Waffles Anyone?

My son has been talking about making waffles since Mother's Day. We went to brunch at Brick Tops and he ordered waffles. As he declared, "these are the best!" So Friday morning he would not give the " make waffles mommy" a rest. So off to the computer to find a quick and easy recipe. My first stop was Cooks Illustrated but their recipe called for buttermilk powder, and having buttermilk in my fridge but having no buttermilk powder in the baking cabinet, i had to move on. My search ended at allrecipes.com. Here they are.

Waffles I

2 eggs

2 cups flour

1 3/4 cups milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 TBSP sugar

4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat waffle iron. Beat eggs in large bowl with hand beater until fluffy. Beat in remaining ingredients until smooth.

Spray waffle iron with non stick cooking spray. Pour about a cup of mix onto how waffle iron. Cook until golden brown. Serve hot.

Leslie's Favorite Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

This casserole is my favorite chicken casserole. I usually make the entire recipe and divide it between 3 (9x9) square pans. One for dinner that night and 2 for the freezer.

Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

2 (6.2) packages fast-cooking long-grain and wild rice mix

1/4 cup butter

4 celery ribs, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped (This was not in the original recipe)

2 medium onions, chopped

2 (8- ounce) cans diced water chestnuts, drained

5 cups shredded cooked chicken

4 cups shredded cheddar cheese

2 cans cream of mushroom soup, undiluted

1 (16oz) container sour cream

1 cup milk

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 cups soft breadcrumbs (homemade - i butter a few pieces of bread and then tear them into small pieces)

1 (2.25 ounce) package sliced almonds, toasted (i do not use these because mark doesn't like them)

Prepare rice mixes according to package directions.

Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat; add celery, onion and green pepper. Saute 10 minutes or until tender.

Combine water chestnuts, cooked rice, celery mixture, chicken, 3 cups cheese, and next 4 ingredients in a very large bowl.

Spoon mixture into lightly greased 15x 10 baking dish or a 4 quart baking dish. Top with breadcrumbs. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 35 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and almonds; bake 5 more minutes.

Note: You can divide the casserole evenly between 2 (11x7) baking dishes. Bake as directed above, or freeze casserole up to 1 month. Remove from freezer, and let stand at room temperature 1 hour. Bake, covered, at 350 for 30 minutes. Uncover casserole, and bake 55 more minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese and almonds; bake 5 more minutes.

Source: Southern Living

Key Lime Bars

One of my favorite desserts is Key Lime Pie. I knew I had to try this recipe from Cook's Illustrated. I love that website and magazine because they are very detailed and there is no question about how to make something. They have lots of illustrations of steps that might be confusing.

Key Lime Bars

Crust

5 ounces animal crackers

3 TBSP packed brown sugar

pinch table salt

4 TBSP unsalted butter - melted and cooled

Filling

2 ounces cream cheese - room temp

1 TBSP grated lime zest, minced

pinch table salt

1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

1 egg yolk

1/2 cup fresh lime juice (4 to 5 limes)

Garish (optional)

3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut, toasted until golden and crisp

1. Adjust oven rack to middle postion and heat oven to 325. Create foil sling for 8x8 pan. Spray foil with cooking spray.

2. Make Crust: In workbowl of food processor, pulse animal crackers until broken down, about ten 1-second pulses. Process crumbs until evenly fine, about 10 seconds. Add brown sugar and salt, prcess to combine, ten to twelve 1 second pulses. Drizzle butter over crumbs and pulse until crumbs are evenly moistened with butter. Press crumbs evenly and firmly into bottom of prepared pan. Bake until deep golden brown. 18 to 20 minutes. Cool on wire rack while making filling. Do not turn oven off.

3. Make the Filling: While crust cools, in medium bowl, stir cream cheese, zest, and salt with rubber spatula until softened, creamy and thoroughly combined. Add Sweetened condensed milk and whisk vigorously until incorporated and no lumps of cream cheese remain; whisk in egg yolk. Add lime juice and whisk gently until incorporated (mixture will thicken slightly).

4. Assemble and Bake: Pour filling into crust; spread to corners and smooth surface with rubber spatula. Bake until set and edges begin to pull away slightly from sides. 15 to 20 minutes. Cool on wire rack to room temperature. 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Cover with foil and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 2 hours.

5. Serve: Loosen edges with paring knife and lift bars from baking pan using foil extensions; cut bars into squares or triangle. Sprinkle with toasted coconut if desired.

Snickerdoodles

Cinnamon and Sugar is one of the best combinations.. These cookies are perfect!

Snickerdoodles

2 Tablespoons plus 3/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 1/3 cup flour

1 tsp cream of tartar

1/2 tsp baking soda

Big pinch of salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Put 2 TBSP sugar and the cinnamon in a small bowl and stir to combine; set aside.

Combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl. Mix.

Cream butter, sugar, egg and vanilla in large mixing bowl. With mixer on low speed add the flour mixture and beat until the ingredients are well combined.

Roll 1 rounded teaspoonful of dough between your palms into a ball. Roll in cinnamon sugar mixture. Put the sugar-coated ball on an ungreased baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough. Bake at 400 for 9-10 minutes.

Makes 2 dozen

Sausage and Spinach Pasta Bake

If you have been following my blog you know my family loves sausage.. Neese's sausage! This recipe was in Southern Living several years ago. It was originally Chicken 'n' Spinach but i noticed at the very bottom it had a substitution of sausage for chicken. I made it with sausage the first time and have ever since. I am sure it is tasty with chicken but i have never tried it. I have so many recipes for shredded cooked chicken that it is nice to have one for sausage.

Sausage and Spinach Pasta Bake

8 oz rigatoni

1 cup finely chopped onion

1 (10oz) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

1 pound sausage

1 14.5 oz can Italian - style diced tomatoes

1 8oz container chive and onion cream cheese

1/2 tsp pepper

6oz shredded mozzarella cheese

Prepare pasta according to package directions

Brown sausage, add onions near the end of cooking. Drain.

Stir rigatoni, spinach, sausage, and next 3 ingredients in large bowl.

Spoon mixture into baking dish and sprinkle evenly with cheese.

Bake covered at 375 for 30 minutes; uncover and bake 15 more minutes or until bubbly.

Here is the original recipe with chicken: Southern Living

Babe Ruth Bars

An old favorite. Taking it to dinner with friends tonight!

Babe Ruth Bars

1 cup light corn syrup

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

4 c. Rice Krispies cereal

6 oz semi sweet chocolate chips

6 oz butterscotch chips

Combine sugar and corn syrup in a sauce pan and bring to a full boil; remover immediately from heat. Mix in peanut butter and cereal. Press into buttered 13x9 pan. Melt chips and spread over as icing. Cool and cut into squares.

Corn Dip

This is one of my most requested recipes. It is simple to throw together and tastes wonderful.

Corn Dip

1 small can mexicorn - drained

1 small can white shoepeg corn - drained

6 oz. sharp shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mayo - I use Dukes

1/4 cup onion chopped very fine

garlic salt to taste

tabasco to taste

Mix all the above ingredients and serve with Fritos Scoops!