Jolene's Recipe Journal

My heart had definitely been feeling two sizes too small this December.   These Grinch Cookies perfectly summed up my mood.  The recipe is super simple and fast to come together.  Did my heart grow three sizes?  No, but I did find myself smiling and having fun.   Thanks so much to Sue for sending me the little red candy hearts!  Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas!                                                   Grinch Cookies   15.25oz  box  white cake mix 1/2 cup  vegetable oil  2 large eggs Green food coloring  Powdered sugar for dusting Heart Shaped Sprinkles or candies. Heat oven to 350°.   Mix together cake mix, food coloring, oil and eggs.    Place dough in the fridge to chill, about 15 minutes.    Drop by tablespoons into powdered sugar ( I use this small scoop ), roll to coat.   Press 1 heart into the top of each cookie.  Place on parchment lined cookie sheets.   Bake for 8 minutes,  you want them just set.   Let cool on the pan for 2 minutes.   Move to a

Hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!   For our last day of break, I thought that these Cranberry Orange Pancakes from Taste of Home would make a great breakfast. The syrup comes together easily and quickly, keep an eye on it or it will boil over in a flash. I did adjust the method a bit for the pancakes themselves.  Instead of folding the chopped cranberries into the batter I held them back and sprinkled them on after I dropped the batter onto the griddle.   I didn't have a lot of time for pictures because we couldn't wait to dig in. The syrup would also be wonderful on French Toast or waffles or even spooned over ice cream. Thank you so much to Nancy Z for this delicious recipe!   Cranberry Orange Pancakes Print With Image Without Image Ingredients Syrup 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries- used fresh 2/3 cup orange juice 1/2 cup sugar 3 tablespoons maple syrup Pancakes 2 cups biscuit/baking mix 2 tablespoons sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 2 large eggs 1 large egg

Gotta admit, pulled pork usually isn't my thing.    Tim is a huge fan of it.   I usually save making it for times when my son isn't home and I can toss something else together for myself.  I saw this recipe from I Thee Cook on Pinterest and thought that he'd enjoy it.  I did take some liberties- minced dried onions and jarred garlic.    I started the roast on the stove, and then moved it to the slowcooker.   When I got home from running errands and got a whiff of how amazing the house smelled, my alternate lunch got scrapped!  Leftovers were even better the next day.   Thank you so much Rina for making a pulled pork convert out of me!   :)                        * Exported from MasterCook *                          Apple Cider Pulled Pork   Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method --------  ------------  --------------------------------      1/2           cup  brown sugar   1           teaspoon  onion powder   1         tablespoon  paprika  

Veggies are a tough sell at my house.  My son has limited favorites, and my husband is even pickier.   The December 2015 issue of Taste of Home featured this Orange Spice Carrot recipe, and I thought it would be a nice change from our usual sides.    It also happened to coincide with the ingredient for this week's Cook's Corner Challenge on the Taste of Home Community, Citrus.   I'm on my 3rd crockpot, and this one runs hot.   I wasn't going to be home most of the day to keep an eye on them, so I decided to go with a stovetop version instead.     Even my husband enjoyed these, he had two servings. They'll definitely be going into the regular rotation.   Thank you to Christina A for sharing her recipe!                       * Exported from MasterCook *                            Orange Spice Carrots   Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method --------  ------------  -------------------------------- 1            pound frozen carrots, cut in

I missed out on last week's Cook's Corner challenge because I was down with a cold, but I'd bought my pumpkin and didn't want to miss this week's too!   Found a little time today to throw together this easy muffin recipe.   Zero changes to this one, except to sprinkle the tops with raw sugar before baking.   I couldn't even wait for them to cool completely to try the first one.    The kid is going to love them, the husband is stubborn and probably won't even try them.    Next time I'll double the batch and make half as mini muffins, they'd be great lunch box additions. Thank you to Jennifer J for sharing your recipe!                       * Exported from MasterCook *                       Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins   Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method --------  ------------  --------------------------------   2               cups  all-purpose flour   2 1/2      teaspoons  baking powder   1           teaspoo

I'd slid into a little bit of a cooking slump the last few weeks, relying heavily on T&T recipes.    I planned the menu on Sunday for this week, and penciled in ground beef for Tuesday night.   The go-to recipes for that would be either tacos or Beef Stroganoff Sandwiches and I wasn't in the mood for either. Clicking through my Beef Pinterest board brought up this recipe from Kevin & Amanda.  I had to make a few adjustments due to my family's food quirks- minced dried onion instead of fresh, jarred garlic.  I omitted the cumin.   Tomatoes are a no go, I went with tomato paste.   Mexican blend cheese because I had it on hand.  Doubled the meat, and also added crumbled bacon to half at the end.   Parsley for garnish.  My husband had 2 helpings and I thought it was great.  I knew it would be a tough sell for my son, he ate his portion but said he'd rather not have it again.   That's ok, it's a perfect date day meal.  Print With Image

I've spoken of my cake mix/pudding mix addiction before.  I just can't resist when I see fun new seasonal flavors.   I've amassed quite a collection, and it's time to start working my way through them. My friend Carol shared this recipe for Caramel Apple Cheesecake Cookies, and I knew that the guys would love them.    I did omit the cheesecake emulsion, and I used King Arthur Flour mini cinnamon chips instead of the full size.     The first tray I forgot to flatten, the second tray I flattened too much, and the third was just right.    I was slightly worried because I've been overloading the guys with apple stuff lately, but they were a huge hit.  Thank you Carol! Print With Image Without Image Caramel Apple Cheesecake Cookies Ingredients 1 pkg. caramel apple cake mix -- (15.25 oz.) 1 pkg. cheesecake instant pudding mix -- (4 serving size) 1/2 c King Arthur Baking Company mini cinnamon chips -- plus a T or so for the tops 2 large eggs 1/2 c. vegetable oil 1 tsp

