Love to Cook Thursdays - Sweet and Sour Meatloaf by Terri

For our 6 month anniversary, Jerry & I took a trip to visit Jerry's sister Aleta & her family. While we were there Aleta fixed Sweet & Sour Meatloaf. Although Jerry & I don't usually care for meatloaf this recipe has become one of our family favorites. I think you'll enjoy it also!

Sweet and Sour Meatloaf
From the kitchen of: Aleta Fonville Tittle

Sauce:
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 8oz. can tomato sauce
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon French's mustard

Mix sauce ingredients together and set aside.

Meat Mixture:
1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 small finely chopped onion
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup crushed crackers
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup tomato sauce mixture

Mix meat ingredients together. Shape into a ring and place in a shallow dish. Pour remaining tomato sauce over top of ring. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes at 400 degrees, basting occasionally.

Oops! I forgot to take photos of this while I was making it on Tuesday night! I'll try to remember next time I cook it and add them later.

Walk with God!
Terri

M&M Pumpkin Cake by Terri

On the cover of the November 1, 2009 Family Circle magazine was the cutest m&m pumpkin cake I've ever seen.  As soon as I saw it I knew I had to make one for my October Crop.  On Thursday night before the crop I made the cake - baking it in my Pyrex mixing bowls.  After both layers had cooled I put them in the freezer to firm up before decorating it.  (A former neighbor who is a professional cake decorating instructor for Kroger Stores told me she always freezes her cake before decorating them, so I thought I'd give that a try.) On Friday night, after letting the cake thaw a bit, I iced and decorated it. It didn't look quite like the one on the magazine cover, but it was still quite a hit with my scrapbooking friends. I couldn't resist sharing the process with you.

M & M Pumpkin Cake
From the kitchen of: Family Circle Magazine

Cake Ingredients:
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 can (15oz.) pumpkin puree
1/2 can milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
5 eggs

Decorations:
1 can (16oz.) vanilla frosting (Next time I'll use Cream Cheese flavored frosting)
Orange gel food coloring
2 bags(7oz. each) orange m&m's candies (about 2 cups)
34 yellow or brown m&m's
1 chocolate-covered candy bar (such as Snickers)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease & flour two 1.5-liter Pyrex bowls; set aside.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and soda, cinnamon & salt.  Mix the pumpkin, milk and vanilla in a small bowl to blend.

Beat the butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth.  Gradually add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the flour mixture, alternating with the pumpkin mixture, ending with the flour mixture.  Beat just until smooth.

Note:  I was tired on Thursday after work when I was making my cake so I just dumped all ingredients in my Kitchen Aid mixer and blended at relatively high speed until light and fluffy.  The cake was delicious despite my laziness!

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared bowls.  Bake at 350 degrees in the center of the oven for 55 to 65 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center of cakes comes out clean.

Decoration:

Trim the top of the cakes with a serrated knife to make level.  Tint the frosting orange with the food coloring. Place one cake layer, cut-side up, on a serving platter. Spread the cut side with 1/2 cup of the frosting.  Place the other cake layer on top, cut-side-down.  Trim any excess to make round.

Place a thin layer of frosting all over the cake.  Gently press orange m&m's onto frosting.  Use yellow or brown m&m's to form eyes, nose and mouth.  Continue covering the pumpkin with orange m&m's until the entire cake is covered.

Cut the candy bar in half crosswise on the diagonal to fashion a stem.  Make a small hole in the top of the cake and press the candy bar half, cut-side down, into the top of the cake, for the stem. Refrigerate to firm the frosting.

Enjoy!

Walk with God!

Terri

Grandmother's Peanut Butter Cookies by Terri

On Thursday I subbed at Medlin Middle School.  Down the hall one of the classes was baking peanut butter cookies.  All day I smelled the delicious smell of cookies baking. So I couldn't resist pulling out my Grandmother's peanut butter cookie recipe and baking a  batch for next week's Crop.  This is a fun recipe to make with kids.  They love squishing down the balls with a fork.  I hope your family enjoys this very old family favorite as much as mine does.

Peanut Butter Cookies

From the kitchen of: Edith Boatright
Makes approximately 9 dozen cookies

5 eggs
4 cups sugar
2 cups Crisco
2 cups smooth Peanut Putter
5 teaspoons vanilla
5 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons soda
3 1/2 teaspoons salt

Cream together sugar and Crisco.

Add eggs and mix well.  Add peanut butter and mix well.

 Add remaining ingredients and mix well.

Scoop cookie dough with a cookie scoop.

Roll into a ball and place on cookie sheet.

Smash balls using fork or cookie press.

Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool on cookie rack.

Note: I doubled and tweaked this recipe.  The original recipe makes only about 4 1/2 dozen cookies. The photo of the ingredients is a single batch - for the crop I baked a double batch.

Walk with God!

