Stuffed Zucchini

Ingredients 

Original recipe makes 4 servings 

• 3 zucchini
• 1 pound pork sausage
• 1 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1 (32 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

 

 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Trim stems from zucchini and slice lengthwise. Scoop out seeds and put in bowl. Mix seeds with sausage, garlic, bread crumbs, and parmesan cheese. Stuff squash with sausage mixture and place in 9x13 inch baking pan. Pour sauce over squash and cover pan with foil.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until sausage is cooked. Remove foil and cover with mozzarella cheese. Cook until cheese is melted. 
5. http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Stuffed-Zucchini-2/Detail.aspx?src=rotd

Apple Pie

2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts
7 cups peeled, cored and sliced apples
1 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
2. In a bowl combine apples, sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Place mixture in a pastry-lined 9 inch pie plate. Dot with butter and adjust top crust that has been vented.
3. Place in oven and bake at 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) for 10 minutes. Turn oven temperature down to 275-300 degrees F (135-150 degrees C) and bake 40-50 minutes or until crust is golden brown and apples are tender. Let cool and serve.

  

Crust:
Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, chilled
2 cups all purpose flour
3 tablespoons white sugar
1/3 cup ice water
    

Directions

1. Combine flour and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer. Cut butter or margarine or butter and shortening into tablespoon pieces; add it to the flour and sugar. Use the paddle beater to cut the butter and flour together. Alternatively, this can be done by hand with a pastry blender.
2. With the mixer on low speed , or while stirring the mixture with a fork, pour in the cold water. When the dough starts to clump, and before it turns into a ball, stop stirring.
3. Lightly knead dough in the bowl until it forms a ball. Divide dough into two parts. Flatten each part into a disk, and chill for about 30 minutes before rolling.

Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup

1 onion, chopped
1 (16 ounce) can chili beans
1 (15 ounce) can black beans
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernal corn, drained
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle beer
2 (10 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning
3 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts
shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
crushed tortilla chips (optional)

Directions

1. Place the onion, chili beans, black beans, corn, tomato sauce, beer, and diced tomatoes in a slow cooker. Add taco seasoning, and stir to blend. Lay chicken breasts on top of the mixture, pressing down slightly until just covered by the other ingredients. Set slow cooker for low heat, cover, and cook for 5 hours.
2. Remove chicken breasts from the soup, and allow to cool long enough to be handled. Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup, and continue cooking for 2 hours. Serve topped with shredded Cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips, if desired.

Homemade Soft Pretzels

4 Tablespoons butter, melted
1 Tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for topping
1 1/2 cups warm water (110 to 115 degrees F)
1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) instant yeast
22 ounces (about 4 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour
Vegetable oil (nonstick) spray, for pan and bowl
10 cups water
2/3 cups baking soda
1 large egg yolk, beaten with 1 Tablespoon water (for egg wash)

Mix butter, sugar, salad and water with yeast in a large mixing bowl.

Add flour and mix until a dough forms.

Knead and add more flour until dough is tacky.

Let dough rise for 45 minutes.

Preheat oven and bring large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add baking soda.

Shape dough into desired pretzel shape. Boil 30 seconds and place on baking sheet.

Bake 14 minutes for large twists, 10 minute for mini twists or bites.

Allow to cool on rack for 5 minutes before serving.

I found this recipe here.

Caramel Corn Treat Bags

 Ingredients

4 quarts popped popcorn
1  cup brown sugar

1/2 cup Karo® Light or Dark Corn Syrup

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon Spice Islands® Pure Vanilla Extract

Treat bags or bowls

Halloween candies, nuts, dried fruits, etc. 

 

Directions

1. Spray a large shallow roasting pan with cooking spray. Add popcorn and place in preheated 250 degrees F oven while preparing caramel.
   
2. Mix brown sugar, corn syrup, butter and salt in a heavy 2-quart saucepan. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil over medium heat.
   
3. Boil 5 minutes WITHOUT STIRRING. Remove from heat. Stir in baking soda and vanilla.
   
4. Pour syrup mixture over warm popcorn, stirring to coat evenly.
   
5. Bake for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven and spread on foil that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Cool; break apart. Store in tightly covered container.
   
6. To serve, set out small bowls of your favorite candies, nuts or fruits and let your guests individualize their own Halloween treat.
   

Red, White and Blue Berry Trifle

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds raspberries (5 cups)
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup fresh orange juice (from 1 large orange)
10 ounces mascarpone cheese (1 1/3 cups)
1 1/4 cups cold heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Fine salt
20 to 24 ladyfingers (from a 7-ounce package), broken into 1-inch pieces 3/4 pound blueberries (2 1/2 cups)
Directions

In a medium bowl, combine raspberries with 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar and orange juice. With the back of a fork, lightly mash berries to release their juices and let sit 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together mascarpone and 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar until smooth. Whisk in cream, vanilla, and pinch of salt and whisk until soft peaks form, about 4 minutes.

Cut one or two pieces parchment 1 inch taller than side of an 8-inch springform pan and line inside of pan. Place half the ladyfingers in pan and top with half the raspberry mixture. With a small offset or rubber spatula, spread half the whipped cream over berries. Tap pan gently on counter to remove air bubbles. Repeat with remaining ladyfingers, raspberry mixture, and whipped cream. Top with blueberries and refrigerate until whipped cream is stiff and cookies have softened, about 3 hours (or, tightly covered with plastic, up to 3 days). To serve, unmold trifle and peel away parchment.

Prep Time 20 minutes Total Time 30 minutes, plus chilling Yield Serves 8 I found this recipe at marthastewart.com.

Chicken Fried Chicken

Chicken
4 skinned and boned chicken breasts
1 tsp salt
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 sleeve saltine crackers, crushed
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup milk
2 large eggs
oil

Directions:
 Place chicken breasts between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap, and flatten to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Sprinkle with half of the salt and pepper. Set aside. Combine cracker crumbs, flour, baking powder, remaining salt and pepper. Whisk together milk and eggs. Dredge chicken in cracker crumb mixture; dip in milk mixture, and dredge in cracker mixture again. Pour oil to a depth of 1/2 inch in a 12-inch skillet (do not use a nonstick skillet). Over medium high heat (more on the high side) fry chicken, in batches, 10 minutes, adding oil as needed. Turn and fry 4 to 5 more minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack in a cookie sheet. Keep chicken warm in a 225° oven.

Country Gravy
1/3 - cup flour
2 - 3 tablespoons pan drippings
3 cups milk
salt & pepper to taste

Carefully drain the hot drippings, reserving cooked bits and 2 -3 tablespoons of the drippings in skillet. Add 1/3 cup flour to the skillet with the drippings. Cook over medium high heat. Using a whisk mix the flour into the drippings until it starts to brown and become a paste. This is called a roux. If the roux looks too oily and runny you can add another tablespoon or so of flour and mix again. Whisk constantly until the paste becomes nice and brown.

Slowly add the milk whisking constantly and blending the liquid with the flour mixture until combined. Let the gravy come to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer until the gravy thickens up. If the mixture thickens too much add more milk as needed until the gravy is the consistency that you want. This could end up being more then the required 3 cups. Season generously with salt and pepper and serve over the chicken fried steak and mashed potatoes.