recipes that will take you away... (2024)

One of my favorite cakes of all time and a must have for Easter!!

6 cups grated carrots
1 cup brown sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoons all spice
1 cup chopped walnuts optional

In a medium bowl, combine grated carrots and brown sugar. Set aside for 60 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 10 inch cake pans. In a large bowl, beat eggs until light. Gradually beat in the white sugar, oil and vanilla. Stir in the pineapple. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, all spice and cinnamon... stir into the wet mixture until absorbed. Finally stir in the carrot mixture and the walnuts. Pour evenly into the prepared pans. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes in the preheated oven, until cake tests done with a toothpick. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan. When completely cooled, frost with cream cheese frosting. Enjoy!!

Cream Cheese Frosting
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar. Store in the refrigerator after use.

Easter means one thing at our house... Cadberry Creme Egg Cupcakes!! You will love these and they are so yummy you won't be able to eat just one!! Happy Easter!!

24 paper cupcake liners
Batter for 24 cupcakes. I used Betty Crocker’s milk chocolate box mix. You can also use your favorite chocolate cupcake recipe.
24regular size Cadberry Creme Eggs, FROZEN
**Freezing the24 eggs keeps them from completely vanishing inside the baked cake.
1 batch of heavenly vanilla butter icing
yellow gel food coloring

Scoop batter into paper liner 2/8 of the way full. Place one frozen Mini Cadbury Creme Egg into the middle of each cupcake. Use a spatula to spread the batter over the egg. Bake according to the recipe you are using. Allow cupcakes to cool completely. While your cupcakes are cooking, make your icing. Remove about 1 cup of vanilla butter icingfrom the mixing bowl and dye it light yellow. Frost half your cupcakes with theyellow icing and the other half with the white. Enjoy!!

Simply the BEST licorice caramels ever!! They are great for gift giving because they are divine and your recipients will thank you over and over!! Make sure to make a batch to keep home for you to enjoy too!!

1 cup butter
2 cups white sugar
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup corn syrup
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure anise oil
black paste food coloring (optional) I use red and green at Christmas!!

Line a 13x9 inch dish with buttered foil or you can sray it with PAM. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in sugar, condensed milk, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Continue to heat, without stirring, to 242 to 248 degrees F (116 to 120 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a firm but pliable ball. Remove from heat and stir in anise and food coloring. Pour into prepared pan. Let cool completely for several hours. To cut, turn out of pan and peel away foil. Cut with a buttered knife. Wrap pieces in waxed paper and ENJOY!! Store in sealable container until gone *LOL*

A wonderful addition to any dinner!!

1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped
2 heaping tablespoons of powdered sugar
1 dash of pure vanilla extract
1 cup pomegranate arils
2 apples, diced
2 bananas, sliced

Add the sugar and vanilla to the whipped cream, Taste to make sure sweetness is good, if needed add more powdered sugar.Mix the fruit and creammtogether and serve... ENJOY!!

A great addtion to any Thanksgiving or dinner table!!

8-10 sweet potatoes, chopped into 1' cubes
4 apples, chopped into 1' cubes
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons dark brown sugar
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoons ground clove
salt and pepper to taste

Place apples and sweet potatoes in a crock pot or slow cooker. Mix maple syrup, melted butter and cream and pour over. Combine spices and brown sugar and sprinkle on top of the potatoes and apples. Cook on low for 4 to 5 hours. If you like the marshmallow topping on your sweet potatoes about 30 minutes before serving, liberally sprinkle mini marshmallows over the sweet potatoes and recover. Serve and ENJOY!!

On St. Patrick's Day this is aMUST butit's also a familyfavorite on cold nights :)

4 medium yellow potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1-inch wedges
1 cup baby carrots
1 medium onion, cut into 6 wedges
1 corned beef brisket with seasoning packet about 2 1/2 pounds
1 cup water
3 wedges green cabbage

Place potatoes, carrots and onion in bottom of crock pot and top with corned beef; sprinkle with contents of seasoning packet and add water. Cover and cook on LOW heat setting 10 hours. Add cabbage wedges on top and cook for additional 2 hours or until cabbage is crisp-tender. Cut corned beef across grain into thin slices. With draining spoon, remove vegetables from crockpot and if you want to make gravy, skim fat from juices and prepare gravy. Enjoy!!

The perfect sweet for Christmas!

