Skip to main content

Posts

Potluck Success: Ooey Gooey Butter Cake

  Ooey Gooey Butter Cake PRINTABLE VIEW HERE 1 Yellow Cake Mix (standard box -dry mix only) 3 Eggs (one for the crust; two for the cream cheese mix) 8 oz block of Cream Cheese (softened) 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter (the real thing), melted 4 cups powdered sugar (+ a little extra powdered sugar for sprinkling after cooled) Instructions: PREHEAT OVEN to 300 degrees F. and spray a 9x13 dish well with cooking spray. MIX cake mix, melted butter and ONE egg to a soft dough. PRESS into the bottom of the sprayed 9x13 pan. MIX powdered sugar, softened cream cheese and remaining TWO eggs until smooth (for about 1-2 minutes).  (I used the same bowl that I used for making the crust.) POUR on top of unbaked crust. BAKE at 300 ° for 40-50 minutes (until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle). THE CHIT CHAT Potlucks are always tough for me.  I love to cook.  I mean, I really LOVE TO COOK but when I need to take something to a potluck where I have no idea what other ...

The Basics: Recipes you Know By Heart: 30 Recipes I know by Heart

  What recipes do you know by heart?  You know, the recipes you pull out of your soul when you cook on auto pilot; the recipes that a special loved one made for you once upon a time and now you make them for the people you love? Recipes You Know by Heart By Gina 2025-  www.AtHomeMyWay.blogspotcom What recipes do you know by heart,  made from memory each time you start?   Where recipe books sit packed away  and stains adorn them where they stay.   Where biscuit bowls sit and wait  for sifts of flour and sleepers late.  Where sizzling butter becomes pancakes fluffy  a nd tummies become happy stuffy Where muffins don't need a mix  and frosting needs no special tricks. Where warm chocolate pudding doesn't start with a box and ice cream churns in icy rocks So many Spaghetti Sundays through the years  for celebrations, hugs or tears.  Simmered slow by moms and grannies with bread to swipe all the crooks and crannies. ...

TGIF, Pepper Jelly SUCCESS ,and Apple Pie Filling FAIL!

 *This recipe isn't hard.  I just tell every little thing.) Recipes at the Top - Chit Chat at the bottom! Pepper Jelly (Surejell) (Printable View here) 14 various peppers, some sweet/some hot (50% hot peppers is good) 1 cup apple cider vinegar ½ teaspoon butter/margarine 1 box (regular-yellow box) Surejell (I only use that brand) 5 cups sugar, measured into a separate bowl Nitrile gloves for seeding/trimming the peppers. (Makes 6 pints of jam -I always use some 4 oz jars and 8 oz; washing up extras so I have enough just in case.  Any partial jar at the end can be refrigerated for a "test taster") Instructions Wash jars, lids and rings with soapy/hot water.   (New USDA guidelines say you don’t have to sterilize jars if you are processing for 10+ minutes.)   I use the dishwasher.   Once the dishwasher cycle is complete, I then start my recipe while the jars, etc. remain in the hot dishwasher until time to fill. ...

One Pot Meals: Skillet Spanish Rice Dinner (with meatless and bonus options!)

Move over Hamburger Helper!   Ditching the box over here with Skillet Spanish Rice Dinner! RECIPES AT THE TOP - CHIT CHAT AT THE BOTTOM! Skillet Spanish Rice Dinner  (with Ground Beef) (PRINTABLE RECIPE HERE) Ingredients: 1 pound ground beef  (totally optional) (can sub w/ drained/rinsed beans like pinto, kidney, black beans) 1/2 - 1 chopped onion (could be replaced with 1 teaspoon onion powder) 1/2 - 1 chopped bell pepper (any color is fine - or leave it out if you don't like fresh pepper) 1 cup uncooked (long grain) white rice  1 14-oz can diced tomatoes (undrained) (salsa or rotel would also be good substitutes) 1 8-oz can tomato sauce 1 1/2 cups water + 1 beef (or chicken) bullion cube (or replace with 1 1/2 cups beef or chicken broth) (I used the 8 oz tomato sauce can to "measure" my water so as not to dirty another dish.) 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 Tablespoon chili powder (or taco seasoning would work fine) Salt/Pepper to taste Instructions: USING a medium...

Beginner Friendly Recipe: Easy Banana Pepper Hot Sauce

  Banana Pepper Hot Sauce  (Using Home Grown Peppers) Recipes at the Top; Chit-Chat at the Bottom PRINTABLE RECIPE HERE 6-7 large Banana Peppers (at the yellow / ripe stage)  1 Jalapeno Pepper (or your favorite "hot" pepper) 2-4 cloves of fresh garlic,  sliced 1 cup white vinegar ½ cup bottled or filtered water,  as needed 2 tsp sugar (I will cut this down to 1 teaspoon next time since we prefer less sweet) 1 tsp salt (no iodine - so I used canning salt) ¼ tsp black pepper 1 tsp ground mustard seed 1 tsp celery seed (I made a double batch of the brine to make sure that I had enough.) Instructions: Sterilize a quart (glass-canning) jar and lid/ring (I used my dishwasher). Cut the   banana peppers  and   jalapenos   into  slices, removing the tops and the seeds. A few seeds are fine.  Place the pepper slices and garlic pieces in the jar.  (I always use gloves for handling any peppers.) Bringing the   water, vinegar, and ...