I've Gone Bananas....

Sometimes we can't have enough bananas laying around the house and yet other times I buy them and no one eats them.  Does this happen to you? I was feeling rather confident in the banana love when I bought 3 pounds of bananas from Sam's Club.  I figured they would be gone in record time, but I was wrong.  No one ate them.  Not one single banana. 

While I contemplated what I wanted to do with my bounty of bananas, I fixed myself one of my favorite childhood snacks.  Sliced bananas topped with a mixture of peanut butter and Cool Whip.  There really isn't a recipe for this.  I just slice my bananas on the thick side and then mix about 3-4 tablespoons of Cool Whip with about 1 tablespoon of peanut butter.  Then I pile the Cool Whip/peanut butter mixture on top of each banana slice. 

This is one of my all-time favorite snacks as I love the combo of bananas and peanut butter.  Sorry for all you Cool Whip haters.  I've tried this same treat using whipped cream and it just isn't the same. 

I love banana bread, so when I saw this Jacked-Up Banana Bread over on A La Graham, who got the recipe from Smitten Kitchen, I had to make it.  This banana bread is awesome for so many reasons.  First and foremost, you don't need a mixer, just a bowl and a spoon.  Easy peasy and no mess, gotta love that.  Secondly, this recipe uses 4 bananas - now that is some banana love!  Third, this banana bread is jacked-up with Bourbon, and I happen to live in Kentucky, the land of Bourbon. 

Lots of wonderful texture with all those bananas

Jacked-up Banana Bread
Adapted from A La Graham via Smitten Kitchen
one 4x8 inch loaf

3 to 4 ripe bananas, smashed (I used 4)
1/3 cup melted salted butter
3/4 to 1 cup light brown sugar (depending on the level of sweetness you prefer)*I used 1 cup*
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon bourbon (optional)
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Pinch of ground cloves
1 1/2 cup of flour

Preheat the oven to 350°F. With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, vanilla and bourbon, then the spices. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last, mix. Pour mixture into a buttered 4×8 inch loaf pan.

Bake for 50 minutes to one hour, or until a tester comes out clean. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.

I loved the caramelized banana bits!

I left the banana pieces on the larger side when I made this bread and I'm glad that I did.  We enjoyed the texture of the bananas and loved how the bananas caramelized on the bottom of the bread.  At first I worried that the small amount of Bourbon (1 tablespoon) would be unrecognizable, but you could definitely taste that the bread was jacked-up.  Delicious!

After my banana snack and the banana bread, I still had quite a bit of bananas left over AND I had another problem.....GIRL SCOUT COOKIES.  Since my daughter is selling Girl Scout cookies we have boxes and boxes of them everywhere.  

I decided to take my favorite recipe for Banana Pudding, Paula Deen's Not Yo' Mama's Banana Pudding, and replace the regular Pepperidge Farm Chessman cookies called for in Paula's recipe with Shout Out Girl Scout Cookies.  Banana Pudding is probably my all-time favorite dessert and this amped up version with the Girl Scout cookies was fantastic.  So, if you happen to have some Shout Out Girl Scout cookies or Shortbread Girl Scout cookies then this would be a great recipe for you! 

I've posted about this banana pudding recipe before, but you can find the recipe HERE on Food Network.

What do you like to do with your leftover bananas?

Papa Bear Oatmeal

Last Saturday, I happened to be flipping through the channels and noticed that Food Network was hosting a breakfast and brunch theme for the day.  Since I love all things breakfast and brunch related, I recorded all the episodes, even some of the shows that I don't normally watch.  Last night I had some free time and I got caught up on hours and hours of every delicious breakfast food you can imagine.  The one recipe that stuck with me, really stuck with me, was this Papa Bear Oatmeal from Paula's newer show, Paula's Best Dishes.   

I wanted it right then and there and vowed to wake up and make it for breakfast this morning.  Lucky for me, I had all the ingredients.  Old-Fashioned oatmeal cooked on the stove with juicy plump raisins, poured in a bowl and doused with a little milk, brown sugar, sliced bananas, strawberries, blueberries, and maple syrup.  Wow!  Not only is this a beautiful breakfast, it's quick, it's easy, it's healthy, and it feels extremely indulgent.  I can't wait to make it again!

Papa Bear Oatmeal

Serves 4

• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant or quick cooking)
• 3 1/2 cups water
• 2/3 cup raisins
• 1 banana, sliced
• 1 cup sliced strawberries
• 1/2 cup heavy cream (I used 2% milk)
• Brown sugar, for serving
• Honey, for serving ( I used maple syrup)
• blueberries (optional, my addition)

In a medium saucepan, bring 3 1/2 cups water and the salt to a boil. Stir in the oats and simmer until almost thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the raisins and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more

Spoon the oatmeal into individual bowls and serve. Place the banana and strawberry slices, cream (or milk) , brown sugar, and honey or maple syrup into the oatmeal bowl. Stir if desired. 

Notes/Results:  I was blown away by how delicious this oatmeal really was.  I couldn't believe how tasty it was and can't wait to make it again. 

************************************************************

One of my best blogging friends, Teresa at A Blog About Food, tagged me in "4 things about me".  Normally I'm really bad at these tagging games.  It's not that I don't want to participate, it's just that I forget. If you tagged me and I didn't respond, please don't take it personally.  Chances are that I made a mental note to respond and then forgot.  I'm scatterbrained like that. This year I'm going to try and do better with them.  

