Easiest Pickles Ever

These are very good..some call them freezer pickles because as i do, they make a lot and i put half in freezer..seriously! works very well!

Fridge Pickles

4 cup thin sliced cucumber
2 cup thin sliced onion
1 Tablespoon salt
3 Tablespoon water
combine and let set 2 hours

ADD together and stir until dissolved ,
 1 cup sugar and
1/2 cup vinegar

Mix with cucumbers, then put into your jars. If freezing , make sure you leave enough space for expansion. Keep refridgerated or froze at least 24 hours  then enjoy!

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Bread Pudding

I used Sara Lee Sweet Hawaiian Rolls and a loaf of Cinnabon Cinnamon Bread and cut into cubes--

6 cups cubed bread- your choice
2 cups evaporated milk
4 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 Tablespoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
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TOPPING:
1/2 cup soft butter
1/2 cup brown sugar

Mix together and set aside
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Preheat oven to 350*
Grease your pan...I used a cast iron skillet
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In large bowl add the eggs and egg yolks, milk , vanilla and  the brown sugar.  Whisk like crazy till all blended well.  Pour over your bread cubes. Mix well and let set 10 minutes to soak up all that goodness.
Pour into your greased pan and press down all over. Spread your topping over top and bake for 40 minutes.

Note: As i had never made before i did not leave room for the bit of expansion and topping sugary gooeyness ran all over and on the bottom of oven ( thankfully it was covered with foil!) but it sure smoked like crazy!

Should be nice and pretty and take out cool just a tad and drizzle with caramel sauce. I used jarred but you can make your own easy enough..

Enjoy

My mom would make bread pudding all the time..I would never try it cuz  my vision of soggy bread just didn't seem like something i wanted to put in my mouth..BUT after making this...OMG...so delicious..so not soggy  just a mouth full of yumm..

Sweet Potato Pie

I have not made Sweet Potato Pie in so long, but this came out so very good!

Boil Sweet potatoes with skin on till tender...cool and peel skins...mash..i used a 3 pound bag .

Blender or food processor, whichever..i used food processor..

2 cups mashed sweet potato

1/2 cup melted butter

1 1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 milk- i used evaporated

2 eggs

1 teas pumpkin pie spice

1 teas vanilla

Mix together well and pour into unbaked pie crust

350*

55-60 minutes

test done- ( knife inserted in center comes out clean )

Cool..

PUMPKIN DONUTS

Yep...it's that time...time for pumpkin donuts...wait..pumpkin...that is good anytime...not just fall and made into everything...but for starters we will do donuts...

This is the recipe i used this morn...if i did again i would double the pumpkin  although was still good this way..  I also substituted pumpkin pie spice for the spices in the dough recipe..

Spiced Pumpkin Doughnuts

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg or a Dash of ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

1/3 cup buttermilk

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

Vegetable oil for deep-fat frying

Directions

1. In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high seed for 30 seconds. Add the 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, baking soda, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in pumpkin, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla until combined. Using a wooden spoon, stir in flour until well combined. Cover and chill 3 hours.
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 1/2-inch thickness. Cut with floured 2-1/2-inch doughnut cutter, dipping cutter into flour between cuts. Reroll as necessary.
3. Fry doughnuts, 2 or 3 at a time, in deep, hot fat (365 degrees F) about 2-1/2 minutes or until golden, turning once. Using a slotted spoon, removed doughnuts from oil and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining doughnuts and doughnut holes. Coat warm doughnuts in Spiced Sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes about 12 doughnuts plus holes.

Spiced Sugar mix:

1/2 cup sugar

1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

Directions

1. In a small bowl, stir together sugar and pumpkin pie spice... add warm donuts...
2. i actually used a brown paper lunch bag...works best...
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

JALAPENO DIP....OHH so good!!

I seriously think i could eat this entire batch..it is so very good!

Bonnie's Jalapeno Dip

2 8 oz packs cream cheese ,softened
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1-2 pounds crisp crumbled bacon
1 cup mayo
1 jar drained jalapenos, chopped
1 16 oz mozerella shredded cheese
1 16 oz sharp cheddar shredded cheese

TOPPING:
Mix together: 1 sleeve  crushed ritz crackers
                       1 stick melted butter
                       Parmesean cheese ( no measurements- i added prob half a
                       container)

Bake 350*
20 - 30 minutes till bubbly

Scratch It..

I love to cook from scratch..but sometimes cheating...shortcuts are fun and easy! Been hearing about these so thought i'd give a try.  You can put anything you desire in them..I used:

cooked sausage
chopped ham
onion
lots cheese
Grands bisquits or any kind would work

Mix up whatever filling you are using...roll out biscuits and fill with mix and top with another bisquit..seal edges...bake at 350 till a lovely brown. Not sure if you have to make some air holes but i did just in case.. just stab em with a sharp knife...

Fun...simple...easy ..

SOUPS...

Anyone have leftover ham as i do..here is 1 of my favorite soups using leftover ham..

Linda's Potato Soup

Put leftover ham pieces and or ham bone in large stock pot , cover with water..heat to boiling then simmer till meat falls off bone, if using a bone also, if not:

 just continue to add lots onion, carrots, about a half cup or a handful of broccoli, fresh or frozen, if you don't like broccoli..don't add..i  like the bits of green color it gives, plus i love broccoli!

I add about 3/4 to 1 cup of chicken base ---  garlic powder ( if i had to guess amount--maybe 2 T) ---  salt and pepper.  ( mine has ton of pepper--you want to taste it)

Dice your potatoes and add to pot. ONce again i do not measure anything, i just add till it is thick with potatoes and thick to stir-- really can't go wrong ( well unless you don't add enough) I probably peeled about 8 to 10 potatoes in the batch made yesterday..

Add 2 bay leaves in pot and continue cooking till everything is tender--i use my masher and give it a few mashes so everything is not all chunks..

When ready add milk--maybe 2 cups..once again i just pour--i tell by color-- and at this point make sure heat is not too high as you do not want your soup to scorch the bottom...burnt milk--no good!  Then i thicken with corstarch and remove bay leaves..taste.. if needs more salt , pepper or garlic...add more and enjoy.