Our Favorites from 2012

Last year around this time we posted the most popular recipes of 2011.  This year we thought we'd do something different.....this time we are sharing OUR favorites!  Each of the Mavens has chosen their favorite personal recipe of 2012.  We hope you'll give them a try if you haven't already!

from Emily.....Balsamic Glazed Pork Loin

from Anna.....Mexican Street Corn

from Melissa.....Amazing Crockpot Grits

from Audrey.....Mom's Rolls

from Niki.....Cheesy Vegetable Chowder

from Julie......Cottage Ranch Dip

from Amy.....Cobbler Custard Cups

from Kara.....Spinach Dip

Care to share what some of your favorite Maven recipes have been?  We'd love to hear from you!

image source: Microsoft Office Clipart (manipulated through Picmonkey)

My Favorite Carrot Cake!

This is the best carrot cake I have ever had! Even people who think they do not really like carrot cake LOVE this one! 

My mom is famous for this cake! Her co-workers always request this for their birthday, and she is asked to bring it to family and church activities all the time. This is a picture of the one she made for our family Christmas party. I wish there was a "scratch and sniff" and a way you could have a little nibble. The texture is so amazing...mmmmm...and the flavor is just perfect! It's very dense and so moist, and I love the nuts in it! But it's the icing that I dream about!

Mom's Famous Carrot Cake

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

2 cups white sugar

1 cup oil
2 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

2 cups shredded carrots (I like fine shreds)

1/2 cup drained crushed pineapple (this is what makes it extra amazing!)

1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional - I like lots!)

1/2 cup raisins (optional - you'll never find them in MY cake!)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour (or spray) a 9 x 13 pan.

2. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.

3. In large mixing bowl, combine sugar, oil, vanilla and eggs. Beat well. Stir in flour mixture, then carrots, pineapple, nuts (and raisins if you insist.)

4. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 50 - 60 minutes or until done in center.

Icing for Cake

(People have actually requested that my mom make an extra bowl of frosting, just so they can eat it by itself! This icing is AMAZING!!)

8 oz cream cheese, softened

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

6 TBSP butter

2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup chopped pecans 

1 cup shredded coconut 

1. In medium bowl, combine all ingredients and beat until smooth. Then stir in nuts and coconut. Spread over cooled cake. It's sooooooo good! You are going to love it!

Notes:

Because this cake is so dense and moist, it might be difficult to make it into a 2 layer cake. Mom always keeps it one layer, which I think is perfect!

Source: My cute little mom, Brenda Joyner.

Chocolate Eclairs

This is one of those desserts that take extremely little time to prepare, but tastes SO good. It tastes a lot fancier than what the ingredients seem. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Chocolate Eclair Dessert

Eclair Filling:
2 small boxes French Vanilla Pudding
3 cups cold milk
8oz container thawed Cool Whip
Full Graham cracker sheets


 Chocolate Frosting: 
 1 ¾ cup powdered sugar
 4 Tbs HOT water
 4 Tbs soft butter
 4 Tbs Cocoa
 1 tsp vanilla


Directions:
1. Mix pudding and milk with wire whisk until well blended. Let stand 5 minutes. Fold in thawed Cool Whip.
2. Place whole graham crackers in the bottom of a 9x13 sprayed pan, covering entire bottom.
3. Spread pudding mixture over graham crackers.
4. Top with another layer of whole graham crackers, covering top completely.
5. In a bowl, beat all ingredients for chocolate frosting until smooth.
6. Spread frosting over top layer of graham crackers.
7. Refrigerate 24 hours.

Merry Christmas!

"Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."

May all the joy of this Christmas season be yours this day and always.

Sour Cream Banana Bread

There's a reason I don't make this very often.  I can't stop eating it!!!

Ingredients:
2 sticks butter, softened
1 1/2 cups plus 2 Tbsp. sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 cup mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)
4 cups plus 2 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 cups sour cream

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour bundt pan.
2.  In a mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until well combined.  Add the eggs in, one at a time, beating each egg in well.  Add mashed banana and beat in.
3.  Combine the dry ingredients into a separate bowl.  Add dry ingredients alternately with the sour cream, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.  Beat well after each addition.
4.  Pour into bundt pan and bake for 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.  Allow to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes.  Then invert onto a cooling rack and allow to cool further before slicing and serving.  If decorating, allow to cool completely.

