~*~ Caramel Apple Cheesecake ~*~

Recipe has alot of steps set aside some time.

Crust: 2 cups all-purpose flour ~ 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar ~ 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
Cheesecake Filling: 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened ~ 3/4 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided ~ 3 large eggs ~ 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Apples: 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped ~ 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon ~ 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Streusel Topping: 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar ~ 1 cup all-purpose flour ~ 1/2 cup quick cooking oats ~ 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened ~PLUS~ caramel topping (like you use on ice cream)
Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. STEP 1. In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender (or 2 forks) until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 9x13 baking pan lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned. STEP 2. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 3/4 cup sugar in an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Then add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over warm crust. STEP 3. In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture. STEP 4. In a small bowl, combine your Streusel Topping ingredients. Make sure it is mixed thoroughly. If necessary use your clean hands to get it mixed completely. STEP 5. Sprinkle the Streusel Topping evening over the top of the apples and bake 40-45 minutes or until filling is set. STEP 6. Drizzle with the caramel (ice cream) topping. The amount you use is left up to you. Serve cold. ~ Chef ~

~ Thursday, September 29th, 2011 ~

Till Friday!

~ Chef ~

~ Caramel Apple Cake ~

If you like these ...

You will LOVE this cake.

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
3 eggs
3 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3 Fuji apples, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch pieces
2 teaspoons fresh minced ginger
2 teaspoons vanilla

Ingredients for the Glaze:
3/4 cup dark brown sugar, 3 Tbs. butter, 6 Tbs. heavy cream, 1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted (optional)

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine sugar and oil and beat well. Add eggs one at a time. Sift dry ingredients and stir into egg mixture. mix in apples, ginger and vanilla. Spray a bundt pan with spray then pour batter into the pan. Bake for 1 hour in a 350 degree oven. A toothpick inserted in the center of the cake should come out clean. Cool the cake for 15 minutes and then invert pan to remove cake. Now for the Glaze: Combine glaze ingredients and boil for 3 minutes. Drizzle glaze over cake spread any glaze that pools around the cake back over the cake.

Nothing left to do now but ENJOY!

~ Chef ~

~ National Chocolate Milk Day ~

No special day is needed for drinking chocolate milk. The BEST Chocolate Milk I have ever tasted is a brand in our area produced by Dean Foods. It is extremely difficult to find as the Purity Company buys up the shelf space in the stores. Guess you could say they are "afraid of the competition". Dean Foods recently introduced a new product called TruMoo which has no High Fructose Corn Syrup. I haven't tried it yet ... if you have let me know what you think. Drink Up! ~ Chef ~