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (divided)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup (6 oz) white chocolate chips
1 tablespoon pure peppermint extract
1 tsp gel green food coloring

Line an 8 or 9 inch pan with wax paper. Melt chips with 1 cup of sweetened condensed milk in a sauce pan over low heat. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Spread half of the mixture into prepared pan and chill for about 10 minutes.(Hold remaining mixture at room temperature)Melt white candy with remaining sweetened condensed milk in sauce pan over low heat. Add peppermint extract and food coloring. Spread on chilled chocolate layer and then chill for 10 minutes longer or until firm. Spread reserved chocolate mixture on mint layer and then chill for about 2 hours. Peel off waxed paper and cut into squares. Enjoy!

this is an easy and yummy appetizer for any holiday party!!

Put all ingredients in mixing bowl and beat on medium speed for about 1 minute or until well blended. Pour out onto wax paper and shape into a ball. Roll ball in chopped nuts and wrap in wax paper. Chill for at least 1 hour and serve with your favorite veggies and crackers. Enjoy!!

Chili is a Halloween tradition at our house, we enjoy it pipping hot before we head out in the cold to trick-or-treat. If we are lucky there is some to warm us up when we get back with our loot..enjoy!

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped green bell pepper
2 cups chopped red bell pepper
1 cup chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, pressed
one med jalapeno, minced (without seeds)
one pound of ground beef (opt, I used 85% lean)
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
2 bottles quarts size diced tomatoes (or 2 14.5 oz. cans of stewed tomatoes)
1 can (15.5 ounces) mild chili beans in sauce, undrained
1 can (15.5 ounces) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (7 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained
1 12 oz can of V8 regular or spicy

Toppings such as shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream and fresh onions

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add bell peppers, jalapeno, onion, garlic, chili powder and cumin; cook until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add ground beef (opt) cook until brown. Add mixture to crock pot then add tomatoes, V8, beans and corn; mix well. Heat on low for 4 hours, stirring occasionally. Enjoy in a bread bowl with your favorite toppings!!!

Autumn Harvest Chili Warms the whole family by the fireplace!!!
mmmmm

Homemade turkey gravy is the best and pretty simple , belowarethe 2basic ways of making gravy from turkeydrippings, the first is to use corn starch, the second one uses flour.Bothstart with your deliciousturkey drippings. Sometimes you may have more drippings than you need for the amount of gravy you want to make,for each cup of gravy you wantto make you need 2 tablespoons of drippings. The following is to make 2 cups of gravy so you can double it depending on how much gravy you need!!

While your turkey is roasting make your turkey stock for your gravy.

8 cup(s) water
3large carrots, cut intolarge chunks
3large stalks celery, cut into large chunks
2 medium onions, cut into chucks
1 small garlic clove
2 whole bay leaves
1 sprig rosemary
1 steam sage
Giblets and neck from turkey, DO NOT USE THE LIVER
Salt & WHITE Pepper to taste

In 8-quart stockpot or sauce pot, place water, carrots, celery, onions, and bay leaves. Cover until it boils then addgiblets, neck, and 1/2 TSP. Reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered for about anhour. Strain stock into large bowl, discarding vegetables, neck and giblets. You can refrigerate stock for up to 3 days or freeze for 3 months!

Place 2 TBS of the drippings in the pan. Dissolve 2 TBS of corn starch in the minimum amount of turkey stock needed to make a thin paste roughly 1/4 C. Pour into pan with drippings and use a wire whisk to blend into the drippings. Stir with a wire whisk until the gravy begins to thicken. As it thickens, slowly add 1 3/4 C turkey stock and 1/4 C good quality heavy cream to the pan and 1 TBS white wine. Alternate stirring and adding liquid, maintaining the consistency you want, for about 5 minutes. you will end up with about 2 cups of gravy. Season with salt, white pepper!! ENJOY!!

Place 2 TBS of the drippings in the pan and stir in 1 to 2 TBS of flour. Stir with a wire whisk until the flour has thickened and the gravy is smooth. Continue to cook slowly to brown the flour, and stir constantly. Slowly add back some of the previously removed drippings. In addition, add 1 3/4 C stock and 1/4 C good quality heavy cream to the gravy and 1 TBS white wine. Season the gravy with salt, white pepper!! ENJOY!!

a fresh twist on a classic favorite

2 (8 ounce) cans Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls or refrigerated flaky dough sheet
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon dried dill
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
veggies... broccoli florets, green onion, olives, cucumber, cherry tomato, shredded carrot, green, yellow and red peppers

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. If using crescent rolls: Unroll both cans of dough; separate dough into 4 long rectangles. If using dough sheets: Unroll both cans of dough. In ungreased 15x10x1-inch pan, place dough; press in bottom and up sides to form crust. Bake 13 to 17 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. In small bowl, mix cream cheese, sour cream, dill and garlic powder until smooth. Spread over crust. Top with your choice of veggies. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours before serving.