Notes:

• I didn't mash my banana up beforehand this time.  I just threw the peeled suckers in whole and let the machine do the work for me.  Lazy?  No.  Efficient!
• Of course, you can use other types of pans.  This time I used a decorative Hansel & Gretel pan from Nordicware, and had enough leftover to do a small loaf.  Just keep an eye on the bread and adjust your cooking times accordingly.
• If you want to put a glaze on top of the bread, you can do that while it's warm and/or cool.  While it's warm the glaze will soak in to the top more.  While it's cool it will just sit on the surface mostly.  If you do two "coats" (one while warm and one while cool) you'll get the best of both worlds!  Or you can just do like I did and give it a powdered sugar snowfall.

Source:  Tasty Kitchen

source

Merry Christmas

Cranberry Orange Muffins

These are some of our favorite Christmas eats! My sister-in-law Miriam Sellers passed the recipe onto me when I married into the family (she is a remarkable cook and can make healthy food taste sinful).  Enjoy!

1 3/4 c. Whole Wheat Flour

2 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder

1/4 tsp. Nutmeg

3/4 c. Sugar (or sweetener of choice)

1/4 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Vanilla

1/3 c. Butter (melted)

1/2 c. Milk

1 Egg slightly beaten

1 tsp. Orange peel

1/2 c. chopped Cranberries

1/2 c. grated Apple

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Mix dry ingredients together.  Make a hole in the dry ingredients, add wet ingredients into the hole.  Mix until moistened, then add cranberries and apples.  Do not over mix   Place in lined or greased muffin tins.  Bake for 13-17 minutes, or until golden brown.  Lightly butter top and sprinkle with powdered sugar.  

Source: Miriam Sellers

The Perfect French Bread

More than a decade ago the ladies at my church had a monthly "homemaking" meeting and, although I do not remember what else we had to eat that night, I do remember the delicious, homemade French bread that my friend Irene Jarvis made.  She shared the recipe with me and when I have the time I like to make my own from her recipe.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups very warm water
2 tablespoons cooking oil
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon salt
6 cups all-purpose flour, stirred and measured
2 pkgs. dry yeast (2 tablespoons)

1.  Into a large warm mixing bowl, pour warm water, then stir in sugar , salt, oil and half of the flour, and the yeast.  Beat vigorously 2-3 minutes.  Stir in remaining flour until all dry ingredients are completely mixed in, leaving the spoon right in the heavy batter.

2.  Allow dough to rest 10 minutes, then stir down.  Allow dough to rest another 10 minutes, then stir down.  Repeat this process until dough has been stirred down five times.

3.  Turn dough onto floured board, kneading only enough to coat dough with flour so it can be handled easily.  Divide into two parts.  Roll each part of dough into rectangles about 9" x 12", and roll up like a jelly roll, starting from the long side.  Pinch edge of loaf to seal the dough.

4.  Arrange dough lengthwise on large cookie sheet that has been sprinkled with corn meal, allowing room for both loaves.  Cover lightly and let rise at room temperature for 30 minutes.

5.  With a very sharp knife, cut 3 gashes(oops, forgot to do that...) at an angle on top of the dough then brush entire surface with lightly beaten whole egg.  If desired, sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds.

6.  Bake immediately at 400 degrees F. for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown (you will notice mine was a little more brown.  I wasn't downstairs at the time I should have taken it out!)  Remove from baking sheet immediately and cool on racks.  2 LOAVES



Source:  Irene Jarvis, El Paso, Texas

Crock Pot Christmas Morning Oatmeal

This oatmeal gives you a great holiday taste.  You can dig right into it as soon as the last ribbon is ripped off the last Christmas morning package.  In my opinion, the nuts should not be optional.

Ingredients:

1/2 c. brown sugar
1 T. ground cinnamon
1 1/2 t. ground nutmeg
3 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 c. and 2 T. dried cranberries
1/4 c. and 2 T. butter, cut into peices
3 c. regular rolled oats
3 c. water
1 1/2 c. apple juice
1 1/2 c. cranberry juice
1/2 t. salt
1 c. and 2 T. candied walnuts (optional)

Directions:

1.  Mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a bowl.

2. Add the apples and cranberries, tossing to coat evenly with the sugar mixture.

3.  Transfer into crock pot.  Top with butter pieces.

4.  Mix the oatmeal together with the water, apple juice, cranberry juice, and salt in a bowl, and pour over the apple mixture in the crock pot.  DO NOT STIR.

