Apple Pudding

This recipe is a terrific recipe for the Fall because of the apples, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Although it is called a pudding, it really is a cake. It is especially delicious when topped with a bit of whipped cream. I finely chopped the apples. A courser chopped apple would also be good for this recipe. 

When I make desserts, I sometimes do not include nuts, but this time I included the nuts. The walnuts added a nice crunch to this cake. I used a 9x9 pan, which resulted in thin cake. Other pans could easily be used for different sized cakes. Next time, I might make this using a muffin pan. 

Apple Pudding 

• 1/4 cup butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3 apples, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 cup walnuts, optional

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg; beat thoroughly. Sift flour with soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add flour to creamed mixture. Beat until blended. Stir in apples and walnuts. Turn into buttered 9x9 pan or 11x7 pan. Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes. Enjoy!

Campbelled Eggs

This recipe came from the Campbell Soup Company. It is a variation on scrambled eggs that is flavorful and rich. The recipe is very easy and would make a good meal for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. The basic recipe is easy and can be dressed up with different vegetables, meats, or cheese. The key to this recipe is mixing a cream soup with the eggs for great flavor.

The recipe is pretty basic using bacon, bell pepper, onion, cream soup, and eggs. I decided to try this recipe because I had a can of cream of celery soup that I wanted to use. The recipe calls for cream of chicken soup but any cream soup can be used. Also, you could leave out the bacon or swap in another meat such as ham or turkey.

Campbelled Eggs 

• 4 slices bacon
• 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 can cream soup
• 8 eggs
• dash pepper

Cook the bacon until crispy. Remove and crumble. Meanwhile, cook the green pepper and onion until tender. Add bacon back in. In a bowl, stir soup until smooth. Add eggs and blend well. Pour eggs into skillet. Cook over low heat. As mixture sets, lift edges to allow uncook portion to bottom. Continue until eggs are completely set. Enjoy!

Banana-Peanut Bars

I am often careful to avoid recipes with peanuts for family events. But when those with peanut allergies are away at college, I thought I would give this recipe a try for Andrew's second birthday. These bars were a hit, which is not surprising because peanut butter is popular in my family. A good time was had by all and the Banana-Peanut bars disappeared.

These bars taste like banana bread with a strong peanut flavor. The recipe calls for crunchy peanut butter, but I only had creamy peanut butter on hand, so that is what I used. And, for the streusel topping, I used more peanut butter instead of peanuts. I also think that these bars would be good with chocolate chips added to the batter.

Banana-Peanut Bars 

• 1 cup flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 egg
• 2 Tbsp. milk
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup chunky peanut butter
• 1/2 cup mashed banana

Streusel topping

• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup peanuts, chopped

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Beat egg; blend in milk, vanilla, and oil. Add brown sugar, peanut butter, and mashed banana. Mix thoroughly. Add in flour mixture; beat until smooth. Spread in greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with streusel topping. Continue to bake for 15 to 20 minutes longer or until golden brown. Cool. Cut into bars.

Make the Streusel topping by combining flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter until small lumps form. Add in chopped peanuts and stir.

Hamburger-Rice One Pan Meal

This recipe is so easy and delicious. Using just one pan, everything gets thrown in together and simmers for a bit to finish on its own. The preparation and clean up could not be easier. The recipe includes a step of topping the dish with cheese and broiling the pan to melt the cheese, but I skipped that step due to a non-cheese eater. But I did add a bit are grated parmesan cheese on my plate for a nice flavor.

When I made this recipe, I used homemade tomato sauce that I had made with my garden tomatoes. My homemade tomato sauce is the chunky variety because I use the entire tomato including the skin and seeds. I used red onion because that is what I had on hand but other varieties of onion could be used. I used one pound of ground beef rather than the one-half pound called for in the recipe to make this simple recipe more hearty.

Hamburger-Rice One Pan Meal 

• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1 cup uncooked rice
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cups water
• 1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• dash pepper
• 2 oz. cheese, optional

Brown the beef, rice, and onion. If there is excess fat, drain off. Add water, tomato sauce, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Optional: top with cheese and broil until cheese melts and browns slightly. Enjoy!

