Baked Potato Skins

We made this recipe found on Allrecipes.com and loved it! Kyle declared that this is the only way he will eat potatoes.

4 large baking potatoes, baked
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp pepper
8 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream - optional
4 green onions, sliced - optional

Cut potatoes in half lengthwise; scoop out pulp, leaving a 1/4-in. shell (save pulp for another use). Place potato skins on a parchment covered baking sheet. Combine oil, parmesan cheese, salt, garlic powder, paprika and pepper; brush over both sides of skins. Bake at 475 degrees for 7 minutes; turn. Bake until crisp, about 7 minutes more. Sprinkle cheese and bacon inside skins. Bake 2 minutes longer or until the cheese is melted. Top with sour cream and onions. Serve immediately.

Lemon Curd Cake

You know how the Nelson's are with anything lemon so I knew this recipe would be a winner; however, I used lime curd instead b/c it's what I had. My oven wasn't working well when I made this so half the cake didn't cook. I ended up cutting the cooked part of the cake into cubes and layering it with the whip cream icing in a casserole dish. It was very very good!

1 white cake mix
1 11.3 jar lemon curd (reserve 1/3 cup)

Mix cake mix according to package directions, mixing in remaining lemon curd. Bake in bundt pan as directed.

Icing:
1 pint whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup lemon curd

Whip cream until peaks form. Add powdered sugar and lemon curd. Spread over cake.

Apricot Chicken

6 chicken breasts
1 8 oz bottle Russian Dressing
1 pkg onion soup mix
1 cup apricot (or peach) jam

Mix dressing, soup mix and jam. Pour over chicken breasts in a 9x13 pan. Bake uncovered at 350 for 1 hour.

Sweet and Sour Meatloaf

I had a neighbor family over for dinner last week and made this meatloaf. It was SO GOOD and it freezes great for a make ahead meal.

1 (12 ounce) jar red currant jelly
1 (12 ounce) jar chili sauce

1 pound ground beef
1 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup dried chopped onions
1/2 teapsoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 egg
1/2 cup ketchup

To prepare sauce, combine red currant jelly and chili sauce in a saucepan. Heat until jelly is melted and well-blended.

For meatloaf, combine the rest of the ingredients and mold into a 5x9 loaf pan. Pour half of the sauce over meatloaf and bake for 1 hour at 400 degrees. Heat remaining sauce and serve with meatloaf.

Cahoon Crockpot Roast

I've actually been cooking lately and wanted to share a few recipes. I took this pot roast down to Sunday dinner at Mom & Dad's last week. The sauce is yummy!

3-5 pound roast
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 pkg lipton dry onion soup mix
1 10 oz can beef gravy
1/2 brown sugar
3 tbsp vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Garlic salt the roast and place in crock pot. Mix together remaining ingredients and pour over roast. Cook on low heat for 12 hours or high heat for 6-7 hours. Take roast out when cooked, strain gravy to get rid of lumps, and thicken with cornstarch and cold water mixture (if needed).

Poppy Seed Pancakes

Seth and i made these tonight and they're SOOOOOOOO good! I recommend making buttermilk syrup instead of the fruity one--it's a little different. (Kind of tastes like runny orange marmalade) We got the recipe from 101 Cookbooks

If you can't find white whole wheat flour, substitute for unbleached all-purpose flour. If you can't find agave nectar, substitute 1/4 cup sugar + 1/4 cup maple syrup.


Syrup:
1- 2 oranges, peeled, segments torn into small pieces
1 lemon, peeled, segments torn into small pieces
1/3 cup agave nectar

To make the citrus syrup put the orange and lemon segments and agave nectar in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Heat and stir until the ingredents combine. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer for for 5 or 6 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.


Pancakes:
2 cups white whole wheat flour (or unbleached a-p flour)
1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/3 cup poppy seeds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds, toasted until deeply golden
2 1/4 cups organic buttermilk
2 large organic eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons butter, melted

butter, to serve (and for pan)

To make the pancakes combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, poppy seeds and sunflower seeds in a large bowl. Add the buttermilk, eggs and melted butter. Stir all the ingredients until they are just combined. Don’t worry if the batter is a bit lumpy, you don't want to over mix.

Heat your skillet, pan, or griddle to medium-hot and brush it with a bit of butter. Test for the right temperature. If a drop of water dropped onto the pan starts to dance, you are in the ballpark. Pour about 1/3 of a cup of batter into the skillet. Wait until the pancake bottom is deep golden in color, then flip with a spatula and cook the other side until golden and cooked through. Repeat with the remaining batter. Serve with a golden pat of butter and a nice drizzle of syrup.

Makes about 12 large pancakes, or dozens of silver-dollar pancakes - enough to feed a small familia :)

Grandma's Texas Sheet Cake

This is Grandma Nelson's recipe for Texas Sheet Cake. It is very similar to the Pioneer Woman's Best Chocolate Cake Ever recipe. I do like Grandma's just a bit more. I love this recipe too because it is simple, but so good and nice enough for company.

Texas Sheet Cake
Combine in mixing bowl:
2 c. flour
2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt

For the next step you will need:
1 c. butter
1 c. water
1/2 c. sour cream
4 T. cocoa
2 beaten eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla

In a saucepan bring butter, water and cocoa to a boil. Remove from heat. Add eggs, sour cream, baking soda and vanilla. Add to flour mixture. Pour into a large cookie sheet, greased and floured. Bake 20-25 minutes at 350*. Ice while hot.

Icing:
1/2 c. butter
6 T. milk
4 T. cocoa
1 tsp. vanilla
4 c. powdered sugar
chopped nuts

In a saucepan bring butter, cocoa, and milk to a boil. Remove from heat and add powdered sugar, vanilla, and nuts. Ice cake straight from the oven.

Orange Dark Chocolate Muffins

I originally found this recipe here at MILK & COOKIES Blog I was slightly confused by the metric measurements (she's from Australia) so I searched and found this recipe on RecipeZaar which is the same recipe only converted.

Jimmy said these tasted just like an orange stick but in muffin form. We quite liked them. Cheerio matey! Isn't that a lovely photo. Mine didn't quite look as lovely, but were still tasty.

Orange Dark chocolate Muffins
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup caster sugar
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 cup dark chocolate, roughly chopped (I used Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips)
1 cup plain yogurt (no gelatine) or sour cream **
2 ounces unsalted butter, softened (which is 1/2 cube or 1/4 cup)
2 eggs
2 tablespoons orange juice

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Place the flour, baking powder, sugar, orange zest, and chocolate in a large bowl and mix to combine.

In another smaller bowl, combine the yogurt, butter, eggs and orange juice until well blended.

Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and mix until just combined.

Spoon the batter carefully into the greased muffin tin.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the tops are golden and cooked when tested with a skewer. (I baked mine for about 28 minutes)

Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes. They are ready to serve straight away.

** I used about 3/4 cup sour cream and 1/4 cup yogurt because I didn't have yogurt without pectin.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is Daniel posting under Elizabeth... I had a huge chocolate craving last week and wanted cookies as well. Luckily I found this Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe online and have found a new favorite.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup cocoa powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups milk chocolate chips (Guittard Real Milk Chocolate Chips are the best)
  
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In large bowl, beat butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; stir into the butter mixture until well blended. Mix in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or just until set. Cool slightly on the cookie sheets before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.