Anyway, I lead a real exciting and riveting life (ha-ha)!  Here goes:

Four shows I watch:
1. True Blood.  Best Show Ever.  Period.
2. Vampire Diaries.  Yes, there is a theme here.  Ever since I can remember, my favorite shows have always been vampire-based or mafia-based.  I can't explain why, especially since I don't really like gore.  Go figure.
3. I Survived.  Okay.  Has anybody else seen this show on the Biography channel?  Holy cow.  You just can't believe that people can survive the things they do.  It's amazing, and scary, and unnerving.  Sometimes I have to make myself watch it.  You know, just in case.
4. Hawaii Five-O.   Two words ladies.  EYE CANDY! I first started watching Hawaii Five-O because of Alex O'Loughlin.  I loved him in the vampire series Moonlight, but it was canceled.  When I heard he would be in the new Hawaii Five-O I had to watch it.  Alex O'Loughlin is gorgeous. Completely and totally drop dead gorgeous.  I think he's just about the most handsome man ever.  Did I say EVER?

 The eyes.

 The million dollar smile.

Like I said.  His eyes.  His smile ;-)

During the course of the show, I've also developed quite an infatuation for Scott Caan.  Normally I like men with dark hair and dark eyes, but Scott Caan.  I don't know.  There is just something about him that I find very appealing.  You can tell he's a little bit of a bad boy.  A little mischievous.  A little bit of a smart ass. A little bit of trouble.  A whole lotta fun.  Not to mention, his Dad is James Caan, who played Sonny Corleone in the mafia epic, Godfather. What's not to like about that?

At any rate, Hawaii Five-O is a great show, with lots of eye candy.  I don't miss a single episode.  You shouldn't either.  The way I see it, men have way too much eye candy all the time.  We ladies deserve some too!

Four Things I'm passionate about:
1. Cooking.  I spend most of my time doing it, reading about it, thinking about it, and even dreaming about it.
2. Books.  Books have got to be the best things ever.  Each book is like a brand new adventure. No Kindle for me though.  I have to hold the book, it's part of the beauty for me.
3. Laughing.  I love to laugh.  Chuckling, big laughs, belly laughs, laughing so-hard-you-need-to-cross-your-legs, laughing until you cry, laughing until your temples ache,  laughing until you fall on the floor, and of course, laughing until you snort.  Good times!

4. Traveling. It really doesn't matter where to.  I just like to see different places and meet new people.  I could have a fantastic time in Boise, Idaho or Paris, France.  Every place has something unique to offer.

Four phrases I use a lot:
1. Brush your teeth/hair!  Or, my personal favorite "Groom yourself."  (Mainly for the benefit of my 9 year old daughter).

 2. Shut the door.  You're letting all the cold air in. (Again, for the benefit of my 9 year old).
3. Quit fighting.  (As an only child I really don't understand all the sibling fights).
4. Put your clothing on.  (My son is going through a phase right now).

Four things I've learned in the past:
1. Raising children is an extremely challenging job.   Just when you think you get the hang of it.....someone comes and pulls the rug out from under you. 
2. All you need in life is one good friend.  One good friend can make all the difference.

3.  You have to learn how to adjust.  When I was younger, my Grandpa would always tell me that the key to life was "learning how to adjust".  I never knew what the heck he was talking about, but now I get it.  Life is full of changes and you have to learn how to adjust in order to hang in there.
4.  Always remember who you are and where you come from. I mean this in the deepest sense possible.  Don't let anything get in the way of being who you are.

Four places I'd like to go:
1. Ocean City, Maryland.  We went there every year when I was growing up and I haven't been there in about 15 years.  I'd love to go back, see some old family friends, and take the kids.  Spend the days the beach.  Spend the nights on the boardwalk.  Smell the fresh salty air.
2. New Orleans, Louisiana. I've never been there, but I have a deep romance for it.  The culture, the food, the drinks, the architecture, the wildlife, the gardens, the people.  I have to get there one day.  That will be a trip made either with my friends, my Mom, or my husband.  The kids.....not going!
3. San Antonio, Texas.  I'd like to spend some time on the Riverwalk.  Most of all, I'd just like to see the area, eat some good Tex-Mex, and drink lots of tasty Margaritas.  Preferably alone with my husband.
4. Alaska.  My Dad was in the Army at the height of the Vietnam War. He thought for sure that he was going to Saigon.  When his orders came, he was surprised to find that he was being sent to Fairbanks, Alaska.  Thank God my Dad never had to go war in Vietnam.  Instead, he spent two years with the Army up in Fairbanks, Alaska doing maneuvers and practicing survival skills.  Ever since I can remember, he has loved sharing stories about his time in Fairbanks, Alaska.  You can just hear the passion for Alaska in his stories. I know he'd love the chance to go there again and I'd love to go with him.

 Four things I did yesterday:
1. Burnt and blistered my lip on Dorie Greenspan's Potato-Leek soup.  Apparently that new Dutch oven really keeps the food steaming hot.

Dorie's Potato-Leek Soup with Crouton for FFwD

2. Talked to my best friend on the phone for 2 hours.
3. Shampooed, mopped, and vacuumed the downstairs carpet and floors.
4. Enjoyed several hours of quiet time while my husband took the kids to his Mom's house.