Blueberry Pie Bar

This recipe is not a family recipe but reminded me of the Apple Slices recipe. It is a version of pie but in bar form. I happened to have a can a blueberry pie filling, so I gave this recipe a try. One warning is that the bars should be refrigerated and served cold, otherwise, the bars get gooey and fall apart. These bars are delicious and a worthwhile addition to the dessert rotation, especially if you like fruit pies.

When making these bars, you could easily use any type of fruit filing instead of blueberry. Or, you could also use homemade pie filling instead of canned. I also think the recipe could work using preserves. The crust is similar to a shortbread cookie and compliment the fruit well.

Blueberry Pie Bars 

• 3 cups flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• 1 egg
• 21 ounces blueberry pis filling
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1-2 Tbsp. milk

Preheat over to 350. Spray a 13x9 inch pan with cooking spray. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add butter one tablespoon at a time and press to form crumbs. Add the egg. Press 2/3 of the dough into the pan. Bake at 375 for 12 minutes. Dollop pie filling and spread evenly. Crumble the remaining dough over the pie filling. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Cool. Mix powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk. Drizzle glaze over bars. Refrigerate for an hour. Cut and serve. Enjoy!

Lentil Salad

I recently made this recipe for a get together for various college friends. I was looking for a vegetarian recipe that would be hearty. This recipe was an excellent addition to the menu. While the ingredient list on this recipe is somewhat long, it creates great flavors. If there is an ingredient that you do not like, you could easily leave it out or substitute in something else. 

I have recently started using lentils more often. I tend to rely on canned lentils for the convenience. I may need to try using dried lentils to allow more customization. Lentils are versatile and nutritious.

Lentil Salad 

• 2 cans lentils, drained and rinsed
• 1 red onion, diced
• 2 Bell peppers, diced
• 3 carrots, shredded
• 1/2 cup mint or parsley
• 1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
• 1/2 cup pistachios
• 3 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp. dijon mustard
• 1 Tbsp. minced garlic
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Combine lentils, red onion, bell pepper, carrots, mint or parsley, and apricot. Make the dressing by blending the lemon juice, dijon mustard, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, paprika, coriander, and black pepper. Add the dressing to the salad ingredients. Refrigerate. Prior to serving, mix in pistachios. Enjoy!

Lemon Pizzelle

Pizzelles are a family classic. The standard flavor is vanilla or anise, but I like to try out other flavors. Anise Pizzelles are delicious, but not universally liked, so I do not make them too often. I made these Lemon Pizzelles for Mom's Birthday. These Lemon Pizzelles were a hit and may make it into the regular rotation of pizzelles.

The nice lemon flavor was subtle but clear. I used lemon extract. Adding in lemon zest would also enhance the lemon flavor. The basic pizzelle recipe is the same for all pizzelles. The recipe makes about 40 pizzelles on my pizzelle baker, so this recipe is great for a party.

Lemon Pizzelle 

• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
• 2 tsp. lemon extract
• 1 3/4 cup flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• powdered sugar for sprinkling

In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar. Add the cooled butter and lemon extract. Sift flour and baking powder together; add to the egg mixture. Drop by spoonful onto the heated pizzelle baker. Close to allow the pizzelle to bake, about 1-2 minutes. Remove pizzelles with tongs to a flat surface. Allow to cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Enjoy!

Asian Cucumber Salad

This summer, my cucumber plants have been extremely productive. So we have been eating cucumbers every day and trying to come up with new ways to use cucumbers. I usually enjoy this Tomato and Cucumber Salad, but my tomatoes have not been very productive yet this year.

I found several recipes for Asian Cucumber Salad that I have adapted here. This salad is great on its own or served on a bed of spinach. The flavors are a tasty blend that compliment each other. You can easily adjust the amounts of the ingredients to suit your preferences. If you do not have maple syrup on hand, honey would work well. 

