APPLE BREAD WITH CINNAMON PECAN CRUNCH

It has been so long since I posted a recipe.  Most of my baking is for friends or family who want things that are my go to recipes that are their favorites and they already exist on my blog.  Not a lot of reasons to try new recipes lately.

Seems that blogging has taken a back seat to watching cooking or baking videos on social media with videos which I follow a lot and get more ideas there. 

I found this recipe on Pinterest https://www.smalltownwoman.com/apple-pecan-sweet-bread/

I had a friend coming for breakfast to catch up and thought I would take the opportunity to try something new.  Although the calendar says it is Fall, it has yet to reach us here on the Texas Gulf Coast but there is hope that a cold front is on its way.  It has been a really hot summer and we are so looking forward to being able to turn off the air conditioner!  

APPLE BREAD WITH CINNAMON PECAN CRUNCH

1-3/4 cup all purpose flour

2-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 large eggs

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 Tablespoons applesauce

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups finely chopped peeled apples (I used Gala)

1 cup chopped pecans (divided)

Topping:

1 Tablespoon granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease or spray a loaf pan (I used 9 inch)

In a bowl mix together flour, cinnamon, salt and baking powder

In a second bowl mix together the eggs, sugar, vegetable oil, applesauce and vanilla.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until incorporated.  Fold in the apples and other 1/2 cup pecans.  This batter is really thick  Spread into loaf pan.

Mix together the topping ingredients and sprinkle over loaf.  I tapped this down a bit into the batter so it would adhere better when baking.

Bake for 55 to 60 minutes until toothpick in middle comes out clean.  Rest for to 10 to 15 minutes before taking out of pan.

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Easy Peach Cobbler

There are so many recipes for peach cobbler.  I saw this recently on Tik Tok.  It uses canned peaches, but if you are lucky enough to have fresh, I'm sure it would be more delicious.  It is a little different from most I have made so I thought I would try it.  

EASY PEACH COBBLER

3 cans peaches, drained (I cut into small pieces)

3 Tablespoons flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Toss together and put into an 8 x 8 baking dish aside.

TOPPING:

6 tablespoons butter, melted

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

2/3 cup sugar (original recipe called for this as it makes the topping like a sugar cookie) I did not use sugar.

Melt butter and stir in flour, baking powder, and sugar (if used).  Stir together until crumbly.  Pinch pieces of dough and place on top of peach mixture. I sprinkled sugar and cinnamon on top.  Bake at 350 degrees until lightly browned on top, 35 to 40 minutes.  Cool on cooling rack.  Serve with ice cream if desired.

EASY MORNING MUFFINS

I was wanting to make something quick this past week for breakfast.  I did a search for easy muffins and came upon this one.  It is a basic muffin recipe and you can tweak it any way you want with additions such as blueberries, chocolate chips, anything you can imagine.  I had some Clementine oranges and used the juice and some zest.  Also added some chopped pecans.  They were pretty yummy and one bowl easy peasy.

EASY  MORNING MUFFINS

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 beaten eggs

1/2 cup oil 

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup add-ins of your choice

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners or baking spray. In a bowl, add flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  Stir together milk, oil and beaten egg.  Add vanilla and any add-ins of choice.  Don't over mix as they will be dry.  Scoop into muffin tin.  Bake at 350 degrees for 14-18 minutes until golden brown. 

CREAM CHEESE CARROT CAKE BLONDIES

I looked through some saved recipes recently and came across this one.  I needed to take a treat for someone and thought this would be a good one to try.  The cream cheese seemed to blend into the batter a little more than I thought it would, but they were still pretty tasty.

CREAM CHEESE CARROT CAKE BLONDIES

1 stick butter, melted

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup shredded carrots

1/2 cup chopped pecans (if desired)

CREAM CHEESE SWIRL:

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 egg YOLK

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare an 8x8 baking dish with baking spray.  

To make blondies, stir together brown sugar and melted butter until smooth. Add egg  and vanilla and stir to combine.  Add flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt and stir to combine.  Fold in carrots and pecans if used.  

To make cream cheese swirl, combine softened cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk and vanilla until smooth.  

Spread half of blondie batter into baking dish.  Spreading out to edges.  Blondie mixture is really thick.  Dollop half of cream cheese mixture on top.  Add remainder of blondie mixture.  Dollop other half of cream cheese mixture.  Take an offset spatula and swirl the mixture to blend.  

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  Cool and cut into squares. 

CALLIE'S CHARLESTON BISCUITS

A recent trip to Charleston, SC with my cousin.  The food was amazing everywhere we went.  Even though I live on the Gulf Coast and have access to lots of seafood, I enjoyed my first taste of Shrimp of Grits.  Prepared many different ways and the restaurant we ate at  (Hymans Seafood) prepared them with a creamy Parmesan sauce that was awesome.  Callie's Hot Little Biscuit is also a chain that is everywhere.  We had seen her on the Food Network on The Kitchen.  Her stores sell the biscuits along with her cookbook and also items to make her biscuits.  We looked up her recipe online and made them when we returned.  They are a little different than most but very good. I wish we had White Lily Flour here in Texas as most Southern cooks believe it is the best for biscuits.  Regular all-purpose works well too.  She bakes hers at a high temp to start then lowers, I chose to use my usual biscuit baking temp of 425 degrees.

