friends parents would shove my way. It's light, tangy, and just all around yum. Oh, I know I know you guys don't have to say it. I am now a goulash lover. Geez, I hate being wrong. *shrugs shoulders*




Tid Bits:
*We suggest using thick spaghetti instead of thin. With the thin you'll get a mushy feeling and we covered that in the beginning. Mush & goulash = GROSS.

*We used turkey sausage but you can use any sausage you like.

*We also used diced Italian tomatoes. It gave it a nice flavor.



Ma's Spot: I've had a lot of different goulash's throughout my life. I have to say this one has been my favorite. I loved the chili sauce and the Worcestershire sauce together. What I like about it is it's easy to make, it makes a lot, and it is perfect to take for a Christmas dinner or get together. It's also great to make ahead and set in the fridge waiting to be cooked and served on those busy shopping days ahead. So I suggest you make it up and place in the fridge for a quick meal on the upcoming Black Friday.



BAKING CORNER: Thanksgiving Cookie Pizza

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 16 servings


Ingredients

* 1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated chocolate chip cookies
* 2 cups miniature marshmallows
* 2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
* 1/3 cup butterscotch chips
* Fall-colored decors or candy sprinkles
* 1/4 cup chocolate creamy ready-to-spread frosting (from 1-lb container), if desired

Directions

1.Heat oven to 350°F. Line 12-inch pizza pan with foil; grease foil with shortening. Cut cookie dough into 1/4-inch slices; arrange evenly in pan. With floured fingers, press slices to form crust.
2. 2Bake 16 to 20 minutes or until deep golden brown. Immediately sprinkle marshmallows evenly over warm base. Bake 1 to 2 minutes longer or until marshmallows just begin to puff.
3. 3Use foil to lift crust from pan. Carefully remove foil from crust; place crust on serving platter or tray. Sprinkle with chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and decors.
4. 4In small microwavable bowl, microwave frosting uncovered on High 10 to 15 seconds or until thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle frosting over cookie pizza. Cut into wedges or squares.





Dinah: Hahaha, I am calling this cookie pizza the hot mess cookie. Seriously, look at ours. Doesn't it look like a cookie you'd make with everything you have hanging out in your pantry? HA! Oh oh and it looks like a cookie pinata that someone busted open. HA! Alright, I kid I kid. It's really delicious. It was super simple to make and if you're a chocolate lover then this is right up your alley.


Ma: When I saw this recipe I knew I would love it. It has two of my favorite things (butterscotch and marshmallows). It was easy and fun to make, doesn't take a lot to make it, and it would be a nice recipe to make with your kids. I like how versatile it can be. Add nuts if you'd like, any chips, or any marshmallows you'd like. We used colorful ones. So gets together in the kitchen with your kids and whip up this recipe and have a great time while doing so!



It's been super fun guys but Dancing with the Stars starts soon and I gotta see who wins (TEAM JR. & KARINA!). You know the drill, be back next Tuesday for more goodies.
Ma and I wanna take a second to wish you all a Happy & Safe Thanksgiving! We're super thankful for a lot of amazing things but one of the things we're super thankful for is you guys. Yep, you guys who read our little blog. Without you, well..we'd be awfully lonely. So thanks!


Spoons & Spatula's
~Dinah & Ma

Sandra Lee's Pepperoni and Cheese Casserole

Welcome back Ladies and Gents!
Your blog mistress (and of course Ma as well) is back again to feed your food recipe knowledge as well as your tummy. Tonight we bring you a recipe from everyone's favorite Food Network lush (I kid, I kid we love Sandy) Ms. Sandra Lee. No clue on whom she is then I think a brief look into her special "cocktail times" on youtube is in order: Sandra Lee's Cocktail Times! <---(I provided the link. Saves time for more laughs.)




Aw, all jokes aside I adore Sandy. She reminds me of one of those chicks at a holiday gathering who constantly has her glass filled with whatever is on tap and has the whole place lit up with her over the top/loud antics. She's our kinda gal.

Tonight though we'll give Ms. Lee's alcohol cabinet a night off. We're sticking with her recipe and it's a good one. Let's get started! Here's what you'll need:


Sandra Lee's Pepperoni and Cheese Casserole

Total Time: 55 min
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min

Yield: 4 servings


Ingredients

* Canola oil
* Kosher salt
* One 1-pound box rotini pasta
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 1 medium zucchini, chopped
* 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
* One 6-ounce package sliced pepperoni, roughly chopped
* One 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes
* 6 fresh basil leaves, chopped
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 1 cup shredded mozzarella
* 1/2 cup breadcrumbs

Directions

*Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with 1 teaspoon oil.