Cucumber Salad 

• 1 large cucumber
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup diced chives or green onion
• 1 tsp. ginger paste 
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. oil
• 1 Tbsp. maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp. chili flakes
• 1 Tbsp. sesame seeds

Score the cucumber with a fork. Thinly slice the cucumber. Spread cucumber in a colander and toss with salt. Allow the cucumbers to sit for 30 minutes for excess water to drain out. Mix together remaining ingredients. Toss sauce with cucumbers. Refrigerate for at least one hour. Enjoy!

Gooey Butter Cookies

This recipe is inspired by Gooey Butter Cake. In July 2024, the Buckleys took a family trip to Lake of the Ozarks. Gooey Butter Cake is a Missouri specialty, and we had some delicious cakes while in Osage Beach, Missouri. This year, for the Fourth of July, I made these Gooey Butter Cookies, which taste just like the cake but in a portable cookie form, as a treat to enjoy while watching the parade. Pictured here is Mom with her grandkids Mike, Tim, Ava, and Lorelei, along with Great-grandson Andrew.

This recipe is a much simplified version of the cake recipe, but tastes just like the cake. This recipe is easy to make but the dough does need to be refrigerated for a few hours. If the entire batch of cookies do not get immediately eaten, these cookies freeze well. 

Gooey Butter Cookies 

• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 egg
• powdered sugar

Combine the cake mix, butter, vanilla, cream cheese, and egg until well blended. Chill dough for at least two hours. Roll dough into one-inch sized balls. Roll dough balls in powdered sugar. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes at 350. Allow to cool. Dust with powdered sugar. Enjoy!

BBQ Shredded Chicken

This slow cooker recipe is one that I frequently make because it is so easy and very popular in my house. The recipe can be adjusted to fit the size of your slow cooker. The recipe can feed a crowd or can make delicious leftovers. I recommend adding this recipe to your regular rotation.

When I make this recipe, I use boneless, skinless chicken breast. Other chicken could be used, but boneless chicken is much easier. You could make your own BBQ sauce, but I always prefer to use Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce. When I make the recipe, I will only add about a cup of sauce at the start, but then add more toward the end of the cooking time if needed.

BBQ Shredded Chicken

• 2-3 onions
• 4-6 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1-2 cups BBQ sauce

Chop the onions and place the pieces in the bottom of the slow cooker pot. Cut off excess fat from the chicken; add the chicken on top of the onions. Add about a cup of BBQ sauce. Cover and cook on low for about six hours on low or for about three hours on high. Occasionally stir the contents and add more BBQ sauce as needed. When chicken is cooked through, use forks to shred the chicken. Add more BBQ sauce, if necessary. Enjoy!

Fruity Cookie Recipe

These cookies can be made using any flavor jello that you can find. I used strawberry to test this recipe, and the cookies were delicious. This recipe uses a cookie press, which is a nice reminder that the cookie press does not need to be saved for Christmas cookies. I made these cookies for the block party because the recipe makes a lot of bite-sized cookies that are easy to share. The cookies quickly disappeared.

When I made this recipe, I had two boxes of gelatin. But you could use just one box and reserve a spoonful for the sprinkling or skip the sprinkling step. Also, I found the temperature in the recipe to be too high and the time too long, so I updated the recipe below.

Fruity Cookie Recipe 

• 4 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 package (3 oz.) gelatin, any flavor
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• Additional gelatin for sprinkling

Sift the flour with baking powder. Set aside. Cream the butter. Gradually add sugar and gelatin. Cream well after each addition. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Gradually add flour mixture, mixing well after each addition until smooth. Force dough through cookie press onto ungreased baking sheets. Sprinkle with extra gelatin or decorate as desired. Bake at 375 for 11 minutes, or until golden brown at edges. Enjoy!

Skillet Barbecued Chicken

I found this recipe in Mom's recipe box, but I am not sure that she made it when we were kids because it uses chicken with bones, a possible choking hazard. Mom is more likely to have chicken tenders for kids than bone-in chicken. Recently at a family get-together at her house, Mom had both chicken tenders and broasted chicken. All the broasted chicken was eaten while there were plenty of leftover chicken tenders because Mom's grandkids are getting older and prefer the broasted chicken.