5.  Cover.  Cook on Low for 8 hours.

6.  Stir before serving.  Spoon into bowls and top with candied walnuts, if desired.

Source:  Crock Pot Girl

Amazing Country Crock Pot Grits

YUM, YUM and YUM!

Ok, this one is for all of you grits lovers! When I make this for church breakfasts or family events, people go crazy and eat every last spoonful and ask for the recipe. It's sooooo easy and delicious! And it's perfect for Christmas morning!

This recipe is for a huge batch that fits in a 6 quart crock pot. You can half the recipe or adjust it accordingly for a smaller batch.

There are many ways to make it, but here is how people seem to like it best:

Ingredients:
3 cups grits
3 1/2 quarts water (14 cups)
2 tsp salt (to taste)
1 lb sausage, browned and drained (I use Jimmy Dean Hot Sausage)
1/2 stick salted butter (or more)
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2-4 cups of shredded cheese (however much you like)
6 eggs (or more) scrambled
Pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Bring 14 cups of water and 2 tsp salt to a boil. Add 3 cups grits while stirring. Let it come back to a boil and turn down heat, cover, and let simmer for 10 minutes or so, or until the grits are done according to the directions on your package. I would suggest stirring every few minutes.

2. While the grits are cooking, brown the sausage, drain, and put in the crock pot. I like to make sure it's broken up into small pieces.

3. Scramble as many eggs as you like, and put those in the crock pot too. I like lots of eggs and have a lot of mouths to feed, so I usually scramble about 10 eggs.

4. Cut the butter up in pieces and put in crock pot. Put cream cheese in crock pot. Add a bunch (2-4 cups or so) of shredded cheese. I use the Wal Mart brand Mexican blend mix because it melts well and is really creamy.

5. Pour the grits into the crock pot. Sometimes I can't fit all of the grits in because I have so many other ingredients in the crock pot! Add as much pepper as you would like.

6. Stir all of those yummy ingredients together until it's well blended and the cream cheese is stirred in. Taste it to see if it needs more salt. Keep the crock pot on the lowest setting - warm or low.

I make this at night and keep it on warm until the next morning when we chow down on it. Grits do thicken over time, so you have to start off having the grits a little thinner than you would ultimately like them. Sometimes I have to stir in a little milk or water to keep it from being too thick. You can also make this and eat it right away.

Variations:
There are lots of variations for this recipe! You could add bacon bits, ham dices, sliced summer sausage, or whatever kind of meat you want. You could cook the grits with cream or milk instead of water. You can add whatever kind of cheese you prefer, and however much of it you like. I have a friend who has made it with shrimp, garlic, a little onion. The possibilities are endless. I promise you are going to love it!

Source: Adapted from Debbie Evans, one of the best country cooks I know! 

Photo: I never realized that grits were actually not very pretty. I had to take close to a hundred shots before I found a few that looked nice enough to post. Grits might not photograph as amazingly as they taste, but that does not matter. Just eat and ENJOY! 

Pineapple Upside-Down Cupcakes

This is such a tasty dessert! Who ever said that cupcakes must have a huge glob on icing on top has obviously never had these. They present so well too! All your friends will think that you spent loads of time making this gourmet dessert. (Just don't tell them that you use a cake mix... I promise not to tell.)

Pineapple Upside-Down Cupcakes

Ingredients

1 can(s) 20oz sliced pineapple drained, juice reserved 

1 bx yellow cake mix  (My cake mix was sugar free, and turned out great!)

1/2 c oil 

3 eggs 

1/3 c butter, melted 

2/3 c brown sugar

12 maraschino cherries cut in half 

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 24 regular-size muffin cups with cooking spray. 

2. Cut each pineapple slice into 4 pieces; set aside. 

3. In large bowl, beat cake mix, oil, eggs and reserved pineapple juice with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. 

