"What's Mom Cooking?"

It's apple season so for this posting of "What's Mom Cooking?" I'm sharing my fried apple recipe with you. If you have ever been to a Cracker Barrel Restaurant then chances are you might have tried their delicious fried apples. If so you might think this recipe tastes just like theirs.....or pretty close to it! I grew up with fried apples being served as a side dish and still enjoy them today as much as I did as a kid. However they are just as good for desert with a scoop of ice cream or for breakfast over pancakes or waffles.

Here is the recipe for easier copying and printing:

Fried Apples

Serve 4

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups apple cider
4 large Golden Delicious apples peeled, 1/2" wedges
1/2 cup apple cider
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 tablespoons sugar

PREPARATION:

Combine first measure of apple cider and apples in a medium skillet. Simmer gently and turn apples often with spatula until fork tender but not mushy. Remove with a slotted spoon to oven dish. In blender puree 1/2 c apple cider, cornstarch, cinnamon and sugar. Blend a few seconds until smooth. Stir into hot juice in skillet and cook, stirring constantly on med-high until it bubbles and becomes thickened and smooth. Turn heat off. Pour over apples.

Serve warm as side dish or dessert. Refrigerate to use in a few days or freeze.

Variation: Sometimes I will use Granny Smith Apples in place of the Golden Delicious Apples. When doing so I double the amount of apples as the Granny Smith run smaller.

Enjoy and thanks for stopping by!

"What's Mom Cooking?"

This week for "What's Mom Cooking' the recipe is Pineapple Upside Down Biscuits. This is a more recent family favorite and is a recipe courtesy of Paula Deen , restaurateur and author of several cookbooks. This recipe is like a quick mini version of pineapple upside down cake...yummy!

Here is the recipe for easier copying and printing.

Pineapple Upside Down Biscuits

Ingredients

• 1 (10-ounce) can crushed pineapple
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, at room temperature
• 10 maraschino cherries
  
• 1 (12-ounce) package refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (10 count)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Grease 10 cups of a muffin tin . Strain the can of crushed pineapple, save juice for later. Combine the pineapple , sugar, and butter, and mix well. Divide the pineapple mixture among the muffin cups. Place a cherry in the center of each muffin cup, making sure cherry hits bottom of cup. Place 1 biscuit in each cup on top of sugar and pineapple mixture. Spoon 1 teaspoon reserved pineapple juice over each biscuit. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden. Cool for 2 minutes. Invert the pan onto a plate to release the biscuits . Serve warm.

Super simple, quick and easy! Hope you will give this recipe a try.

Thanks for stopping by!

"What's Mom Cooking"?

Time for another recipe page. This week my recipe is called 7Up Salad. This recipe has been in my family for years. Originally my mother was given this recipe by another church member years ago before I was even born. The original recipe called for shredded cheese to be sprinkled on top. We have eliminated that step years ago as everyone seem to like it better without it. Although this is a cool and refreshing dish for the summer months, we have enjoyed it year around in our house.

Here is the recipe for easy copying and printing:

7up Salad

Ingredients:
2 (3oz) boxes of lime Jello gelatin
2 cups boiling water
2 cups 7-Up soda
1 large can crushed pineapple well drained, reserve juice
1 cup miniature marshmallows
2 bananas sliced
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup pineapple juice (reserved)
1 egg beaten
1 8oz container Cool Whip

Dissolve jello in boiling water. Add 7 - Up and cool until partially set. Add crushed pineapple, miniature marshmallows and bananas. Place mixture in 13" x 9" pan and refrigerate.

Topping:
Mix sugar and cornstarch in medium pot. Add pineapple juice and beaten egg. Mix well and cook over medium low heat till thickened. Cool to room temperature. Mix Cool Whip into cooled topping mixture and mix well. Spread over top of jello mixture. Keep refrigerated.

I use a glass 13" x 9" pan which shows the colors of the jello and pineapple making for a pretty display.

Hope you will consider trying my recipe and wishing you all a great week!

"What's Mom Cooking"?

It's Sunday and that means it is time for another "What's Mom Cooking"? I'm still working my way through recipe cards that I made for swaps in the past. Today's recipe was for a Christmas cookie recipe swap. As far back as I can remember my mother made these every year for Christmas. We had a week in December that was dedicated to making all kinds of cookies for the holiday and this was always one of my favorites. When I was little my job was to do the rolling in powdered sugar part and to try not to eat them all while doing so!

My recipe page was made using designer paper from DCWV and cardstock by Wassau. Below is the recipe for easier copying and printing should you like to try it!

Honey Pecan Balls

Ingredients:

1 cup butter
1/4 cup honey
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 to 3/4 tsp grated orange rind
2 tsp. vanilla
3 cups flour
1 cup finely chopped pecans
Powdered sugar

Cream butter and honey till smooth. Stir in salt, grated orange rind,vanilla and flour. Mix until well blended with mixer. Stir in pecans. Shape dough into one inch balls and place about one inch apart on buttered baking sheet. Bake at 300 degrees until cookies are a pale golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cookies stand on sheet till cool enough to handle. Roll warm cookies in powdered sugar to coat all over. Set cookies on rack to cool completely.

These look so pretty on a plate or in a Christmas tin and are nice to give as gifts too!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you consider trying my recipe!

"What's Mom Cooking?"

It's Sunday and time for another family favorite recipe! This week the recipe is baked french toast. Very rich, sweet and delicious. It also brings many happy memories to mind as we usually make this for breakfast on holidays and special occasions. It's super simple to make and can be made ahead of time as well. If your schedule is busy you can pop it in the refrigerator the night before or the freezer a few days ahead and it will be ready to pop in the oven for baking on the day you want to serve it.

Our favorite way is to make it the night before and let it sit in the refrigerator over night. For the last ten years my son has been helping me with preparing the french toast. As I'm making the egg and cream mixture he gets the pan ready with the brown sugar mixture. We then cut the bread, dip in the egg mixture. place on the brown sugar glaze and then my son sprinkles the cinnamon on top. I enjoy moments like this, cooking and sharing with my son. I know one day he will be making it with his kids.

My recipe card was simple and quick to make. My son drew the shape of a piece of bread for me. I printed the recipe directly on to it and inked the edges before applying it to the designer paper which is by DCWV.

Below is the recipe for easy copying and printing:

Baked French Toast

Ingredients:

· 2 cups light brown sugar

· 1 stick butter or margarine

· 4 tablespoons flavoring of choice: vanilla, hazelnut or almond

· 4 eggs

· 1 ¾ cups Half & Half or milk

· 1 loaf Italian or French bread cut into 1 inch thick slices

· Cinnamon

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375. Place brown sugar into 13x8 inch baking dish. Melt butter or margarine in microwave. Blend brown sugar, melted butter and 2 tablespoons flavoring until it makes a glaze in the bottom of the baking dish.

Whisk eggs, milk and remaining flavoring in a bowl until well blended. Dip each bread slice into egg mixture, soaking both sides.Set bread slices on top of brown sugar mixture in baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with cinnamon to taste. (at this point you can refrigerate or freeze till ready to bake). Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Flip each slice of bread over so glazed side is up. Serve hot. Serves 6.

We usually enjoy the french toast with some warm maple syrup drizzled on top. One year though I had my entire family over for Christmas brunch and I made a couple big trays of baked french toast to pop in the oven when my family arrived. While it was baking we got some bacon, sausage, eggs and hash browns going. When all was ready to serve I had warm maple syrup, warm apple, blueberries and cherry fruit compote as choices to have on top of the french toast. The cherries and apples were a big hit with all the kids!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you will give my recipe a try. I will be back next Sunday with another family favorite!