This recipe calls for a broiler-fryer chicken, which is a young chicken. Instead, I used all drumsticks. It worked out just fine. But because I used about four pounds of chicken, the pan was a bit crowded which might have made the cooking time a little longer. Mom's recipe calls for a seasoning called kitchen banquet, but I substituted Worcestershire Sauce. This recipe is a little messy to make because there can be a bit of splatter, but it is worth the effort for a delicious chicken meal.

Skillet Barbecued Chicken 

• 1 broiler-fryer (about 2 1/2 pounds)
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1 can (8 ounce) tomato sauce
• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. oregano
• 1/4 tsp. tabasco

Cut chicken into serving-size pieces. In a large skillet, brown chicken on all sides in hot oil. Blend together the remaining ingredients. Cover. Cover low heat for 30 minutes or until chicken is tender. Turn and baste chicken with sauce every now and then. Enjoy!

Almond Flour Muffins

Recently, Megan gave me a bag of almond flour that she was not going to use. Almond flour is great to use for gluten-free baking. This recipe is based on several muffin recipes that I adjusted to suit my needs. Although almond flour might not be a pantry staple, it might be worth keeping around to makes these muffins on occasion.

This recipe makes a dozen muffins. I really like the streusel topping, but if you prefer, you can leave it out or use a frosting instead. I think a chocolate frosting would be exceptionally delicious. Even if you do not need to be gluten-free, these muffins are so delicious that you will not miss the gluten.

Almond Flour Muffins

• 2 1/2 cups almond flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 6 Tbsp. milk

Streusel topping

• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 3 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1/4 cup melted butter

Mix together all the ingredients for the muffins. Fill lined or greased muffin cups about 2/3 full. Mix together the streusel topping. Top each muffin with streusel topping. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until done. Allow to cool. Enjoy!

Steak San Marco

I do not remember this recipe from childhood, but it is a delicious dish. I do not know where the recipe came from, but I would not be surprised if it cam from the box of onion soup mix. The recipe is easy to make because all the ingredients are placed in a skillet at the same time, but does require 90 minutes to simmer.

This recipe makes a nice dinner for two. I made some pasta as an accompaniment; bread or mashed potatoes could also be good to soak up the sauce. When I made this recipe, I thought I had peeled tomatoes on hand, but I did not. I substituted a can of diced tomatoes, which worked out fine. All the other ingredients are standard pantry ingredients.

Steak San Marco 

• 2 pounds steak, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 envelope onion soup mix
• 1 can (1 pound) Italian peeled tomatoes
  
• 1 tsp. oregano
• ground pepper
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar

In a large skillet, arrange meat. Cover with onion soup mix and tomatoes. Sprinkle with oregano, garlic powder, pepper, oil, and vinegar. Simmer, covered, for 1 1/2 hours or until meat is tender. Enjoy!

Marshmallow Chocolate Cookies

Sometimes I find recipes in Mom's recipe box that I do not remember from childhood, but sound so good that I have to try the recipe. This recipe is such a recipe. I made these cookies for the family get-together for Mother's Day. The cookies were a hit. I think that these cookies taste like hot chocolate in a cookie form.

The marshmallows add a nice touch to this cookie. I used classic marshmallows but flavored marshmallows would also be delicious. To cut the marshmallows in half, I used kitchen shears but found that the marshmallows were sticky and difficult to handle. The end result was worth the struggle. When I made this recipe, I did not include nuts so people who do not like nuts might still enjoy the cookies. I also modified the recipe below to reflect that I used half a cup of powdered sugar instead of a third of a cup.

Marshmallow Chocolate Cookies

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa
• 1 tsp. soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 cup chopped walnuts, optional
• 30 large marshmallows, halved
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup evaporated milk
• 1 tsp. butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla. Beat thoroughly. Sift flour with cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Add flour mixture in thirds alternating with sour cream, beating until smooth after each addition. Stir in nuts. Drop from teaspoon onto greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or until done. Place a half marshmallow cut side down on each cookie. Return to oven for about 30 seconds or until marshmallow is slightly melted on cookie. Cool. For the icing, melt chocolate chips, blend in remaining ingredients. Spread icing over marshmallows. Enjoy!

