Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Easy Cheesy Sausage Ball Appetizers!

I made some sausage balls for an office breakfast, and I thought I would share.  I use the basic recipe, but change it up to make the sausage balls a little more savory.  This is a no-fail easy appetizer.  I do like to mix them up the night before.  I find that it's easier to roll into balls once it has chilled overnight.  These would be great for an easy Christmas morning breakfast,too!  Just add some fresh fruit skewers and everyone can help themselves.

Sausage Balls
3 C packaged baking mix
1 lb Jimmy Dean pork sausage
8 oz shredded cheddar
8 oz shredded Swiss
1/2 grated Parmesan 
1/2 C milk
1 1/2 tsp Tones Rosemary/Garlic seasoning
1 1/2 tsp parsley
Mix all together and chill in refrigerator overnight.  In the morning, lightly grease cookie sheets, preheat oven to 350 degrees, and roll mixture into TBSP-sized balls.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until brown (I turn them over halfway through baking).

Thursday, December 11, 2014

Peppermint Crunch

This candy is one of our favorites and it's the easiest Christmas candy you will ever make!  


You'll need:  a box of crisp rice cereal, white chocolate candy melts or vanilla almond bark, and some peppermint candy canes that have been coarsely crushed.


Melt the chocolate in a microwaveable bowl until smooth.  Stir in cups of cereal until coated with the chocolate (you add enough cereal to have it all coated, but not too soaked in chocolate-like Rice Krispie  Treats consistency). Finally, stir in the crushed peppermint.  Spread out on a long piece of waxed paper.  When it sets up, break into pieces.  Store in tins.


Makes great holiday hostess gifts!  Enjoy!

Friday, December 5, 2014

Easy Cajun Coconut Pecan Cake

Today, I'm posting a previously- written entry because a reader has requested an easy coconut cake recipe...also...I forgot to publish this entry back when I wrote it, it's a great cake recipe...and, well,  I've had an unusually busy week!  There!  Full disclosure!  Hope you enjoy this rich, easy cake.  (I didn't include a picture of the cake, but a picture of my middle son, instead!  I'm a typical mom!). This post was written in November of 2012, so I'm talking about Thanksgiving desserts, but this cake would be beautiful on your sideboard for Christmas, as well.


I've had a great week!  Our middle son, Blake, has been here for a visit!  He's getting ready to move states-away to a new job. Kudos to Blake for accomplishing a couple of his major life-goals, lately.   At the beginning of fall,  he was awarded his Masters degree in Industrial Psychology and will soon begin his  new job (it involves analyzing statistics, which he enjoys).  I'm so proud of his hard work and determination;  There... all done with the Mom-bragging!

IEven with a visitor in town, I had time to look through recipes, and if coconut is one of your favorite dessert ingredients, you're in luck this week!   I dug through some of my old community cookbooks this week and found a very promising recipe for a unique cake.  The little ragged book was a group effort by the Whistling Pines Garden Club of Cypress, Texas in 1977.  This cake sounds moist and delicious.  Both the cake and icing recipes have few ingredients...I love that!  This might be a great cake to set alongside the pumpkin pies at Thanksgiving.  I know it's hard to believe, but some folks would rather have cake than pie!  My husband's in that cake-eating group, bless his heart (More pecan and pumpkin pie for me!)

Cajun Cake and Easy Coconut- Pecan 
(Gaynelle Pucek)
2 C flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 lb. can crushed pineapple
1 1/2 C sugar
2 eggs

Mix at medium speed until combined.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.  Makes a 13x9 inch cake.

Easy Coconut Pecan Icing

1/2 C sugar
1 stick margarine
1/2 C chopped pecans
1/2 C evaporated milk
1 C coconut

Bring sugar, milk and margarine to a boil.  Add coconut and pecans.  Pour over warm Cajun Cake.

Swaps:
We are That Family
Raising Homemakers
Deep Roots at Home
A Wise Woman Builds Her Home