~ Cracker Jack ~

How many of you remember Cracker Jack as a child? Like most things they aren't what they used to be. They have been around a long time. Frederick William Rueckheim and his brother Louis mass-produced an early version of Cracker Jack and sold it at the first Chicago World's Fair in 1893. At the time, it was a mixture of popcorn, molasses and peanuts and was called "Candied Popcorn and Peanuts". Rueckheim devised a way to keep the popcorn kernels separate in 1896. As each batch was mixed in a cement-mixer-like drum, a small quantity of oil was added — a closely-guarded trade secret. Before this change, the mixture had been difficult to handle as it stuck together in chunks. In 1896, the first lot of Cracker Jack was produced. It was named by an enthusiastic sampler who remarked, "That's crackerjack!" (meaning "of excellent quality"). In 1899, Henry Gottlieb Eckstein developed the "waxed sealed package" for freshness, known then as the "Eckstein Triple Proof Package," a dust, germ and moisture-proof paper package. In 1902, the company was re-organized as Rueckheim Bros. & Eckstein. "Take Me Out to the Ball Game", the song written by lyricist Jack Norworth and set to music by Albert Von Tilzer gave Cracker Jack free publicity when it was released in 1908 with the line "buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack!" Prizes were included in every box of Cracker Jack beginning in 1912. Mascots Sailor Jack and his dog, Bingo, were introduced in 1918 and registered as a trademark in 1919. Sailor Jack was modeled after Robert Rueckheim, grandson of F.W. Rueckheim, the German immigrant who invented the popcorn-peanuts-and-molasses snack, in 1872. Robert died of pneumonia shortly after his image appeared at the age of 8. The sailor boy image acquired such meaning for the founder of Cracker Jack that he had it carved on his tombstone, which can still be seen in St. Henry's Cemetery in Chicago. Sailor Jack's dog Bingo was based on a real-life dog named Russell, a stray dog adopted by Henry Eckstein in 1917 who demanded that the dog be used on the packaging. Russell died of old age in 1930. The Cracker Jack Company was purchased by Borden in 1964 after a bidding war between Borden and Frito-Lay. Borden sold the brand to Frito-Lay in 1997. In 2004, the New York Yankees baseball team replaced Cracker Jack with the milder, sweet butter toffee flavored Crunch 'n Munch at home games. After a public outcry, the club immediately switched back to Cracker Jack. Now for a recipe you can make at home.
* Use a heavy foil turkey (disposable) roasting pan for baking.
Ingredients:
3 quarts of popped corn
3 cups of unsalted nuts (red peanuts or your choice)
1 cup of brown sugar
1/2 cup of DARK Karo (corn syrup)
1/2 cup of butter
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda -plus- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
Directions: Combine popcorn and nuts in large foil turkey roasting pan. Place in a 250 degree oven to keep warm. Now prepare glaze by combining sugar, corn syrup, butter and salt in a large heavy pot. Stir constantly till at a boil over medium heat. Continue to boil 5 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla then baking soda. Remove roasting pan from oven and drizzle the glaze evenly over the corn mixture. Stir well with a metal spoon to coat evenly. Return to oven, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. Cool and break apart. Store tighly covered. Makes about 4 quarts. ~ Chef ~

~*~ Almond Joy Cookies ~*~

Ingredients:
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
4 eggs
3 teaspoons vanilla
4 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
5 cups chocolate chips
2 cups sweetened coconut
2 cups chopped almonds
Directions:
* Pre-heat oven to 375°F and lightly grease cookie sheets.
* Combine dry ingredients, set aside.
* In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars together. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, stir in the vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients until well mixed then stir in the chocolate chips, coconut and almonds. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets.
* Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Yields: 6 dozen

~ Chef ~

~ Being Patient = Perfection! ~

I hear people talk all the time about cooking a roast and it being so tuff they couldn't eat it. The key ... slow cooking. This week I cooked a roast for 10 hours ... yes, 10 hours and not in a crock pot either. It was so tender it literally fell apart. Just goes to show you can NOT rush perfection.

I pulled the roast apart, made a brown gravy and served it on a simple slice of bread ... WOW PERFECTION if I say so myself! So be patient ... it will be worth it. ~ Chef ~

~*~ Candy Corn ~*~

Is believed to have originated in lllinois in the 1880s by the Goelitz Candy Company.
Ingredients:
2-1/2 cups of powdered sugar
1/3 cup nonfat powdered milk
1 cup regular sugar
2/3 cup corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon of salt
5 tablespoons of salted butter
1 teaspoon of vanilla
Yellow and red food coloring
Directions:
Bring the regular sugar, corn syrup and butter to a boil over medium high heat in a large heavy saucepan. Reduce the heat to medium and continue boiling for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove pan from heat. While boiling these ingredients, put the powdered sugar, powdered milk and salt in a large bowl and set it aside. Add the vanilla and powdered mixture into the hot mixture in the saucepan. Be sure and mix it well. Then let the mixture sit for about 20 minutes or so until the mixture is slightly warm. Divide the dough into 3 equal parts and put each into a small mixing bowl. Add orange (mix red and yellow together) food coloring to one part and yellow food coloring to another. Knead the dough until the color is well blended. Also knead the white dough until smooth. You may want to put on plastic gloves to protect your hands from the food coloring. Roll each piece into a thin rope of equal length. Press the three ropes together side by side. Using a sharp knife, cut the ropes into triangles and shape with your fingers. You will have some with white tips and some yellow tips. The kiddies will never notice. It is best to store between layers of waxed paper so they do not stick together.

