Amy's Chicken Tetrazzini ala ~DKBB~

This was a surprising hit with my husband. It's a great way to use up leftover roast chicken, should you have some on hand.

Amy’s Chicken Tetrazzini ala ~DKBB~

(original recipe by Amy Tague, Lebanon, IN, in The Gooseberry Patch Big Book of Home Cooking)

½ cup butter

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. white pepper

2 cups chicken broth

2 tbsp. cooking sherry

2 cups half & half

8 oz. cooked spaghetti

2 cups cubed cooked chicken

¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

4 oz. can sliced mushrooms, drained

1 to 2 cups croutons or bread crumbs of your choice

• Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat; add flour, salt, white pepper; cook until bubbly.
• Add broth, cooking sherry, and half & half; bring to a boil for one minute.
• Stir in cooked spaghetti, cubed chicken, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, and mushrooms; mix well.
• Spread into lightly greased 9” x 13” baking pan; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese and top with croutons/bread crumbs.
• Bake uncovered at 350° for 30 minutes.
• Serves 6 to 8.

Gouda Mac n' Cheese & Bacon Onion Bread

A perfect combination! And the Bacon Onion Bread also makes the most delicious toast when served with a poached or fried egg on it.

Gouda Macaroni and Cheese ala ~DKBB~
(original recipe from www.farmfreshliving.com)

1 pound organic whole wheat penne pasta
Sea salt
8 tablespoons butter
4 cups milk
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons fresh rosemary
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1/8 teaspoon paprika
2 3/4 cups grated Gouda cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 loaf day old French bread

• Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Note: This recipe makes enough for (2) dinners. Cut French bread into ¼” cubes and set aside. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in heavy French skillet. Add minced garlic and rosemary and cook until garlic is lightly browned. Add cubed French bread and stir until well coated. Transfer to a heavy cooking sheet and bake at 350 degrees until evenly browned. Remove from oven when done and set aside.
• Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling, lightly salted water, reducing cooking time by 2-3 minutes from package directions. Drain pasta and return to pot.
• Meanwhile, heat 4 tablespoons of butter in large saucepan on medium-high heat. Add cayenne and paprika to melted butter and stir well. Add flour; whisking constantly until mixture is thick. Slowly add milk; continuing to stir until texture is smooth. Add Gouda and Parmesan cheese and continue to whisk until smooth.
• Pour cheese mixture over pasta and mix. Place mixture evenly in lightly greased baking dishes (2) 8” x 8” or (2) 9” x 9” baking dishes. Coat with garlic/rosemary croutons and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until mixture is bubbling and top is lightly browned.
• To freeze remaining dish, cover with foil after completely cooled and freeze for up to 3 months. To bake, place frozen dish with foil in oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake for 10 more minutes or until done.

NOTE: You can use any type of bread you want for the crouton topping…you do not have to make the rosemary garlic ones in the recipe. I usually use either dried Oregano Herb bread or dried Onion Bacon bread for the croutons.

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Bacon Onion Bread ala ~DKBB~ (for bread machines)

(original recipe from www.tasteofhome.com)

1 1/4 cups water (70 to 80 degrees)

2 tsp. butter

4 to 5 tbsp. dried minced onion

2 tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground allspice

1/4 cup finely crumbled cooked bacon

4 1/2 tsp. dry nonfat milk powder

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. active dry yeast

• In a bread machine, place ingredients in order suggested by the machine's manufacturer. 
• Select french bread setting; choose crust color and loaf size, if available.
• Bake according to bread machine directions; check dough after 5 minutes of mixing and add 1 to 2 tbsp. of water or flour if needed.
• Yield 1 loaf (1.5 pounds).

NOTE: Do not use the bread machine's time delay feature for this recipe.

Frankfurter Supper Dish ala ~DKBB~

(original recipe from Betty Crocker's New Good and Easy Cookbook, 1972)

This has been a family staple for decades. The ingredients are something you usually have on hand, it's inexpensive, and it pretty much covers all the food groups except fruit.

6 frankfurters
1 10oz pkg. frozen green beans
1 1/2 cups cream sauce (I use Wondra flour's cream sauce recipe)
1/2 tsp. Worchestershire sauce
1/2 to 1 cup grated cheese (cheddar, pepper jack...whatever floats your boat)
about 1/2 package seasoned croutons

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 
• Drop franks into boiling water and heat 5 to 6 minutes.
• Remove partially-cooked franks from water; cut into 1 inch pieces.
• Cook beans half the time directed on pkg.
• Make cream sauce, stirring in Worchestershire sauce.
• Stir franks and beans into cream sauce.
• Pour all into a 1 1/2 to 2 quart casserole dish.
• Cover with croutons; sprinkle grated cheese over croutons.
• Bake 30 minutes.

The Perfect Sunday Morning Brunch Recipe

Baked Apple Pancake ala ~DKBB~

(from a recipe by Jill St. John in a 1980s or 1990s Parade Magazine)

1 cup flour 

1/3 cup + ½ tsp. sugar

1 cup beer, room temperature

2 egg yolks

4 egg whites

¼ cup light brown sugar

1½ tsp. cinnamon

2 green apples, peeled and sliced

3 Tbsp. sweet butter
1 Tbsp. oil
½ small lemon

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Sift together flour, 1½ tsp. of the sugar, and salt.
• Add beer and stir until smooth.
• Beat in 1 egg yolk, then the other.
• In a separate bowl, beat egg whites and 1 Tbsp. of the sugar; beat until peaks form.
• Carefully fold the beaten egg whites into the batter.
• Mix together the remaining sugars and cinnamon; reserve 2 Tbsp. of the mixture.
• Squeeze the ½ lemon over apple slices and toss well, then toss that with the sugar/cinnamon mixture until the slices are thoroughly coated. 
• Heat butter and oil in iron skillet.
• Pour ½ of the batter into the skillet, add in the coated apples (lay them in carefully), then pour the rest of the batter over the apple layer.
• Sprinkle the reserved sugar/cinnamon mixture over the top.
• Bake for 60 minutes.