Back when my husband worked nights, breakfast for dinner used to be a fast, easy meal for Jake and myself.  Now we are day shift people, and I've got a stockpile of Shake N Pour Pancake mixes that need to be used up.    I went looking for a recipe to participate in this week's Cook's Corner Challenge  and this one stood right out for me.    No changes to this one, other than to reduce the amount of water slightly- my apples were incredibly juicy.    I was worried that the batter still seemed runny, but they cooked up perfectly and I got exactly 12.    I treated myself to a nice late breakfast, and the rest I'll freeze on cookie sheets and then move to ziplocs for Jake to reheat.   Thank you so much to Janet V for sharing her recipe!                       * Exported from MasterCook *                   Sweet Apple Pancakes with Cider Syrup   Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method --------  ------------  --------------------------------   2

I am addicted to cake mixes (and pudding, but that's another post)...  I can't seem to go to the grocery store without one ending up in my cart.   I love the seasonal flavors, and last week's find was Caramel Apple Cake mix.   I had originally planned on mini cupcakes with them, but then I ran across this recipe for donuts. I considered replacing half the water called for in the cake mix with cider, and didn't.   Next time I might.  I didn't find the plain donuts overly flavorful.  She also says to bake them to golden brown, and the one pan I cooked that way would have been inedible.  Mine are pale, but taste good.   I nixed the store bought frosting/crushed candy for a homemade apple cider glaze.   They don't really remind me of baked donuts, but they are fast, fun and a nice treat.  You definitely could make them as cupcakes or mini muffins instead.                       * Exported from MasterCook *                         Caramel Apple Baked Donuts

I know people go bonkers over pumpkin everything, but to me, Fall= apples.  We are situated near several amazing orchards, and I try to get around to all of them at least once during the season.    I get into a frenzy of baking, some to eat now, some to stock the freezer.   Today's baking coincided with apple being the ingredient on the Taste of Home Cook's Corner Challenge.   Perfect!   I made pies and apple zucchini bread last week, and this week I wanted something different.   Something that used puff pastry.  I went back and forth between strudel and turnovers, and in the end, this recipe won out. I read through the reviews carefully, and it gave me a few things to look out for.  My apples were not overly sweet and neither was my cider, so I went with slightly less than 1/4c sugar.  I started with 1/2 a cup of cider and kept an eye on it in case it needed more.   It didn't.    Be sure to cool the mixture completely- it says it in the directions, don't be temp

Felt like treating myself a little bit today.  I'm all alone for lunch and usually I'll just grab some leftovers or a quick sandwich.   I had some nice jalapenos from the farm, and this recipe seemed like the perfect way to use them.   Just small changes to this one- I used Fiesta blend shredded cheese and real bacon bits.  I scaled it down to just one serving.  Next time,  I'll make them on my Cuisinart Griddler for more even browning and crispiness.   Thank you so much to Rebecca N for sharing her recipe! Jalapeno Popper Quesadillas Print With Image Without Image Author: Jolene's Recipe Journal Ingredients 2 flour tortillas- burrito size 2oz cream cheese -- room temperature 1T Real bacon bits 1 jalapeno pepper -- seeded and finely chopped (used a mix of green and red) 1/2 cup shredded Fiesta blend cheese Instructions Preheat oven to 400°. Place tortilla on greased baking sheet. . Spread with cream cheese; sprinkle with bacon, jalapeno and cheese. Top with remain

I've been waiting patiently for fall, it's my favorite season.   Apples, hoodies, the beautiful New England foliage, cooler weather for baking.   Finally, it has arrived.   I stopped by the orchard and picked up a gorgeous bag of assorted apples (Gala, Jonamac and Paula Red), and 4 zucchini with the intention of making up some quick bread and tossing a few loaves in the freezer.   I came up with this recipe from Taste of Home. First off, I had to 86 the nuts.   Both guys are allergic.   A lot of times you can leave them out with no damage, but this was a large amount.  Sometimes I add crushed Rice Krispies to make up the difference.   This time, I decided to add 1 cup of cinnamon chips.   I always peel my zucchini for baking.   My husband and son used to insist they don't like it.   I've since let Jake in on the secret and he loves watching Dad reach for that 2nd and 3rd piece.   I also let the peeled zucchini sit in a colander for a while to lose any of the excess

Peach season is coming to a close here in New Hampshire, but I still managed to score 4 large, sweet, juicy peaches.   I knew I wanted to make muffins, and a search through the Taste of Home database turned up this recipe.     It called for pecans, but I substituted blueberries because both my guys are allergic to tree nuts and I have a ton of blueberries.  I liked the use of the sour cream, though I'm betting they would be great with greek yogurt or peach flavored yogurt.    I sprinkled the tops with raw sugar before baking, I like the crunch and sparkle it gives them. The recipe makes 12.  Half of them disappeared very quickly last night.   My son asked me to send one for his school snack today.    I'm enjoying one with coffee this morning.   This is one of those recipes that as soon as I mix the batter, I know I should have doubled it!    Thanks to Mrs. Michelson for sharing her recipe  :) peach, blueberry Muffins, desserts, breakfast, snacks American Yiel