Four things I love about winter:

1. Snow.  I'm crazy about snow.  I think it's magically beautiful.

2. Peace and Quiet.  I love that no one is knocking on the door and the phone isn't ringing off the hook.  It seems like everything quiets down in the winter.
3. Being cozy and snuggling up in PJ's with blankets, slippers, etc. It's the best!
4. Relaxing and staying in. The rest of the year is a mad dash, but wintertime is relaxing and lazy with lots of time for movies, cooking, etc.

I'm supposed to tag 4 people, but I'm no good at picking and choosing.  If you'd like to play along, feel free to.

In the meantime, I'm running out to the store for more oatmeal so that I can have some Papa Bear Oatmeal in the morning! I can't get enough of it!

Green Pea Salad

Moss's was an old steakhouse on the downtown strip of my hometown in Elyria, Ohio. Elyria, Ohio was never and is still not a mecca of fine dining. In fact, when I was a kid we had the four basic fast food chains: McDonald's, Burger King, KFC and Pizza Hut. We had the neighborhood Friendly's, which me and my girlfriends wore out on a regular basis. We had two dining establishments in town and they were both steakhouses. One steakhouse was family-owned and the other was a chain restaurant. Back in the day, everyone use to go downtown to Moss's, because it was family-owned unlike that steakhouse out by the mall. I'm sure Moss's served up some wonderful steaks, but all I remember was their pea salad. Gosh was that stuff good!

As soon as you would take your seat at Moss's, the waitress would bring out a basket of soft bread and a jar of pea salad. Moss's pea salad was a mixture of peas, mayo, and shredded cheddar cheese. The idea was to take a scoop of the pea salad and spread it on the soft bread. It may sound strange at first, but it really is delicious. That darn pea salad was my entire reason for going to Moss's.

Imagine my surprise when I received my recent issue of Cooking with Paula Deen and there was a recipe for Pea Salad. I was even more surprised to find that Paula had actually lightened up the recipe. Yeah Paula!

Green Pea Salad
Adapted from the May Issue of Cooking with Paula Deen
Makes 4 servings
2 cups fresh or frozen peas, thawed (I used used frozen)
1 hard-boiled egg, chopped
3 strips cooked and crumbled turkey bacon (I used regular bacon)
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayo
1 tablespoon chopped shallot
2 teaspoons rice win vinegar
In a large bowl, combine peas, egg. bacon, bell pepper, mayo, shallot, and vinegar. Toss gently to combine. Serve immediately.

Notes/Results: This is a great springtime or even summertime side dish! Instead of having the standard potato or macaroni salad at your next cookout or barbecue, try this green pea salad. It is the perfect addition to your grilled, barbecued, or even fried chicken. I really like how Paula lightened up this recipe by cutting the mayo with a bit of vinegar. The little chunks of egg and bacon add delicious flavor and color to the dish. This green pea salad is going to be a new side dish here at Stirring the Pot. It was a hit with everybody. Best of all, I don't even feel bad about eating it!

I am submitting this tasty green pea salad to Reeni at Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice for her Side Dish Showdown.


I am also submitting this to Deb at Kahakai Kitchen for her Souper Sundays roundup, a weekly roundup of soups, salads and sandwiches.

Happy Halloween & Spooky Treats

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!! I hope you all have a happy and safe Halloween. We started our morning with a spooky treat courtesy of Nigella. For breakfast we had Nigella's Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Sundaes. We rimmed our sundae glasses with orange sprinkles and filled them with ice cream. We topped them with Nigella's chocolate peanut butter fudge sauce, Halloween sprinkles, and scary monsters! I don't think I need to tell you that Nigella's chocolate peanut butter fudge sauce was delicious. How could it not be? It consisted of heavy cream, milk chocolate, smooth peanut butter, and corn syrup - yum!! If you like a decadent ice cream sauce, this is the one! This week's theme over at I Heart Cooking Clubs is spooky treats and spirits. Go check out all the other spooky posts!!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Sundae - Nigella Express by Nigella Lawson
3/4 cup heavy cream
4 oz milk chocolate, chopped
1/2 smooth peanut butter
3 tablespoons golden syrup or light corn syrup

Cook all ingredients on low heat until melted and glossy.



Earlier in the week we made Paula Deen's snake bites, recipe found here. This is a great Halloween treat, but can be made anytime of year. I am submitting this to Deb over at Kahakai Kitchen for Souper Sundays.

The snake bites are made with canned crescent dough that is flattened out and filled with sandwich fillings. Paula's recipe calls for ham, salami, bologna, Monterey jack cheese, and mustard. The crescent roll is rolled up into the shape of a snake, coated with egg yolk, and painted with food color to resemble a snake. Paula uses pimento-stuffed olives for the eyes, cloves for the nose, and a red pepper for the tongue.

I improvised and used black olives for the eyes, capers for the nose, and red pepper for the tongue. I filled my snakes with pizza sauce, fresh mozzerella, and pepperoni. I made another snake with pesto sauce and fresh mozzarella. The pizza themed snakes were tasty, but the filling was too much and spilled out the sides. I think you need to have a light hand with the filling. Other than that, they are really cute treats that make everyone happy. You can customize them adding any ingredient you like. Each snake makes about 8 little sandwiches.