Bangers and Mash Pasties

On a trip to Las Vegas, MDS and I went to visit the Hoover Dam, an amazing feat of engineering that is worth the visit. Boulder City, Nevada, was established as a town to house all the workers on the construction of the Hoover Dam. We decided to check out the town and get lunch there. We found a local chain, called Cornish Pasty Company. Because we love pasties, we had to give it a try. Cornish Pasty Company's menu is filled with many traditional flavors as well as curious premium pasties. I had a Bangers and Mash Pasty that was amazing. 

When making this recipe, it can be a two-day meal. Make Bangers and Mash for one meal, then use the leftovers for the pasties. To make bangers and mash, start by cooking pork sausage in a skillet. To make the onion gravy, remove the cooked sausage, add sliced onion to the pan and cook until the onion begins to caramelize. Then, add a few spoonfuls of flour and cook until the flour is blended. Then, add about 2 cups of beef broth, half a cup at a time until blended. Serve the sausage with the onion gravy and mashed potatoes. The leftovers are great for making these pasties. I made 2 large pasties, but more and smaller pasties can be made instead.

Bangers and Mash Pasties (makes 2 large pasties) 

• 2-3 cooked pork sausages, cut into small pieces
• 1 cup onion gravy
• 1 cup mashed potatoes
• pie dough for 1 crust
• 1-2 Tbsp. melted butter.

Split the pie dough in half and roll out each half into about a 8-inch circle. Place sausage pieces, gravy, and mashed potatoes onto about one half of each dough circle. Fold the other half of dough over the ingredients and seal the edges by pinching the dough together. Place each pasty on a lined baking sheet. Brush each pasty with melted butter. Bake at 350 for about 30-35 minutes. Brush additional butter on the pasties toward the end of the cooking time. Allow to cool. Enjoy!

Lemon Puffs

This recipe might take some practice to get the puffs to actually puff up. My puffs should have been puffier. Nevertheless, they were deliciously lemony and custardy even without much puff. The way my recipe turned out, the puffs might be better called crustless lemon custard tarts.

Rather than using custard cups, I used a muffin pan. This recipe makes 12 puffs. I think the recipe would likely fill 12 custard cups. Or use a pie pan to make one large puff that can be cut into slices. I recommend using fresh lemon and grating the rind. It was so fragrant and flavorful. In a pinch, refrigerated lemon juice or lemon extract would work.

Lemon Puffs 

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• 1 Tbsp. butter
• 3 eggs, separated
• 1 cup hot milk
• rind of 1 lemon grated
• 3 egg whites beaten stiff

Mix the sugar, flour, and butter. Then add the beaten egg yolks. Add the hot milk and grated rind. Last add the beaten egg whites. Fill custard cups about 3/4 full. Place in oven at 375 for 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Salmon Quiche

This Easter, I tested out this new recipe. At a recent tea with Mom at Pinecone Cottage, these delicious individual salmon quiches were on the menu. I thought that they would make a great addition to the Easter buffet. I was right. These individual salmon quiches were a big hit with the family on Easter as there were only a few leftover.

This recipe makes 24 individual quiches, which is great for a party. Also, the mini quiches freeze well. When I made this recipe, I seasoned the quiches with dill, but other seasonings could be used. And, the recipe could easily swap out the salmon for other fillings. Also, I made the quiches ahead and just reheated them for the party, which made it easier on the day of the party.

Salmon Quiche 

• pie dough for 3 crusts
• 6 eggs
• 3/4 cup milk
• 3 Tbsp. butter, melted
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds salmon, cooked
• dill or other seasoning

Make the pie dough. Roll out the dough and use a four-inch round cutter. Spray two standard 12-muffin tins with cooking spray. Press the cut dough into each muffin cup. Refrigerate muffin tins until ready to fill.

Bake the salmon. Once cooled, flake the salmon and half fill each muffin cup with flaked salmon. In a bowl, beat eggs with milk, melted butter, salt, pepper, and any seasonings. Pour egg mixture into each muffin cup, leaving 1/4 inch room at the top. Bake at 375 for 25 to 30 minute or until centers set and the edges are starting to brown. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Enjoy!