4. In small bowl, stir together melted butter and brown sugar. Spoon 1 1/2 teaspoons butter mixture into each muffin cup. Top each with 2 pineapple pieces. Place cherry half, cut side up, in center of pineapple pieces. Spoon 1/4 cup batter into each cup. (My muffin pans seem small, make sure that you don't over fill your muffin tins. I ended up putting less than a 1/4 cup.)

5. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. Run knife around edge of cupcakes to loosen; invert onto cookie sheet. Serve warm.  (I also ended up cutting a few of the muffin crowns off so that the cupcake would sit flat.)

Source

Creamy Hot Chocolate

We found this recipe several years ago and hot chocolate has never been the same! This recipe beats every homemade concoction we've tried--and there are some goodies out there.

Ingredients:

1 (14 oz) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk (we've used other brands and they work, too.)
1/2 Cup unsweetened Cocoa (we usually use Hersey's brand)
1.5 tsp Vanilla
1/8 tsp Salt
3 Cups Hot Water
3.5 Cups Milk*
Mini Marshmallows (opt)
Whipped Cream (opt)
Ground Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Chili Powder (opt)

1. In a large sauce pan, over Medium heat, combine Sweetened Condensed Milk, Cocoa, Vanilla, and Salt. Mix Well.
2. Mix in the water and the milk. Heat through, stirring frequently. Do not boil.

Serve with mallows or whipped cream and a dash of spice. Questioning the chili powder? Ever seen the movie "Chocolat"? That's where we got the idea and it really is quite good.

*The original recipe called for 6.5 Cups Water, but we like it with the milk. It makes it creamy.

Source: All Recipes, with slight variation

Christmas Peanut Butter Crackers

      CAUTION!  CAUTION!  CAUTION!!  CAUTION!!  CAUTION!!  CAUTION!!  CAUTION!!

These are just about good enough to make you slap your momma!   Ha-Ha-Ha! No, seriously, these things are scrumptious and addicting.  We make these every year as part of our Christmas Treats Extravaganza! Some families probably just call that night Christmas Eve.  But, we call it our Christmas Treats Extravaganza!  (It's fun to say. Use your biggest announcer's voice.  Try it.)  We make a ton of different kinds of goodies/ treats and we eat them for dinner, and then we have plenty for our company that comes to visit.   You should try these, and I promise your family will love them! They almost taste like Nutter butter cookies!

Ingredients:
Creamy Peanut Butter
Ritz crackers
Almond Bark Candy
Wax Paper

Lay out a long piece of wax paper.  Spread peanut butter on a Ritz cracker and sandwich it with another Ritz cracker.  Make these using 1 whole sleeve of crackers.  Once you get this far, set them aside and break your almond bark into squares. Place them into a microwavable bowl, and melt them in the microwave for about 60 seconds.  Take the bowl out of the microwave and try to stir the squares and break them up as much as you can.  Then put the bowl back in the microwave for about 15 seconds.  Then stir and break up lumps. You will do this over if needed until the candy is all melted and smooth.  Then put a Ritz cracker sandwich into the candy and flip it over with the fork covering as much of the sandwich as you can.  You have to work quickly because the hot candy melts the peanut butter!  Then as you pick up the Ritz cracker sandwich with a fork (kind of scoop it up. don't stab it with the tongs!) , you can tap the fork gently on the bowl to get off excess candy.  Then put the Ritz cracker onto the wax paper you have layed out.  Finish the entire sleeve of cracker sandwiches you have made. 

You can get about 1 & 1/2 sleeves of Ritz cracker peanut butter sandwiches dipped to one package of almond bark candy.

Chocolate Peppermints

I recently made these little gems for a family gathering and they were quite tasty.  A great recipe for the holidays or for special events....or just because you want 'em!

Ingredients:
1 pound powdered sugar
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 tsp. peppermint extract
6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

1.  In a mixer, slowly add the sugar to the cream cheese, working in a little at a time, until well blended.  Add the peppermint extract and mix well.  Cover mixer bowl with a damp cloth.
2.  Line a cookie sheet with wax paper.  Roll your peppermint "dough" into teaspoonful sized balls and place on wax paper.  Make an indentation in each ball, either with your finger or with the back of a 1/4-teaspoon.   Cover and refrigerate while you get the chocolate ready.
3.  Melt the chocolate chips in a disposable decorating bag in the microwave until fully melted.  Snip off the very end and fill each indentation.  (OR, if you don't have these bags--but you should cuz they're awesome-- melt the chips in a microwave proof bowl and then pour the chocolate into a ziplock bag, seal, snip the end, and fill the indentations).  Refrigerate until set.