Happy Halloween!!

Hot Chicken Salad and Nutter Butter Ghosts

This summer I joined up with the My Girl Paula cooking group and have cooked and indulged in at least 16 Paula Deen recipes. Sadly, those 16 recipes have stuck with me, if you know what I mean. We all know that Paula's recipes are not kind to the waistline. It is for this reason that this will be my last post with the My Girl Paula group. I will still be following along and may cook up an occasional Paula treat, but the main focus is going to be on cooking lighter (with a few exceptions, of course).

This week at My Girl Paula there was no chosen recipe. We were able to choose any recipe we wanted. I chose to go with Paula's recipe for Hot Chicken Salad, which allowed me to finish cleaning out my refrigerator. I remembered making this recipe several years ago and having mixed feelings about it. Back then I used sauteed and cubed up chicken and this time I used leftover rotisserie chicken. After trying the version made with rotisserie chicken I can easily say that this is the only way you should make this recipe. The texture was just so much better and this recipe was delicious! We really liked it, and I will definitely be making it again.....someday. If you really want to indulge, this is a quick, comforting and very tasty recipe packed with crunchy and creamy goodness.

Hot Chicken Salad - adapted from Paula Deen & Friends by Paula Deen
2 cups cooked chicken breast meat, cubed (use rotisserie chicken, if possible)
1-1/2 cups diced celery (my hubby doesn't like celery, so I added peas)
1/2 cup slivered or sliced almonds (do not skip this,, it was my favorite part of the recipe)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon grated onion
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup mayo
1/2 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese
2/3 cup crushed potato chips
Note: We love garlic, so I added 1 big clove of garlic
Note: I baked mine in an 8x8 baking pan

Preheat the oven to 375F. Paula says to spray a 13x9 inch baking dish with vegetable oil, but I don't really think you need to. In a large mixing bowl, combine the chicken, celery (or peas), almonds, salt, onion, pepper, lemon juice, mayo, and cheese. Place the mixture in the prepared baking dish. Spread the crushed potato chips on top. Bake for 20 minutes, or until bubbly.

This would be great dish to take along to a party, serve to children, or as part of a family dinner!!

For dessert, I made these cute little nutter butter ghosts. While shopping through the Fresh Market one day, I noticed a package of these little guys and thought they were really cute. Rather than pay $4.95 for about 4 or 5 of them, I decided to try them myself. I didn't really use a recipe. I just melted some white chocolate in a double boiler, dipped the nutter butters in the white chocolate, and then made some ghost eyes using Nutella.


They turned out pretty good, but I did notice a couple of things along the way. Coating just one nutter butter used a lot of white chocolate. In fact, it was probably cheaper to buy them at Fresh Market. My white chocolate mixture was pretty thick and probably needed to be thinned out somehow. Also, the Nutella wasn't the easiest thing to pipe out into eyeballs. In hindsight, I wish I had used mini chocolate chips and a little pair of tweezers. I think that would've been a little easier. I originally wanted to insert the nutter butter onto a popsicle stick and make them into lollipops/suckers. However, the popsicle stick was too wide and just made the cookie fall apart. You could probably use a wooden skewer, but it wouldn't be as easy to hold. They tasted pretty good and the kids loved them. I will probably make them again next year, with a few adjustments. I definitely welcome any suggestions you all might have for improving these little guys.

Happy Monday!!

Crispy Rice Pumpkin Patch Treats for My Girl Paula

This week's My Girl Paula recipe are these cute and kid-friendly crispy rice candy corn treats. A perfect sweet treat for the whole family, with a cute little Halloween twist! Paula's recipe called for candy corn, but my daughter isn't crazy about candy corn. I decided to use the little pumpkins instead, leaving them whole. Never again will rice crispies be plain. The recipe is really easy and makes a 9x13" pan full of rice crispy treats to hand out to all the kids in the neighborhood. Perfect to take along to a Monday night girl scout meeting!

We took my in-law's to the apple orchard and pumpkin patch yesterday and it was a fabulous time. Despite the unseasonably cold weather, it had finally quit raining long enough to enjoy some time outdoors. Kentucky is home to a lot of tobacco farms and it is no secret that the tobacco farmers are having a hard time right now. We are so happy to have Evans Orchard here in Georgetown. The Evans family used to be tobacco farmers, but were able to convert their farm to a apple orchard, cider mill, and pumpkin patch. It is a huge attraction each fall and this year they offered a season pass for families. Since we live so close, we took advantage of the season's pass this year and have probably been at least eight times already. I thought I would share some pictures that we took this season.
Queen of the Straw Castle

My husband, Tony, and two kids in the rat racers.
I hope you all have the chance to get outdoors and enjoy the fall season!!

Mini Mummies *A Halloween Treat* for My Girl Paula

This month for My Girl Paula, we are going to be making some of Paula's Halloween treats. This week's choice was Mini Mummies, a hot dog wrapped in pie dough (or crescent dough, in my case). The kids really like them and they can pretty much wrap them and cook them all on their own. My eight year old daughter had a blast wrapping up these hot dogs. You can find the recipe here.

