Ready or not those holidays are right around the corner! I know I’m not ready yet although I do enjoy big dinners with family and friends. I’m always looking for something new to serve as appetizers or desserts. If I change my main menu much I’ll be in big trouble with my family.
Although I’m not a fruitcake person I have to say this fruitcake was really good. I shared with my parents and they too agreed it was very good and a recipe worth keeping! It’s not super dense like most fruit cakes but it is packed full of lots of goodies! This could very easily be made in the small loaf pans and would be a great hostess gift or giving to co-workers or neighbors.
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon lemon extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup orange juice
1 pound chopped mixed candied fruit
1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup chopped nuts, pecans or walnuts
DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Beat in the extract. Combine the flour baking powder and salt. Gradually add to the creamed mixture alternating with the orange juice. Stir in the candied fruit, coconut, raisins, and nuts.
Press into a greased 10-inch tube pan. Bake at 300 degrees for 80 to 90 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool for ten minutes before removing from the pan to a wire rack. Let cool completely. If desired you can sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Enjoy!
I came across this sauce at our local grocery store (Hannaford, this is a Hannaford brand product by ‘inspirations’). I decided to give it a try on some shrimp that we were having with friends and family while we were in our motorhome camping with everyone. I also made stuffed shrimp and although everyone loved and ate all of the stuffed shrimp everyone came back looking for the mango coconut habanero shrimp! The best part is that this sauce is also gluten-free so our family and friends that can’t have gluten could enjoy these shrimp along with the rest of us. The sauce is a wonderful mouth-watering combination of sweet and spicy all in one bite! You taste the mango and coconut but then you get the heat from the habanero. The habanero is not overwhelming but it does wake up your taste buds. This sauce was incredible on the shrimp.
I purchased a bag of uncooked e-z peel shrimp. I peeled them but kept the tails on and placed all of the shrimp in a Ziploc bag and poured enough of the mango coconut habanero sauce to coat all of the shrimp, about a cup or so. I placed the shrimp in the refrigerator and let it marinate for a couple hours. When we were all getting ready to start dinner I put the shrimp on skewers discarding the marinade in the bag and had my grill master grill them just until they turned a beautiful pink! You can also serve some of the remaining sauce in the bottle on the side for extra dipping.
We loved these so much I made them again at home when we got back from our trip! This is one of my favorite grocery stores finds of the summer and one my kitchen will not be without! Don’t walk to Hannaford, RUN!
Enjoy!
This was another recipe I made while camping with family and friends. So simple to throw in the crockpot.
I have a small confession to make though, I forgot to pack the confectioners sugar in the motorhome before we left. The peanut butter layer did not make it on BUT I found some of the new peanut butter whipped topping at the grocery store and had that with me! So I added the whipped topping and what else goes well with chocolate cake? You got it a scoop of ice cream! Needless to say, we were all happy campers!
INGREDIENTS
1 box of chocolate cake mix
1 cup of water
3 eggs
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup softened butter
PEANUT BUTTER GLAZE
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup milk
1 cup powdered sugar
TOPPINGS
1/4 cup fudge sauce
1 package mini peanut butter cups, cut in half
DIRECTIONS
Spray a 6-quart oval slow cooker with non-stick spray. Using a hand mixer mix cake, water, eggs, 1/2 cup peanut butter, and butter on low speed until well combined.
Pour the batter into the slow cooker, cover and cook on high for 1 hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours, if your crockpot runs hot, check after 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Remove slow cooker insert and place on wire rack to cool for 15 minutes.
To make the glaze, whisk together peanut butter, milk and powdered sugar in a medium bowl and spread over the cake. Drizzle fudge sauce over the peanut butter glaze and top with the mini peanut butter cups. Don’t forget a scoop of ice cream and peanut butter whipped topping if your store has it!
Enjoy!
One of my favorite things in fall is the crisp apples right from the orchards. I like them simply as is or in baked goods! I came across this recipe on Pinterest from the “Pinch of Yum” food blog and knew I just had to try it. When my Dad asked me to cater an event he was hosting (for 10 people) I knew this cake was going to be the dessert! Don’t tell my Dad if you see him, but there just may have been a piece missing before I gave it to him, for taste testing purposes, of course! A daughter has to do what a daughter has to do!
When my Dad got home he called me to tell me how much the cake was enjoyed by everyone and there was not one piece left! Not only do I give this cake a thumbs up but the full group does too! Perfect for any fall gathering, or just because!
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/3 cup oil
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 chopped apples, I used honey crisp
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 Tablespoon butter
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl mix the brown sugar, oil, egg, buttermilk, baking soda, vanilla, and flour together. Fold in the chopped apples and pour the batter into a 9 x 13 pan.
Combine the cinnamon, sugar, and butter together to make the topping. Sprinkle evenly over the batter.
Bake for 45 minutes.
Enjoy!
The past two summers we have spent a lot of time in the Bath, New York area visiting our daughter Amanda her husband Steve and the most precious twins I know. Each visit we try and go to new places in that area. There is so much to do and see in the area, tons of vineyards, the Corning Museum of Glass and many state parks with some incredible views. We also try and find popular restaurants in the area.
Chat-a-Whyle is located at 28 Liberty Street in Bath, N.Y. For a very small town restaurant, this place has so much to offer and is open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Before we went we had heard that the restaurant had just changed owners and some of the locals were worried the quality may not be as good but we went with an open mind and a hungry belly. The one item that was talked about by everyone we spoke with was their sticky buns. Needless to say, we ordered the sticky bun right away! This bun has a little crisp on the outside, tender and so sweet on the inside. We learned just after one bite why the locals love those sticky buns and why they run out of them!
That was an amazing way to start breakfast. Next, Jim had two eggs, sausage, and hash browns. This is certainly a simple and expected dish but everything was cooked just right and Jim had no problem cleaning his plate. I also had a very simple and expected dish. I had the banana nut pancakes. They were huge and perfectly golden delicious. I could not come close to finishing them!
Chat-a-Whyle has a great menu not only for breakfast but for lunch and dinner too. They even have a Sunday dinner special that has a main course and two sides. Sunday looks like a great place to have dinner with items on the menu like prime rib, roast stuffed turkey or their seafood platter. I should also mention they have a children’s menu and desserts that include homemade pies and cakes. If the pies and cakes are as amazing as their sticky buns you will want to leave room for them!
Although the food was all delicious and those amazing sticky buns won’t be forgotten either will the service and atmosphere. From the moment we walked in we felt like old friends and family with not only the people working there but with other guests. Our waitress was very friendly and while talking with her she asked where we were from and when we told her New Hampshire everyone in our area dining started sharing their favorite places to go in the area. It was such a fun breakfast chatting with all the locals and dining on some delicious food. What a great way to start our day.
Just down the road from Chat-a-Whyle is a park with water fountains and the beautiful church. There is a lot of history in this area with so much to see and do. If you find yourself in the Bath, NY area be sure to stop at Chat-a-Whyle and visit the vineyards, museums and state parks. Niagara Falls is about two hours from the Bath area so don’t forget to stop there in your travels. You can find the full menu and all of Chat-a-Whyle specials on their Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/Chat-a-Whyle-Family-Restaurant-1634662776655317/
Enjoy!
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