~ Chef ~

~ Got Pears? Make Wine! ~

Here is a recipe that makes 1 gallon.
Ingredients:
Pears 4/5 lbs.
Sugar 2 lbs.
Potassium Sorbate
Citric Acid
Water 1 gallon
Pectic Enzyme
Wine yeast
Yeast nutrient
Directions:
Chop up the pears and place into a large fermenting bin. Add the sugar and citric acid to the bin and then boil the water and pour in. Stir until the sugar has completely dissolved then leave to cool. Once cool, add the pectic enzyme, stir and leave for 24 hours. Add the yeast and nutrient and then place in a warm place. Stir daily for 5 days then rack off into a carboy and fit a bung and airlock. Rack off for the first time after 3 months. Prior to bottling, add the potassium sorbate to stabilize and prevent additional fermentation. Winemaking is not quick or easy ... but worth the effort and wait!
~ Chef ~

~ Hard Candy ~

With Halloween approaching I am sure many of you will be purchasing hard candy or lollipops for Trick-or-Treaters. If you feel adventurous give this recipe a try.

Ingredients: 1 1/2 lb (3 cups) Sugar * 10 oz (3/4 cup) Light Corn Syrup * 4 oz (1/2 cup) Water * 1 1/2 teaspoon peppermint, cinnamon or lemon extract paste food coloring
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Directions: Combine the sugar, corn syrup and water in a 2-quart saucepan. Stir while bringing to a boil. Cover the saucepan and boil for 4 minutes. Remove the cover, insert a thermometer and cook without stirring until the temperature reaches 310 degrees (F). Remove from the heat and shock the saucepan in ice water for 20 seconds to prevent carryover cooking. Allow the cooked sugar to sit undisturbed for 5 minutes to cool and for bubbles to subside. Gently mix in the paste food coloring until the batch is uniform in color. Pour the candy into an oiled 9-inch square pan and allow to cool until the candy is firm yet still pliable. Turn the slab of candy out of the pan and cut into 1-inch strips using shears. Cut the strips into 1-inch pieces to make 1-inch square individual hard candies. If necessary, the candy can be gently warmed in a 200 degree (F) oven to maintain pliability. Allow the candy to cool fully and either wrap in plastic individually or store at room temperature in an airtight container. For lollipops pour the cooled candy onto a piece of oiled aluminum foil on the counter top. Pour into disks the desired size and push a lollipop stick into the sugar before it hardens. NOTES: Be careful to cook the sugar accurately. If the candy is cooked to a temperature too high it will have a caramel color and flavor. If cooked too low it will stick to your teeth rather than break cleanly. If using fruit flavors the addition of 1/2 tsp. of citric acid after cooking will enhance the flavor. DO NOT stir the sugar during the cooling stage. Now I know this seems like a lot of work but just think how much fun it can be with the kids. ~ Chef ~

~ Farmers Family Restaurant ~

http://www.farmers-family.com/

We were introduced to this restaurant about a month ago and have been back every week since. The food and selection is fantastic. On Friday and Saturday nights starting at 5:00 pm they have Steak and Seafood. Catfish, butterfly shrimp, frog legs, oysters, clams, sirloin steak, prime rib, cream potatoes, turnip greens, macaroni and cheese, white beans, pinto beans, cabbage and so much more. And IF you have room for dessert they have blackberry, peach and cherry cobbler, apple crumb cobbler, chocolate cream pie, coconut cream pie, cakes, jello salads and vanilla ice cream. So if you are looking for a fantastic place to eat make the drive and give them a try. As an added bonus be there on Friday or Saturday at 5:00 pm and you will be blessed with Grace. Not something you will find at any other restaurant (but should). They are located at 1918 Shady Brook Street Columbia, TN (931) 540-8989. They will be opening another restaurant in Murfreesboro, TN very soon. It will be located in the shopping center behind Outback Steakhouse. ~ Chef ~