We served these little Greenie Meanies on the side, which turned out pretty cute. They are made pretty easily using two slices of green apple, peanut butter, and sliced almonds. You can cut various scary teeth patterns into the apple slices to create your own look. My creativity is limited, so I did a simple design. They turned out good, and reminded me of how good apples are with peanut butter- yum :D
Later on, we decorated our Halloween tree. I had an old green ficus tree laying around the house. Apparently, in addition to bouncing off the walls, kids also enjoy tearing apart plastic trees. My poor green tree had seen it's last life and it was time to do something with it. I decided to spray paint it black, decorate it with garland, and hang ornaments on it. The whole craft was a "learning experience", but I think it turned out cute and hopefully we can have it for the next couple years. Surprisingly, none of the kids are messing with the Halloween Tree. Apparently plastic green trees are much more fun to tear apart than a Halloween Tree!!?? Sometimes kids just don't make any sense, do they?
I won this award from Kathy of Three on Food. Thank you Kathy! I love your blog too! In fact, I am really enjoying everyone's blog lately. I'd like to share this award with everyone :D Sometimes it is to hard to pick just two people to pass it on to!

The rules of this award are to answer the questions with one word answers. I'm going to try...well, maybe not. I can never stop babbling....it's a real issue of mine.

Where is your cell phone? hopefully far away - I don't like the thing.

Your hair? needs cutting

Your mother? best friend

Your father? my hero

Your favorite food? pasta & chocolate

Your dream last night? moved to Colorado and got a job in an office
Your Favorite Drink? Iced Tea

Your dream/goal? A huge trip around the world

What room are you in? living room

Your hobby? Cooking and blogging

Your fear? Bugs

Where do you want to be in 6 years? Yikes....I'll be 40!! I can't think that far ahead.

Where were you last night? apple orchard and pumpkin patch

Something you aren't? Organized

Muffins? sometimes

Wish list item? great pair of black boots

Where did you grow up? Ohio *the heart of it all*

Last thing you did? made sesame noodles

What are you wearing? yoga pants and t-shirt

Your TV? is not on

Your pets? two children are enough to take care of, right?

Your friends? like sisters to me

Your life? ls a good mix of chaotic and relaxing

Your mood? happy

Missing someone? My dad and friends who live in Ohio

Vehicle? Chrysler Pacifica

Something you're not wearing? Bra -can't stand those things!

Your favorite store? Are you kidding me? All of them!

Your favorite color? right now it is anything pumpkin colored

When was the last time you laughed? just a minute ago

Last time you cried? not sure

Your best friend? I have known them since I was 5.

One place that I go over and over? the laundry room :D

One person who emails me regularly? Amazon

Favorite place to eat? San Francisco, Las Vegas, any major city

Squash Casserole for My Girl Paula

This squash casserole was heaven on a plate! I am happy to say that Paula's squash casserole was one of my suggestions for this month's My Girl Paula recipes. This time of year, squash is everywhere in abundance. Plus, it is super cheap and tastes delicious. I am inhaling it right now as a write this post and I am wishing that I would have made more!! The squash, onion, cheese and ritz cracker really come together to make one flavorful dish. This is a absolute repeater recipe. In fact, it might be my very favorite Paula recipe to date!! If you love squash, you will be super excited about this recipe, I promise.

On another note, food blogging can be known to cause "strange" behavior. Like making squash casserole for breakfast because the recipe is due to post today!! I know that all food bloggers know what I'm talking about, but my family thinks I've lost my mind. I am one of those people who need deadlines, otherwise some things just never come to pass. I am so glad the deadline came about for this squash casserole today, it was a delicious breakfast.


Squash Casserole - The Lady & Sons Too by Paula Deen
2 cups cooked mashed yellow squash
2 cups Ritz cracker crumbs
1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup shredded cheese, such as Cheddar or Swiss
1 cup chopped onion
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
pinch of sugar
6 tablespoons butter

Place the squash in a large bowl. Add the cracker crumbs, milk, cheese, and onion, and stir well. Stir in the eggs, salt, pepper, sugar, and butter, and pour into a greased 1-quart casserole. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.

Notes: I actually quartered the recipe and it turned out fabulous. The recipe was somewhat vague. I wasn't sure how to cook or mash the squash. I ended up softening the squash with a little bit of butter in a skillet on the stove. Once it was softened, I mashed it up with a spoon, leaving some texture. I also cooked the chopped onions with the squash, because I didn't want the onion to be raw in the casserole. I didn't have evaporated milk, so I used regular milk with fab results. I had some 5 year aged cheddar in my refrigerator from my favorite cheese shop. It added a delicious flavor to this recipe. Because I quartered the recipe, it reduced the egg to 1/2 egg. I used the egg white and tossed the egg yolk. I had to do my part in making the recipe healthier - ha ha!! Also, the recipe doesn't say how to add the butter into the casserole. I chose to soften mine in the microwave and stir it into the mixing bowl with the other ingredients.

Head on over to My Girl Paula where you can see a list of all the members and find out how they liked this casserole. Better yet, join up and cook along with us!! If you chose to play along, it wouldn't hurt to stock up on butter :D

Corn Chive Pudding for My Girl Paula

Corn chive pudding was this week's selection for My Girl Paula, a club dedicated to cooking recipes from Paula Deen. I was a little worried about serving this pudding to a family of corn purists. We usually like to eat our corn on the cob, fried, grilled or just plain with a little butter. However, I decided to have faith in Paula and get to work. I halved the recipe below to serve 4 and had this put together in no time at all.