Notes:

• Take them out of the fridge for a half hour to an hour before serving.
• While making the balls, keep the unused "dough" covered so it won't dry out. 
• Make the indentations as you go.  If you wait until you've formed all the balls, the dough will crack.

Source:  from Amy at She Wears Many Hats

Mom's Rolls

For my first recipe post I thought I would share one of my families favorite recipes.  Growing up we had these almost every Sunday.  They are light, buttery, and melt in your mouth.  Enjoy!

½ cup Warm Water

2 ½ T. Yeast

Mix together and set aside.

1 can evaporated milk

2/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 T. salt

½ stick butter softened

Mix above ingredients with 4 cups flour.  Add yeast mixture and 1 cup HOT water.  When mixed well add 4-6 cups flour, if the dough is too sticky (I like mine to pull away from the sides of the mixer but still stick to my finger) add flour ¼ cup at a time.  Knead for 2 min on medium speed.  Let rise until double.  Punch down and let rise until double again.  Punch down then separate into 4 equal parts. Roll 1 part of the dough into a circle. 

Spread about 2 T. of  softened butter onto the dough.

Cut the dough into 12 wedges.

Roll each wedge from the outside towards the center to create a croissant shape (My kids love to help me with this). Repeat with remaining dough.  Place 2 dozen rolls on a cookie sheet (this recipe will fill 2 sheets) cover and let rise until double again.  Bake at 350 for 12-15 min, or until golden brown.

NOTE: This recipe works well for cinnamon and orange rolls.  Instead of rolling into circles roll into rectangles and fill with either of the following:

Cinnamon:                                                  Orange:

1 stick melted butter                                  1 stick melted butter

1 c. brown sugar                                        1 c. sugar

1 t. cinnamon                                             1-2 t. orange zest

Top with cream cheese frosting               Top with orange frosting.  

Red Hot Apple Cider

Image by FreeDigitalPhotos.net/imagerymajestic

Oh my!  It's my day to post and I totally spaced it!  Husband is out of town on business and I have been cleaning and decorating and just playing, because I can be up late and not wake anyone up.  Looks like I could have remembered to blog a recipe, doesn't it?  So if you need a little warming up this afernoon/evening, then I have gotten this post up JUST FOR YOU!  We had dinner with some friends one night during the Christmas season and Trini served hot cider that was so yummy.  I asked her for the recipe and she just laughed.  When you see the ingredients you might laugh, as well, but once you taste it you will be like, oh my gosh.



Image by flickr.com/begautrea

Ingredients:
Apple Cider or Apple Juice
Red Hots candies

1.  Pour desired amount of apple cider or juice in a stove top teapot or in a saucepan.
2.  Pour desired amount of Red Hots into pot/pan, according to how spicy you want your cider.
3.  Heat to desired temperature.
4.  Pour into mug or cup and enjoy....you may want to put a cinnamon stick in for garnish.

Here's another fun hot drink tip:  Another friend, Adrianna, puts cinnamon sticks in her water when she is heating it for instant hot chocolate.  Kind of a quick way to sort of have Mexican Hot Chocolate.  Yummmm...also good when making instant oatmeal.

Source:  Trini Marquez, El Paso, Texas

Crock Pot Apple Butter

 I recommend thinking outside the box when using apple butter.  Mix it into oatmeal.  Spread on top of a plain or spice doughnut.  Mix it into your meatloaf.  THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS!

Ingredients:

7 c. applesauce
2 c. cider
1 1/2 c. honey
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. ground cloves
1/2 t. ground allspice

Applesauce:  Preferably homemade, unsweetened, but a good quality commercial is ok.

Directions:

1.  Mix all ingredients in crock pot.  Cover and cook on low heat 14-15 hours or until mixture is deep brown.

2.  Pack while hot into 4 hot pint jars.  Process in hot water bath for 10 minutes.

Source:  cooks.com