*~*~* Yes, it's another Casserole *~*~*

<<< Tater-Topped Casserole >>>

Ingredients:
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1-1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 package frozen vegetables
1 (3 ounce) can french-fried onions
1 (10-3/4 ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup, undiluted
1 (10-3/4 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1/2 cup milk
1 (16 ounce) package frozen tater tots
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Mix in the season salt and pepper. Layer the beef mixture, vegetables and onions into the dish. In a bowl, combine soups and milk; spread over vegetables and top with Tater Tots. Bake, uncovered for one hour. ~ Chef ~

~ Corn Casserole ~

Ingredients:
2 whole eggs, whisked
1 cup of sour cream
1 cup of heavy whipping cream
2 Tablespoons of vegetable oil
½ cup of butter, melted
2 cans of 15-ounce sweet whole kernel corn, undrained
⅔ cups of all-purpose flour
½ cups of yellow corn meal
3 Tablespoons of sugar
1 Tablespoon of baking powder
¼ teaspoons of salt

Directions:
Mix the wet ingredients and the dry ingredients in separate bowls, and then combine them. Add fresh cracked pepper and more salt to taste. Pour into a greased baking dish. Top with small dabs of butter (about 2-3T). Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes, or until golden brown and set in the middle (it should not jiggle too much in the middle when it’s ready). Enjoy! ~ Chef ~

~ Mexican Mac and Cheese ~

Ingredients:
12 oz. dried mostaccioli or rigatoni pasta (3 cups)
1 lb. pork sausage
1 cup chopped onion
1 16-oz. jar green medium-hot salsa
2 8-oz. pkg. shredded Monterey Jack cheese (4 cups)
Tomato wedges, sliced jalapeño peppers and chopped fresh cilantro
Salsa (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 3-quart rectangular baking dish; set aside. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; set aside. Meanwhile, in large skillet cook sausage and onion until meat is browned and onion is tender. Drain fat, return sausage and onion to skillet. Stir in green salsa. Bake, uncovered, for 35 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes. Top with tomato, jalapeño, and cilantro. If desired, serve with additional salsa. Makes 12 servings. ~ Chef ~

~ A Spicy Breakfast Casserole ~

Ingredients:
4 cups of hot water
5 1/5 oz. package dried hash brown potatoes
5 eggs, well beaten
1 cup of shredded Swiss cheese (substitute if you wish)
1/2 cup of cottage cheese
1 teaspoon of salt
1/8 teaspoon of black pepper; ground
1/8 teaspoon of hot sauce
1 green onion; chopped
6 slices of bacon; cooked, drained, crumbled
paprika
cooking spray

In a large bowl, place the entire 5.2 oz. hash brown mixture. Pour 4 cups of hot water over the hash browns and let stand for 10 minutes. Drain and pat off any extra moisture with a paper towel. In a large bowl, combine 5 well-beaten eggs, 1 cup of shredded swiss cheese, 1/2 cup of cottage cheese, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/8 teaspoon of ground black pepper, 1/8 teaspoon of hot sauce and 1 chopped green onion. Now add the drained hash browns and mix thoroughly. Pour mixture into a deep-dish pie dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle with crumbs from 6 slices of cooked bacon and a dash of paprika. Cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate at least 3 hours (or overnight). Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until mixture is set. (Check for doneness by inserting a clean knife in the center ... it should come out clean.) Cut into wedges, and serve immediately. ~ Chef ~