The addition of eggs and milk make this corn chive pudding a little reminiscent of a quiche. The green color of the chives is striking against the background of the yellow corn pudding. This is a beautiful recipe that was enjoyed by all and would be great as part of a special family celebration or as part of a holiday dinner. I will definitely be making this again over the holiday season. Additionally, it would be a great casserole/potluck dish.

Corn Chive Pudding - The Lady & Sons, Too by Paula Deen *serves 8*
Two 10-oz packages frozen corn, thawed
1/4 cup sugar
1-1/4 teaspoons salt
4 large eggs
2 cups milk
1/4 cup melted unsalted butter, cooled
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract *don't be afraid to add this, you won't really taste it in the dish*
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 1-1/2 quart baking dish. In a food processor, pulse half of the corn until coarsely chopped; transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the remaining corn and sprinkle with the sugar and salt; stir to combine. Whisk together the eggs, milk, butter, chives, flour, and vanilla, and combine with the corn. Pour into the baking dish and sprinkle with nutmeg. Bake in the center of the oven until the center of the pudding is just set, about 45 minutes.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Pound Cake for My Girl Paula

Chocolate chip pound cake is this week's recipe for My Girl Paula. I have really been a little too indulgent lately, and wasn't really looking forward to this recipe. In fact, I've actually gained about 5 pounds in the past month and this is not a trend that I wish to continue. So, with recipients in mind, this cake was baked and distributed accordingly. (Okay, okay...yes I did indulge in a piece first). The rest of the cake was sent to my mom and my mother-in-law for Grandparent's Day. After delivering the cake, I went to work (very hard work selling bath bombs) and I got out the tester below.


You know it's a bad day when any of us break out the Silky Underwear dusting powder. It can only mean one thing......chafing thighs!! Ugh, not a girl's best friend!! I headed straight for the Silky Underwear and went into the stockroom. I meant business! Who can work 8 hours with chafing thighs, not me!! Anyway, the girls suggested I buy this product. Can you believe that? It was as if they felt I was going to continue using this powder. I mean really! Who do they think they are? Please.....I would probably replace my skirts with pants before I would be caught dead buying this powder : )

Chafing thighs aside, Paula's chocolate chip pound cake was good. I can't tell you that it was my favorite or even that I would make it again, but it was enjoyable. The recipe calls for a butter recipe cake mix, a vanilla pudding mix, and a chocolate pudding mix. It is a very moist and dense cake with bits of chocolate chips running through it. Paula suggests topping it with confectioner's sugar or chocolate sauce. Once again, I found a way to make Paula's recipe more decadent, topping it off with vanilla ice cream and homemade chocolate sauce.

This was a very easy cake to throw together and if you are looking for a moist, dense, chocolaty cake then this would fit the bill.

Chocolate Chip Pound Cake - The Lady & Sons, Too - by Paula Deen
4 eggs
1-1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 package butter recipe cake mix
One 3.4 oz. pkg. instant vanilla pudding mix
One 3.4 oz. pkg. instant chocolate pudding mix
1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
6-ounces chocolate chips
Confectioner's sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour a tube pan or bundt pan. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs, water, and vanilla by hand. Stir in the cake mix and pudding mixes. Slowly add the butter and oil, and mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes (mine baked about 70-80 mins). Cool for 10 minutes, then invert onto a cake plate. Sift confectioner's sugar over the cake, or drizzle with chocolate sauce, if desired.

I also received this award from Kay of Cooking with K. Thanks Kay! Kay is a great blogging friend who also participates in the My Girl Paula group. As part of the award, I am to share seven things about myself.

1- I am an only child and was also an only grandchild on both sides.
2 - I wanted to be a chef when I was in high school and went to school for business instead.
3 - I really wish I had went to culinary school and one day hope to.
4 - I sometimes cook out of a box. Kraft macaroni & cheese is a big hit around here.
5 - I don't like the word "hate". I think it is a very nasty word.
6 - I really dislike doing the dishes, whether or not a dishwasher is involved.
7 - I believe in the golden rule "treat others the way that you want to be treated".

I want to share this award with everyone who reads my blog!! If you want to play along, copy the award and share seven fun things about yourself! Thanks again Kay : )

Final Oikos Greek Yogurt Post & Strawberry Pretzel Salad for My Girl Paula

I want to start off by announcing the winner of the "Pitch Your Own Food Network Show" contest. Congratulations Pam of Sidewalk Shoes! Pam is the random winner of three Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics products: Ocean Salt (an exfoliating scrub for face & body), Lemony Flutter (a lemony cuticle cream), and Up You Gets (a citrusy shower aromatherapy product). Pam's concept for a food network show was to feature a selected herb for each show, making an appetizer, main course, and dessert. Great idea Pam!

Secondly, this week's My Girl Paula recipe is Strawberry Pretzel Salad. This salad is somewhat like a pie. It is made with a pretzel crust, a cream cheese layer, and topped with strawberries and strawberry jello. This is a recipe that I have ate before and enjoyed, especially in the summertime. It is a good dish to take to a summer potluck. Paula's version also includes crushed pineapple, but I didn't have any so I left it out. We enjoyed this recipe for it's salty and sweet flavors. You can find the recipe here.