*Bring a large pasta pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add a big pinch of salt and the pasta. Cover and return the water to a boil. Remove the cover and cook for 5 minutes. The pasta will not be completely cooked through.

*Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon oil. When it is hot, add the onions and zucchini and cook until they are softened and brown slightly, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and pepperoni and cook for another minute. Add the tomatoes and basil and simmer for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Reserve 1 cup of the tomato sauce for another use, such as Round 2 Recipe Garlic Bread Pizza.

*Stir in the pasta and cheese into the skillet. Pour into the prepared baking dish and smooth out the top. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs evenly over the top and drizzle with the 1 tablespoon oil. Bake until the top is browned and the casserole is bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes.




Sandy's recipe is pure genius! It reminded me of macaroni and tomato's (which is a childhood staple of mine) and Ma's pizza casserole (that's another blog entirely). My only thing is I'm not a huge fan of zucchini (I'm only a cheerleader for it when it's baked into bread) but I'd definitely make this again and soon.



Tid Bits:
*To make it a little lighter of a recipe. Omit the olive oil for canola/veggie spray wherever it calls for the oil in the recipe.

*Want more moisture? Add a little tomato juice.



Ma's Spot: I LOVED IT! It was better than I thought it was going to be. Cheap and super easy to make. So if you're looking for a quick family dinner or a nice dish to take to a Christmas party or a nice church potluck this is the dish for you.




BAKING CORNER: Stained-Glass Christmas Tree Cookies




INGREDIENTS

*About 15 brightly colored hard candies (ring-shaped, rectangular or round)
*1 cup butter or margarine, softened
*2/3 cup sugar
*1/2 cup light corn syrup
*2 teaspoons vanilla
*1/4 teaspoon lemon extract, if desired
*3 cups all-purpose flour
*3/4 teaspoon baking powder
*1/2 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS
1) Heat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Place each color candy in separate resealable freezer plastic bag; seal bag. With rolling pin, coarsely crush candy; set aside.

2) In large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in corn syrup, vanilla and lemon extract. On low speed, gradually beat in flour, baking powder and salt.

3) Divide dough in half. On floured cloth-covered work surface, roll each half to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut dough with 3-inch Christmas tree-shaped cookie cutter. Cut out and remove several smaller dough shapes from each cookie. Place tree shapes 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. If desired, reroll small cutouts with remaining dough. Fill each hole in tree shapes with about 1/2 teaspoon crushed candy.

4) Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are light golden brown and candy is melted. Place cookie sheets on cooling racks; cool cookies 8 minutes. With back of metal pancake turner, gently lift warm cookies from foil; place on cooling racks. Cool completely, about 15 minutes, before storing in loosely covered containers.



Dinah: I know what you're thinking. Yes, I Dinah (professed cookie making hater) chose these to make. I'm shocked just as much as you but the cute "stained glass" effect got me. They were too cute not to make. The dough is delish, ended up making a lot of cookies, and it was fun to be creative with the candies. I even made a little gingerbread man with a heart. You can call him mini tin man. ;].
PS. Oh, and the whole not having a pic of an actual tree cookie? Let's just say everytime you need something it's nowhere to be found. So if anyone comes across a plastic green lined tree cookie cutter please contact your blog mistress immediately. I am fearful it met a fate of either getting lost in the land of that one missing sock or Charlie 's (our friendly poodle) chewing habit.


Ma: These cookies were not only fun to eat they were also fun to make. The recipe for the standard cookie dough is so versatile. You could do so many things. You can change up the extract. You could add in peppermint (to of course make peppermint cookies). Instead of butter (in another batch we made) we used Country Crock pumpkin spice butter (<--shameless plug lol) and they were fantastic. We used lifesavers in ours but you can use any hard candies you enjoy. The lifesavers set off the cookies though with the crunch and sweetness so those are the kind we recommend using. I encourage you to make these with your children cause they will have so much fun cutting out the shapes and putting the candies in the middle.



And that's all folks! Well, you know the drill until next week. We'll be back with another great recipe and something to beef up your baking agenda. Have a great week guys!


Spoons & Spatula's
~Dinah & Ma