~ It's Monday ... need a Casserole? ~

~~~ Loaded Potato Casserole ~~~

Ingredients:
8 medium potatoes (about 2 1/2 to 3 lb. total), peeled and cut into equal chunks * 1 cup Carnation evaporated milk * 1/2 cup sour cream * 1 teaspoon salt * 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper * 2 cups (8-oz. pkg.) shredded cheddar cheese, divided * 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled, divided * sliced green onions (optional)
Method:
PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Grease 8-inch-square baking dish. LAYER 1/2 potatoes, 1/2 onion, 1/2 bacon and 1/2 cheese in prepared baking dish; repeat layers. Combine evaporated milk, egg and seasoned salt in small bowl. Pour evenly over potato mixture; cover. BAKE for 55 to 60 minutes. Uncover; bake for an additional 5 minutes. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

~ Chef ~

~ September 11th, 2001 ~

~ Chef ~

~ Football Time ~

WHAT YA CRAVIN'?

~ Chef ~

~ One Skillet Tamale Pie ~

Recipe makes 6 (1-cup) servings.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound ground beef
1 package of Taco Seasoning Mix
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1 can (14 ounces) kidney beans, undrained
3/4 cup water
1 package (8 ounces) corn muffin mix
1 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
1/4 cup sliced green onions
DIRECTIONS:
Brown meat in large skillet on medium-high heat. Drain fat. Stir in Seasoning Mix, tomato sauce, beans and water. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes. Now prepare the corn muffin mix as directed on package. Drop small spoonfuls of batter over meat mixture. Cover. Cook on low heat 15 minutes or until corn bread is cooked completely. Sprinkle with cheese and green onions. Cover. Cook on low heat until cheese is melted.

Complete meal and simple clean up.

~ Chef ~

~ Fall Gardening ~

If you haven't started yet and you want a fall garden you had better get going! Almost anything you grew in the cool season can be done again in the fall. The greatest thing about the fall garden is that the bugs are going away. Just like in the Spring either start from seed indoors or get some transplants. Or if you still have vegetables growing in your garden you can sow seed underneath them and use the shade to start the fall crops. Good plants for the fall vegetable garden are: Lettuce, Spinach, Kale, Chard, Radishes, Beets, Carrots, Kohlrabi (german turnips) and many more. If you aren't planting a fall garden start preparing the garden for next year. Pull out dead and diseases plants - do not compost, diseases can hang around for quite a while. Collect leaves, grass clippings, manure and mix it into the garden to compost over the winter. September is a good time to start mulching again. The weather "should" be more pleasant for working outdoors (if the rain ever stops!) and the plants will benefit over the winter from a good insulating layer of mulch. Continue weeding! It is critical to weed anything that is about to go to seed to try and reduce you work for next year.

~ Chef ~

*~*~* Have a Great Weekend *~*~*

They say it's the "End of Summer Grilling" ...

Around our house even if the grill looks like this ...
It is usable!
~ Chef ~

~ Cherries ~

When the French settlers from Normandy migrated to the Midwest, they planted cherry pits along the Saint Lawrence River and in the vicinity of the Great Lakes. A Presbyterian missionary from Michigan, Peter Dougherty, is credited with beginning modern-day cherry production. In 1852 he planted cherry trees near Traverse City, Michigan. But while sour cherries were becoming an industry in Michigan in the 1850s, sweet cherry orchards were thriving in the Willamette Valley near Salem, Oregon, thanks to a man named Henderson Luelling and his brother Seth. Henderson had planted his orchard in 1847. Seth joined his brother at his orchard and took over in 1854. He developed a sweet and succulent cherry and he named the variety Bing. Cherries belong to the same family of other stone fruits such as plums, apricots, peaches and almonds. Sweet Cherries include varieties such as the Bing, Lambert, Napoleon (also called the Royal Ann) and Rainier. Sour Cherries include the Montmorency, which accounts for 95% of all production. All varieties of cherries have very short growing seasons. Bing cherries are generally available from the end of May to early August, with peak season in June and July. Rainiers are available until about mid-August. The growing season of sour cherries such as Morello and Montmorency is very short - begin and end in July. Any fresh cherries found in the market after August are most likely from cold storage, although there are some imports from New Zealand during the winter months. So before the fresh ones are gone for the season make yourself a fresh cherry pie. You'll be glad you did. ~ Chef ~