MMMmmm

1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1/2 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

The Rainbow fits well in a 9x13 pan. Then pick 6 boxes of your favorite Jello. These are the ones that I picked but you can pick whatever ones you like.

1 (3 oz.) box Strawberry Jello

1 (3 oz.) box Orange Jello

1 (3 oz.) box Pineapple Jello

1 (3 oz.) box Lime Jello

1 (3 oz.) box Blueberry Jello

1 (3 0z.) box Grape Jello

1 pt. Sour Cream (2 cups)

Step One: Take 1 box of Jello (I started with Grape but you can do whatever you would like.) and 1 cup of boiling water and mix together until dissolved.

Step Two: Then measure out 1/2 cup of the Jello mixture into another bowl and add 1/3 cup of sour cream and mix together. Pour into the 9x13 pan and set in the refrigerator until set, about 20 mins. Make sure that your pan is level in the refrigerator.

Step Three: Then mix 3T of Cold Water in with the remaining Jello mixture and pour over the firm sour cream mixture. Let firm. Repeat 5 more times alternating cloudy cream mixture with clear Jello mixture until done !

I used whipping cream for the cloud and Gold coins or Rolo's for the gold.

I started making these parfaits for breakfast during the busier holiday months of law school and now it's like a tradition!

1 c. Just Bunches (granola cereal)
1 lg. tub of vanilla yogurt
Your favorite berries (I used blackberries, raspberries and blueberries) sliced strawberries are good too!
Then just layer in your favorite decorative cups.

Grandma Olson's Rolls

If you like apple crumble you will love this cranberry thanksgiving twist!

1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup chilled butter, cut into small pieces
6 cups peeled and sliced 1/2 inch thick apples (I like Braeburn or Granny Smith)
1 cup fresh
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon cornstarch

preheat your oven to 375°. Combine the flour, 1/4 cup of the sugar, the brown sugar, and the COLD butter in a bowl. Mix the ingredients with a pastry blender to create pea-size crumbs. Combine the apple slices and cranberries in a large bowl. Mix the juice, remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar, and cornstarch in a small bowl. Pour the mixture over the fruit and toss well. Spoon the fruit into a 2-quart baking dish and sprinkle on the flour mixture. Bake the crumble until bubbly and golden brown, about 40 minutes. Serve with real vanilla ice cream.....ENJOY!

Simply perfect!

1 Acorn squash
1 Tbsp Butter
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
2 teaspoons PURE Maple Syrup
Dash of Salt
chopped candied pecans, optional

Preheat oven to 400°F. Using a strong chef's knife, and perhaps a rubber mallet to help, cut the acorn squash in half, lengthwise, from stem to end. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy stuff in the center of each half. Score the insides of each half several times with a sharp knife. Place each half in a baking pan, cut side up. Add about a 1/4 inch of water to the bottom of the baking pan so that the skins don't burn and the squash doesn't get dried out. Coat the inside of each half with 1/2 a Tbsp of butter. Add a dash of salt if you are using unsalted butter. Add a Tbsp of brown sugar to the cavity of each half. Dribble on a teaspoon of maple syrup to each half. Bake in the oven for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, until the squash is very soft and the tops are browned. Do not undercook. When finished, remove from oven and let cool a little before serving. Spoon any buttery sugar sauce that has not already been absorbed by the squash over the exposed areas. Sprinkle with pecans if you would like. Serves 2 to 4, depending on how much squash you like to eat.

1 (12 ounce) package ground sweet mild Italian sausage
18 LARGE fresh mushrooms
i small onion chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley , chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup Marsala wine

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Clean the mushrooms. Remove, chop and reserve the stems.Place sausage, onion, garlic and mushroom stems (chopped) in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain and set aside. In a medium bowl, gently mix the cream cheese and bread crumbs. Mix in the sausage mixture and 1/4 cup wine. Using a spoon, stuff the mushroom caps with the sausage mixture. Transfer to a large baking dish, and cover with the remaining red wine. Bake in the preheated oven 25 to 30 minutes, or until the mixture is lightly brown.