Mom’s Peach Cobbler

 

Ingredients

6 to 7 peaches (depending on size) (4 cups sliced)

3 cups water

3/4 cup sugar, divided

1 (9-ounce) box Jiffy Golden Yellow Cake Mix

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup butter, melted

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Peel and slice peaches. Add peaches to a medium sized pot and add water and 1/2 cup sugar. Cook over medium-low heat until peaches are soft (10 to 15 minutes).

Remove from heat and strain peaches into the prepared dish. Add 1/2 cup of liquid remaining in pot over peaches.

Sprinkle with boxed cake mix.

Top cake mix with 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon.

Using a butter knife, make swirls in baking dish to combine some of the dry ingredients with the peach juices below.

Drizzle with melted butter.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until to top is golden brown and set.

Aloha Chicken And Rice

 INGREDIENTS

1-1 ½ pound chicken tenders, diced into 1-inch pieces

¾ cup low sodium chicken broth

½ cup low sodium soy sauce

½ cup honey

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 ½ cups instant rice, uncooked

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 bell pepper (any color), diced

1 (20 oz) can pineapple chunks

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

2 tablespoons chopped green onions, garnish

3-4 slices cooked bacon, chopped

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

In a separate bowl, whisk together chicken broth, soy sauce, garlic, and honey (add crushed red pepper flakes, if using).

Add rice, chopped onion, bell pepper, and pineapple chunks with juices, and chopped chicken pieces to baking dish. Pour soy sauce mixture over top.

Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Stir ingredients together, then top with bacon pieces and return to oven, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Toss again before serving and garnish with chopped green onions.

Honey Cake

 

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup strong coffee, room temperature

1/3 cup honey

1 large egg, room temperature

2 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 teaspoons orange juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 9×5-inch loaf pan with baking spray (you can also line it with parchment paper as well), set aside.

In a large bowl whisk flour, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add in the oil, coffee, honey, egg, orange juice, and vanilla.

Whisk to combine the wet and dry ingredients together.

Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean with a few moist, but not wet, crumbs.

Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes, before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo Bake

 Ingredients

Base Ingredients

8 ounces penne or rotini pasta (about 3 cups uncooked)

2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (rotisserie chicken works great)

2 cups broccoli florets, cut into bite-sized pieces and steamed until tender-crisp

For the Alfredo Sauce

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups milk (whole milk recommended for richness)

1 cup heavy cream

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

Topping

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Optional Garnishes

Fresh parsley, chopped

Red pepper flakes, for a touch of heat

Additional grated Parmesan

Instructions

Set your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter to prevent sticking.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente (usually 8-10 minutes). The pasta should be just slightly firm, as it will continue cooking in the oven. Drain well and set aside.

If you haven’t already steamed your broccoli, you can do so now. Cut the broccoli into bite-sized florets and steam for about 3-4 minutes until they’re bright green and tender-crisp. You can also microwave them with a tablespoon of water in a covered microwave-safe dish for 2-3 minutes. Drain well to remove excess moisture.

In a large saucepan or deep skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted, add the flour and whisk continuously for about 1 minute to create a smooth paste (roux). This step cooks out the raw flour taste and creates the base for your sauce.

Gradually pour in the milk and heavy cream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture begins to simmer and thicken, about 4-5 minutes. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon when ready.

Reduce heat to low and stir in the grated Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Continue stirring until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked pasta, shredded chicken, and steamed broccoli. Pour the Alfredo sauce over the mixture and gently fold everything together until all ingredients are evenly coated with the sauce.

Transfer the mixture to your prepared baking dish, spreading it out evenly. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top to create a cheesy crust when baked.

Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the mixture is bubbling around the edges and the cheese on top has melted and turned golden brown. If you want a more golden top, you can broil for the last 1-2 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning.

Remove from the oven and let the dish rest for about 5 minutes before serving. This allows the sauce to set slightly and makes serving easier. If desired, garnish with chopped fresh parsley, a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, or additional grated Parmesan before serving.

DELIGHTFULLY DREAMY PINEAPPLE DREAM DESSERT

 

Ingredients

Crust:

2 1/2 cups graham crumbs (2 sleeves)

1/2 cup unsalted butter

Layers:

2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

4 oz cream cheese, softened

8 oz container Cool Whip

20 oz can crushed pineapple, drained well

Instructions

Preheat oven to 300 F.

Melt butter in the microwave and allow to cool. Combine the crumbs and butter and toss together until incorporated. Press 2 cups of the crumb mixture firmly into an 9×9 square pan and bake for 8-10 minutes. Place on wire rack to cool.

Beat the cream cheese and butter together until creamy. Turn the mixer down to low and add the powdered sugar one cup at a time until incorporated. Turn up and beat well for a minute or so. Add a heaping tablespoon of the drained pineapple and stir in with a rubber spatula. Spread the cream cheese and pineapple mixture over the crust.

Fold the remaining pineapple into the Cool Whip and spread on top of the cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle the remaining graham cracker crumb mixture on top. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

PECAN PIE CHEESECAKE

 Ingredients

For the crust:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

For the pecans:

2 cups pecan halves and pieces

2 tbls unsalted butter

3 tbls granulated sugar

pinch of salt

For the filling:

16 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup heavy cream

Method

To make the crust:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the butter, and mix with a pastry blender, a fork, or your fingers until thoroughly combined. The mixture will be crumbly but should hold together when pinched.

Press the crust mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom or 9-inch springform pan.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until the crust is lightly browned. Set aside to cool.

To make the pecans:

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pecans, sugar, and salt. Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the pecans are toasted and the sugar sticks to them (about 7 or 8 minutes). Set aside to cool.

If desired, set aside some of the pecans for garnish. (I used about 24 pecan halves for the garnish you see in the above photos.) Once cooled, roughly chop the remaining pecans.

To make the filling:

Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the cream cheese, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla until thoroughly combined and smooth.

In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer with a whisk attachment to whip the cream until soft peaks form.

Fold about a third of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. Then gently fold in the remaining whipped cream. Stir in the chopped pecans.

Spread the filling evenly in the cooled crust. Garnish as desired. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving (overnight is even better).

Cooks notes –

*A note about the crust: Shortbread crusts can be temperamental. Be sure your butter is cold and that you’ve measured the ingredients accurately. Avoid dark pans. Don’t over bake.

No-Bake Eclair Cake

 

Ingredients

2 packages of instant vanilla pudding mix (3.4 oz each)

3 cups cold milk

1 container of Cool Whip (8 oz), thawed

1 box graham crackers (approximately 14.4 oz)

1 tub of chocolate frosting (16 oz)

Directions

In a large bowl, whisk together the pudding mix and cold milk until thickened, about 2 minutes.

Fold in the thawed Cool Whip until fully incorporated.

In a 9×13-inch baking dish, arrange a layer of graham crackers to cover the bottom.

Spread half of the pudding mixture over the graham crackers.

Add another layer of graham crackers on top of the pudding mixture.

Spread the remaining pudding mixture evenly over the graham crackers.

Top with a final layer of graham crackers.

Microwave the tub of chocolate frosting for about 15 seconds to make it easier to spread.

Spread the softened frosting over the top layer of graham crackers.

Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight for best results