Lastly, this is my last week of posting recipes for Oikos Greek Yogurt. A big thanks to Kristina at Stonyfield for sending me such a generous pack of coupons! I was able to try my hand at a variety of recipes. The first week I made Martha's Date Bran Muffins and Tyler's Greek Yogurt. The second week, I made the Food Network's Almost-Famous frozen yogurt. The following week, I made an Apple-Walnut Turkey Sandwich , using the Greek yogurt in place of mayo as a sandwich dressing. Last week, I made these decadent looking Loaded Mashed Potatoes , using the Greek yogurt to replace the sour cream.

This week I have two recipes for you! You simply can't feature Greek yogurt and not do a smoothie recipe. It just wouldn't be right! As a tribute to summer, I have chosen two of my favorite summertime fruits, the peach and the raspberry, and combined them into one smoothie; The Peach Melba Smoothie. It was super delicious, unique, and healthy.

Peach Melba Smoothie - courtesy of Recipezaar, adapted by me
1/2 cup frozen raspberries
1 cup frozen peaches
1 cup low-fat milk
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 frozen banana (optional)

Whisk in a blender and serve.

This smoothie was thick, like a milkshake, creamy, refreshing, cold and best of all....different from the same old strawberry-banana smoothie. You can even add a tablespoon of wheat germ if you like.
I did try one more recipe with the Greek yogurt that is really unique! At work, we have face masks made with yogurt. Yogurt is terrific for your skin as it smoothes, pampers, moisturizes and tightens your skin. It will remove traces of dirt, pollution and makeup from pores. You can use plain yogurt, or even blueberry, strawberry or honey. It all depends on your skin type. Any fruit, such as blueberries or strawberries acts as an antioxidant removing dead skin and revealing new and glowing skin. Here is a basic recipe for a face mask using Greek yogurt, or even regular yogurt:

Dry Skin - 1 Cup yogurt
1 Tablespoon honey (honey brightens skin and retains moisture)

Oily Skin- 1 Cup yogurt
Couple drops of lemon (acid cuts excess oil on skin)

* Leave the mask on for about 30 minutes and rinse off!

Now onto the giveaway!!! Kristina at Stonyfield offered to share more coupons and goodies with a winner!
The winner will receive:
2 FREE 16 OZ. OIKOS COUPONS
4 FREE 5.3 OZ OIKOS COUPONS
$4 WORTH OF STONYFIELD COUPONS
OIKOS SPATULA & RECIPE CARD SET

All you need to do is leave a comment telling me your favorite way to use Greek Yogurt! It's that simple. If you have never used Greek Yogurt, then pick a way that you would like to use it. Giveaway is open to all! Comments will close this Friday at midnight and winner will be pulled in a random drawing, which will be announced this Saturday morning! Good luck : )

Milky Way Cupcakes for My Girl Paula

Run, don't walk, to the kitchen and make this cake! It's that good! I made these little cupcakes today and I am already guilty of eating two of them!! This Milky Way cake/cupcakes is this week's recipe for My Girl Paula, a group who is cooking recipes from Paula Deen's Lady & Sons Too cookbook. I knew the recipe would be good, but I didn't know it would be SO DARN DELICIOUS!!

The cake has a melt in your mouth quality (probably all that butter) and is quite dense. Both the cake and the frosting have a caramel flavor. I happen to love caramel, especially with bites of chocolate throughout. I am also sharing this information for those of you who might think "milky way cake" sounds like it would be a chocolate cake, which was my initial thought. Paula's recipe calls for pecans in the cake and also pecans in the frosting, but I didn't include them and I am very happy that I left them out. The frosting is cooked on the stove and is very ooey, gooey and sticky. It is kind of a buttercream meets a fudge. It is a little on the runny side(see pics above & below) when first applied to cupcake/cake, but will harden as it sits.



This is probably the most fattening of all Paula's desserts. There are 3 sticks of butter in the actual cake, and another stick of butter in the frosting. This is part of the reason why I left the pecans out, but I also enjoy a smooth cake and frosting. In addition to all this butter, there are 8 whole milky way bars in the cake. This is not for someone watching their waistline, unless they want a total indulgence! For all these reasons, I chose to make cupcakes again. I like to spread the calories around!!

MILKY WAY CAKE- adapted from Paula Deen's Lady & Sons, Too
Cake:
Confectioners' sugar for dusting pan/or make cupcakes with liners
Eight 1-3/4 oz. Milky War Bars
1-1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter ** Yes, 3 sticks : )
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs, well beaten
2 -1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1-1/4 cups buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans, if using

Icing:
2-1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup marshmallow cream
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
6-ounces chocolate chips -I used milk chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans, if using
additional Milky Way bars - for garnishing (it adds a wonderful bite to the cupcake)

Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease 3 9-inch cake pans and dust with confectioner sugar OR make cupcakes and use liners. To make the cake, melt the Milky way bars with 1 stick of butter. Remove from the heat and let cool. Cream the remaining 2 sticks of butter with the granulated sugar. Add the beaten eggs and the cooled chocolate mixture. Sift the flour and the baking soda together. Alternately add the flour and buttermilk to the batter, blending well. Add the nuts and vanilla. Divide the batter among the prepared pans and bake for 30-40 minutes (Note: I also baked my cupcakes about 30 -35 mins), or until firm to the touch. Cool for 5 minutes, remove from the pans, and place on cooling racks. While the cake cools, prepare the icing: Combine the sugar and milk in a heavy saucepan. Cook to the soft-ball stage (234 degrees on a candy thermometer). Remove the pan from the heat and add the marshmallow cream, butter, and chocolate chips, stirring until melted. Add the pecans (optional). When the cake has cooled completely, frost each layer, sides and the top of the Milky Way Cake.