Serve with whipped cream for a real treat.

Fusilli with Pecorino Romano and Black Pepper ala ~DKBB~

I saw this on Giada at Home and just had to try it; I love black pepper!

Kosher salt
1 lb. fusilli pasta (or any kind of corkscrew-type pasta)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 cups baby spinach leaves (5 oz.)
Freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 cups grated Pecorino Romano cheese (6 oz.)*
1 cup mascarpone cheese (8 oz.), at room temperature
* If you can't get this in the backwater you live in, other Italian cheeses will do in a pinch.

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but firm to the bite (about 8 to 10 minutes). Reserve 3/4 cup of the cooking liquid, then drain the pasta.
• Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large, high-sided skillet over medium heat. Add the crushed garlic and cook until lightly browned. Remove the crushed garlic and discard. Add the spinach, 2 tsp. freshly ground pepper, and 2 tsp. minced garlic. Cook until spinach is wilted.
• Remove skillet from heat, add pasta. Add Pecorino Romano cheese and 2 tsp. each Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Toss all until well coated.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the mascarpone cheese and the 3/4 cup reserved pasta water until smooth. Pour over the pasta and toss until well coated. Season with Kosher salt.
• Transfer the pasta to a large bowl and serve.

If you like bold flavors, you'll likely enjoy this, little ones!

Lemon-filled Cream Puffs

My Mom used to make these as a special dessert treat for us when I was a kid. I found the recipe in one of her old cookbooks and gave it a whirl...and they are just as wonderful as I remember!

Cream Puff Shells ala ~DKBB~
(from High Altitude Recipes, ©1951)

1 cup water

½ cup shortening

1 cup flour

4 eggs

·         Place water and shortening in pan and bring to a rapid boil.

·         Add flour all at one time; stir and beat vigorously, while still over heat, until mixture forms ball which leaves sides of pan.

·         Remove from heat; cool slightly.

·         Add unbeaten eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition until mixture is smooth.

·         Drop in portions about the size of a half-dollar on oiled baking sheet, allowing space for expansion between each portion. Make portions bigger to get bigger, but fewer, shells.

·         Bake at 450̊ F (hot oven) for 20 minutes; reduce heat to 350̊ or 325̊ F and continue baking about 20 minutes longer. Puffs must be well-baked or they will fall after they are taken from the oven (it is well to remove 1 puff from the oven as a test).

·         Allow to cool.

·         Cut in horizontal crease toward top of puff; fill with desired filling and replace top; sprinkle with powdered sugar or frost with your choice of Chocolate Icing (2 recipes below).

Makes 2 doz. small or 1 doz. large. Fill shells with lemon pudding (or anything else your heart desires).

Never Fail Chocolate Icing ala ~DKBB~

2 squares baking chocolate

1⅓  cups condensed milk

1 Tbsp. water

1 tsp. vanilla

·         Melt chocolate in double boiler.

·         Add milk and stir over boiling water until mixture thickens.

·         Add water and spread icing on cooled cake. This is a smooth fudge-like texture and not too sweet.

Bittersweet Chocolate Icing ala ~DKBB~*

4 squares baking chocolate

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup powdered sugar

3 Tbsp. hot milk

3 Tbsp. butter ~or~ margarine

1 tsp. vanilla

·         Melt chocolate over hot water in double boiler.

·         Beat eggs; add sugar gradually.

·         Add hot milk and egg/sugar mixture to melted chocolate.

·         Cook in double boiler until thick, stirring constantly.

·         Remove from heat; add 1 Tbsp. butter (or margarine) at a time, blending thoroughly after each addition.

·         Add vanilla.

* This one is my favorite!

So, little ones, think back to simpler times when you were but a wee one, and recall those wondrous treats your Mom made...then go dig out the old recipes and go for it! It's pure joyous memories in each bite!

Bacon Cheesburger Rice ala ~DKBB~

This is surprisingly yummy, and rather kid-friendly! And according to my husband, it goes great with smoked amber beer.

1 lb. ground beef
1¾ c. water
2/3 c. barbeque sauce

1 Tbsp. prepared mustard

2 tsp. dried minced onion

½ tsp. pepper

2 c. uncooked instant rice

1 c. (4 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese

1 c. chopped dill pickles

1 medium onion, diced

4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

• Brown ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.
• Add water, barbeque sauce (I prefer Pine Ridge Jalapeno Barbeque sauce – http://www.herbadashery.com), mustard, dried minced onion, and pepper.
• Bring to a boil, then stir in the rice; sprinkle with cheese, cover and simmer for 5 minutes or until liquid is all absorbed.
• Sprinkle each serving with pickles, onion, and bacon.

(Original recipe by Joyce Whipps of Des Moines, IA, in Dec 2011/Jan 2012 issue of Taste of Home magazine.)