Terri

Love to Cook Thursdays - Beef Enchiladas

Sunday we celebrated Dad's 78th Birthday so for our family gathering I decided to make a huge batch of Beef Enchiladas.  This recipe came to me from the mom of a fellow teacher at Shady Brook Elementary. It is a delicious Tex Mex Recipe that you can make as spicy as you choose.

Beef Enchiladas
From the kitchen of Kristi Verrett Mueller's Mom

2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 finely chopped onion
1 tsp. garlic
1 tsp. chilli powder
1 tsp. lime pepper
1 (10 oz.) can green enchilada sauce
1 (10 oz.) can low fat cream of mushroom soup
1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chilies
6 oz. Picante sauce (choose the heat you desire mild or hot)
8 oz. carton fat free sour cream
1 lb. grated low fat cheddar cheese
1 lb. grated low fat Monterey Jack cheese
2-3 dozen corn tortillas

Brown ground beef, onion, garlic, chili powder & lime pepper.  Drain off excess fat.  Add green enchilada sauce, mushroom soup (do not add water), green chilies, Picante sauce & sour cream. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Pam the bottom of large casserole dish.

Put aside 2 cups meat mixture and 1/2 cup of each cheese for topping.

Place 1/4 cup of meat mixture in center of each tortilla. Sprinkle with cheese.  Roll up and place in bottom of casserole dish. (If you are in a hurry - just layer tortillas, meat sauce and cheese. This works just as well.)

After pan is full, pour remaining 2 cups of meat mixture over the top. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of each cheese.

Bake at 325 degrees for 35 minutes until cheese has melted and sauce is bubbly. Serve with Spanish Rice and your favorite chips and salsa.

This is a great recipe for a crisp fall day.  Enjoy!

Walk with God!
Terri

Love to Cook Thursdays - Mississippi Mud Cake by Terri

This week's challenge is for my favorite category - Chocolate. I really think it needs it's own food group! Since I have already blogged my Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe, my irresistible Butterthumbs Recipe, my yummy Milk Chocolate Pie Recipe, and my low calorie Chocolate Eclaire Recipe this week I decided to prepare Mississippi Mud Cake - a recipe that I only recently came across in an old family cookbook. I haven't made it in years so a couple weeks ago I made it for Life Groups and it was a huge success so I thought I'd prepare it again. As luck would have it - I took a flu shot on Friday - and started feeling the first symptoms of the flu at Give Away Day on Saturday. So I will have to share the photos from the Mississippi Mud Cake I made a couple weeks ago. They aren't quite as good as I would like but I better not cook for anyone until I'm over this junk. I hope you will try this incredible ooey, gooey, chocolate cake. It is so decadent! If you are a true chocoholic like I am you will add it to your collection of favorite recipes.

Mississippi Mud Cake

From the kitchen of: Terri Fonville

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups flour

1 cup coconut

1/4 cup chopped walnuts (opt.)

2 sticks butter (melted)

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cocoa

7 oz. jar Marshmallow Cream

Memaw's Fudge Frosting

Combine eggs and sugar in mixing bowl. Mix at high speed for 5 minutes. Add butter, flour, cocoa, vanilla and coconut to mixture and mix well. Pour into 13"x9" floured pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

Remove from oven and spread 7 oz. jar marshmallow cream over top of hot cake. Let set a couple of minutes and frost while still warm.

Memaw's Fudge Frosting:

1 stick butter (melted)

1 teaspoon vanilla

6 T. milk

4 cups confectioners sugar (sifted)

1/2 cup cocoa

1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Mix all ingredients in a microwaveable bowl. Original recipe calls for heating on stove top until bubbly. This time I cooked in microwave for about 3 minutes on high. Stir. Spoon over cake and swirl with marshmallow cream.

Enjoy!

Walk with God!

Terri

Love to Cook Thursdays - Taco Soup by Terri

This week our challenge was to share a favorite soup recipe.  When I asked Jerry what he would like me to fix he immediately chose Taco Soup.  I decided to make enough to share with Mom and Dad.  I waited until Wednesday to fix the soup and luck would have it, Wednesday was perfect cold, rainy soup weather.  I am sharing my basic recipe but feel free to use your favorite tomatoes and beans.  This is the first time I have added hominy to this recipe and it really added a nice touch. I hope several of you will join us each Thursday and share your favorite recipes.  Just click on the Love to Cook Thursday button and follow Kipi's directions.  This is a great way to share your recipes with your friends.  

Taco Soup
From the Kitchen of: Terri Fonville
Serves: 8

1 1/2 - 2 lbs. lean ground beef, browned
1 large chopped onion
1 Tablespoon Chili powder
1 pkg. taco seasoning (mild or hot - your choice)
1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix (I prefer the low sodium recipe)
2 cans Ranch Style Chili Beans
1 can Ranch Style Pinto Beans with Jalapeños
1 can Fire Roasted Tomatoes
1 can Fire Roasted Tomatoes with garlic
1 can Fire Roasted Tomatoes with chili peppers
1 can Mexicorn
1 can Hominy
2 cups Beef Broth
1 banana pepper, chopped
3-4 small yellow & or orange chili peppers, chopped

Chop onions, set aside.