CALLIE'S CHARLESTON BISCUITS

2 cups self-rising flour (can use 2 cups all-purpose with 3 teaspoons baking soda and salt to make equivalent)

1/4 cup butter (half a stick) (she states room temp but I prefer cold)

1/4 cup cream cheese (2 ounces)

3/4 to 1 cup buttermilk (can use milk with 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Prepare pan with 1 tablespoon butter melted.  Put flour in a large mixing bowl.  Cut in butter and cream cheese with fingers or pastry blender.  Make a well in the center and add milk gradually until flour is incorporated well.  Scatter flour on countertop.  Place dough and pat with flour until 1-1/2 to 2 inches thick. Cut out biscuits with 2 inch biscuit cutter or glass.  Arrange just touching each other.  Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown.  Brush with melted butter when done.

PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP PIE

One of my best friends celebrated her 90th birthday.  Although we are years apart, she has been a best friend for over 30 years.  Her favorite snack is anything peanut butter so I thought this treat would do well for her special day. Such an easy recipe and no need for the oven on these hot days.

PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP PIE

1 chocolate graham cracker crust (I used store bought Oreo crust)

1 cup peanut butter (creamy or chunky)

1 cup softened cream cheese

1 cup powdered sugar

1 carton Cool Whip

1 cup chocolate chips

1 teaspoon vanilla

Blend together peanut butter, cream cheese and powdered sugar.  Fold in Cool Whip until completely mixed.  Add vanilla and chocolate chips.  Pour into crust.  You can freeze this or serve just from refrigerator.  Best when set for several hours.

MISS DOT'S POUND CAKE

I started joining a few friends once a month for a girls day where we get together and have lunch and visit.  We try to have a theme and do a kind of pot luck.  First one was a game day and we had a Mexican Fiesta with chicken enchiladas, beef empanadas, cilantro rice, beans, guacamole, key lime pie for dessert.  This month was a fondue party.  We had cheese fondue (fontina, gruyere, and jalapeno cheddar and white wine) with meatballs, smoked beef tenderloin, sour dough bread to dip along with a charcuterie board with tiny potatoes, asparagus, broccoli, carrots.  Dessert was a chocolate sauce with fruit and cake cubes to dip.  This pound cake was featured on an episode of HGTV's Home Town show.  It was a fun time with lots of laughs and the food was really good!  Next month is going to be a movie day with movie snacks.  

MISS DOT'S POUND CAKE

3 sticks butter, softened

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

3 cups granulated sugar

3 cups all-purpose flour

6 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream butter, cream cheese and sugar together.  Add eggs one at a time.  Add flour and mix well.  Add vanilla.  Pour into an angel-food cake pan.  Place in a cold oven.  Set temperature to 300 degrees.  Bake for 90 minutes or until cake tester is clean. 

PECAN PRALINE BARK

In search of something new to bake.  Searched my 'to try' files and found this quick recipe.  It turned out really well and it will be a good one to add for Christmas goodies this year.

PECAN PRALINE BARK

12-15 graham crackers

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups chopped pecans

Line a cookie sheet (I used a large 10 x 15) with foil.  Spray with PAM. 

In a saucepan stir together the butter and brown sugar.  Bring to a boil and stir for 2 minutes.  Add vanilla and pecans.  Spread over crackers.  Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.  Let cool completely before breaking into pieces.

P.F. CHANGS COPYCAT LETTUCE WRAPS

I saw this recipe online while looking around.  I have always enjoyed these wraps when eating at P.F. Changs.  I have to say this recipe is spot on for what I've had there.  

P.F. CHANGS COPYCAT LETTUCE WRAPS

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 pound ground chicken

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion diced 

1/4 cup Hoisin sauce

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

1 Tablespoon minced fresh ginger

1 Tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1 Tablespoon sriracha (optional)  I used chili paste

1 8 oz. can water chestnuts drained and diced

2 green onions, sliced

Salt and pepper to taste

Head of butter lettuce

Heat olive oil in saucepan over medium heat.  Add ground chicken and cook until browned, making sure to crumble as it cooks. Drain excess fat.

Stir in garlic, onion, Hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ginger and Sriracha if using until onions are translucent.

Stir in water chestnuts and green onions.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with butter lettuce, spooning mixture into lettuce leaf taco style.

COCONUT CHOCOLATE CHIP OATMEAL COOKIES

A weekend with my cousin.  I like to bring a treat. It is always a good visit.  

COCONUT CHOCOLATE CHIP OATMEAL COOKIES

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Pinch of salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 stick butter, softened

1 egg

3/4 cup old fashioned oats

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1/3 cup chocolate chips (I used mini chips)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients and mix well.  In another bowl, cream together the sugars and butter till smooth.  Add egg and vanilla.  Combine dry ingredients.  Mix together well.  Chill in refrigerator for 1 hour.  Scoop tablespoons of dough and place on prepared pan with parchment paper.  These cookies spread quite a bit, so space at least 2 inches apart.  Bake at 350 degrees for 13 to 15 minutes till golden brown. 

