Quick & Easy Apple Crunch Cake by Terri

Recently I came across a blog that had a delicious looking Peach Crunch Cake. I printed the recipe and then searched my pantry to see if I had the ingredients to make it. Of course, I did not have the exact ingredients but I found enough substitutions to give it a try. The resulting ooey, gooey apple crunch cake was not only delicious but relatively figure friendly, made primarily with low sugar or sugar free ingredients. I have discovered numerous variations online since finding the original recipe. I hope you'll give it a try using whatever ingredients you have in your pantry!

Quick & Easy Apple Crunch Cake

From the kitchen of: Terri Fonville

Ingredients from first attempt at this recipe.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Pour 1 can No Sugar Added Apple Pie Filling into the bottom of a large Pyrex pan.

Cut the apples into small pieces.

(Last time I made it I used a jar of Kroger Sliced Peaches ...they are sweetened with Splenda.)

Sprinkle box of Pillsbury Reduced Sugar Butter Cake Mix on top of apples

Shave one stick of Light Butter on top of the cake mix.

Sprinkle 1 cup Splenda Brown Sugar Blend on top of light butter.

Sprinkle 1/2 chopped Walnuts on top of Brown Sugar Blend.

Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes.

Serve hot with cold ice cream. 

(I serve with Blue Bell's No Sugar Added Vanilla Ice Cream.)

Enjoy!

Walk with God!

Terri

Soup making 101 - Old Fashioned Beef Stew by Terri

Old Fashioned Beef Stew

No one can resist a steaming bowl of beef stew on these cold winter evenings.  This weekend I made a big pot of old fashioned beef stew. Each time I make this recipe it turns out a little different depending on what I have in my pantry & freezer.  I thought I 'd give you the basic recipe and hope you will feel free to substitute your family's favorite veggies & meat when you make it.  This time I am using some 1/2 inch thick steak that I found in the clearance section of Kroger's meat dept. since it was $3.00 a pound cheaper than stew meat. I frequently use roast as the meat in my soup & stews. I also forgot to buy the angel hair Cole slaw so I left it out this time.

Old Fashioned Beef Stew

From the kitchen of: Terri Fonville

2 - 3 lbs. beef (your choice of cuts)

3/4 cup flour (for drenching meat)

lime pepper

1/2 cup Crisco  (or whatever oil you prefer)

1 large chopped onion

2-3 chopped sweet peppers

1/2 stick light butter

1 can fire roasted tomatoes

1 can fire roasted tomatoes with chilies and peppers

1 can fire roasted tomatoes with Italian seasonings

1-2 cans Campbell's tomato bisque soup

2 - 3 bags frozen veggies 

1 can black beans

1 can Ranch Style beans

1 bag angel hair Cole slaw (optional)

Trim off fat and cut into small cubes. Generously season with Lime Pepper.

Melt Crisco in a large heavy stew pot.

Drench in flour.

Drop meat carefully into hot Crisco.

Cook until meat turns a dark brown.

Drain excess fat onto a plate covered with 3 squares of folded paper towels.

Return meat to stew pot and cover with tomatoes.

Add beans.

Chop a large onion and a couple sweet peppers on a clean cutting board with a clean knife.

Chop into small pieces.

Melt light butter in small nonstick pan.

Saute onions & peppers in light butter.

Cook until onion & peppers are tender.

Add the onions and peppers to the stew.

Add mixed veggies. (This time I used summer 1 bag of summer blend)

And 1 bag of store brand mixed veggies.

Mix carefully.

Prop lid on top and cook at low/medium temp. for 1-2 hours stirring every 20 minutes..

Stew is done with carrots are done and meat is tender.

Serve with crackers. Yummy!

Enjoy!

Walk with God!

Terri

Casseroles 101 - Pork & Noodle Casserole by Terri

Lori made a quick trip home this weekend to attend a bridal shower for Jon's sister.  Whenever she comes home we try to plan a family night at mom's.  This weekend was no exception.  For our family night I decided to fix another old family favorite called pork & noodle casserole.  Somewhere in the past mom substituted lean hamburger meat for the ground pork the original recipe called for so I guess we really should rename it beef & noodle casserole.  I thought you might like to try this quick and easy recipe.  In the past when I was working full time I would always double the recipe and divide it up into several casserole dishes and freeze them for a quick weekday meal.  For our family night I doubled the recipe so all the photos will show a double recipe.

Pork & Noodle Casserole

From the kitchen of: Loriece Roberts

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 large onion, chopped

1 can Campbell Tomato Soup (I use Campbell's Tomato Bisque Soup)

1 can Cheddar Cheese Soup

1 can water

1 pkg. wide egg noodles

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. lime pepper

1 tsp. onion powder

2 cups grated cheese

Chop 1 large onion.

Brown onions with lean ground beef.

Cook egg noodles 8 minutes.

Drain off water and return to pot.

Gently mix in tomato soup.

Gently stir in Cheddar Cheese soup.

Add browned meat & onions to noodles.

Mix thoroughly and pour into large casserole dish.

Top with all but 1/2 cup grated cheese. Cover casserole dish with aluminum foil.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, remove foil, top with remaining 1/2 cup cheese,

return to oven until cheese is melted.

Serve with tossed salad and French bread.

Enjoy!

Walk with God!

Terri

Love to Cook Thursdays - Pumpkin Bread by Terri

This holiday season was so busy that I never got around to baking any pumpkin bread. So now that the holidays are over and life is somewhat calmer I decided to whip up a batch.  This recipe is another old family favorite. Tastes delicious served warm with butter.

Pumpkin Bread

From the kitchen of: Terri Fonville

3 cups sugar

3 eggs

3 cups flour

1 cup Crisco

1 large can Pumpkin

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground cloves

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. allspice

1 tsp. soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. nutmeg

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Mix together pumpkin & sugar.

Mix in Crisco. (You can substitute equal amounts of no sugar added applesauce for Crisco.)

Mix until Crisco is thoroughly blended.

Mix in flour.

Mix well.

Blend in eggs.

Measure all spices into a small bowl and mix well.

Carefully mix spices into batter.

Chop nuts and blend into batter.

Grease & flour 2 large or 3 small bread pans.

Pour evenly into pans. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.

When toothpick inserted into center comes out clean,

remove from oven and cool on a wire rack in pans for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes remove from pan and cool on wire rack.

Enjoy!

Walk with God!

Terri