Enjoy a very decadent and extremely indulgent treat!!

Don't forget to vote for the winner of the pitch your own Food Network Show contest here. You can vote by leaving a comment at the end of the post, or by sending an email to tony.tracy@att.net.

Lastly, I was tagged by Sylwia of Unsifted and am sharing the ABC's of me below. If I tag you, and you choose to play along, here are the guidelines:
1. Link the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Share the ABCs of you.
4. Tag 4 people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs.
5. Let the 4 tagged people know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.
6. Do not tag the same person repeatedly but try to tag different people, so that there is a big network of bloggers doing this tag.

So...here it goes:
1. A – Available/Single? Married
2. B – Best friend? I have a ton of best friends. My children, my parents, my husband, and my three childhood friends
3. C – Cake or Pie? Pie
4. D – Drink of choice? Diet Pepsi or Diet Coke or Crystal Light Peach Iced Tea
5. E – Essential item you use every day? Chapstick and Lotion (I'm addicted)
6. F – Favorite color? Probably gray, but I love black and white (are those colors?)
7. G – Gummy Bears Or Worms? Gummy Bear
8. H – Hometown? Elyria, Ohio
9. I – Indulgence? Chocolate, Pasta and various bath and body products
10. J – January or February? February - I love Valentine's Day
11. K – Kids & their names? Olivia Faith and Jackson Anthony
12. L – Life is incomplete without? Family and Friends and Food!!
13. M – Marriage date? April 19th - Las Vegas
14. N – Number of siblings? I have no siblings, however my 3 childhood friends are much like sisters to me.
15. O – Oranges or Apples? Apples
16. P – Phobias/Fears? being without my chapstick
17. Q – Quote for today? Butter is better!! (hey, I did cook a Paula recipe)
18. R – Reason to smile? My 2 year old telling me that I'm his favorite person
19. S – Season? Fall/Autumn
20. T – Tag 3 People? Joanne of Eats Well With Others, Libby of Cooking with Libby, CaSaundraLeigh over at A Pinch of This, and a Dash of That
21. U – Unknown fact about me? I can't fix anything that is broken. I give it to hubby.
22. V – Vegetable you don't like? Okra
23. W – Worst habit? Playing with my hair
24. X – X-rays you've had? Lower back x-rays
25. Y – Your favorite food? Pasta, chocolate, bread, peanut butter, biscuits.... I heart Carbs!!
26. Z – Zodiac sign? Virgo - yesterday was my birthday

Peanut Butter Pie

Paula called. She was concerned that yesterday's vegetable pancakes had me forgetting about the four basic food groups: butter, cream, cheese, and more butter. She reminded me to be sure to get my 5 a day in before bedtime. I felt like such a slacker!! I had to redeem myself : )

Truth is, I've had the ingredients for this pie on hand for awhile. I've been waiting for just the right time to make it. My son, who is 2, is allergic to peanuts. The rest of the house loves peanuts. We try to avoid all nuts in our house, but sometimes you have to indulge. I finally had some time to whip this pie up while Jackson was sleeping. I knew the pie would be easy to throw together, leaving time for disinfecting everything.

I had this pie made in about 10 minutes. No, it is not healthy, but it was totally worth the indulgence. My daughter has deemed it better than a buckeye, which is a great peanut butter ball covered in chocolate. I think it is worthy of a 10+ and found it extremely addictive. I made the pie last night and between the three of us, it is already gone!! It is totally sinful, decadent, creamy, and luscious all in one. It's not a heavy dessert, requires no baking, and is served cold, so it is perfect for summer.

Paula's version is served with peanuts sprinkled on top. Our version was served with cool whip and Reese's cups!! Yep, I actually made something more fattening than Paula did!! The Reese cups really topped off this pie wonderfully. This pie is a total delight, one that every peanut butter lover will go crazy for!! One of my favorite desserts to date! I will be making it a lot in the future, especially when I have the chance.

Peanut Butter Pie - adapted from Lady & Sons, Too - Paula Deen
One 3-ounce package cream cheese, room temp
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1 and 1/2 cups cool whip
One 8-inch graham cracker crust
1/2 cup chopped peanuts OR go big and get about 8-10 Reese Cups

Whip the cream cheese until fluffy, then beat in the sugar and peanut butter. Slowly add the milk, blending well. Fold the Cool Whip into the cream cheese mixture and spoon this into the pie crust. Sprinkle with peanuts or just before serving sprinkle with Reese Cups.

This pie is best served after it has had a chance to chill for several hours or overnight. It is cold and creamy deliciousness!!

Paula deserves a big kiss for this one!!

P.S. Tomorrow I'll be busy burning off the calories...hmm....3 slices of pie in 2 days!! I better get busy.