Brown lean ground beef.  Add chopped onions. Cook until tender.

Add chopped peppers. Cook until tender. Dump into bottom of 6 Qt. Crock Pot.

Add tomatoes, corn & hominy. Add beef broth, chili & Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix. Stir gently.

Cook on low 6-8 hours or on high about 3 hours.

Place a scoop of freetos in bottom of bowl and pour soup on top.

Top with grated cheese, sour cream and chives.

Enjoy!

Walk with God!
Terri

Love to Cook Thursdays - Angel Biscuits

This week we celebrated Dave's 30th birthday. As a special treat I decided to bake another old family favorite - Angel Biscuits. This is another recipe that I have not made in years. I was reminded of it when we attended a family shower for Casey Hall. They served Sister Schubert's Dinner rolls with our barbecue. This recipe is a homemade version of these rolls. They truly melt in your mouth. No one can eat just one!

Angel Biscuits
From the kitchen of: Loriece Roberts
5 1/2 cups flour - reserve 1 cup flour for rolling out
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup Crisco
1 pkg. dry yeast, dissolved in 1/4 cup warm water & 1/4 cup sugar
2 cups buttermilk

Dissolve 1 pkg. dry yeast in 1/4 cup very warm water.
Stir in 1/4 cup sugar. Set aside.

Sift together flour, baking powder, soda & salt. 

Cut in Crisco until mixture looks like small pellots.

 

Add buttermilk & dissolved yeast to dry ingredients. Mix well.  

Sprinkle flour onto board. Knead dough 10 times. 
Roll out to 1/4 inch thick. Cut with biscuit cutter.  

Melt 1 stick of butter. Spread melted butter over biscuits and fold in half.  

Place on cookie sheet and bake in 400 degree oven for 15 minutes. 
Recipe makes about 2 dozen nice sized rolls.

Note: Dough can be stored in the refrigerator for several days or place uncooked rolls on cookie sheet and freeze. When frozen remove rolls from cookie sheet and store in air tight plastic container placing parchment paper on bottom of container and between rows of rolls. Store in freezer.

Note 2: Because I was expecting 11 for lunch, I doubled the recipe this time so all the photos show double the amount of the above recipe. I made this on Saturday night and stored in the refrigerator over night. When I put the rest of lunch in the oven I checked on the refrigerated rolls and noticed how they had spread out in the container and looked like they might be difficult to remove from the container, so I popped the containers in the freezer for about one hour before getting them out and onto the cookie sheets.  
Note 3: Next time I make them ahead I will just go ahead and freeze the rolls and get out what I need when I am ready to bake them. I will probably lightly brush the tops with melted butter since these rolls don't brown much on top. When cooked from frozen you will need to cook an additional 5 minutes. Done when brown on bottom.
Enjoy!

Walk with God!

Terri

Experiencing Texas visits Cookies-in-bloom by Terri

http://www.experiencingtexas.com/2009/09/24/cookies-in-bloom/

Check out the latest Experiencing Texas article featuring Cookies-in-Bloom, a great specialty shop found in downtown Grapevine on Main Street.  Just another reason to take a leisurely stroll down the streets of downtown Grapevine, TX. The revitalization going on there is amazing.  I still remember walking down Main Street not long after Jerry and I married 32 years ago.  It was a like visiting a Ghost Town. The changes they have made are truly incredible!

Walk with God!
Terri

Love to Cook Thursdays - French Apple Pie by Terri

This week our challenge was to share a new or old favorite using apples. I chose Mom's French Apple Pie since it just can't be beat. I haven't made it in years and I had forgotten how easy it is to make and how delicious it tastes! I hope your family enjoys it as much as mine does.

French Apple Pie
From the kitchen of: Loriece Roberts

Ingredients:
1 uncooked deep-dish pie crust
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 sliced, peeled apples
1 1/2 Tablespoon light butter
Crumb topping:
1/2 cup light butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup flour
Directions:

Prepare pie crust as directed on the box.

Peel and thinly slice 3 apples. Set aside.

Mix together sugar and cinnamon.

Toss cinnamon sugar lightly through the sliced apples.

Heap the apples onto the pie crust.

Dot the top of the apples with light butter.

Mix crumb topping.

Pat the topping over the top of the apple filling.

Bake at 425 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Note: My oven runs warm so I cooked my pies at 400 degrees for 50 minutes. Also I gently covered the pie crust with aluminum foil the last 20 minutes, next time I think I'll cover it sooner.

Options: This time I used Splenda Sugar blend and Splenda brown sugar instead of regular sugar and brown sugar. Jerry couldn't tell the difference in the taste.

Enjoy!

Walk with God!
Terri