CRANBERRY ORANGE QUICK BREAD

The last thing I baked for 2020.  Time to start the new year with less goodies, well maybe until Valentine's Day.  I love the taste of cranberry with orange.  This was a quick, tasty treat to make.

CRANBERRY ORANGE QUICK BREAD

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup orange juice

1 Tablespoon orange zest

2/3 cups buttermilk

6 Tablespoons butter, melted

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1-1/2 cups Craisins

1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9 inch loaf pan with Pam or Baker's Joy.  In a small bowl mix together the buttermilk, orange juice, zest, melted butter and egg.  

In another bowl mix the dry ingredients.  Add the liquid ingredients to dry.  Stir in Craisins, nuts and vanilla.  Pour into prepared loaf pan.  Bake for 50 to 55 minutes until toothpick is clean when inserted.

ENCHILADA SOUP

I had company coming for lunch this week.  We finally have some cold weather here on the Gulf Coast so soup was on the menu.  This recipe is from someone who I worked with who always had a Christmas party at his home.  His wife would make a huge roasting pan of this to serve.  The soup is delicious and adding all the toppings makes it even better.  I also had avocado slices and lime wedges but didn't get them in the picture.

ENCHILADA SOUP

2 to 3 cups cooked chicken cut into pieces (can use rotisserie or just boil about 3 chicken breasts with seasonings in the water)

2 cans chicken broth

1 pound Velveeta cheese (use Mexican flavored if desired)

1 stick butter

1 medium onion chopped

1 can green chiles

1 can Old El Paso Red Enchilada sauce

1 can Cream of Chicken Soup

Seasonings to taste, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, etc.

I added some drained black beans and frozen corn to mine, but that is just a suggestion.

Sauté onion in butter until soft.  Add all ingredients in crock pot or on the stove top.  Cook until cheese is melted and hot.  Serve with tortilla strips, cilantro, chopped jalapenos, shredded cheese, avocado slices and lime wedges.  Anything you like.  This makes quite a bit but because of the cheese I do not think it will freeze well.  

MOUNDS CHOCOLATE BALLS

Another new treat we tried while visiting my sister.  I found this recipe on Pinterest.  Of course, like anything in Texas, we added pecans which made it similar to Almond Joy.  You could leave out the nuts or use almonds and make it an Almond Joy.  For the record, I do not like dipping things in chocolate.  It is a messy job and not an easy task to make look nice.  They tasted really good though.

MOUNDS CHOCOLATE BALLS

1 stick butter, melted

2 cups powdered sugar

3 cups shredded coconut

1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

1 16-ounce bag chocolate chips (we used milk chocolate, but semi-sweet would be good too)

Melt butter.  Add powdered sugar and coconut and stir well to blend together.  Add nuts if using.

Roll into walnut-sized balls and place on a cookie sheet.  Place in refrigerator to chill.  Melt chocolate chips.  Dip chilled balls into chocolate and place on parchment paper to harden up.  

PECAN PRALINE CRUNCH

A recent visit to my sister for Thanksgiving.  We got a head start on getting her Christmas goodies done while I was there.  I'm always looking for something new to try for Christmas treats and this looked like a really good one.  I believe it will become a favorite.

PECAN PRALINE CRUNCH

1 family size box of Crispix cereal

4 cups pecan halves

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup Karo syrup

2 sticks butter

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla

Empty box of cereal into a large roasting pan.  Add pecans and stir together.  Preheat oven to 250 degrees.  In a saucepan put brown sugar, Karo syrup and butter.  Bring to a boil.  Remove from heat and add baking soda and vanilla.  Pour over cereal and stir well.  Put roasting pan in oven and bake for 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes (3 times).  Spread parchment paper on counter top and spread mix over to dry out and become crunchy.  Put into bags. 

SWEET ALABAMA PECAN BREAD

These days it is hard to bake for anyone other than family.  Pot lucks and gatherings with large groups have been gone since March when I went to my last pot luck.  I don't bake for myself, so baking these days comes with Sunday dinners with family or visiting my cousin.  I found this on Pinterest in several places so I decided to try it.  We have had a really nice pecan season this year after having several years of slim to none.  I took advantage of having some really nice ones for this recipe.
SWEET ALABAMA PECAN BREAD
1 cup granulated sugar1 cup brown sugar, packed1-1/2 cups flour2-1/4 teaspoons baking powder1/2 teaspoon salt(If desired you can use 1-1/2 cups self-rising flour instead of all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt)1 cup oil4 eggs1 teaspoon vanilla2 cups pecans, chopped1 teaspoon vanilla2 cups pecans, chopped
Mix all ingredients well and pour into a 9 x 13 baking pan that has ben sprayed with Pam or Baker's Joy.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes until toothpick comes out clean from middle.  Cool for 15 minutes before cutting into squares.